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tt0070071 | Frank Film | Jon lives in a small coastal town, but aspires to be a songwriter. While walking along the beach, Jon witnesses a man trying to drown himself. The man is revived, but taken to hospital. Jon talks to Don, who explains the man was a keyboardist in an experimental band called the Soronprfbs, managed by him. Jon mentions that he plays keyboards and is invited to play with him in town that night. Jon goes along and meets the rest of the band, all of whom are reluctant about Jon, except for Frank, the band leader who wears a paper-mâché mask over his head. The concert goes well, until Clara breaks her theremin and storms offstage.
Frank invites Jon to become a full-time member of the band. He accompanies them to Ireland, where they plan to record their first album in a remote cabin for the next year. Clara displays contempt to Jon and they end up sleeping together, but she threatens to kill him if he mentions it. Don becomes depressed and explains to Jon that he wants to be a songwriter, but is terrible. He plays a song for Jon, who compliments it. The next morning, Jon finds what appears to be Frank's corpse hanging from a tree. He calls the rest of the band down and they remove the mask, only to find it was Don wearing one of Frank's masks. Don is cremated and Jon reveals he has been posting the band's recording sessions online. The Soronprfbs have gained a small following and have been invited to South by Southwest.
Upon arrival in Texas, Jon, Frank and Clara scatter Don's ashes, but realise Frank accidentally replaced them with powdered food. Drummer Nana and bassist Baraque reveal their strong hatred for Jon and return to England the night before the concert. On the day of the concert, Clara and Frank disappear. Jon finds them in an alley, but Clara stabs Jon in the leg, but runs away. She is later arrested by the police. At the concert, only Jon and Frank remain of the band. As they go onstage, Frank refuses to sing, forcing Jon to sing one of his songs. Frank dislikes it and suffers a nervous breakdown. The next day, Jon attempts to reason with Frank, which ends in them arguing and Jon trying to remove Frank's head. Frank runs out of the motel room and is hit by a car. Jon gives chase, but realises Frank has escaped.
Sometime later, Jon has attempted to track down Frank, but all his attempts have failed. He finally succeeds in tracking Frank to his hometown of Bluff, Kansas, where he is living with his parents. They explain that Frank has suffered with severe mental health issues all his life and began wearing the mask as a teenager. Jon finally sees Frank without a mask, only to learn he has a large scar on his head and is balding. Jon takes Frank to a bar, where Clara, Nana and Baraque are playing. Frank approaches the band and when he begins to speak, they realise who he is. He begins singing and joins them onstage, while Jon watches. As Frank sings, Jon leaves the bar to return to England. | autobiographical | train | wikipedia | Words escape me..
I have a fetish for films made entirely of cutout images.
There's an NFB film called "This is a Recorded Message" made right around the same time that also uses a similar cutout technique.
Both films use advertisements to create their point.
However, where "Message" is scathing critique of advertising, "Frank Film" uses advertising images to construct a moving autobiographical portrait of the film maker, Frank Mouris.
I was amazed at the way Mouris was able to find all these thousands of images and then stick them all together with two overlapping soundtracks that perfectly match up.
It works beautifully, without at all being confusing or hard to follow.
I wish there was more I could say about the film, but words escape me.
Of course, I should mention some specific moment from the film that had an effect on me, but in this case the whole film is that one moment.
It never gives you time to reflect on what you've seen until its over.
When Mouris' voice mentions television, hundreds of T.V sets fill the screen, forming complicated patterns.
Similar things happen throughout the film: specific words trigger an array of objects, forming intricate designs.
It's stunning..
Save those magazines....
Frank Film is a wonderfully done film.
The film is a scrap book on film, but much much more.
Frank Mouris uses a collage effect that will leave you breathless.
It is hard to amagine the time and effort it took to make this short film.
The film basically is an autobiography of Frank's short life.
What adds to the brilliance of the film is the two different soundtracks.
The film will keep you jumping back and forth between the two.
Frank Film is definitely one of the best examples of a short film and it deservingly gave Frank Mouris an Oscar for this grad school project.
If you can get your hands on a copy, it is worth taking the short time to watch..
Simply incredible piece of film!.
This short, which most deservedly won the Academy Award and I believe has been included in the Library of Congress's Film Preservation listings as well, defies description with mere words.
It must be seen to be appreciated.
At first I found the two separate soundtracks jarring, because the same person recorded them both.
But gradually, I began to flow with the two distinct, yet equally interesting, narratives.
The visual images correspond to one or the other narrative at different points.
Compelling to watch.This clearly was a labor intensive project, as any form of stop-motion animation has to be.
Think about how long it took to shoot just 60 seconds worth of film and realize this is nine minutes long!
Well worth tracking down, I saw this on Sundance Channel last night.
Most highly recommended, but if your idea of animation begins and ends with Bugs Bunny or Speed Racer, you may not care for this at all..
Frank Film is perhaps a bit too pretentious for my tastes.
So I just got finished watching this animated short by Frank and Caroline Mouris that won the Academy Award for the year it was made and was put into the Library of Congress' National Film Registry during the '90s.
In it, Frank is speaking in two soundtracks: one telling his life story and the other listing words that start with "F" or something with a similar sound.
This happens as constantly flashing images of something relating to whatever subject is at hand is mentioned.
It's initially fascinating to watch and hear but after a while I wondered when the whole damn thing would end!
Still, it's worth a look if you're curious about this sort of thing..
An absolutely mesmerising mosaic of images and sounds.
When it comes to experimental film-making, I am the worst possible critic.
Where others see great beauty and vision, I see pretension and uselessness.
As such, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the animated short, 'Frank Film (1973),' directed by Frank and Caroline Mouris, is a genuinely wonderful autobiographical piece of film-making.
Over a five-year period, the directors collected a vast volume of magazine clippings, and these are used to animate the stunning visuals in the film.
There are two soundtracks: in the first, Frank Mouris continually lists a number of words beginning with "f," as well as anything else that seems to come to his mind.
In the second, he delivers a personal synopsis of his own life, touching on everything from school-life as a child to his career-choices in college.
These two soundtracks play simultaneously, sometimes cutting over each other and occasionally seeming to merge into a single entity.The animation works like an endless stream of the subconscious.
As Frank's meandering autobiography turns its attention towards a particular topic, the visuals unleash a gush of related images.
For example, as he discusses his endless love for food, we witness a collage of culinary images, each merging into the other, the memory of ten thousand past meals.
This is what I like about 'Frank Film;' just like the best of cinema, this is a film that successfully connects with the way that the human memory works, a stream of long-forgotten recollections brought forth by a simple subliminal trigger.
Oddly for an experimental film, 'Frank Film' was awarded an Oscar for Best Animated Short Subject at the 1974 Academy Awards, and, in 1996, was inducted into the Library of Congress' National Film Registry, alongside such iconic pictures as 'Broken Blossoms (1919) and 'The Graduate (1967).'.
Frankly...far from fabulous..
This Oscar-winning animation is a giant headache and could easily be used by evil, repressive governments to torture and brainwash their people and is one of the best examples of a truly awful film that somehow won this award.
While I can definitely appreciate the effort it took making this film (cutting out thousands and thousands of magazine pictures to make collages), the problem is that it is so cacophonous.
You see, the sound track consists of two alternate scripts being read CONSTANTLY throughout the film.
Both narrators are the same person.
One constantly repeats words starting with the F-sound while the other talks ad nauseum about his very dull life--during which time these collages appear and disappear rapidly.
The film has no commercial appeal whatsoever and is great for people who like artsy and pretentious film--otherwise beware, as it's totally painful and annoying..
life as narration.
Frank Mouris's Academy Award-winning "Frank Film" consists of magazine articles forming a collage to two different sets of narration: one chronicling the narrator's life, the other a series of words beginning with F.
It strikes me as an experimental movie.
It's not anything special, but I appreciate how they laid everything out.
I haven't seen either of the other shorts nominated for Best Animated Short that year (I guess that it depends on whether or not they're available online), but this one is still worth seeing.
I understand that Mouris only made a few movies after this one.
It's probably hard to make a career out of independent animated shorts.Anyway, an interesting short.
Available on YouTube..
Accessible experimentalism.
"Frank Film" is a 9-minute animated short film that won Frank Mouris, the man who made it and also the one we hear in here, his first and only Academy Award.
He was surprisingly unprolific in the over 4 decades since his biggest career achievement, at least in terms of film.
So yeah, I cannot agree with the Academy here.
Neither the animation nor the comments are awards-worthy in anyway and this film is evidence of how weak the (animated) short film genre was in the 1970s compared to previous decades if films like this could receive major awards attention.
I did not enjoy the watch.
It is not as bad as many other experimental films, but the two voices we hear at the same time become annoying pretty quickly, so that I would have given this one an even lower rating if it had gone on for a couple more minutes.
Not good.
Not recommended. |
tt0042897 | Rocketship X-M | Four men and a woman blast into outer space from the White Sands Proving Ground aboard the RX-M (Rocketship Expedition-Moon) on humanity's first expedition to Luna. Halfway there, after surviving their jettisoned and runaway first stage and a meteoroid storm, their engines suddenly quit. Recalculating fuel ratios and swapping fuel tank positions fixes the problem. After the engines fire, RX-M rapidly careers out of control on a rapid heading beyond the Moon; lowered oxygen pressure also causes the crew to slowly pass out. They gradually revive much later and discover that they have traveled some 50,000,000 miles and are now on a direct heading toward Mars. Quick calculations reveal that RX-M is only 50,000 miles away. Dr Karl Eckstrom (John Emery) is forced to "pause and observe respectfully while something infinitely greater assumes control".
RX-M passes through the Martian atmosphere and lands safely. The next morning the scientists, clad in aviation oxygen masks due to the low pressure, begin exploring the desolate surface. They come across physical evidence of a now dead advanced Martian civilization: a partially buried-in-the-sand, stylized, Art Deco- or Tiki culture-like metal face sculpture and, in the distance Moderne architecture-like ruins. Their Geiger counter registers dangerous radiation levels, keeping them well away; from the levels detected, there has been an atomic war on Mars in the distant past.
Finding cave refuge, the scientists notice in the distance the primitive descendants of that civilization emerging from behind boulders and creeping toward them. Amazed, Dr Eckstrom comments "From Atomic Age to Stone Age." Soon after leaving, two of the explorers encounter a dark-haired woman who has lost her footing and rolled down a hill toward them; she is blind, with thick, milky cataracts on both eyes. She screams upon hearing their oxygen mask-distorted voices. The radiation burned tribesmen attack, throwing large rocks and stone axes. Armed with only a revolver and a bolt-action rifle, the explorers defend themselves, purposely missing the primitives. Dr Eckstrom is killed by a stone axe; another astronaut is badly injured by a large thrown rock. The survivors finally make their way back to the RX-M.
As the RX-M nears Earth, the survivors calculate that they have no fuel for a landing. Col. Graham contacts their base and reports their dire status to Dr Fleming (Morris Ankrum), who listens intently and wordlessly over headphones. Col. Graham's report is not heard, but Fleming's subtle reactions tells of the crew's odyssey, their discovery of a once advanced civilization destroyed long ago by atomic war, and of the crew fatalities at the hands of Martian descendants reverted to barbarism.
Col. Graham and Dr Van Horn embrace as the RX-M begins its uncontrolled descent, consoling one another in the moments left to them. Through a porthole, they bravely watch their rapid descent into the wilds of Nova Scotia. The press is later informed by a shaken Dr Fleming that the entire crew has perished. When they ask if the mission was a failure, he confidently responds with conviction, stating that all theories about manned spaceflight and exploration have now been proven. He continues, underscoring the point that a dire warning has been received that could very well mean the salvation of humanity, "A new spaceship, the RX-M-2, begins construction tomorrow". The pioneering exploration continues. | cult | train | wikipedia | This film probably inspired in it's own way a lot of young people to explore science and space exploration for real..
Lloyd Bridges is in love with himself even more than he is with the German girl scientist on board - which is kind of nauseating - but overall, the film is a favorite.Classical music lovers will take note of the music score by Ferde Grofe, better know for his Grand Canyon Suite and other orchestral works..
Of course, this effort seriously dates the movie (I also smile at the rather whimsical, seat-of-the-pants, "outsider" endeavors of our heros as they manfully put forth, launching their rocket one-step ahead of the narrow-minded "authorities." Okay, so much for that!).Rocketship X-M had to vie with "D.M." for entertainment bucks at the box office.
What they did have going for them, however, were a few excellent character actors doing star-turns for a change of career-pace, a script by Dalton Trumbo, music by Ferde Grofe, and excellent -- and evocative -- sound and camera work...etc.Granted: The film's overall messages are a bit simplistic -- nuclear war is bad and should be avoided and the human spirit for exploration and discovery cannot be put down by failure and difficulty (I guess they never considered budget shortfalls as a "failure of spirit").
This movie is great in its predictions of how space travel would take place in the future (remember, it was released in 1950, way before any manned rocket launches).
Despite this picture being produced quickly and cheaply in order to capitalize on the publicity generated by George Pal's big budget 'Destination Moon,' this movie is better than a lot of scifi flicks produced today costing tens of millions of times more and having our 21st century futuristic technology for special effects.It's interesting to note that the film was directed by the German-born Kurt Neumann and features the beautiful Teutonic actress Osa Massen in the female lead.
The original version of this film, screened by American audiences 5 years after the surrender of Germany, contains footage of the WW2 German V-2 missile, used in lieu of FX miniature shots of the titular rocketship.
One German rocket expert, Werner Von Braun, did well for himself in the USA, designing the mighty Saturn V, which eventually took the first humans to the moon.In this film, the lustful American pilot Lloyd Bridges, dressed in military fatigues, spends a lot of screen time trying to put the make on the serious German rocket scientist Osa Massen.
It should also be noted that this film touches upon all the other major themes of science fiction films of the 1950's: human space flight, alien races, the planet Mars, and atomic mutants.Despite the primitive FX and numerous scientific boners, Neumann and his writers achieved a tone that is adult and dramatic, all the while avoiding the embarrassing emotional excesses of George Pal's later, big budget Mars film, 'Conquest of Space.' Also, the ending of this film is very different than most scifi films of this period, containing a nice bit of poetic dialogue.
The rocket takes off for a lunar mission, in a cosmos where there is always a gravitational effect on the crew (though loose objects float as in zero gravity) and because of that, the "cabin" (the area with the controls, whatever they called it) was gyrostabalized to maintain the "correct" orientation (so that when they landed, why didn't they land standing on their heads?) and where, at least in near-earth space, the rocket engines had to be running continually -- with propellant combusting away without an oxidizer.
This time, the rocket recalled it had momentum, and the next thing our heroes know they're near Mars (even a 13-year-old nerd knew such a minimum-energy trip would take over 200 days).They land, find the air was breathable (though at the time scientific data revealed that the pressure, even if the atmosphere were pure oxygen, would be too low to do any good).
They come armed, even though they were supposedly going to the Moon, where firearms wouldn't be needed.They get a sight of a collapsed civilization, encounter stray martians who look just like people, develop an anti nuclear war philosophy, and those who survive try to get back to the home planet, and die in the attempt by crashing on the Earth!
To do that would require such a long orbital period, they'd have died of starvation long before approaching their destination.The film it preceded, Destination Moon, used real science most effectively (even though their "rescue" with the Oxygen Tank forgot about the moment arm from the tank's center of gravity to the output nozzle).
Only the most technologically illiterate should think of it as a science fiction film: it's on a par with the old Flash Gordon serials where their rocketships took off from their bellies and climbed in spirals, and whose engines were always on.The story on this one I considered banal, and I can recommend this only as a film to be shown to students for them to pick out technical gaffes..
Pioneering sci-fi film about the first manned space flight to the moon that drifts off course and heads to Mars!
To call "Rocketship X-M" a science fiction classic is due more to its release date (1950), its savvy ability to capitalize on the publicity for "Destination Moon", and the appearance of actors who would later star in television as Sea Hunt's Mike Nelson, Rockford's dad and Wyatt Earp.The movie itself is bad enough to be good fodder for MST3K and is best viewed with commentary from Joel and the robots.
So add some stars to the rating if you are watching the MST3K version.The basic story has the crew taking an unplanned right turn at the moon and ending up on Mars.
It already features many of the ingredients that would become genre staples: the crew of the spacecraft is virtually a microcosm of post-war America (though two are actually foreigners including the obligatory intellectual female, Osa Massen, whose icy exterior melts under the dogged attentions of rugged pilot Lloyd Bridges), their mission (whose details are meticulously spelled out during the opening Press Conference) apprehensively observed by Ground Control and, of course, the eventual glitch which jeopardizes the flight and sends our heroes to Mars (inhabited by cave-men, victims of a nuclear fall-out, no less!) instead of the Moon.
Needless to say, the film feels quaint at this juncture if still eminently watchable: given the low-budget involved, the narrative is mostly restricted to the admittedly stylish shuttle interior though the climactic exploration of Mars effectively takes place on desert locations and shot in evocative sepia.
Incidentally, the last act proves surprisingly downbeat (emphasizing its intent as a cautionary tale Dalton Trumbo reportedly contributed to the script!) and, yet, it is capped by a determined effort to keep the space race going despite the initial failure (a scene which, again, would soon be turned into a sci-fi cliché: see THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT [1955])..
I don't know about you but I vividly recall seeing a film by George Melies that was produced almost 50 years before that involved a space rocket going to the moon and humans meeting the strange inhabitants living there .
Sometimes marketing and the truth are two entirely different things That said this movie does mirror the real life space race going on at the time .
Unfortunately, we can't seen the movie as originally filmed, for its current owner, Wade Williams, decided to add new effects sequences replacing the V-2 footage used for the original release.
The acting is fairly well done, if stereotypical, and the production values are pretty high considering some of the Sci-Fi movies that were to come later in the decade.My biggest problem with this film are some of the very outdated characterizations in it.
Generally cited as the first post war sci-fi movie, Rocketship X-M is dull, talky, and stereotypic of many films of the genre to follow.
