From: blj@mithrandir.cs.unh.edu (Brian L. Johnson)
Subject: REVIEW: Eight Mini-Reviews
Reply-To: blj@mithrandir.cs.unh.edu (Brian L. Johnson)
Organization: ?
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 16:15:55 GMT
Followup-To: rec.arts.movies
Summary: r.a.m.r. #01495
Keywords: author=K.Johnson

                      Some Recommended Films on Video
                       8 mini-reviews by Ken Johnson
                        Copyright 1992 Ken Johnson

     These are some films that I just recently checked out of my video
store and really enjoyed.  They are ones that I feel are probably
commonly overlooked and I feel are definitely worth renting.  The rating
system is based on a zero to five scale.

PARIS, TEXAS
145 min., R, Drama, 1984
Director: Wim Wenders
Cast: Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell,
      Aurore Clement, Hunter Carson, Bernard Wicki

     Drifter Harry Dean Stanton gets reunited with his son Hunter Carson
after a long time of wandering.  His wife Nastassja Kinski had walked
out on him years ago and Stanton feels guilty about it.  He and Carson
go out to try to find Kinski so Carson can be reunited with her.

     Although this film is rather long, I found it to be attention
grabbing.  The film is rather sad in places and happy in others.  The
acting is very well done and the script is well written.  I highly
recommend this film to any fan of dramas.

     Rated R for explicit language and adult situation.  Rating: Five.


PRIVATE POPSICLE
100 min., not rated, Comedy, 1982, In Israli with English
subtitles
Director: Boaz Davidson
Cast: Iftach Katzur, Zachi Noy, Jonathan Segal, Sonia Martin,
      Menache Warshawski, Bea Fiedler, Dietmar Siegert, Dvora Keidar,
      Joseph Shiloah

     This film is part four of the European LEMON POPSICLE series.
Katzur, Noy, and Segal all become part of the Israli army.  They get put
through a vigorous training course.  The three try to get out of
everything they were assigned.  One of the boys sees Martin in the girls
side of the camp.  He dresses up as an officer to go over to see her

     This film ended up being a lot like the American film STRIPES,
except not quite as funny.  The Lemon Popsicle team, Iftach Katzur,
Zachi Noy, and Jonathan Segal, have done a great job with this film, and
after seeing it, I now want to search out their first three works.  The
film is very funny, but only if you like slapstick comedy.

     Not rated but contains adult situations, female nudity, explicit
language, and adult humor.  Rating: Four.


THE SPRING
102 min., R, Action, 1989
Director: John D. Patterson
Cast: Dack Rambo, Shari Shattuck, Gedde Wantanabe, Steven Keats,
      Virginia Watson, Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, Robert V. Barron,
      Rick Olivio, Byron Webster

     Rambo and Wantanabe are archeologists who get evidence that leads
them to believe that Ponce De Leon's fountain of youth exists.  They
travel to Florida to try to find the fountain.  Rambo meets artist
Shattuck, who paints paintings of the fountain and may know its where
abouts.  They are followed by Keats, who wants to use the fountain for
his own personal gain.

     This film silently appeared on the video shelves of a video store
in my area.  Because of the cover, I had never bothered to check it out.
One day I got curious what the film was like so I checked it out, and it
is nothing like the cover implies.  This film will probably only be
liked by fans of B movies who will probably enjoy watching it.  Others
will probably find the story cheesy and the acting poor.

     Rated  R for violence, explicit language, adult situations, and
female nudity.  Rating: Four.


STAR 80
104 min., R, Drama/Biography, 1983
Director: Bob Fosse
Cast: Mariel Hemingway, Eric Roberts, Cliff Robertson, Roger Rees,
      David Clennon, Carroll Baker, Keenen Ivory Wayans

     The true story of Playboy centerfold Dorothy R. Stratten, played
by Mariel Hemingway.  She gets seen by Paul Snider, played by Eric
Roberts, who convinces Stratten to pose nude for "Playboy."  He and she
get married and soon their relationship starts to go bad, so she tries
to get out of it.  Snider, in a mad rage, kills Hemingway.  Dorothy
R. Stratten's story is also told in the film DOROTHY STRATTEN: THE
UNTOLD STORY, and the television film DEATH OF A CENTERFOLD: THE DOROTHY
STRATTEN STORY.