When a manned mission flies to the moon, it gets diverted and ends up on Mars, which turns out to have its own story.All these old movies about space travel come across as silly in an era when there's already been a moon landing and there's an International Space Station, but they're still fun to watch.
Lloyd Bridges, Osa Massen, John Emery, Hugh O'Brian, and Noah Beery, Jr., are the first astronauts making a planned flight to the moon.
But a combination of a lot more rocket fuel than needed, a gravitational boost from earth's rotation, and a wrong turn in space and our intrepid crew head to Mars.No more has to be said only that the Martians are decidedly inhospitable and the ending a downbeat one.Science fiction is always a chancy thing in terms of imagination.
Secondly it looked like computers or even pocket calculators were never invented as scientists Osa Massen and John Emery are busy figuring out their rocket fuel consumption and space trajectory with pencil and paper.
Planned moon flight (distance: about 350,000 miles; trip time: less than two weeks) becomes voyage to Mars (distance: about 35,000,000 miles; trip time: one year!), when astronauts are knocked unconsious by initial acceleration.This absurd plot line was purportedly added during production after DESTINATION MOON, a much more expensive (and much better) film was released.Certainly ROCKETSHIP X-M has some stunning visuals (particularly on the Mars surface, which is tinted pinkish-red) and solid acting.
Doubtless the effect was more profound in post-World War II America than it would be today, but nonetheless the sad ending adds to the film's message.2) It is also one of the first movies to deal with space travel in a serious fashion, using space as a valid setting for drama.
Rocketship X-M was released about the same time as Destination Moon at the cinemas and was one of the first movies that started the 50's sci fi craze.A rocket blasts off to the Moon, but because of a malfunction, they end up on Mars instead.
After exploring, the crew head back to the rocket to return to Earth but it crashlands after running out of fuel, killing all on board.The movie is tinted red for the Mars sequences and the special effects are quite good considering the low budget.The movie stars Lloyd Bridges (Sea Hunt, Around the World under the Sea), Osa Massen as his love interest, Morris Ankrum (Invaders From Mars, Earth vs.
This is one I've carried in my memory for years.Without the Technicolor budget of George Pal and Robert Heinlein's "Destination Moon," "Rocketship X-M" succeeds in becoming a far more meaningful and memorable pre-"2001" science fiction film."Destination Moon" attempts a "scientific" preview of man's first lunar visit.
This is one I've carried in my memory for years.Without the Technicolor budget of George Pal and Robert Heinlein's "Destination Moon," "Rocketship X-M" succeeds in becoming a far more meaningful and memorable pre-"2001" science fiction film."Destination Moon" attempts a "scientific" preview of man's first lunar visit.
X-M's b&w budget (special effects courtesy of U.S. Army White Sands V-2 stock footage and miniatures of the string and cardboard variety) the producers made a last-minute choice to not throw a lot of "science" at us and to take us deeper into space than the moon.
What they had going for them were some excellent character actors doing star-turns for a change of career-pace, a script by Dalton Trumbo, music by Ferde Grofe, and excellent -- and evocative -- sound and camera work...etc.The film's overall messages are simplistic -- nuclear war is bad and should be avoided and the human spirit for exploration and discovery cannot be put down by failure and difficulty (I guess they never considered budget shortfalls as a "failure of spirit").
This has all of that and carries it forward with distinction and class.When I first saw this movie as a kid, I remember being truly frightened by the bleak view of a post-apocalyptic Mars and shivered in disbelief then terror at the onrushing tragedy of the about-to-crash rocket bearing the two doomed lovers and their sole-surviving crew-mate (a young Hugh O'Brien) to a fiery demise over the Ural Mountains.
This has all of that and carries it forward with distinction and class.When I first saw this movie as a kid, I remember being truly frightened by the bleak view of a post-apocalyptic Mars and shivered in disbelief then terror at the onrushing tragedy of the about-to-crash rocket bearing the two doomed lovers and their sole-surviving crew-mate (a young Hugh O'Brien) to a fiery demise over the Ural Mountains.
A perfectly plausible story of five astronauts who take off in a 1950s space ship, make a wrong turn, and land on Mars instead.
After that, things get kind of hairy.I understand this was rushed into production while George Pal's far more lavishly budgeted "Destination Moon" was being shot, with the aim of beating the bigger and more publicized film into theaters.
("Destination Moon" got that right.) The astronauts walk around in outer space as if they were in their living rooms, although some objects have a habit of arbitrarily popping up into the zero-gravity air.Osa Masson, an attractive young scientist, gets some occasional needling from the men.
The pioneering 1950 sci-fi film "Rocket Ship X-M" was way ahead of its time in regards to its message and also in terms of serious dramatic content provided by an "outer space" movie.
Considering the low budget (even for 1950) for this "B" movie, the cast is solid with Lloyd Bridges, Hugh O'Brien, Noah Beery Jr. and Osa Massen along for the ride.
This film beat the more highly publicized Destination Moon into the theatres in 1950 and thus kicked off the tidal wave of science-fiction movies that followed.
Despite some really hokey dialog and wildly improbable developments (aim for the moon, but hit Mars!), Rocketship does what every good movie should-- it holds interest throughout.
On a similar note, Ankrum's closing insistence that space exploration must proceed despite an ill-fated first effort is years ahead of its time, and likely the first such declaration in the movies or any other popular medium.
The patronising drivel heaped upon the female crew-member is both hilarious and also shocking.To think that such attitudes were so recently "normal".As I said at the start, I find this film very entertaining, as a late night, lights out romp through the romance of travel in outer space, from the perspective of the days before it had actually happened.
I can say this because I saw them one after another today--an interesting way to see these two milestone films.The biggest problem is that while ROCKETSHIP X-M wants to be taken as serious sci-fi, there are just too many elements in it that would soon be recognized as clichés.
This made the film come off as a bit cheap, but at least I was thrilled that inside the space ship it didn't look like a big empty room.
It looked a bit more like a real space ship.Overall, the film is entertaining, offers a few mild thrills and abounds with predictability as well as a message that comes off as both preachy AND premature.
When I saw this as a young teen (early 1950s, on broadcast television), I was immensely moved by the tragic love story, immensely glad to find--finally--some movie out there actually saying what most of us growing up in the shadow of the Bomb were secretly feeling: that nuclear war was hardly a help to sacrosanct "National Security" but, rather, a threat to all life on Earth; just as the explorers in Rocketship XM were to find on Mars, nuclear bombs could indeed destroy a civilization, turn a world to desert.
Some of the best movies to first explore and pioneer the science fiction of space travel were classics like Destination Moon, When Worlds Collide, and of course Rocketship X-M.Genre conventions quickly emerged, which today are enjoyable to watch for as the movie plays.
The rocket is attempting a flight to the moon, but it goes off course and ends up at Mars (OMG).
*Spoiler/plot- Rocketship X-M, 1950, During the very early years of the Space Race, an American scientific group designs and crews a spaceship to go to the moon.
And the rocket ship crashes back to Earth with no survivors.*Special Stars- Osa Massen, Lloyd Bridges, Noak Beery Jr, Hugh O'Brian, Morris Ankrum, John Emery.*Theme- Hope and progress in scientific matters is the best motivation for success.*Trivia/location/goofs- B & W.
This was a low-budget rival for theater tickets when George Pal's expensive film, 'Destination Moon' came out near the same time.
This is a fun and exciting film of a different time in space science..
I bought "Rocketship X-M" on DVD in a two-pack with "Destination Moon." Now I see why the distributors did that: no one who had ever seen this movie would buy it on its own.I cannot fathom what school system turned out the reviewer who claimed that RXM is "great in its predictions of how space travel would take place..." Launch straight up, and then do a 90-degree right turn and circle faster and faster until you reach escape velocity...
By the way, that message might have had a bit more impact had there been some money in the budget for actual sets of the Martian city ruins, rather than just matte paintings.I can appreciate "good" bad sci-fi, for the unique way the "future" used to look, and for the inherent (if condescending) humor you can find when when we look back on the naivety of audiences 60 years ago, but this film must have been insulting even then.
Five astronauts blast off for the moon they get knocked off course and end up on Mars (huh?) cavemen-looking Martians throw rocks at them they return to Earth and meet a fiery death The End. Believe it or not, but this pithy plot description makes it sound much more interesting than it really is. |
tt0098042 | Out Cold | Rick Rambis, best friend Luke, and other friends Anthony, "Pig Pen", Jenny, Lance and Stumpy, all live and work at a ski resort on Bull Mountain in Alaska. The mountain and resort were founded by Herbert "Papa" Muntz who loved to drink and ski at the same time until he died doing so. His son, Ted, took over the mountain and plans to sell it to wealthy Colorado ski resort tycoon, John Majors. In addition to being friends, Rick has romantic designs on Jenny, but is held back as he is still getting over his ex, Anna, who mysteriously disappeared after 3 weeks of summer love in Mexico.
After arriving at the mountain, John Majors plans to change the mountain name and turn the ski village into a first class resort but seeks Rick's help in getting his rowdy friends in line so as not to scare off his investors. John brings with him to the mountain his daughters, Inga, a Swiss ski bunny, and Anna, Rick's summer fling. After Anna's arrival, Rick then gets drunk and misses his date with Jenny. Later, Anna explains she left Rick in Mexico because she was already engaged and that Rick was the other man. Majors begins to make major changes to the town and mountain, such as changing the dive bar to an upscale club and removing the statue of Papa Muntz from the center of the town. Majors offers Rick a contract to be his new manager and Rick agrees on the condition that his friends all get to stay, but Majors secretly has Ted fire them behind his back. Rick finds out about the firing of his friends and quits his job and races to stop his friends from leaving.
Rick gives an inspirational speech about how the mountain is their home and not letting Majors ruin the memory of Papa Muntz, they all grab their snowboards and head for the mountain. The group of friends and Inga then cause bedlam at the festivities and Major is outraged at Rick's betrayal. Rick frees Anna from her father and takes her to an airstrip where Barry, her fiancé, waits in his plane. He tells Anna what they had in Mexico was special but that he realized she belongs with Barry and Rick watches Anna fly away. The friends defeat Majors and Ted decides he is no longer selling the mountain. Rick asks Jenny out again after revealing he no longer thinks of Anna. | comedy, murder | train | wikipedia | Silly and dark farce; it got better as time passed.
Ernie and Dave were butchers in the army (during the opening credits photos of them in their uniforms, along with Sunny, are shown).
They open their own butcher shop, and Ernie is married to Sunny.
Ernie is abusive, and Sunny is cheating on him.
And the door to the freezer in the butcher shop keeps closing and locking when someone is inside.John Lithgow is at his best playing nervous characters who panic over every little thing.
Of course, in this movie his character has plenty of reason to be nervous, and it doesn't help that Sunny is hiding some very important information from him.
Teri Garr is not only good-looking but comes across as quite calm and pretty much in control.
Randy Quaid is quite goofy as the detective Sunny hires to help her divorce Ernie.
Like Dave, the detective also thinks he knows something that we know isn't true, and the results can be quite funny.This wasn't all that great at first, but as the situations got sillier, I was really enjoying it.
I've seen better movies like this, but this was pretty good..
Underrated, forgotten gem.
Strangely panned by many critics yet this is actually a funny, black comedy about small-time accidents, coincidences, misunderstandings, failed scheming and murder amongst friends and spouses that has a lot more wit than the overrated Blood Simple.
The plot is tight, the humor is delightfully droll and the next-door type characters are well-drawn and fun to watch despite their nastiness, simply because of the blackly amusing circumstances they find themselves in.This did not deserve to become so obscure.
Re-issue it on DVD please..
Good cast, good plot, but rhythm is off.
The plot of "Out Cold" could have made a movie as funny as the 1950's era Alec Guinness/Ealing Studios comedies.
But something didn't click for me in the way "Out Cold" was filmed.
Most notably, the music was way off.
Music and sound effects was a big part of the Guinness comedies.
But in addition to the poor music choices and lack of comic sound effects, there were stretches that didn't seem to accomplish anything except take up time.There is a twist at the end of "Out Cold" that is left for the viewer to interpret.
Was Dave (John Lithgow) not the bumbling naif he seemed to be?.
Lots of spirit in ragged, messy black comedy whose tone wavers from scene to scene.
Low-budget dark comedy that goes in all directions yet does an early fade.
Ex-Army buddies-turned-butcher shop partners argue over family business and one of them ends up dead; the first butcher mistakenly thinks he himself is the murderer...until his partner's widow starts acting suspiciously.
Barely-released picture with a terrific cast does show spirit and promise; it has a quirky edge that is sometimes playful and sometimes prickly, but unfortunately nobody seems able to keep this movie on track, and the plot bursts like a balloon leaving nothing but dead space in the final third.
The performers are very good, particularly John Lithgow and Bruce McGill, but the players, the direction and the script are not in synch.
good movie.
I agree that this movie is underrated.
The cast is perfect for the material, and it has a clever story with lots of surprises along the way.
My only complaint is that it's too short, and that it could have maybe gone a little further with the dark humor.
It seems to hold back and play it safe a lot of the time.
Other than that it's a great movie!.
Not terribly successful, but not bad either..
An effective star trio remains the principal attraction for the duration of this likable if unspectacular black comedy.
John Lithgow stars as a wimpy butcher who discovers his business partner (Bruce McGill) has frozen to death inside their walk in freezer.
See, the partner's frustrated wife (Teri Garr) had grown tired of the guy (he treats her like garbage, including cheating on her) and when she found him in there, seized her opportunity to get rid of him, and locked him in there.
Now the guilt plagued Lithgow reluctantly helps her in her series of cover-ups as the private detective (Randy Quaid) whom she originally hired to dig up dirt on the husband is getting too close to finding out what's going on.
It's a shame with such a good cast that there aren't more comedy fireworks here.
There are certainly funny moments but none that stick out or are particularly memorable.
It *is* funny seeing an ice cream bar stuck to the frozen McGill's head, in any event.
Lithgow is terrific as always, and Garr is a delight as the inexperienced schemer.
Quaid is a hoot in one of his more straight laced performances, and the supporting cast features a number of familiar actors such as Lisa Blount, Alan Blumenfeld, Frederick Coffin, Marvin J.
McIntyre, Larry Miller, Morgan Paull, and Barbara Rhoades.
The farcical sequences with the dead body are a highlight (especially when it's propped up in the wilderness to make the death look like an accident).
Granted, "Out Cold" doesn't reach the lunatic heights of the same year's "Weekend at Bernie's", but it still works pretty well in this regard.
And when Lithgow and Garr are trying to dispose of a car and its radio comes on, blaring some obnoxious rock song, it's a scene both funny and tense, because one figures somebody *had* to have heard the music.
Overall, "Out Cold" is a decent little comedy, and could stand to be better known.
What a brilliant, witty little film!.
*********Minor spoiler contained below*********
This is easily one of my favorite ten movies.The deadpan performances witty and quips between characters (the scene where Lester Atlas visits Dave at the butcher shop while he's trying to `dispose' of a corpse is absolutely hilarious!) are what make this movie shine.
However, this kind of morbid humor is not for everyone, but to those of us who enjoy this brand of sick humor, enjoy!"Out Cold" definitely deserves more credit than it's been given, and if you give it a chance, it won't disappoint you.
My Rating: Ten stars out of ten.P.S. If you enjoyed Randy Quaid in "Out Cold", you might enjoy him in the even lesser-known film entitled "Parents".
You are warned, though.
`Parents' isn't a comedy; it's a very disturbing satirical look at American consumerism in the 1950's.
However, it is ones of the few chances where you get a chance to see how good of an actor Randy Quaid actually is..
A Treasure.
Delightful comedy with a fine edge for character study and subtle plays in narration, "Out Cold" looks like Edward Hopper paintings transposed into a playful movie.
The Hopper like iconography blends with skillful comic acting, tight scripting, and thoughtful editing to create an utterly delightful film.Director Malcolm Mowbray deftly handles George Marko and Leonard Glasser's droll writing.
Teri Garr, Randy Quaid, and John Lithgow play off each other with precision and charm.Some of the music sounds a bit too cute, but most of the soundtrack enhances the mood and narrative.I wonder how I missed it at first release.
I missed a treasure.
There is not a false step here. |
tt0082416 | The French Lieutenant's Woman | Set in the mid-nineteenth century, the narrator identifies the novel's protagonist as Sarah Woodruff, the Woman of the title, also known as "Tragedy" and as "The French Lieutenant's Whore". She lives in the coastal town of Lyme Regis as a disgraced woman, supposedly abandoned by a French ship's officer named Varguennes who had returned to France and married. She spends some of her limited free time on The Cobb, a stone jetty where she stares out the sea.
One day, Charles Smithson, an orphaned gentleman, and Ernestina Freeman, his fiancée and a daughter of a wealthy tradesman, see Sarah walking along the cliffside. Ernestina tells Charles something of Sarah's story, and he becomes curious about her. Though continuing to court Ernestina, Charles has several more encounters with Sarah, meeting her clandestinely three times. During these meetings, Sarah tells Charles of her history, and asks for his emotional and social support. During the same period, he learns of the possible loss of place as heir to his elderly uncle, who has become engaged to a woman young enough to bear a child. Meanwhile, Charles's servant Sam falls in love with Mary, the maid of Ernestina's aunt.
In fact, Charles has fallen in love with Sarah and advises her to leave Lyme for Exeter. Returning from a journey to warn Ernestina's father about his uncertain inheritance, Charles stops in Exeter as if to visit Sarah. From there, the narrator, who intervenes throughout the novel and later becomes a character in it, offers three different ways in which the novel could end:
First ending: Charles does not visit Sarah, but immediately returns to Lyme to reaffirm his love for Ernestina. They marry, though the marriage never becomes particularly happy, and Charles enters trade under Ernestina's father, Mr. Freeman. The narrator pointedly notes the lack of knowledge about Sarah's fate. Charles tells Ernestina about an encounter which he implies is with the "French Lieutenant's Whore", but elides the sordid details, and the matter is ended. The narrator dismisses this ending as a daydream by Charles, before the alternative events of the subsequent meeting with Ernestina are described. Critic Michelle Phillips Buchberger describes this first ending as "a semblance of verisimilitude in the traditional 'happy ending'" found in actual Victorian novels.