     The story line is often depressing, but the acting is great and the
story is well-written.  Hemingway does a great job as Dorothy and
Roberts is perfect as the slimy Snider.  I recommend this film only to
people who are interested in Dorothy Stratten, or enjoy a good drama.

     Rated R for female nudity, adult situations, explicit language, and
graphic violence.  Rating: Four.


STEWARDESS SCHOOL
93 min., R, Comedy, 1987
Director: Ken Blancato
Cast: Brett Cullen, Mary Cadorette, Donald Most, Sandahl Bergman,
      Judy Landers, Wendie Jo Spencer, Julie Montgomery,
      Dennis Burkley, Corinne Bohrer, Sherman Hemsley, Vicki Frederick,
      Leslie Huntly, Brooke Bundy, Fran Ryan

     A school for stewardesses lowers its standards and accepts anybody
who will apply.  The trainees that show up are anything but desirable,
so one of the instructors tries to get the undesirable students to quit.

     The basic story line is a complete rip-off of POLICE ACADEMY, but
the film is fun to watch if you don't expect too much.  I suggest this
film for anyone who enjoyed the original POLICE ACADEMY film and other
fans of slapstick type humor.

     Rated R for explicit language, adult situations, female nudity, and
adult humor.  Rating: Four.


THE SUICIDE CLUB
90 min., R, Drama, 1988
Director: James Bruce
Cast: Mariel Hemingway, Robert Joy, Madeline Potter,
      Michael O'Donoghue, Anne Lange, Sullivan Brown, Keith Berger,
      Tom Cayler, Lenny Henry, Anne Carlisle

     Hemingway is feeling guilty over the suicide of her brother.  She
gets invited to a party where most of the guests play a card game with a
twist, the winner loses.  The one who wins, gets killed.  Hemingway
observes the first night, and against the suggestions of her boyfriend
Joy, she goes back a second night to play the game.

     This often depressing film is certainly not for everybody's tastes.
I found this film good, but in a weird way.  It is not one to just sit
down to, you have to think while watching it.  I recommend this film to
people who like bizarre movies.

     Rated R for explicit language and violence.  Rating: Four.


TUFF TURF
112 min., R, Drama/Action, 1985
Director: Fritz Kiersch
Cast: James Spader, Kim Richards, Paul Mones, Matt Clark,
      Claudette Nevins, Olivia Barash, Robert Downey, Jr.,
      Ranchito Gomez, Michael Wyle, Kerry Brennon

     Teen Spader moves to a new city.  He sees beautiful Richards and
wants her to be his girlfriend.  She is already seeing punk Mones and he
doesn't want to give her up.  Mones and his gang start a war against
Spader, and Spader fights to get Richards.

     An above-average teen gang film which I feel will be liked by
teenagers/college students, and open minded adults as well.  The acting
in the film is great and the story is rather interesting.  Just don't
expect a perfect film.

     Rated R for explicit language, adult situations, brief female
nudity, graphic violence.  Rating: Five.


WILD ORCHID
111 min., not rated, Drama, 1990
Director: Zalman King
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Jacqueline Bisset, Carre Otis, Assumpta Serna,
      Bruce Greenwood, Jens Peter Oleg Vidou

     Naive American Otis joins a firm and gets sent to Rio De Janeiro to
help Bisset with a real estate deal.  Otis meets bizarre Rourke, who is
interested in Otis.  She goes out with Rourke and he opens her eyes to
the sexual experiences of others.  Rourke doesn't make moves on Otis
and she is confused over it.  Also available in a less explicit R rated
version that runs for 103 minutes.  Followed by WILD ORCHID 2: TWO
SHADES OF BLUE, which just came to video.

     I feel this is Zalman King's, director of TWO MOON JUNCTION, best
film yet.  The film is just an interesting film to sit down and watch.
As far as I can tell there is no great significance to the film.  I
recommend this film to people who like provocative dramas.

     Not rated but contains explicit language, adult situations, female
nudity, and strong sexual content.  Rating: Four.

Ken J.
blj@mithrandir.cs.uhn.edu

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