Before the second and third endings, the narrator appears as a character sharing a railway compartment with Charles. He tosses a coin to determine the order in which he will portray the other two possible endings, emphasising their equal plausibility. They are as follows:
Second ending: Charles and Sarah have a rash sexual encounter in which Charles realises that Sarah was a virgin. Reflecting on his emotions during this, Charles ends his engagement to Ernestina, and proposes to Sarah through a letter. Charles's servant Sam fails to deliver the letter and, after Charles breaks his engagement, Ernestina's father disgraces him. His uncle marries and his wife bears an heir, ensuring the loss of the expected inheritance. To escape the social suicide and depression caused by his broken engagement, Charles goes abroad to Europe and America. Ignorant of Charles' proposal, Sarah flees to London without telling her lover. During Charles' trips abroad, his lawyer searches for Sarah, finding her two years later living in the Chelsea house of the painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti, where she enjoys an artistic, creative life. Sarah shows Charles the child of their affair, leaving him in hope that the three may be reunited.
Third ending: The narrator re-appears outside the house at 16 Cheyne Walk and turns back his pocket watch by fifteen minutes. Events are the same as in the second-ending version until Charles meets Sarah, when their reunion is sour. The new ending does not make clear the parentage of the child and Sarah expresses no interest in reviving the relationship. Charles leaves the house, intending to return to the United States, wondering whether Sarah is a manipulative, lying woman who exploited him. | tragedy, romantic | train | wikipedia | The manner in which the film flits from Victorian age to modern day, is the filmic way of conveying Fowles's tendency in the novel to judge his Victorian characters and their era by Twentieth Century standards.
The settings are superbly created -- the green, grotto-like woodland where Irons and Streep meet in the Victorian world of the film, the murky streets of Lyme, Exeter, and London, and the interior of the lawyer's office, for example.
At first, I found myself thinking that the point was to show how much easier and more uncomplicated sexual relationships are in the twentieth century, but as the story develops, and as more entanglements obstructing their happiness are revealed, I began to realize that the film may really be trying to show that we are not so different from the Victorians after all: we have our own obsessions, repressions and frustrations.
The inclusion of the contemporary story line actually helps us to distance ourselves from the Victorian plot rather than drawing us into it, and makes Jeremy Irons's proposal at the beginning, or the love scene in Exeter between him and Streep, more comic and ridiculous, than volcanic and romantic.
The image is apropos, as the story itself opens from chamber to ever larger chamber as it weaves two seemingly disparate stories with a clever ending.Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep are impressive as the leads in two different time lines.
And if that sounds a little too clever, it nonetheless has more creativity and insight than typical plot-twist movie, including the most contrived and overrated movie of all time, Memento (not good enough to be called bad).There is a scene, in which Streep and Irons are rehearsing a scene from the movie, and, according to the story, it just isn't working.
And speaking of legends, the screenplay was written by none other than Nobel laureate Harold Pinter, and it shows.It is a sublime movie experience to watch the delicately chambered story open up, and there are scenes that are so memorable, like Streep on the misty pier, that you would swear this movie comes from the Golden Age of cinema, not the go-go eighties.
Irons lacks something, but it's not clear what, but in the end it helps support the story by making him appear flawed enough to have been trapped in the intricate web of The French Lieutenant's Woman..
With a single, unforgettable look and such dialogue as "my only happiness is when I sleep; when I wake, the nightmare begins," Sarah bewitches visiting Londoner Charles Smithson (Jeremy Irons, in what turned out to be his big break), a paleontologist and "gentleman of leisure." The tricky screenplay by Harold Pinter contrasts the story of Sarah and Charles with the lives of actors Mike and Anna, who are playing them in a film.
The contrasts between the two couples born 100 years apart make for one of the most intriguing films of the early 1980s, and the performances by Irons and Streep are predictably outstanding..
But I knew I was watching modern actors playing in a period piece and I was still caught up in the story, both stories - which mirror each other and make you wonder which character is influencing which performance.
Beautiful, original and intelligent of using a certain source (a book written by John Fowles), changing the perspective presented in it and turning it into a fresh cinematic experience that is as much satisfying than the original source, the film version of "The French Lieutenant's Woman" escapes the sometimes overused routine of following the literature step by step by creating a nice way to compare life with reality, mixing two stories into basically the same context.
Harold Pinter's screenplay takes the story from the book, told in the Victorian England, and adds the element of the movie within a movie, dividing it into two segments: the actors playing in a romantic film and the actors life in a current period.
Let me organize the situation: in the modern times, two actors (played by Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep, are shooting a movie whose story takes place in 1800's, with Irons playing an respected biologist engaged to a rich woman who ends up falling in love by the mysterious French Liutenant's woman (Streep), who awaits for his lover to return.
Later, we'll notice the actors life following the same path as the characters they play except the times are other, things are a lot easier for them; they're in love with each other but they're married with other people.
The intersection of both stories serves to show us not only which couple (the real one or the fictional one) might last together but also the period contrasts (there's a scene in which the actors are reading a paper with informations of how things were during the Victorian Era and they are surprised by the facts they learn) The examination one must have of both stories is the relationship between the characters played by Streep and Irons, and the way both have similarities even one being a work of fiction and the other being the reality.
The only problem with the film directed by Karel Reisz is the fact we spend more time following the movie within the movie instead of following more of the actors life and their romance, which only had a notable importance when the other story was concluding as well.
"The French Lieutenant's Woman" has an fascinating and careful art direction and sceneries, beautifully made, recreating England of the 19th Century is great details; costumes and clothes are also great; the cinematography is impeccable and one of the most wonderful works I've ever seen.
At last, the most interesting aspect of the film is the acting delivered by Meryl Streep (Oscar nominated for this roles, after all she plays two roles) and Jeremy Irons (he deserved a nomination that year, playing one of his first leading roles showing a great talent in carrying the whole film).
This is the insurmountable problem of "The French Lieutenant's Woman." While the Victorian Era plot is luxuriantly mounted--while the characters are played by wonderful actors--the "heart" of this film is occupied by this film within a film device.
The 20th century story is about two bored actors who engage in their affair simply as a distraction from the tedium of making a movie.
The Victorian narrative at least provides a HINT of feeling, but always held at arms length--and further attenuated by the inevitable return to the modern story, reminding us that the "costumer" portion of the film is not only not real, but TWICE removed from reality.
However, though I realize I am in the minority and the movie's praises were universally sung, I personally did not care for it, finding it somewhat boring, occasionally confusing, and worst of all, NOT emotionally engaging.The film relates the story of two romances...the affair between two actors, Anna (Meryl Streep) and Mike (Jeremy Irons), who are playing the roles of lovers Sarah Woodruff and Charles Smithson, in a movie set back in 19th Century Britain.
The film does dramatically reveal the contrast between the outwardly respectable, genteel Charles (a proper Victorian gentleman), and his hitherto sexually repressed but actually passionate inner self, as revealed by this illicit love.
Apparently, the point of the movie (so I have read) seems to be not so much engaging the viewer emotionally as comparing love affairs from the two eras...the forbidden Victorian passions in sharp contrast to the not very passionate, sort of half bored, casual affair of the modern actors.
Charles Henry Smithson (Jeremy Irons) falls in love with outcast Sarah (Meryl Streep) in 1800s England.
In the present day Mike (Irons again) and Anna (Streep again) are doing a movie about their tragic love affair and the movie jumps back and forth between the stories.Incredibly dull movie.
Streep and Irons are fantastic in all their roles but the script is dull, the movie drags on forever and the parallels between the two stories are pointless and groaningly obvious.
Short and sweetly, The movie holds up surprisingly well for an early 80's film and the DVD is a must for those who haven't seen it since..Meryl Streep plays two roles as Sarah, The French Lieutenant's Woman of the title and Anna, the actress playing Sarah.
It didn't do well at the box office, either.If you watch a lot of movies, you will see and hear things in TFLW that are familiar, such as Meryl Streep with another foreign accent, plugs for evolution and cheap shots against Christians, digs against the Victorian Era and huzzahs for anything "liberated," etc.
I have no problems with the acting, cinematography and the story - it's the other prejudices that I am tired of seeing on film that makes one viewing of this movie enough..
Two film actors named Anna and Mike (Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons) rehearse their roles for a Victorian period piece and have an affair with each other.
Interspersed with the present day scenes are extensive clips from the finished version of the film they're working on: the love story of a gentleman named Charles and a poor woman Sarah who has lost her reputation after having been romantically linked to a French officer.
Charles and Sarah, like Mike and Anna, are played by Irons and Streep.The movie-within-a-movie structure makes it possible to examine the expressions of romance in very different eras that still mirror each other in many ways.
While the Victorian society is suffocating in its prim and proper moralizing, relationships are not necessarily easier in the liberal modern era either, as it is always difficult to follow one's heart without hurting someone in the process.Technically the film is well made, the historic sets and costumes look good and Streep and Irons are convincing in their double roles.
In the end the Victorian story gets more attention and is probably what the film is best remembered for, but the present day romance is a tale worth telling too.
Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons play dual roles as Sarah, an outcast woman in 19th century England, and respected biologist Charles, already engaged to the daughter of a powerful man, who finds himself attracted to the melancholy, mysterious, and beautiful Sarah.This is contrasted with their "real life" counterparts Anna and Mike, who are actors portraying their romance in a film.
Irons and Streep are perfect for their dual roles as movie actors and the 18th century characters they are cast as...both anguished over love frowned upon by society..
The movie within the movie prevents the emphasize that we usually feel towards the dramatic characters, and never lets us forget that Anna and Mike (the actors) are actually Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons.
A film is being made of a story, set in 19th century England, about Charles (Jeremy Irons), a biologist who is engaged to be married, but who falls in love with outcast Sarah (Meryl Streep), whose melancholy makes her leave him after a short, but passionate affair.I did not think this would be my kind of movie.
A film crew on location in Dorset, England, is shooting a Victorian drama about a passionate affair between a gentleman (Charles) and an abandoned woman (Sarah);there is a parallel story about the love affair between Mike, the actor, and Anna, the actress, who are Charles and Sarah in the film within the film.
The modern love story is presented in brief episodes and so the Victorian drama appears to be the core of the film.
Fowles's novel,Pinter's screen adaptation and Reisz's direction seem to be the best combination for a great cinematic enjoyment: the photogenic landscape, even more dazzling than Kubrick's Barry Lyndon and Polanski's Tess, along with the high level acting by Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep, create a unique filming atmosphere....
Like Ms. Streep, he plays two parts, one as her co-star in the film being made and the other as the lover ruined by his all-consuming love for her film character.
Beautiful, delicate and smart, adaptation and window, refined game and piece of autumn evening, castle of sand and nostalgic veil, play and song, exercise of beauty and honesty, challenge and proof of talent, a movie about love in a different alphabet, The French Lieutenant's Woman is collection of pages from Victorian books and shadows of present.
Sarah is an enigmatic and mysterious woman, but I think at heart she is an insightful woman with an independent spirit who cannot and will not be contained within the confining and stifling role that period has assigned her.The book and the movie are an interesting study in the contrasting morality between Victorian times and the 20th century (now the 21st century)...and the price it extracts.
So much for the romantic angle of this rather heavy plot concerning a woman-of-ill-repute having an affair with a French soldier in 1860's England; at a counterpoint is the contemporary actress and actor playing these roles in a movie--and sharing a similar relationship off-screen.
THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN ***Both Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep give really accomplished performances in this rather interesting and somewhat peculiar movie.
Meryl Streep is "oh so lovely and forlorn" in her roll as Sarah and just plain good looking in her roll as Ann the 20th century movie star.
However, in this film, the outer story is quite limited (and Jeremy Irons appears to be playing the same role in both tales), while the inner film is a straight costume drama as they were made twenty years ago, stodgy and unsubtle in both direction and plot.
Anna (Meryl Streep) and Mike (Jeremy Irons) are modern actors filming the movie "The French Lieutenant's Woman" and having a short romantic affair despite being married to others.
John Fowles' pastiche of Victorian novels is a smashing read, but Karel Reisz's film, while not exactly ruining it, sure does suck a lot of the life out of it.Instead of presenting the story in an over-heated, slightly exaggerated manner, which is probably the right way to adapt Fowles' novel, Reisz and screenwriter Harold Pinter decide to address the meta element of the book by breaking the film into two intercut segments: one is the story that actually makes up the narrative of the novel while the other is a contemporary one about the making of the movie, with Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep playing actors playing Fowles' characters.
One who had never read Fowles' novel would come nowhere near having a sense of how great it is based on this adaptation alone.It's a handsome looking film, I'll give it that, and I'm not the only one who thinks so, as it garnered Academy Award nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design back in 1981.
I dont know why people used to think Meryl Streep was a good actress, every film shes been in, except for "Silkwood", shes used that same annoying accent.
Grogan has diagnosed Sarah as suffering from what he calls "obscure melancholy", a condition which manifests itself in intense guilt feelings and in the masochistic tendency to inflict emotional pain on herself.The modern-day part of the film concerns the attempt to make a film about the story of Charles and Sarah, and the affair between Mike and Anna, the actors cast in the two leading roles.
Jeremy Irons plays both Charles and Mike, and Meryl Streep both Sarah and Anna.The Victorian part of the film works very well as a powerful and potentially tragic love-story, conjuring up the sexual repression and double standards which dominated that period.
In the book Ernestina comes across as rather insipid, but here Lynsey Baxter, only sixteen at the time and appearing in her first film, makes her a delightful young lady.Irons and Streep are excellent as Charles and Sarah.
When I found out there were two stories set in different eras going on simultaneously, I was eager to find out more and whether this device would work.I thought the use of the two stories, one the plot between Sarah and Charles set in the 19th century and the other, the actors playing them, Anna and Mike was an interesting and original idea although one which I am not sure was entirely necessary.
These are the "film" story with biologist and engaged Charles Henry Smithson (BAFTA nominated Jeremy Irons) falling/having an affair in love with gloomy (in mind) outcast Sarah Woodruff (BAFTA and Golden Globe winning, and Oscar nominated Meryl Streep), and the present day couple that are acting out this couple in shooting of the film with almost the same type of love situation, Anna (still Streep) and Mike (stil Irons).
Meryl Streep was number 58 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, and she was number 26 on The World's Greatest Actors, and Jeremy Irons was number 30 on The 50 Greatest British Actors.
The Films Of Meryl Streep: French Lieutenant's Woman.
She portrays two roles- Anna and Sarah, one an actress of the modern period of 1981 and the other a "fallen" woman of Victorian England.
Jeremy Irons portrays Mike, an actor who is Anna's co-star in a costume drama about a forbidden romance between two married people.
The "modern times" relationship between Anna and Mike ends unhappily but the Victorian Era romance between Sarah and Charles ends happily, as if to say only in film or fantasy romances of the past do we find true happiness but reality is far more complex and tragic.
If you've seen her in later character roles like "The Iron Lady", you may not remember how lovely, pale, and fragile she could be in her earlier films.
As Mike and Anna, two film actors involved in a tumultuous affair, and Charles and Sarah the star crossed Victorian couple whom the actors portray.
The weaving of these two love stories---One Victorian and one contemporary give an insight into human passion and emotion.*Special Stars- Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, David Warner, Leo McKern.*Theme- Love is fickle.*Trivia/location/goofs- Filmed entirely in England. |
tt0112159 | Shin Seiki Evangerion | In 2015, fifteen years after a global cataclysm known as the Second Impact, teenager Shinji Ikari is summoned to the futuristic city of Tokyo-3 by his estranged father Gendo Ikari, the director of the special paramilitary force Nerv. Shinji witnesses the United Nations forces battling an Angel: one of a race of giant monstrous beings whose awakening was foretold by the Dead Sea Scrolls. Because of the Angels' near-impenetrable force-fields, Nerv's giant Evangelion bio-machines, synchronized to the nervous systems of their pilots and possessing their own force-fields, are the only weapons capable of keeping the Angels from annihilating humanity. Nerv officer Misato Katsuragi escorts Shinji into the Nerv complex beneath the city, where his father pressures him into piloting the Evangelion Unit-01 against the Angel. Without training, Shinji is quickly overwhelmed in the battle, causing the Evangelion to go berserk and savagely kill the Angel on its own.
Following hospitalization, Shinji moves in with Misato and begins settling into life in Tokyo-3. In his second battle, Shinji destroys an Angel but runs away after the battle, distraught. Misato confronts Shinji and he decides to remain a pilot. Evangelion Unit-00 is repaired and Shinji tries to befriend its pilot, a mysterious, and socially isolated teenage girl named Rei Ayanami. With Rei's help, Shinji defeats another Angel. The pilot of Evangelion Unit-02, teenage girl Asuka Langley Soryu, loses her self-confidence following her defeat, and spirals into a deep depression. This is worsened by her next fight, against an Angel which attacks her mind. In the next battle, Rei self-destructs Unit-00 and dies to save Shinji's life. Misato and Shinji later visit the hospital where they find Rei alive but claiming she is "the third Rei". Misato forces Ritsuko to reveal the dark secrets of Nerv, the Evangelion boneyard and the Dummy Plug system which operates using clones of Rei.
Asuka is reduced to a catatonic state by her depression, and Kaworu Nagisa replaces her as pilot of Unit-02. Kaworu, who initially befriends Shinji, is revealed to be the final Angel. Kaworu fights Shinji, then realizes that he must die if humanity is to thrive and asks Shinji to kill him. Despite his initial hesitation, Shinji kills Kaworu. Soon after this act, Nerv and SEELE trigger the forced evolution of humanity, termed the "Human Instrumentality Project", in which the souls of all mankind are merged into one through Rei. Shinji's soul grapples with the reason for his existence and reaches an epiphany that he needs others to thrive, enabling him to destroy the wall of negative emotions that torment him. This allows him to be reunited with all of the main characters, who congratulate him. | insanity | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0382765 | Jindabyne | On an annual fishing trip, in isolated high country, Stewart (Gabriel Byrne), Carl (John Howard), Rocco (Stelios Yiakmis) and Billy (Simon Stone) find a girl's body in the river; she has been brutally murdered by Gregory (Chris Haywood), a local electrician. The girl (Tatea Reilly) turns out subsequently to be Aboriginal. The discovery shocks and confuses the men, particularly Gregory. Only the youngest of the men, Billy, understands this is a crime scene but he is ignored. Billy later leaves the town with his partner and child. The men initially suggest hiking back the following morning as it is too late in the day to safely navigate their way to their trucks. Gregory secures the girl's body by the ankle to the riverbank, so she will not drift downstream and get lost in the rapids. However, Stewart the next day goes fishing and, after catching an especially large fish, the men decide to spend the rest of the afternoon continuing their trip before informing the police in the morning.
While the men are gone, some of the men's wives (Jude and Claire) and Rocco's girlfriend (Carmel), get together socially. During their conversation, Jude (Carl's wife) reveals that their daughter died nearly two years ago, leaving them to raise their granddaughter Cailin-Calandria, who has psychological issues and towards whom Jude shows resentment. When Stewart's wife, Claire (Laura Linney) remarks that she does not think Stewart would want more children, Jude reveals that Claire had a mental breakdown after her son Tom was born and left the family for 18 months.
The men return home late Sunday night. After reporting the body to the police, they each go to their respective homes. Stewart goes home to Claire and finds her sleeping on her stomach, reminiscent of the posture of the dead body. He talks to her briefly and initiates intimacy. However, he does not disclose the find, which later causes problems when Claire finds out he left the girl's body to keep fishing.
The next morning, the police show up at Claire and Stewart's house to ask Stewart to answer some more questions. The men gather in the police station, where the police officer expresses his disgust that they would "fish over a dead body" instead of reporting it as soon as they could. Claire is stunned that Stewart would do such a thing and keeps trying to understand his reasons. The men come up with a story that Carl strained his ankle thus they could not walk back as early as they would have otherwise. Because the girl was Aboriginal, some believe the men neglected the dead girl out of racism. All of the men's businesses are vandalised in retaliation by Aboriginals, with painted slurs branding them racists. It becomes clear from this point that the western culture of a town that had to be abandoned and rebuilt on higher ground because of a dam and which is peopled by immigrants, is at odds with the ancient belief system of the native Aboriginals.
Claire and Elissa (Billy's partner) are the only ones of the group who express any remorse and condemnation for what happened. Jude repeatedly defends her husband Carl, while Carl argues that the girl was already dead and thus it made no difference to her whether they stayed or not. The more Claire pushes Stewart and the others to make amends, the more tensions increase in the town.
Prior to the fishing trip, Claire had begun throwing up repeatedly from morning sickness, which she hid from everyone. With her marriage unravelling, and haunted by her post-post-partum breakdown and abandonment of her first child, she inquires of a medical professional about how to get an abortion. However, she has still not gone through with it - nor revealed her pregnancy to Stewart - by the end of the film.
Despite encountering hostility from the rest of the group, Claire continues to try to reach out to the girl's family. She gathers donations to give to the girl's family for her funeral. Claire even goes to the family's home and is rebuked. She later returns to give them the money she has gathered.
Increasingly troubled that Claire continues to probe for the truth of what happened, Stewart erupts in rage one evening when Claire asks him to talk about it. The two begin fighting physically, while slinging barbs at each other about their past mistakes. The next day, after Billy and his family have left town for the coast, Stewart tells Claire - who he suspects is planning to leave him - that he will never allow her to take his son from him. Carl similarly stands up for Cailin-Calandria after Jude once again shows anger towards her, saying she cannot take her pain of losing their daughter out on their blameless granddaughter.
The next day, Claire goes to the memorial service. The rest of the men and their wives, as well as the children, show up to pay their respects, too. When Stewart apologises on behalf of the men, the girl's father throws dirt on him, spits on the ground and walks away, but there are no further objections to their presence. Stewart also asks Claire to come home.
Throughout the movie, the murdering electrician continuously pops up around the characters, and even attends the memorial service. He is never caught, though the final scene of the film where he is stung by a wasp before an abrupt cut to black opens the possibility that he is killed. | tragedy, murder | train | wikipedia | The movie poses some moral questions "Would you let the discovery of a dead body ruin your good weekend?" and more poignantly for Australians "Would it make any difference if the dead person was an aboriginal?" The acting, especially by Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney, is commendable.
The basic plot could be set almost anywhere failure of personal relationships in the context of a failure of civic duty, but Ray Lawrence has chosen to adapt Raymond Carver's short story of the fishermen who took their time over reporting finding a woman's body to a highly specific place, Jindabyne, NSW, and to include the vexed question of black/white relationships in Australia.As is pointed out in one of those awful cheery 1960s documentary being shown to the kids in the local primary school, the present day Jindabyne is a "second chance" sort of place, the old town having disappeared under the waters of Lake Jindabyne during the creation of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme, though at very low water levels the old church steeple is said to poke out of the water.
Gabriel Byrne does not put a foot wrong as Stewart, an ordinary bloke resigned to what little emotional comfort he can get from his family, and Laura Linney gives great depth to her role as his wife Claire, a woman for whom motherhood is a daunting task.The rest of the cast are fine.
Debra-Lee Furness as Carl's wife Jude makes a dislikeable character understandable, John Howard as Carl puts in a solid performance and there are two good performances from child actors Eva Lazzaro as Jude's disturbed granddaughter, and Sean Rees-Wemyss as Stewart and Claire's son Tom.Ray Lawrence clearly did not set out to create a crime story but he certainly shows that crime can have some unexpected collateral damage.
A fishing trip gone bad is one way of looking at JINDABYNE, but then you would miss the whole mystery of this film and how it examines the lives of others in a small Australian town, which on the surface may seem perfect.
The wind whipping through the trees and the power lines that dot the hills make for a perfect background for this film.Laura Linney, once and again, and Gabriel Byrne are two superb actors that make JINDABYNE come alive with strong performances, as well as from a seasoned cast.
The final scenes are powerful and leave you with a question of, "what now might Jindabyne be in the near future?" However, with that said, I felt the film could have been edited a bit more tightly, and not taken so long with the development of characters and the build up to the final conclusion.
As directed by Ray Lawrence with a cast of excellent actors, JINDABYNE will likely become a classic movie - if enough people will take the time and commitment to see it.In a small town called Jindabyne in Australia a group of four men depart their families for a fishing trip: Stewart Kane (Gabriel Byrne), Carl (John Howard), Rocco (Stelios Yiakmis) and Billy (Simon Stone).
While fly fishing in the back country, Stewart discovers the nude, murdered body of a dead Aboriginal girl Susan (Tatea Reilly) floating in the water, calls his buddies to witness the ugly act, and together they decide to wait until their fishing trip is over before reporting it.When the men return home, concerned and embarrassed about their actions as they report to the police, the town is outraged at their thoughtless behavior.
In a powerfully moving final memorial for the dead girl every one is forced to face the dirty aspects of the recent events and come to a degree of understanding and acceptance.Filmed in the beauty of the Australian countryside with camera technique that feels intimate and almost spying in nature, the story unfolds so naturally that the audience is made to feel a part of the dilemma at hand.
I'm glad to see a film made for people to think about, rather than spoon-feeding us some clichés about how hard life can be for the protagonists.Water plays a significant role throughout the movie, from the river where the fishermen find the body, to Lake Jindabyne, and the ghost stories about the drowned town.
When the press releases the information, their public and private lives are deeply affected and the disturbed Claire questions Stewart's attitude while trying to help and apologize with the family of the dead aborigine."Jindabyne" has a storyline of great potential, with a morbid and polemic study of moral aspects of human (and consequently flawed) characters.
Yet again we are subjected to a lecture from the black-armband historical revisionists about now terrible the nasty white man is to the abroginals.AND.....as a taxpayer, have to pay for the privilege of it due to Film Finance funding.I watched the entire wretched mess of a movie all the way through and then wondered how I would recover that completely wasted portion of my life.Sheesh....it was almost enough to drive me to watching 'Salo' again!!!!!.
As a commentary on racist attitudes and the even more shaky road to reconciliation between Whites and Blacks in Australia then I think Jindabyne falls well short and the denouement is quite laughable.Laura Linney's portrayal of a fish-out-of-water American in the Australian landscape attempting to come to grips with her failing marital relationship and anxiety-ridden motherhood is superb.
This sets off tremendous reverberations among both the townsfolk and their own individual families when the men finally arrive back home with their story."Jindabyne" throws so many disparate characters and plot lines into the mix that it could easily have become dissipated and unfocused had it fallen into less capable hands than those of writer Beatrix Christian and director Ray Lawrence.
Instead, in adapting Raymond Carver's short story, "So Much Water So Close to Home," to the screen, these filmmakers have created a broad, multi-leveled drama that is not afraid to take its time in gathering the strands of its story, and which is as much a portrait of a complex, troubled marriage and of a community torn asunder by a shocking event as it is a tale of an unsolved murder.Yet, even though the film is rich in minor characters (all enacted by a first-rate cast), the main focus is on Claire and Stuart Kane, two individuals with deep-seated problems and issues that are sometimes as unclear to us as they are to the characters themselves.
As an indication of the intelligence and depth of the storytelling, the characters in this film are never even remotely pigeonholed as "types," a fact that keeps us unbalanced and off guard for the duration of the movie.Lawrence's direction is lyrical, unhurried and focused, and the photography by David Williamson perfectly captures the haunting beauty of the Australian countryside.Those searching for a conventional serial killer thriller are destined, perhaps, to be disappointed by "Jindabyne," but those with a taste for the unconventional and unexpected will surely appreciate the riches offered by this unusually subtle and complex film..
Jindabyne is a profound art house crime/thriller/drama set entirely in an the isolated Australian town of Jindabyne, starring Laura Linney (Love Actually, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) and Gabriel Byrne (Spider).An Irishman (Bryne), living in Australia with his American wife (Linney), is on an annual fishing trip, with four friends, when they come across the murdered body of a young Aboriginal woman (Tatea Reilly).
I'm not sure I like what he's done with the source material.In the story, "So Much Water So Close to Home," four men on a fishing trip discover the body of a dead woman floating in the river.
In the Carver story, we see things only from Claire's and Stuart's point of view; in "Jindabyne," the discovery becomes an issue that nearly tears the small town apart, and it just feels like the reaction is out of all proportion.
I will say in the movie's defense that I could have missed much of the point due to a lack of understanding about Australian, and especially aboriginal, cultures.The thing I liked least about "Jindabyne" was the inclusion of a creepy serial killer who we know is responsible for the girl's death.
Based on the short story "So Much Water So Close to Home" by Raymond Carver, director Ray Lawrence presents an expose and the various ways of coping and co-existing.Very well acted by the always solid Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney, the real cast standout is Eva Lazzaro as young Caylin-Calandria, whose experiments with death are the spookiest part of the story.
The story was adapted before in 1993 as one of the many plot strands of Robert Altman's movie "Short Cuts" (by the way, another great movie).Away from home on a fishing trip, four men find the body of a dead girl in a river.
Jindabyne is a frankly boring tale about the murder of a young aboriginal woman and the subsequent discovery of her body by a group of fairly normal, nice white men on a fishing trip.
Nor do I deny that they continue to suffer from racism,misunderstanding and severe,entrenched disadvantage in many areas of our society,especially in health,education and opportunity.But to paint the picture in this movie of four seemingly normal white men, though with normal family and world weary problems;then their subsequent naturally shocked reaction at finding a dead body,only to make the most appalling decision imaginable simply defies belief.Surely the most obvious thing to do would be to pull the body from the water;cover it with dignity; whilst two men hightailed it back for help as two watched.
Much was due to the acting not the story itself.The inclusion of the Aboriginal part seems like a token attempt at raising the interest factor of the 'missing body' story.This is a modern Australian film that tried to do it all: great cinematography, great Aussie cast inclusion (despite leads going to foreign actors), great inclusion of Australian landscape for tourism factor and great script/story progression with cultural significance.
Jindabyne is based upon Raymond Carver's short story, 'So Much Water So Close to Home', memorably filmed previously in a segment in Robert Altman's Short Cuts.A group of men go fishing for a weekend and make a grim discovery, but it is the subsequent decision that they make which will have unforeseen, personal ramifications.Let's cut to the chase.
In fact, it is so much of an actor's film that the producers decided to bring in a couple of international stars, Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney, to give it the credibility Australians could obviously not provide.Our actors do however, provide solid grounding so that the leads can strut their stuff; Deborra-Lee Furness, John Howard, Leah Purcell, Chris Haywood, even Max Cullen and 'Bud' Tingwell drop in to the Snowy's to add a slice of thespian, though I had to wonder what was the point of all these actors, especially Alice Garner whom I've always found to be rather tedious.The Snowy Mountains is a beautiful part of the world, but Director Ray Lawrence (Bliss, Lantana) isn't interested in landscape, only characters.
Here I think the fate of that girl and what followed about her had little to do with her ethnicity, beside is not even the central theme for the story merely its vehicle yet surely in this situation would affect those who love her and yes the aboriginal situation in Australia remains delicate so it's logic for her people to perceive that event in the way they did, just as logic it is for the wives of those who made a "bad choice" to have their own perception and suspicion about the event.
The way people have different reactions/attitudes (some seemingly inexplicable) to the same situation, the way unresolved issues from the past bubble to the surface when new stresses occur, the way people rationalize behavior and demonize each other, the way "closure" eludes us...all of these things are beautiful realized by the writer, director, and actors.Yes, the film may seem slow in some parts...it's not a classic action movie, that's for certain!
Away from their everyday lives the men enjoy the gracious peace of nature, but out there in the silence Stewart notices a woman's body in a river.Finely and precisely directed by Australian filmmaker Ray Lawrence, this quietly paced fictional tale which is narrated from multiple viewpoints draws a quiet and moving portrayal of a marriage, a relationship between a 7-year-old girl and a boy, a strange choice and a crime.
While notable for it's naturalistic and atmospheric milieu depictions and sterling cinematography by cinematographer David Williamson, this dialog-driven and narrative-driven story where a community becomes so engaged with placing guilt at a group of men who acted against their better judgment that they disregard looking for the actual perpetrator, depicts some empathic and enigmatic studies of character and contains a prominent and efficient score by Australian composers Paul Kenny and Dan Luscombe.This tangible and psychological drama about interpersonal relations and culture clash which is set in a town in the South-eastern part of New South Wales during a summer, is impelled and reinforced by it's cogent narrative structure, subtle character development and continuity, natural characters and the commendable acting performances by Irish actor Gabriel Byrne, American actress Laura Linney, Australian actress Deborra-Lee Furness and actor Sean Rees-Wemyss and Australian actress Eva Lazzaro in their debut feature film roles.
You realise this film is good when its protagonists deliver stunning lines that seem totally natural, because you believe in their characters; also in the subtle way it works as a coolly unnerving thriller: this element of the movie is mostly played down against the personal drama so that when it is occasionally allowed to surface, it really shocks.
This film is at first subtle suspense,then drama and human psychodrama,spiced with human failings, marital discord,a curious backdrop of the haunted town of Jindabyne,and community unrest,racial conflict and a local serial killer.Perfect performance by Gabriel Byrne as Kane,a local gas station owner who has several fishing and drinking buddies, and discovers the corpse of a young woman on one of these trips.
He and his friends wait a few days to report to the authorities, and the moral issues of this are complex and varied.The young woman victim was of Aborigine extraction, although this aspect may have been divulged more clearly to the audience.Byrne and his wife Claire (sterling performance by Laura Linney),are in the midst of their own marital issues,she has a son and Byrne seems to favor him,there is underlying rage Claire has toward her husband which is not fully explored.
In following on from the previous, it would seem that the ghosts of our past remain "undead" like zombies - pressing upon us unless we confront them.3) Billy (Simon Stone): Represents a city-minded Australian: no real clue about the sorts of issues that arise in communities like Jindabyne and turns a blind eye / walks away when things get heated - especially with respect to Aboriginal relations.4) Fish out of water: notice that they are all fishermen, discover the girl during a fishing trip and therefore the "fish out of water" symbolism begins to play a role.
Despite good acting and rich exploration of interrelated dysfunctional family situations -- the same kind of thing Australian director Ray Lawrence's 'Lantana' was notable for, so he's doing what he wants to do -- 'Jindabyne' doesn't work, and it leaves one feeling unsatisfied.Lawrence has so much going on in this film, it's as if Alejandro González Iñárritu's 'Babel' had been concentrated into one little Australian town.
Jindabyne is a brilliant Australian film.At a simple level Jindabyne is the story of four men who make a bad moral choice, to delay the reporting of a deceased woman while they continue their fishing trip.
I went to see Jindabyne not expecting too much as the plot has been exposed far and wide in reviews and especially with comments like 'it's not as good as Lantana.' Well I'm happy to report that it was the best Aussie movie I've seen in a long time and I thought it was better than Lantana.
Apparently 'Jindabyne' is the story of how the monumentally stupid behavior of four Australian good buddies (not reporting the discovery of a body until they've finished fishing, and then letting on that they did so) brings the racial conflicts of an Australian town and emotional conflicts of its families to the surface.The problem with the film is that not one of the characters is written as anything but a stereotype.
The four men decide to just leave the girl's body where it is and keep fishing for another day before finally notifying the police.The movie goes on after that and physically demonstrates Einstein's theories of the relativity of time, because the second half of this film takes an an eon to get through.
There's a whole bit about the public revulsion at what Stewart and the other men did; the complicated marital history of Claire and Stewart; Claire goes on a quest to try and connect with the dead girl's family and atone for Stewart; the killer in the truck shows up a few times for no good reason except to keep the audience awake; we suddenly get a theme about the divide between white Australians and the Aborigines; and the story even comes back to Tom and Caylin-Calandria for a resolution to their little bit and it doesn't fit at all what they were doing in the first part of the film.
It's like the movie has a stroke in the middle of the story and doesn't realize its left side is paralyzed for the rest of the film.Unless you plan on fast forwarding through every scene that doesn't have Laura Linney in it
take a pass on Jindabyne.. |
tt1429451 | Madly in Love | Cristina, the princess of a fictional monarchical state named San Tulipe, is visiting Rome with her father, Gustavo VI, who is trying to appeal to Italy's national bank for a loan to buoy his country's financial crisis. Bored and rebellious, Cristina sneaks away from the embassy and decides to engage in a sightseeing tour of the city. On the bus she takes, Cristina meets the driver Barnaba Cecchini, who instantly falls in love with her.
Barnaba, a charming and happy-to-go ATAC employee, takes Cristina around the city, including the Forum Romanum, and slowly begins to win her personal interest. But after having had her fun and spending a (chaste) night in his apartment, she locks him into his clothes dresser's massive drawer and leaves with her family's bodyguards without telling him about her true identity. After a fruitless search on his own, Barnaba recognizes her when he witnesses a TV report about her sojourn in Rome, and despite his modest background he boldly asks her father for her hand. When Gustavo refuses, Barnaba engages in a series of daredevil schemes to prove his worth, even to the point of appearing (by Cristina's invitation) at a royal banquet in his ATAC uniform and holding successful discussions about high politics with a number of international dignitaries.
However, although Barnaba succeeds in impressing Gustavo and winning Cristina's genuine affection, San Tulipe's financial crisis finally drives the king into engaging his daughter to a billionaire. Determined not to lose his love, Barnaba appeals to the citizens of Rome to make a donation for the cause. As Gustavo's family leaves the city, Barnaba's sympathizers shower them with money, thus annulling both the royal debts and Cristina's planned engagement to a stranger, and Barnaba gaining Gustavo's approval to marry his daughter. | romantic, satire | train | wikipedia | null |
tt3770696 | The Red and the Black | In two volumes, The Red and the Black: A Chronicle of the 19th Century tells the story of Julien Sorel’s life in a monarchic society of fixed social class.
=== Book I ===
Book I presents Julien Sorel, the ambitious son of a carpenter in the fictional village of Verrières, in Franche-Comté, France. He would rather read and daydream about the glory days of Napoleon's long-disbanded army than work his father’s timber business with his brothers, who beat him for his intellectual affectations. He becomes an acolyte of the abbé Chélan, the local Catholic prelate, who later secures him a job tutoring the children of Monsieur de Rênal, the mayor of Verrières. Although he appears to be a pious, austere cleric, Julien is uninterested in the Bible beyond its literary value and how he can use memorised passages (learnt in Latin) to impress important people.
He enters a love affair with Monsieur de Rênal’s wife, which ends when it is revealed to the village by her chambermaid, Elisa, who is also in love with Julien. The abbé Chélan orders Julien to a seminary in Besançon, which he finds intellectually stifling and pervaded with social cliques. The initially cynical seminary director, the abbé Pirard likes Julien and becomes his protector. Later Pirard (a Jansenist) leaves the seminary but fearing backlash against his protégé, recommends Sorel as private secretary to the diplomat Marquis de la Mole, a Catholic legitimist.
=== Book II ===
Book II takes place in the years leading up to the July Revolution of 1830. During this time Julien Sorel lives in Paris as an employee of the de la Mole family. Despite his moving among high society and his intellectual talents, the family and their friends condescend to Julien for being an uncouth plebeian. Meanwhile, Julien is acutely aware of the materialism and hypocrisy that permeate the Parisian élite, and that the counter-revolutionary temper of the time renders it impossible for even well-born men of superior intellect and аеsthetic sensibility to participate in the nation's public affairs.
The Marquis de la Mole takes Julien to a secret meeting, then despatches him on a dangerous mission to communicate a letter (Julien has it memorised) to the Duc d'Angouleme, who is exiled in England; however, the callow Julien is mentally distracted by an unsatisfying love affair, and thus only learns the message by rote, missing its political significance as a legitimist plot. Unwittingly, he risks his life in service to the monarchists he most opposes; to himself, he rationalises these actions as merely helping the Marquis, his employer, whom he respects.
Meanwhile, the Marquis’s bored daughter, Mathilde de la Mole, has become emotionally torn between her romantic attraction to Julien, for his admirable personal and intellectual qualities, and her social repugnance at becoming sexually intimate with a lower-class man. At first, he finds her unattractive, but his interest is piqued by her attentions and the admiration she inspires in others; twice, she seduces and rejects him, leaving him in a miasma of despair, self-doubt, and happiness (for having won her over her aristocratic suitors). Only during his secret mission does he gain the key to winning her affections: a cynical jeu d’amour (game of love) taught to him by Prince Korasoff, a Russian man-of-the-world. At great emotional cost, Julien feigns indifference to Mathilde, provoking her jealousy with a sheaf of love-letters meant to woo Madame de Fervaques, a widow in the social circle of the de la Mole family. Consequently, Mathilde sincerely falls in love with Julien, eventually revealing to him that she carries his child; despite this, whilst he is on diplomatic mission in England, she becomes officially engaged to Monsieur de Croisenois, an amiable, rich young man, heir to a duchy.
Learning of Julien’s romantic liaison with Mathilde, the Marquis de la Mole is angered, but relents before her determination and his affection for Julien, and bestows upon Julien an income-producing property attached to an aristocratic title, and a military commission in the army. Although ready to bless their marriage, he changes his mind after receiving the reply to a character-reference letter he wrote to the abbé Chélan, Julien’s previous employer in the village of Verrières; the reply letter, written by Madame de Rênal — at the urging of her confessor priest — warns the Marquis that Julien Sorel is a social-climbing cad who preys upon emotionally vulnerable women.
On learning of the Marquis’s disapproval of the marriage, Julien Sorel travels back to Verrières and shoots Madame de Rênal during Mass in the village church; she survives, but Julien is imprisoned and sentenced to death. Mathilde tries to save him by bribing local officials, and Madame de Rênal, still in love with Julien, refuses to testify and asks for his acquittal. Despite this, along with the efforts of priests who have looked after him since his early childhood, Julien Sorel is determined to die because the materialist society of Restoration France will not accommodate a low-born man of superior intellect and æsthetic sensibility who possesses neither money nor social connections.
Meanwhile, the presumptive duke, Monsieur de Croisenois, one of the fortunate few of Bourbon France, is killed in a duel fought over a slur upon the honour of Mathilde de la Mole. Her undiminished love for Julien, his imperiously intellectual nature, and its component romantic exhibitionism, render Mathilde’s prison visits to him a duty.
When Julien learns he did not kill Madame de Rênal, his genuine love for her is resurrected — having lain dormant throughout his Parisian time — and she continues to visit him in jail. After he is guillotined, Mathilde de la Mole re-enacts the cherished 16th-century French tale of Queen Margot, who visited her dead lover, Joseph Boniface de La Mole, to kiss the lips of his severed head. She makes a shrine of his tomb in the Italian fashion. Madame de Rênal, more quietly, dies in the arms of her children. | tragedy, romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0119819 | Office Killer | A magazine editor named Dorine, due to budget cuts, is forced to work from home. One night she is called to help fix the computer of a co-worker, Gary Michaels, who is electrocuted while trying to fix the wires. Dorine dials 911, but hangs up when the call is answered. She places the corpse on a cart, rolls it down to her car, loads it in her trunk, and takes it home, placing it in her basement. Then, seemingly without reason, she goes into a murder spree. She begins her spree by murdering another office worker, but later murders two young Girl Scouts who arrive at her door to sell cookies. The young girls join the other corpses in the basement, and Dorine is seen eating the cookies while working on her new laptop. Dorine sends messages from Gary to the remaining office workers, implying he is alive. There are three more murders before the movie ends, all artistically executed. The last murder is the office manager (played by a young Jeanne Tripplehorn), who awakens in the basement, surrounded by dismembered bodies, after being knocked out by Dorine on a lunch date. After dispatching the office manager's boyfriend, who had come searching for her (a young Michael Imperioli) with a kitchen knife, Dorine murders the office manager after taunting her for making her and other employees work from home. The last scene shows Dorine, after her mother's death, setting fire to her basement, then, sporting a blond wig and makeup and with the office manager's head in a bag on the seat beside her, driving away in her car, and circling a newspaper ad with her pencil for an office job. | comedy, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | It involves Carol Kane (with very odd penciled in eyebrows) as an awkwardly mousy, hardworking magazine editor in a drab and depressing looking office building where she gets picked on daily.
Then, without any time wasted, the inevitable psycho switch gets flipped and she starts killing off her coworkers.I know that may sound to most like your typical fun slasher, but in fact, it can't even be considered a slasher.
And it's pretty disappointing because the photographer turned director, Cindy Sherman, seemed to have talent and would have benefited greatly if it were a straight up thriller.So what were we meant to feel during this film?
The whole film felt just as awkward as she looked and felt just as drab and boring as the office building looked, which leaves us with no reason to ever want to visit.
This is a great horror/comedy.Its got a great plot,a great cast who gives great performances including Molly Ringwald(Teaching Mrs.Tingle,The Breakfast Club),Carol Kane(Jawbreaker,Adams Family Values)& Jeanne Tripplehorn(The Firm,Waterworld).This Movie is funny and a little scary if you watch it in the dark.See this Movie!.
Director Cindy Sherman uses gore and some very curious camera positions to make you a little bit scary and also laugh once or twice (not out-loud, though).
The performances from Carol Kane (totally crazy) and Molly Ringwald (in a very against-the-type turn) are very good.
The less-than-impressive results: Robert Longo's "Johnny Mnemonic," David Salle's "Search and Destroy," Julian Schnabel's "Basquiat" and finally Cindy Sherman's "Office Killer." That only Schnabel moved on to direct a second feature says a lot about these poor directorial choices.
Surprise - just because you can paint a picture or take a photograph doesn't mean you know how to make a movie.That said, "Office Killer" has a unique look to it: Sherman's photographic eye makes for some nice creepy compositions, even if her philosophy about using a camera cinematically is of the bolt-it-to-the-ground-and-maybe-pan-a-little school.
And she works well with cinematographer Russell Fine, though the whole film is shot through a murky lens that had this viewer crying out for the occasional bright exterior just to add a little contrast.So what went wrong with "Office Killer"?
Well, pretty much what you'd predict would go wrong with a photographer director who had never made a film before: uneven pacing; more attention paid to the setup of a shot than to what's going on in it; a lack of tension; and a cast who, with the exception of the ever-willing Carol Kane, don't seem to know what to do.
Michael Imperioli and Jeanne Tripplehorn have been far better elsewhere, Barbara Sukowa is flat-out bad, and Molly Ringwald is her usual depthless self.
The script is also somewhat leaden, given its dark comic potential."Office Killer" is still a curiosity, interesting mainly for aficionados of Cindy Sherman's work (and you've got to admire those cool opening credits), though horror fans who enjoyed the better-received "May" (which I personally didn't care for) might like this movie's look and mood.
She will make sure you will pay for whatever you do to her!"Office Killer" is a film, judging from most comments submitted to this forum, that deserved better.
Cindy Sherman, the director, shows she can deliver a good movie.
The film was written by Ms. Sherman and it appears Todd Haynes, a good director himself, helped with the dialog, although he is uncredited.We don't understand, at the beginning, what is Dorine's motivation for doing what she does, but the key to comprehending what's wrong with her is revealed in flashbacks that shows her as a teen ager when some traumatic events occurred involving her parents.
Dorine has been dealt a bad blow from life and her reactions, although extreme, seem to be typical of someone that has been deeply scarred.The film works because of the wonderful Carol Kane who does some of the best work of her career.
Ms. Kane transforms herself into this weird Dorine, who is the butt of all jokes at the magazine where she works.
What triggers her spiral unraveling is the downsizing the company is going through that will render her a part timer, losing, no doubt, a good deal of her earnings.The supporting cast is up to task under Ms. Sherman's direction.
Molly Ringwald, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Barbara Sukowa, Michael Imperioli, David Thornton and Alice Drummond, among others, respond well to the director's instructions.One wishes good luck to Ms. Sherman with future films because she is not afraid, to show it all for the viewer's enjoyment..
Otherwise, technically as well as artistically, this film is deeply flawed.Carol Kane's performance is at times overwrought and at times dull, while the rest of the cast phones-in the expected flat, B-grade horror film acting job.
None of the lead characters are at all engaging, and the attempt at garnering sympathy for the horrendously pathetic Dorine is a failure in light of how successful the film is at making her both despicable and irritating.
The emotionally charged scenes are so awkward as to immediately break any momentum the film had managed to gain and leave you feeling embarrassed for the filmmakers.All in all, this film went direct to video for a very good reason, and unless you're doing a "Bad Horror Movie Marathon" I'd say it's best left collecting dust at your local video shop....
Cindy Sherman, one of the most talented photographers and modern artists on the contemporary scene, directed this incredibly bad and thoroughly predictable slasher flick.
Carol Kane was great, and Molly Ringwald was as I've never seen her before -- a caricature of herself.
A mousy office worker (Carol Kane) accidentally kills one of her coworkers, then proceeds to bump off a few others.Besides Carol Kane, the "star" of this film is Molly Ringwald, who shows us that she is no longer America's sweetheart.
And I am not saying she is a bad actress, but after her John Hughes years, she will have to do more than appear in one or two disposable films to re-create herself.And does Carol Kane age?
I am not sure if I am impressed by her lack of aging or dismayed that she has always looked 60 years old...But, as far as the film goes, I just did not think it was that great.
The dead body effects are decent, but there is just something about the film quality that gives off an "amateur" effect and makes the whole thing seem poor.
Mousey and introverted magazine proofreader Dorine Douglas,Carol Kane,is the most effective worker at the office.
When it comes down the grapevine that there's going to be a major change-over at the magazine Dorine as well as most of the staff are sent home to do the work and e-mail it in via a new computer system that being installed.
Not wanting to be at home with her infirmed mother Chalotta, Alice Drummond,and away from her job and fellow workers at the office slowly turns Dorine's sick thoughts into violent actions and it's a quirk of fate that sets it all into motion.Quietly and secretly killing off her fellow workers at the magazine Dorine hides their bodies in her basement to keep her company.
While all this was going on Kim, Molly Ringwald,a writer at the magazine becomes suspicious of Dorine not really knowing whats she doing but that she's somehow trying to get her fired from the job.
There's also office manager Norah Reed, Jeanne Tripplehorn who Dorine feels has been embezzling the magazine coffers and is responsible for what's been happening there.
Trying to murder Kim in a dark and empty stairway Kim gets away but is later fired for accusing "sweet and innocent" Dorine of trying to kill her.
This has has him driving to the Douglas house looking for her only to find that Kim was right about Dorine, dead right, and that he and Norah were soon to pay the price for not listening to her.Strange but interesting and not for everyones tastes "Office Killer" takes a while to get off the ground but once it gets going you can't really take your eye off it.Carol Kane as Dorine is her usual quite and passive self at first but slowly goes postal as the pressure of her job, and putting up with her nagging mom, gets to her and drives Dorine over the brink.
I thought this movie was fairly good considering it was a) direct to video and b) had an unknown supporting cast.
The performances were good, the effects were good and it was odd to see Carole Kane doing what she did in this movie...
lame flick tries to be campy but comes off as stupid and inane with a dopey script that never works and it has terrible acting i did not find anything amusing in this Carol Kane gives a decent not a memorable but decent performance not worth it *1/2 out of 5.
Crossing Over from Her Highly Successful Career as a Still Photographer, Cindy Sherman Directed this Lifeless, Lame, and Limp Horror Parody that is Boring and Bland and Except for a Couple of Interesting Scenes, Utterly Unwatchable.A Doctoral Thesis could be Written, maybe it has, about the Similarities and Differences between Still Photography and Cinematography.
Dorine is a real wallflower - a middle-aged, shy, ugly single woman living at home with her mum and working as an editor for a small newspaper, she's a real outsider.
This "accident" changes her mind, and she starts having fun killing her mobbing colleagues one by one and hiding them all in her dark cellar...Photographer Cindy Sherman's directional debut has a very nice plot idea, but that's all.
The direction is too weak and boring, and the actors - Carol Kane as Dorine and Molly Ringwald, Jeanette Tripplehorn and stunning Barbara Sukowa as her colleagues can't bring their roles to life.
It would have been a nice try to produce this kind of home office version of the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" in a real comedy or horror style, but his movie doesn't know where to go.
This movie is about a woman who is kind of messed up,but at the same time smart enough to manipulate.She kills people in her working place and puts their dead bodies into her basement and treats them as her friends.Her father used to sexually abuse her and her thinking isn't quite normal...If she is done with one place,she moves on,performing as an helpless old lady,who is very fond of her work.The movie is kinda twisted in its own way.It is not a horror movie though,the special effects aren't very good,if there even is any.There are other interesting characters too in the movie.Some loose ends too.I liked the movie cause it was so different from other movies that kind.Also,it showed,that female murderers aren't always supposed to use their good looks to get away with things..
Short, sweet, and amazing actress Carol Kane plays Dorine Douglas, a lonely middle aged woman who is buried under big sweaters, clunky shoes and over sized glasses.
The last night at the office, Dorine runs into computer trouble and seeks help from one of her co-workers.
Now of course it's normal for one to think that this lady has got serious issues right from the get go but as the movie progresses you should tell yourself that words like 'crazy' and 'psycho' are total understatements.
Dorine begins to feel a form of comfort for her loneliness after killing her boss and another co-worker along with a pair of 7 year old girl scout cookie sellers(Which I think was very screwed up).
In one of the flashback scenes, we see that Dorine(as a child)has killed her father.
Molly Ringwald plays Kim, a co-worker who despises Dorine and is friends with co-worker, Norah(Tripplehorn).
Norah's boyfriend comes looking for her and heads to Dorine's house.
Carol Kane delivers one of the best performances I've ever seen!!
You can't help but feel sorry for Dorine even after she goes on her killing spree.
This movie was well acted and the plot, although silly at times, was good over all.
Photographer Cindy Sherman makes her directing debut in this long, boring horror/comedy about mousy proofreader Dorine Douglas (Carol Kane) who works for a magazine company that needs to lay off employees.
I remembering seeing this in my local video shop and well didn't think much, but I ended up picking this up anyway, kinda by accident and when I got round to watching this, well it wasn't bad, not amazing or brilliant, and not terrible, but somewhere in the middle.
To my surprise this movie has quite a few familiar faces such as Carol Kane (When A Stranger Calls), Molly Ringwald (The Breakfast Club) and Jeannie Tripplehorn (Basic Instinct).The plot seemed interesting enough, a mousey employee goes on a killing spree when she's handed her pink slip at the office.
The tone is surprisingly light Carol Kane plays her part well as down trodden would be serial killer Doreen, without going over the top and I really enjoyed Molly Ringwald as the bitchy secretary whose sole purpose is to be a total bitch.But some aspects of this movie simply doesn't work, like the comedy element is almost entirely humourless, the characters are plain and boring and didn't feel for them when they got killed.
I would have liked this movie to go a lot darker and the killings to be a lot more innovative instead they were just boring and lacked any thrills.All in all not a terrible waste of time, but is kind of forgettable which makes this movie very average, but seeing familiar faces in a movie like this is always fun..
Our office killer kills someone by accident, and that somehow makes her start killing people on purpose.
It's not funny because people are dying gory deaths, it's not shocking because well, look at this thing, but it is pretty good.
Carol Kane also plays her role very well, helped by the screenplay that's gradually making her character meaner.
I was searching for a good movie to watch tonite and I got nothing, until i came upon the title "Office Killer" HA!
Kane does a wonderful job and I think I literally was smiling the WHOLE time.
And Molly Ringwald, i will always love her.Everything about this film was perfect, literally.
i think i can account for the discrepancy between my vote and the average vote posted on IMDb. see, this movie was directed by cindy sherman, and therefore is to be viewed as much as a work of art as just another film.
i realize that by casting molly ringwald a lot of people may have thought they were getting another, something bad, i don't know..
Office Killer, written by Elise MacAdam, is the first feature film directed by Cindy Sherman, best known for clever references to classic films in her still photography and utilizes some excellently placed commercial visuals to joke on the slasher film in a very low-key fashion.Sherman always frames for types over specifics of character - this avoidance of in-depth characterization leaves the viewer distanced and uninvolved, and ultimately is what converts the horror-based tale into a comedy.
She plays a woman that just starting to kill her everyone she doesn´t like.
One day, my friends and I wanted to watch a "thriller" or something similar, and we rented "Office Killer".
The performances are ok, as well as the direction, but the special FX makes you wanna cry, or laugh, as in my case.
Come on, you people, I've seen better FX's in class B movies from the 50's.***END SPOILER*** A small budget is not an excuse, it's a matter of imagination, the corpses and guts were ok.
you have talent!), average performances, average direction, bad special effects and a lame plot: it makes you feel you are watching a parody or something like that.
A bad movie that could have been good.
"Office Killer" is a disappointing and not very worthwhile slasher.**SPOILERS**As the company begins downsizing, Dorine Douglas, (Carol Kane) is sent off to work at home, while Norah Reed, (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and her friend Kim Poole, (Molly Ringwald) are concerned over what the move will do for the morale of everyone else in the company.
When she tries to get rid of her, she ends up losing her job instead, and when that leads to more people on the staff going missing, they finally figure out that she's a killer and race to stop her before it's too late.The Good News: There wasn't much to this one.
The confrontation in the hallway, with the choking and being unable to see the stalker makes it come off nicely, and the finale in the basement is fine, gets a little better when the lights go out and overall is pretty tense and bloody.
These few moments give the film it's only good points.The Bad News: There wasn't a whole lot wrong with this one, since there wasn't much to it.
This mostly comes because this one doesn't really seem all sure whether or not as a comedy, which several scenes tend to throw out, such as the gathering of corpses in the basement or the treatment at the office missing only a laugh-track to signal the humor.
Conceptual portraitist Cindy Sherman made her directorial debut (and only narrative film to date) with 'Office Killer' (1997).
Sherman tells the tale of 'Doreen Douglas,' a plain and unassuming office worker.
Doreen cares for her mother at home (she was accidentally responsible for her father's death), and is at work is the kind of longtime employee who often ends up being relegated to menial tasks (by virtue of her being the only one able to do them).
While a failure as the satire it was meant to be, 'Office Killer' demonstrates the impact of Argento's work on horror cinema generally, and interestingly here on feminist cinema.
woman dispatches fellow office workers,than just about everyone else in sight in black comedy,horror/suspense hybrid that is very effective. |
tt0113820 | Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie | The Power Rangers participate with Bulk and Skull in a charity skydive for the Angel Grove observatory, in anticipation of Ryan's Comet which is scheduled to pass by in two days.
Bulk and Skull miss the target landing zone and accidentally land on a construction site where a giant egg has been unearthed. Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa, Goldar, and Mordant arrive at the construction site and crack open the egg, releasing Ivan Ooze after 6,000 years, a morphological being who ruled Earth with an iron fist before he was overthrown by Zordon and a group of young warriors. Ivan lays siege to the Rangers' Command Center and incapacitates Zordon, robbing the Rangers of their powers. As the Rangers return to the Command Center, they find it destroyed and Zordon dying.
Zordon's assistant Alpha 5 sends the Rangers to the distant planet Phaedos to obtain the Great Power and save Zordon. On Earth, Ivan usurps Rita and Zedd, trapping them in a snow globe. Ivan sends his Tengu warriors to Phaedos and begins building an army. He uses his ooze to hypnotize the adults, forcing them to be his workforce to dig up his Ecto-Morphicon Titans, twin war machines built during his reign. When Fred Kelman, a friend of the Rangers', discovers his father missing, he finds him working at the construction site and discovers Ivan's plans.
On Phaedos, the Rangers are almost killed by the Tengu, but are rescued by Dulcea, Phaedos' Master Warrior. After hearing of Zordon's plight, she agrees to help them and takes them to an ancient ruined temple where the Rangers will have to overcome obstacles to acquire the power of the Ninjetti. Dulcea awakens each Rangers' animal spirit: Aisha is the bear, Billy is the wolf, Rocky is the ape, Kimberly is the crane, Tommy is the falcon, and Adam is the frog. The Rangers make their way to the Monolith housing the Great Power, defeat its four guardians, and retrieve the Great Power.
On Earth, Ivan's Ecto-Morphicons are completely unearthed, and he unleashes them on Angel Grove, ordering the parents to commit suicide at the construction site. Fred, Bulk, Skull and other students head to the construction site to save their parents. The Rangers return with their new animal-themed Ninja Zords and destroy one of Ivan's Ecto-Morphicons. Ivan takes control of the other and battles the Rangers himself. The Rangers lead Ivan into space right into the path of Ryan's Comet, which destroys him. His destruction breaks the hypnosis and the parents are reunited with their children. The Rangers then use the Great Power to restore the Command Center and resurrect Zordon.
In a mid-credits scene, Goldar briefly lounges in Zedd's throne being served by Mordant only to panic when Zedd and Rita appear having been released after Ivan was destroyed. | good versus evil, psychedelic, action, violence | train | wikipedia | I hadn't seen the movie since '95, but my boyfriend and I went to Target and found this movie on the $5.50 shelf and I grabbed it for old times sake since he was also a Power Rangers fan when he was a kid.
We watched it and I have to say that despite how bad it is and how mega cheesy the lines and acting are, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is what it is.
Ivan then visits the command center and destroys it leaving Zordon in bad shape and now the rangers have to save the world on top of saving Zordon and become the powerful ninjas to regain their powers and defeat Ooze.Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is extremely silly and cheesy, but I don't know what people were expecting when they watched it that it got such a bad rating.
But Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is a classic film I think in a sense and will be a true time capsule of 1995.10/10.
The thing I liked best about the movie is the six young actors who play the Power Rangers.
One good thing about "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" is that you don't see much of two of the most brainless characters in the history of show business, Bulk and Skull.
"Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" has better special effects than on the show and in "Turbo", and that helps alot.
This movie was released when I was a kid, and I was already a huge fan of the Power Rangers television series (the original series is still the best!).
The horribly obvious wire work with Billy, the 'cool' new plastic suits (as opposed to the cheap spandex suits of ye olde television era), the offensively dumb Ivan Ooze villain, and especially the giant foam skeleton of a triceretops that attacks our heroes (wow, this movie has EVERYTHING!).
The Plot of the film follows the rangers of the second season of Mighty Mrphin (Rocky,Adam,Billy,Aisha,Kimberly and Tommy) battling the villain Ivan Ooze,who has been released from an egg Zordon imprisoned him in six thousand years before the events of the movie.
This film is a perfect side-watch to fans who have seen the Mighty Morphin Series,although if you aren't a fan of Power Rangers,you will more then likely find no enjoyment from this film other then the fantastic action scenes..
When I first heard about a Power Rangers movie (long ago), I was thinking, "Japanese footage on the big screen." When the movie came out, I decided to check it out.The MMPR movie doesn't have much of a groundbreaking plot (bad guy is free, Rangers must kill bad guy, save world, blah blah) and the special effects aren't exactly awe-inspiring, but at least you know those are movie effects, not like Turbo's "big-screen television episode." The first film was clearly superior because of the time, effort, and money these people has put into making a film look better than the TV show it is based upon.
2 years later, before Season 3 aired on TV, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie came out.
and will never be as good as other superhero movies like Batman Begins or Spider-Man 2, but Power Rangers is aimed for kids anyways..
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is one of my 25 year-old sister's movies that she used to watch, so I thought I would review it.
Back then when I was a kid,I thought that the Power Rangers were cool,but now I realize that all of the rangers are geeks...just plain geeks.The last time I watched this movie was when I was like 6,and I thought the movie was the best thing ever made,but I just watched it again to see what it was like,and it was just plain average.This movie does have some good pints,it has some pretty good fight scenes,good make-up effects,and just the fact that it was the classic Power Rangers,it wasnt Power Rangers Zeo,or Time Force,or whatever else they came up with,it was just the old good Power Rangers.there was some stuff I didnt like about the movie,for one,I didnt like the acting,it just didnt really seem convincing that all 6 kids were heros,but when your like 5 years old,you dont really care for stuff like acting.Another thing I didnt like was that the Power Rangers' suits didnt look all that great,but again,the suits look good if your 5.The new villains were pretty clever,but those ooze things dont have the vibe that the old puttys had.Overall,Power Rangers: The Movie is a great movie if your under 7,and its a good movie if your over 13.7 out of 10..
The Power Rangers were marginally better than they were on the small screen, but for anyone watching the movie today, there is little to get excited about.
As we were running intruder-safety drills at my school, I noticed in my teacher had the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers movie and I remembered how I use to watch the movie until I gave it away.
So, I was naturally interested in the new White Ranger, plus the addition of Aisha, Rocky and Adam, as I never actually saw Trini, Zach and Jason leave.Okay, so the movie wasn't ever gonna win any Oscars or Golden Globes (maybe a Golden Raspberry, though!), but at the time I saw it (8) it was great fun and I enjoyed every moment of it from start to finish.And while, the only ranger that seems to behold any acting talent behind those heavy-looking power helmets is Kimberly, the Pink ranger (Amy Jo Johnson - who also came to become part of the core cast for 'Felicity'), they're basically just fighting in it, so they really don't have to act an awful lot.I've seen it quite a few times since my naive 8th year, but still like it (perhaps I'm in a state of reminiscing, or extreme denial) - it's fast-packed, funky and a good 90 minutes to keep kids quiet..
Growing up in the 90s, I like others on this site used to watch Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on TV.
But for what its worth, its just a fun nostalgic movie that takes me back to a simpler time to when I was a kid and Power Rangers was in its prime..
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is one of my 25 year-old sister's movies that she used to watch, so I thought I would review it.Before the film was released, there was a television series, followed by another series of TV shows after this film and in 1995, Saban Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox decided to team up and bring us the first POWER RANGERS movie, MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: THE MOVIE, an Americanized motion picture based on the Sental series.While many says this film is a bomb, I think some people has also enjoyed this film and accepted it for what it is.
I have heard that there is a reboot being made and released by Lionsgate for a 2016 release and I really want to see how it's going to do.The six main actors playing our Power Rangers may not be great, but they could have been a heck of a lot worse, because they're playing heroes with superpowers, what is not to like about this film?
I have heard that there is a reboot being made and released by Lionsgate for a 2016 release and I really want to see how it's going to do.The six main actors playing our Power Rangers may not be great, but they could have been a heck of a lot worse, because they're playing heroes with superpowers, what is not to like about this film?
The suits for the Power Rangers are made out of armor and I hope they are like that for the reboot of the film series.I love the plot of the movie, too, and for them to go against Ivan Ooze was really cool and the ending climax of this movie was just fantastic and I watch the new POWER RANGERS show that is being shown on Nickelodeon and the new show is very amazing and fantastic.The music and visuals are really great for a movie like this, as well as they were in 1995 and the production design was really amazing in this film.Overall, I love MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: THE MOVIE and it is just simply a classic film.
The suits for the Power Rangers are made out of armor and I hope they are like that for the reboot of the film series.I love the plot of the movie, too, and for them to go against Ivan Ooze was really cool and the ending climax of this movie was just fantastic and I watch the new POWER RANGERS show that is being shown on Nickelodeon and the new show is very amazing and fantastic.The music and visuals are really great for a movie like this, as well as they were in 1995 and the production design was really amazing in this film.Overall, I love MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: THE MOVIE and it is just simply a classic film.
"Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" is very much non-canon to the show because of the suits, Zordon's look, Angel Grove being shot in Australia, etc.
I do remember watching this movie growing up as a kid, when it was on an old VHS copy that it really had "Mighty Morphin" on it as on later DVDs took it out.
Paul Freeman who you may know him as Belloq from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" plays Ivan Ooze in the movie, and I thought he was good in it for being both evil and over the top at the same time.
Zordon, in the movie, is an actual actor in makeup, green-screened so his head is floating in the air.And the editing - the main characters always perform these over-the-top, often wire assisted martial arts, but in the movie these moves are cut just long enough to be ridiculous, and accompanied by humorous sound effects.The main characters are as useless as ever, and really it's the villains like Paul Freeman who steal the show, but if you grew up on Power Rangers and are looking for a trip down memory lane, look to the movie for some kicks..
It is one of the best movies from my childhood.Even though the film delivers a lot of clichéd jokes and gags that will put everyone in the audience to sleep, it is still entertaining to see the Power Rangers kick ass.
Not the kid down the street.Add to that the fact that each episode, up until about Power Rangers Zeo in the series collection, had a distinct moral, such as teamwork compassion, patience, etc.As for the movie in itself; it is MHO that its moral is that of teamwork, courage, compassion, and looking out for the wellbeing of others.Take this as you will..
The main kid, along with Bulk and Skull (who, while annoying, have a few good lines at the begining) could of been cut out.The soundtrack is well done (most notably is The Red Hot Chili Peppers doing a cover of Setvie Wonder's "Higher Ground, and a chatchy tune called "Trouble" by the flash fire pop group Shampoo) as is the instramental score (minus the electric guitar and the "Go Go Power Rangers theme tune)Overall, this is a well done kids movie, and the mega cheesiness that is in the seires is almost comleatly absent, and has a devillishly funny villian.
With such wit that would knock anyone of their feet, nothing was going to stop this movie However, this was when I was five.Little did I realise that what C R A P this actually was.My eight year old brother got it out again - and I thought it would be good to relive the old days, when you would come home from kinder and switch on the 4:00 ABC kids to watch them morph and kick some PUTTY a s s.I'm now seventeen, and I don't remember how I liked this movie.
The TV show is bad enough; a bunch of teenagers dress up in fluorescent primary and secondary colors to beat up a bunch of guys in old Toho monster movie costumes while talking about being good citizens, caring for the environment, whatever's politically correct.The really bad thing is someone thought it should be made into a movie.I don't know: does "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" appeal to anyone outside of its targeted demographic (i.e.
The good news: In "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie," the Saban-backed children's television commodity-turned-feature-length movie is pretty much everything fans of the awesome color-coded defenders of good could ever want.
This is also the first incarnation of "Rangers" to feature completely original material, instead of stock footage borrowed from Japan's "Super Sentai," the show that inspired "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers." The choosing of the show's original stars instead of new actors was also a plus.Problems abound in "Movie," the simple fact that it seems like an extended of version of the show.
Most telltale about how much we've grown up, are the film's CGI special effects, which were brilliant for 1995 but have obviously dated and are yet another reminder that this is a film showing its age from a time when television was so much simpler.I guess "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" found its audience 12 years ago but will definitely have a hard time finding new viewers.
This is a Great Power Rangers Movie I thought Ivan Ozz is a Great Villain In My Opinion Got Great Action Fight Scenes As Well.
"Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie"- What was once thrilling as a child is just a little too cynical looking back as an adult....
(Heck, the movie isn't even feasibly canonical with the show given all the ret-cons and continuity errors!) And while it is far from a terrible film, this former Rangers fan feels sadly let-down looking back at a movie I once loved, now that I see it for what it is.The Power Rangers Rocky DeSantos, Adam Park, Billy Cranston, Aisha Campbell, Kimberly Hart, and Tommy Oliver are in for the fight of their lives when their foes Lord Zed and Rita Repulsa unearth and resurrect an ancient and vile villain known as Ivan Ooze (Paul Freeman)- a "morphological" being with a wide-range of powers.
it's not the perfect pop-culture relic that we pretend it to be, and some facets of the series- including this film- are little more than cheap merchandising tools.I give "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" a sub-par 3 out of 10..
This was my first my introduction to The Power Rangers also really enjoyed the Story also great character in everyone also really enjoyed great villain in Ivan Ooze I can't still after several years I enjoyed it release I can't fault all though I would've like to seen there dinozords prior Ivans Take Over of Zordon.
Then in 1995, Saban Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox teamed up to bring us Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, a completely Americanized motion picture based upon the Sentai series.
I just know that this movie is a pretty good film for every Power Rangers fan.
People who met for the first time at the Sydney Showgrounds in 1994 working on some crazy film about coloured superheroes.So as you watch the Power Rangers Movie - remember that you're not just watching some old kids' film.
After watching this movie I came home like a kid who had way too much sugar, jumping around pretending to be a power ranger.
As if this film wasn't bad enough, they had to go and make a second Power Rangers film, when the series was starting to get tired (despite many changes happening all the time).
There are only two good things about it:The first is that your child will only be interested in Power Rangers for a few years, and then will wake up and realise there are better things out there.The second is Paul Freeman as Ivan Ooze.
As a power ranger at the time, I remember being so wowed by the look of this movie.
S10 Reviews: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995).
The last time I saw the first "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" movie was as a 10-year old in the theater in 1995.
And the Power rangers will need upgrades in order to defeat him.I've seen this movie so many times right until I lost interest in the series years later.
When was the last time you actually watched Mighty Morphin Power Rangers?
The film includes great graphics and is full of but kicking action, that I'm sure you will enjoy it if you like the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
I think it was a great idea putting the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and a film together!!!
The only thing that is really good about this movie is the creative make-up.Overall this film has a really annoying villain, some stereotypical heroes (But then again, it is Power Rangers), a lame storyline and some extremely ridiculous sound effects.
Well, years later when I watch episodes of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers I notice how this show wasn't entirely well done or well thought out.
We have the same characters play the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but there are numerous things different from this movie than in the series.
If you watched Power Rangers back then, you'd probably think the movie was enjoyable.
I might even give this movie a lower rating than 3/10 if it wasn't for the fact that I probably would have LOVED it if I saw it when it was first released, and probably even three years later!Although it appears they're still making new Power Rangers shows of different names, the days of the original are now long over, and those who were kids in the 1990s and were fans are now much older. |
tt0058335 | Matrimonio all'italiana | It tells the World War II era story of a cynical, successful businessman named Domenico (Mastroianni), who, after meeting a naive country girl, Filumena (Loren), one night in a Neapolitan brothel, keeps frequenting her for years in an on-off relationship (as she continues working as a prostitute). He eventually takes her in his house as a semi-official mistress under the pretense that she take care of his ailing, senile mother. After having fallen for a younger, prettier girl and having planned to marry her, he finds himself cornered when Filumena feigns illness and "on her deathbed", asks to be married to him. Thinking she'll be dead in a matter of hours and that the 'marriage' won't even be registered, he agrees. After having been proclaimed his legal bride, the shrewd and resourceful Filumena drops the charade and reveals to have put up the show for the one child she bore from him (she gave birth to three sons but Domenico only maintained to have fathered one). Domenico tries to cajole her into telling him which one is his but she stalwartly refuses, telling him that sons can't be picked and chosen and that he has to be the father of all three. It stars Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni and Vito Moricone.
One of the film's most memorable moments is when Domenico is on the phone with his new flame, shortly after having married the "moribund" Filumena. As he reassures his fiancée that death is near, a wild-eyed and vengeful Filumena emerges from a curtain behind him and exclaims in Neapolitan that she is in fact alive and well—the Madonna having taken pity on her.
The film was adapted by Leonardo Benvenuti, Renato Castellani, Piero De Bernardi and Tonino Guerra from the play Filumena Marturano by Eduardo De Filippo. It was directed by Vittorio De Sica.
Filumena Marturano had already been adapted as a film in 1950 in Argentina. | flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0079013 | Cuba | The film's sense of historical accuracy is marred by the opening scene which shows an airliner landing in Havana with the wrong date ("1959") superimposed on the screen. It should read "1958", the last year of the revolution. Cuban President Batista fled the capital on New Year's Day 1959, one week before Fidel Castro and his guerrillas entered Havana.
Former British Major Robert Dapes (Sean Connery) arrives in Cuba under General Bello's (Martin Balsam) orders to train the Cuban army to resist Fidel Castro's revolt. Before he even begins his task, he encounters an old flame, Alexandra Lopez de Pulido (Brooke Adams), whom he repeatedly pursues. The plot winds around the tremendous wealth of the Cuban leaders, the mainly American tourists with their seemingly endless money, the poverty-stricken and ex-urban slums where many Cubans live, and the rum and cigar factory owned by Alexandra's selfish husband Juan Pulido (Chris Sarandon) and managed by Alexandra.
When Alexandra's husband takes her out and expects her to drink with a potential (factory) investor and his prostitute, she leaves the restaurant and encounters Robert. Furious with her husband, she spends time with Robert, reminiscing about their affair in North Africa (when she was 15 and he was 30). They go to a motel and make love. They care for one another, but Robert will not stay in Cuba.
The following day the Cuban workers strike, including those in Alex's factory. Robert is taken captive by several Cuban rebels which lead an attack against a military facility. Robert escapes, and alienated with the corrupt Cuban government that he has come to loath, aids the rebels in defeating the government troops. Alex watches events pass by, believing life will soon return to normal. Robert begs her to leave, either to be with him or simply to escape Cuba. She refuses. Alex's husband, Juan, is killed by the same Cuban rebel who staked Robert throughout the film.
In the final scene of the film, Robert, not seeing Alex at the airport, boards the plane to escape with other foreigners. Meanwhile, Alex is present, outside the fence, weeping as she watches Robert board the plane. Robert and most of the other American, British, and wealthy Cubans flee from Cuba as Fidel comes to power while Alex remains behind, alone, to face an unknown future under the new communist government. | satire | train | wikipedia | The cameras were rolling on the players before the final script was done and the results clearly show it.Cuba as a film certainly had potential, but it's not realized in this story.
Sean Connery plays a British mercenary who is going to go to work for the tottering Batista regime.
He's found an old flame in Brooke Adams who is married to wealthy Cuban cigar factory owner Chris Sarandon.As a film Cuba veers back and forth between an action adventure, a political tract, and a romance novel, never really settling in any one category.
Best performance in the film is that of Jack Weston who plays the archetypal ugly American.It's a sad film Cuba, because it had the potential to be a whole lot better..
Sean Connery stars as a free British counter-terrorist whom Batista's associates hope will help them beat Castro's revolutionaries...Connery quickly figures out, almost as soon as he landed in the exotic and dangerous island, that the revolution will succeed and replace one elite with another...
Now she is Alexandra Pulido (Brooke Adams), a highly ambitious woman who runs a cigar factory while her husband flirts with other women...Chris Sarandon is the profligate son of one of Cuba's wealthiest men, and the charming playboy in the romantic triangle who knows everything about Havana, 'every casino, every table, and every bed in it!' Martin Balsam is the general in the corrupt Batista regime, who intends to ask Castro to 'get rid of the Communists.'Hector Elizondo is the junior officer who realizes late in life why few were sorry about the fall of Batista...
In 'Cuba', Richard Lester reveals a likable if none too demanding talent for adventure and love...
His film lacks the detailed exposition of the many twists and turns of Michael Curtiz's 'Casablanca.' There is no club so well organized in his movie, no open arena of conspiracy, counterspies, secret plans, black market transactions, no true democrat with women, and no traditional woman enclosed by two rivals....
An enjoyable thriller, which although filmed in Spain, manages to capture the atmosphere and lunacy of the last days of Batista's dictatorship perfectly.
Set during the days leading up to Castro's revolution in 1959, "Cuba" is a wide-ranging character study that also happens to be a convincing portrayal of the unrest -- political, social and otherwise -- surrounding that event.
It also has a great cast attached to it, including Sean Connery, Brooke Adams, Chris Sarandon, Martin Balsam, Denholm Elliott and Jack Weston (who is particularly good as the opportunistic American businessman).
And look for David Rappaport -- future Time Bandit -- in a small role (sorry, bad joke) as the cigar factory overseer.This was director Richard Lester's fifth and final film with writer Charles Wood, a collaboration which produced such 1960s classics as "The Knack," "Help!," "How I Won the War" and "The Bed Sitting Room." "Cuba," which came ten years later, can most definitely be added to that list..
In the scene in the restaurant Sean Connery and Brooke Adams are clearly at a loss for words.
The entire picture falls apart in the last fifteen minutes with silly and uncoordinated action being filmed just to fill up the running time.
"Cuba", a piece of history, a deliciously sad love story.
These were bad news for Lester's later pictures because everybody was expecting wonderful things like "Hard Day's Night" or "Help".
Having as a backdrop the last few days of Batista's dictatorship in Cuba (with notable dramatic appeal and amazing historical accuracy), Lester carefully develops a very sad and beautiful love story.
Sean Connery and Brooke Adams as the lovers who meet again after fifteen years are really superb.
But the most important issue is Lester's ability to create an atmosphere of disenchantment, of sadness looking at all these people who cannot, who will not ever understand how to love each other and live in peace..
(Some Spoilers) The days are not only numbered for the year 1958 but also for the Batista regime running Cuba as well.
With the Cuban rebels lead by the "Bearded One", Fidel Castro, streaming out of the Mestra Serria Mountains and linking up with thousands of supporters in the big cities like Havana and Santiago.
In the middle of all this chaos British mercenary Maj.Robert Dapes, Sean Connery, is hired by the Batista government to help steam the rebel tide.
Arriving in Havana Robert finds that there's more then a revolution going on in Cuba.
There's the stunning and beautiful Alexandra Lopez de Pulido, Brooks Adams,there for whom he's carried a torch for over fifteen years, since he was a British soldier in North Africa back in WWII.Robert realizes right away that the situation is hopeless for the government forces and plans to get out of the country as soon as he can.
Alexandra is married to wealthy and politically connected Cuban Juan Pulido, Chris Sarandon,who besides being a good for nothing spoiled rich boy is also cheating on her.
Robert tries to get Alexandra to come with him out of the war-torn island nation but she decides to stay in her beloved Cuba and face whatever the coming Castro regime has to offer her.
With Robert leaving on the last plane out of the now rebel-controlled Havana Airport we see Alexandra, on the ground, in tears watching him leave Cuba as well as her heart forever.
The film "Cuba" shows the audience just how things were on that island nation back in late 1958 and up to New Years Day 1959 when the Castro rebels took over the country.
The last days of the Batista Regime were so weird and surrealistic that most of the people there couldn't fathom just what was happening and acted as if everything was just normal; as their world was slowly collapsing all around them..
Played out against the last months of the corrupt and US/UK-supported Batista regime, the collapse of the old society as Castro's fidelistas begin to take over is shown compellingly.
The point is well made that a revolution will only succeed if the people are behind it which, in this instance, they clearly were.It's a shame that the movie couldn't have been filmed in Cuba, as of course all the famous landmarks of Havana are missing, but its real problems are threefold.Firstly the storyline is confusing, complicated and unconvincing, with none of the characters being allowed to hold one's attention.Secondly, the acting is poor.
Even Sean Connery - who is normally excellent - seems to have had his mind on other things the whole time.And thirdly, for some inexplicable reason, the chanting of 'Fidel' as Castro enters Havana in triumph morphs into a Nazi crowd chanting 'Sieg Heil'.
Sean Connery plays Maj. Robert Dapes, sent to Havana to help Batista fight the revolutionary army, but he soon figures out that the revolution is clearly going to succeed.
In the process, he meets Alexandra (Brooke Adams), an old flame now married to a philandering cigar factory owner.I guess that overall, there's nothing here that we haven't seen before.
Also starring Jack Weston, Hector Elizondo, Denholm Elliott, Martin Balsam, Chris Sarandon, Lonette McKee, and Alejandro Rey (aka Carlos Ramirez on "The Flying Nun").
There are a number of links between this film and the James Bond movies.As well as the obvious presence of Sean Connery, we have Walter Gotell who played Morzeny in "From Russia with Love" and then played General Anatol Gogol in 5 Bond films as well as the "James Bond Jr" TV series.In addition, the Spanish city of Cadiz in Andalucia was used for much of the location shooting - a location which also doubled as Cuba in "Die Another Day".Aside from that, the film creates a wonderfully atmospheric impression of a regime on its last legs, attempting the resist the seemingly inevitable regime change sought by the rebels.Not a great film but perfectly watchable (even if I did find myself looking out for familiar Andalucian scenery as much as following the plot!)..
No wonder Connery never mentions this film in discussions of his work.
Redford has a better feel for the period and the fall of pre-Castro Cuba..
Perhaps the reason I like this film so much is because I don't, normally, like the cinema of Richard Lester.
It is a brilliant visual satire of a society in total materialistic collapse with every character in the picture (save the white knight James Bond figure played by Sean Connery who is rendered completely ineffectual by the chaos that is tumbling down upon him)is literally on the take.
The supporting cast of Jack Weston, Hector Elizondo, Walter Godell, Martin Balsam, Chris Sarandon, Denholm Elliott and Alexandro Rey (unrecognizable)was flawlessly assembled but because the film doesn't ANNOUNCE its satirical intentions and Lester refuses to telegraph his gags and put anything in the center of the frame, most people came away from the picture pooh-faced.
Well, there is one other problem with CUBA and Lester has to take the brunt of the responsibility for it which is, in his corrosively ebullient fervor (and perhaps because, as a director he never responded to women very much), he left poor, ultra-lovely Brooke Adams out to dry as a character.
It's clear that he has nothing but contempt for the "Casablanca" aspect of the story involving her and Connery but he should have done a better job disguising the fact.
But it is the most impressively detailed and dynamically precise cinematic rendering of what the last days of a politically corrupt regime looks like - as it goes into free-fall - that a mainstream commercial film maker has ever given us..
For all involved, this star-studded catastrophe must either have been a desperate misery, or a sad, resigned joke to make.Somehow permitted to be shot on location in legitimately atmospheric locations in Havana, this turkey seems to have been enacted within an alternate universe, where each and every person is, for lack of a more eloquent designation, flat-out stupid.Nearly every shot and line of dialog contains truly jaw-dropping anachronisms, incongruities, and incomprehensible plot gaps.The characters, each the epitome of stereotyping (as well as typecasting) are quite completely air-headed.
With the lonely exception of Sean Connery, whose apparently sincere effort sadly amounted to no particular improvement to the results, all the actors as well as the writers and director phoned in their work, apparently via low-fidelity satellite phones.Someday I hope to read someone's memoirs about the making of _Cuba_.
Although the film is not terrific, what can be said for it is that a lot of effort was put into the creating of the film that was full of diverse action and story; from the film's beginning to the film's end not everything is so clear, and where the film is going is also uncertain.By following the individual characters around Cuba, and by observing the personal backgrounds & lives of these characters, one gets a decent idea of what Cuba was like at this period of time (from the corruption to the guerrilla war) that is at the same time entertaining.
The film is not as bad as I have read, of course it is not to great either.
The main reasons to watch the film are of course Connery and Cuba (with good/historic landmarks).
The film deals with something about a love interest that brings Connery deeper into the Cuban crime/vigilante world.
Anyway, more recent movies have done similar stories better, of course they don't have the CUBA.
Except for Sean Connery's apparent lack of his supposedly astute anti-terrorist ability (in contrast to his James Bond persona which he last performed in an authorized version eight years earlier and would perform in an unauthorized version four years later), CUBA had a very fascinating and consistently told story of political revolution and the various contrasts between cultures and the underlying love story.
Unfortunately, they probably took it too far, leading to a disconnect with the main character's presumed background in this movie.Regardless, this movie had a nice, slice of life feel with a relatively unused technique of editing in various scenes of real life interposed along side the main storyline that provided a depth of backdrop usually unseen in most political revolutionary and foreign setting films.
The storyline and plot stand out, particularly the love interest of Connery which defies the typical stereotypical character and motivation and presents a surprisingly much more authentic and somber look at relationships - the idealistic past fusing with the realistic present.Overall, this is an entertaining, informative movie that doesn't stress its overt, explosive action in a dramatic way that seems to defy reality, but the awkward chaos and sometimes stumbling military conflict that likely really occurs..
This picture has a serious problem to start,inappropriate contract of a mercenary in such situation when Castro already had Cuba in your hands,the triangle love story is totally unbeliavable to fit in,they tried to improve the picture adding a female sexy character to Connery has some reason to stay there,the battle on cane field depose against the picture laying down at mass grave of the useless,it was so ridiculous scene,also great stars featured are quite often lost on it,for some good acting like the fine Jack Weston and Chris Sarandon 6 out 10!!!Resume:First watch: 1982 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 6.
Unfortunately this film shows like a quickly thrown together filler that trades on Sean Connery's big name.
There are plenty of good cast members like Martin Balsam, Jack Weston, Alejandro Rey, Hector Elizando and of course Connery, but none of them capture the essence of their roles.
Connery in particular hardly seems like a military man let alone a top notch mercenary as he wander through the film as if he were waiting for the script.I was hoping for more, but it never delivered.
Cuba (1979)Plot In A Paragraph: Robert Dapes (Connery) a British mercenary (with surprisingly high principles given his job) arrives in pre-Revolution Cuba to help train the corrupt General Batista's army against Castro's guerrillas while he also romances Alexandra Pulido (Brooke Adams), a former lover now married to a plantation owner.In his last movie of the 1970's Sean Connery reunited with director Richard Lester who once again produces an uneven movie.
It's almost as if he changed his mind mid filming about what type of movie he was trying to make.
Connery (who looks great in his tan suit and fedora) who has saved worse movies than this, dominates every scene he is in, but seriously has his work cut out here.
It's worth noting Connery's future Indiana Jones co-str Denholm Elliot Jack Weston and Hector Elizondo all pop up in supporting roles.
Connery ended the 70's with a whimper rather than a bang, as Cuba bombed at the box office.
Things would not really improve for him for quite a while, as for director Lester however, he went on to take over from Richard Donner and completed the filming on Superman 2..
Brit mercenary arrives in Havana on the eve of the Cuban Revolution of 1959..
British mercenary Sean Connery arrives in Havana on the eve of the Revolution of 1959, hired by the Batista regime to defeat it.
He finds a former teenage lover of his there (Brooke Adams)who is now married to the son of cigar-factory wealth (Chris Sarandon) Does she escape the revolution?
You don't have a major star like Connery walk away from the people we ourselves are supposed to sympathize with, but do we really expect him to join the Revolution?
I wonder where Connery stood/stands on the Cuban Revolution, & Cuba now, likewise Redford..
Given that Castro entered Havana on New Year's Day, 1959 and Battista had already fled Cuba on December 31, 1958, the events that transpire in the movie could hardly have occurred in 1959..
This movie is set during the build up to the Cuban revolution in 1959.Former British Major Robert Dapes arrives in Cuba.He is there to train the corrupt General Batista's army against Castro's guerrillas.He also meets his former lover, Alaxandra Lopez de Pulido, who's married now to a man called Juan Pulido.But the old love still hasn't died.Cuba from 1979 is directed by Richard Lester.Sean Connery, who turned 80 earlier this week, is brilliant as Robert Dapes.There's a little bit of James Bond in that character, I noticed.Brooke Adams does very fine job as Alexandra.Chris Sarandon is great as her lousy husband Juan.Jack Weston is terrific as Jack Gutman.Hector Elizondo gives a great performance as Capt.Raphael Ramirez.Denholm Elliot is very good as Donald Skinner.Martin Balsam is marvelous as Gen. Bello.Those scenes where there's some bloodshed are the most memorable.In one of them people are dining together in their finest outfits and the gunmen arrive.In the end we see some actual footage of the revolution and the rise of Fidel Castro.Not a masterpiece but a movie worth checking out..
Plot: A British mercenary is hired by the Cuban government to defeat Fidel Castro's insurgency but finds an old love instead.If there is such a thing as failing with verve, thenthis film does it.
Finally the revolution occurs and the movie descends into a few mediocre action sequences.
A handful of stand out scenes and the brilliantly conjured atmosphere can't conceal the lack of forward momentum, although this is partly imposed by the tragic nature of events (Connery's character can't stop the rebellion and doesn't get the girl).
However the actor who played Batista didn't look like him & the scene where Batista left was a good scene.
Also Castro's Rebels were portrayed as Saints and there were other things that were good like an ambush at dinner scene & also Julio trying to be a hero and keeps killing the wrong people but in the end gets the guy who was messing with his sister.
Sean Connery did a good job playing a guy who wondering if he's fighting for the wrong team. |
tt0148523 | Neel Kamal | Sita (Waheeda Rehman) and her friends go on a trip. Sita sleepwalks and when she is about to be hit by a train on the railway track, Ram (Manoj Kumar) saves her. Impressed, her father decides to get her married to him. After the marriage, Sita discovers that her sleepwalking is not a simple sleepwalking as it takes her to the story of her past life - Chitrasen (Raaj Kumar), an artisan, is in love with the princess Sita (Neelkamal in her past life). The king rejects his alliance for his daughter, and buries him alive. Chitrasen's love for Neelkamal is immortal and his soul survives for centuries to meet her.
Sita is invited to Chitrasen's place by a song, where she sleepwalks to every night. Her mother-in-law, a very cross person, believes that Sita is in love with another and gives her a tough time at home. One night Sita reaches Chitrasen's place and a brief conversation ends with Chitrasen's soul becoming free and Sita falling unconscious. Ram rescues her & they lead a good life. | romantic, melodrama | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0050192 | The Big Land | Back home in Texas following the Civil War, former Confederate officer Chad Morgan (Alan Ladd) leads a cattle drive to Missouri, assuring fellow ranchers that their stock will bring $20 a head at auction. Instead, ruthless cattle baron Brog (Anthony Caruso) has scared off all competition and offers much less.
Blamed for what happened, Morgan chooses not to return to Texas. He spends a night in a livery stable and meets town drunk Joe Jagger (Edmond O'Brien), who is nearly lynched for trying to steal whiskey. Chad helps keep Joe sober after they leave town.
They meet farmers who need a better way to sell their wheat, so Chad and Joe ride to Kansas City to meet Tom Draper (Don Castle), a railroad man who is engaged to Joe's sister Helen (Virginia Mayo), a singer in the saloon. Tom likes the idea of a railroad spur to aid the farmers.
Helen is pleased at the change in her brother and thanks Chad, which brings out some jealousy in her fiance. Brog and his henchman disrupt the town's construction attempts while Chad is out of town. Joe tries to stand up to him, resisting the strong temptation to drink, but when he does, Brog guns him down.
Her brother's death causes Helen to turn on Chad upon his return. Brog stampedes cattle through the town. He and his henchman then attempt to ambush Chad, who kills them both in self-defense. Helen embraces him and Tom realizes he has lost her for good. | violence, murder | train | wikipedia | Familiar but very well done..
When Alan Ladd and his partners bring their cattle from Texas to Missouri, local cattle buyer Anthony Caruso cheats the men and treats them like he's doing them a favor in the process!
Ladd, however, doesn't fight--having a live and let live attitude.Ladd travels to a nearby town and is treated pretty poorly by the locals since he's a Southerner and the Civil War just ended.
However, he stumbles into a relationship with Edmond O'Brien--an alcoholic who has a long history of screwing up his life.
Ladd is able to help this new friend find a sense of direction and clean up his life, as they both hit on a scheme to build a town in Kansas that will make cattle drives closer AND they won't need to deal with Caruso.
Of course, Caruso made it a habit of playing evil jerks in Westerns during the 50s, so it's pretty certain that he won't just sit back and watch as this new cattle town is created.
And when he does behave in a naughty fashion, guess who's the guy to bring justice to this new town?
The film is helped by two excellent leads--Ladd and O'Brien.
While story elements are often quite familiar here (the tough boss, the hero that is slow to act, John Qualen with his Swede routine, etc.), the film is handled well and is enjoyable throughout.It's interesting that in this film O'Brien plays an alcoholic (a pretty familiar role for him actually, as he played this type character in several films) but in reality Alan Ladd was destroying himself with alcohol.
He looks pretty lean in the film, but in subsequent films he became puffy and sometimes slurred his lines.
It's really sad to see when you are a fan--fortunately, there isn't much evidence of this decline in THE BIG LAND..
An undistinguished star Western!.
Director Gordon Douglas, one of Warners' more versatile directors, teamed previously Ladd on 'The Iron Mistress', 'McConnell Story' and 'Santiago'...Alan Ladd has the familiar assignment of a man of action who has seen enough of killing in the late war...
He brings it off in his smoothest style...Here, he is a six-shooter with no alternative, in a tale about cattlemen and wheat growers, who join forces in building a railroad near their land in an attempt to crush the activities of ruthless cattle-buyers...
Ladd is forced to take action against Anthony Caruso and his henchman before settling down to marry the lovely Mayo and rebuild the new town...Virginia Mayo gives the film its few moments of sensitivity in the scene where she takes out on Ladd her grief over her brother's execution...Edmond O'Brien is cast as an educated man turned alcoholic...
He is a wanderer disgusted by his cowardice, and gunned down when he makes a hopeless attempt to stand up to a heavy, bad man...
Despite a few pretentious moments, 'The Big Land' is, on the whole, an undistinguished star Western...
Why,........."Cause the East Needs Beef.".
The Big Land is a western that has Alan Ladd as a war weary Civil War veteran who wants to go into the cattle business.
He's had enough of killing over five years, but in the end Ladd has to let his skill with a gun settle the usual problems of the frontier.Anthony Caruso, a good friend of Ladd's in real life, has control of the rail shipping head where the Texas cattle arrive to be sent to the slaughterhouses in the east and he's not letting go.
Of course the thing to do would be to just have it out right then and there with Caruso.
But Ladd's had enough of killing from the Civil War and besides there would be no picture.He persuades a group of settlers to found an incorporate a town where the railroad will eventually be coming to.
Designing and planning the town is a dissolute architect played by Edmond O'Brien.
O'Brien's got a pretty sister in Virginia Mayo which is another reason Ladd stays interested and around.The thing I most remember about The Big Land is that constant repetition of the phrase, "the east needs beef." It's the reason Ladd, O'Brien, Mayo, are doing all that they are and enduring all the hardships.
It's almost like no one will have a protein component in their diet unless Alan Ladd accomplishes what he sets out to do.
It seemed to be a bit silly at times.There's enough action though for any good western fan to overcome a rather trite story.
American viewers would soon be seeing all about cattle drives in the western television series Rawhide.
And on the silver screen, cattle drives were the background for much better films like John Wayne's Red River..
A Shade of Shane.
There is a lot about this sprawling Western that resembles SHANE.Again, Ladd plays a quiet man who is tired of killing.
Here, though, he is not a gunfighter, but rather an experienced soldier who learned to use a hand gun very well.The real star of this film, though, isn't either hero Ladd or heroine Virginia Mayo, but Edmond O'Brien.O'Brien's character becomes a parallel to the Stonewall character of Elisha Cook, Jr. in Shane.
The similarities are more in what happens with the character than in the character.However, unlike Stonewall, who is simply a pathetic doomed soul with little input in SHANE, O'Brien is given a chance to eat the scenery here, going from drunk to respected architect to manager of a new town to peace keeper for the town.The story is his.
We even get to see him with family.
He begins at the low end of the totem pole, then rises to great achievement, only to find himself in a situation where he must make a terrible decision.In ways, this film is superior to SHANE, and SHANE is a classic.
The bad guys, however, were cloned too much after Jack Palance's Wilson, and therein lies the weakness.
There are two sadistic bad men here, and their characters just aren't fresh, and too much like Wilson.Still, it's got a lot of character, and a lot of characters who make this a top Western..
A Big Movie.
Westerns of the 40's and even better the 50's held their own for entertainment and pleasure.
Who doesn't like a story involving outdoors, cattle, the untamed west, shoot-outs, ranching, a love interest and more that when thrown together well gives us a memorable good time of it all.
This is not a magnificent western but instead a standard for the western itself.
On that note it delivers.
Alan Ladd has a quiet type nature that is easy on the viewer and even when he gets mad he is still a nice guy.
By contrast, the bad guys are just bad and stay that way all the time.
In the background is still the civil war that is over but bad will is still harbored which in time goes away as we know.
We get to like the characters and care about them having spent some background time getting to know them.
This movie works and for that reason you get to spend your precious time watching a worthy movie.
Everyone wins including the happy ending which wont let you down.
Be clear that towns sprung up all over and it was the people in those towns that made sure they survived this difficult time in our history.
It wasn't easy but then, anything worth having has a price beyond what we can see.
The question is: Will we pay that price to have it?
You see that is the true test of how bad you want it.
In this movie, men on both sides risk their lives but the side that stuck up for law & order, for what's right and true will win every time.
Good slow-eatin popcorn movie or delicious snacking with a tasty drink here.
Mount-up and lets ride!.
The worst....
I love a good western but this one is not it.
Slow moving with a robot performance by Alan Ladd.
Do not waste 90 minutes of your life watching 2 bad guys (dressed in black of course) kill good people, control the entire cattle business, burn down a fledgling town while Alan Ladd is always calm and never around when you need him.
When this was over all I could think of was where were all of the Civil War vets living out west?
I am sure two bad cowboys running amok would not have had all of them cowering behind little Alan Ladd...Pathetic waste of time..
Not a bad film.
I know.
That title isn't very enthusiastic, but it's how I feel.
It's an okay film, nothing special, and without Alan Ladd it would probably have gone nowhere at all.
But Ladd was a fine actor, talented at being subtle...and that makes the film worthwhile.I know this is a vague statement, but there's just something not quite right about this film.
Maybe it seems a little to fairytale-ish.
You almost expect Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney to jump out of the scene for a ho-down when they're building the town.
Okay...I jest.
But something's just not right about the plot.And even though he was one of my favorite character actors, and could play the part of a drunk magnificently (think "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence" and "Seven Days In May"), his drunk act here didn't quite ring true.The rest of the cast was adequate.
Virginia Mayo was "okay" as the love interest.
Anthony Caruso did not impress me as the main "bad guy".
John Qualen played his typical Sweede role...always entertaining.
And interestingly, David Ladd is here as "Echo"...Alan Ladd's real son.As Westerns go, this is not one of the great ones.
But it's also a little more than one of the "just another Western" films that were in overabundance in the 1950s.
It's good for watching...once.BTW, the print shown on cable is not good.
The color changes drastically, and some scenes are in very good shape, while others seem terribly faded and a bit blurry.
It need at least a basic restoration. |
tt0067836 | El techo de cristal | Martha is an attractive housewife living in a small rural apartment house in the outskirt of Madrid. Her husband, Carlos, leaves frequently on business trips so Martha spends most of her time alone with her pet cat, Fedra, as her only companion. While Carlos is away, Martha hears heavy footsteps in the apartment above her. Her sexy upstairs neighbor, Julia, is in a similar situation. Victor, Julia's husband, happens to be away this time as well. After overhearing a few things, Martha, already prone to fantasizing away her boredom and loneliness, begins to suspect that Julia has killed her sick husband. Julia claims that Victor left for business reasons. Martha does not believe her and begins to investigate. She soon discovers that nobody has seen Julia's husband leaving town which seems to confirm Martha's theory. Adding to Martha's suspicions, Julia keeps asking to put stuff in her fridge, even though her own refrigerator is clearly working. On top of this, someone is secretly feeding something to the landlord's dogs. When Rita, Matha's close friend, stops for a visit with her young daughter, Yolanda, Martha tells her that she thinks Julia has a lover and that they both had killed Victor. Unfortunately the imprudent Yolanda tells Julia that Martha said that she had a lover.
The building's landlord, Ricardo, a sculptor and artist, who lives downstairs, works in his sculptures and pottery when he is not fussing over his dogs and pigs. He has picked the interest of Rosa, the young daughter of a farmer, who delivers milk there every morning to the various tenants. Though Ricardo does not discourage Rosa's attentions (even accepting to be fed – and playfully sprayed in – milk by her directly from a cow's teat), Ricardo finds himself being drawn to Martha instead. Pedro, a grocery delivery man, also seems to have a thing for Martha and may be having an affair with Julia. When Martha firmly rebuffs Pedro's advances, Pedro threatens her. Meanwhile, someone is spying on and taking provocative pictures of all three of the women. Ricardo takes Martha horse-riding in order to alleviate her ennui. | horror, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1073510 | Prayers for Bobby | Mary Griffith is a devout Christian who raises her children—Ed, Bobby, Joy and Nancy—according to the evangelical teachings of her local Presbyterian church in the late 1970s and early 1980s in Walnut Creek, California.
Ed finds Bobby resisting temptations to overdose on Aspirin as an initial suicide attempt before Bobby confides to him that he is gay. Life changes for the entire family after Mary learns about his secret. In hopes of converting him, she takes him to a psychiatrist, who explains to Bobby's parents that a person's homosexuality is the result of lacking a close relationship with parental figures. She then advises Bobby to pray harder and seek solace in Church activities, as well as to arrange a special bonding time with his father. While spending such quality time with his father, Bobby explains his desire to become a writer, to which his father suggests "some dreams are just not realistic."
Bobby's father and siblings slowly come to terms with his homosexuality, but Mary believes God can cure him. Despite his mother's vulgarness, Bobby stays at his cousin Jeanette's house in Portland, Oregon; she has always been accepting of his sexual orientation and tries to help him realize that his mother will never change. Desperate for his mother's approval, he does what is asked of him, but through it all, the Church's disapproval of homosexuality and his mother's attempts to suppress his growing behaviors in public cause him to grow increasingly withdrawn and depressed.
Stricken with guilt, Bobby finds a boyfriend, David, at a gay bar. Nonetheless, before leaving the house with David, Mary informs Bobby that she "will not have a gay son." After Bobby finds David betraying him for another boy, he continues to think of his mother's words of prejudice, i.e., when saying "homosexuality is a sin and (gays) are doomed to spend eternity in hell," as well as calling him "sick," "perverted," and "a danger to our children." Following his subsequent depression and self-loathing which intensifies, one night he free falls off a bridge on a highway into the path of an oncoming eighteen-wheeler truck, which kills him instantly. The family receives the news the following day and are devastated.
Faced with their tragedy, Mary begins to question herself and her Church's interpretation of the Scripture. Through her long and emotional journey, Mary slowly reaches out to the gay community and discovers unexpected support from them. She becomes acquainted with a local reverend of the Metropolitan Community Church, who convinces her to attend a meeting of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). It is there she recalls Bobby being different from conception and reassures herself that his true value was in his heart.
Mary then gives a speech in a Walnut Creek city council meeting supporting a local "gay day" live on television. She tells of her experiences with Bobby, the struggles she initially has coping with him coming out of the closet and her stubbornness to reevaluate her religious beliefs which were nothing more than "bigotry" and "dehumanizing slander." Mary also acknowledges how she came to realize that Bobby's sexual orientation was quite natural in God's image and his suicide was subsequently due to poor parenting. She concludes her speech by urging people to think before they say, voice, or support homophobia because "a child is listening." The measure is rejected, but Mary and her family travel to San Francisco with fellow PFLAG members and walk in a gay pride parade, during which she sees another young man just like Bobby observing the parade. She walks over and hugs him, finally coming to terms with her son's death and vowing to work hard for the rights of gays and lesbians. | dramatic | train | wikipedia | Prayers for Bobby is an emotionally and physically tiring film that entertains from start to finish.The movie is just so clever at times.
Sigourney Weaver plays an amazing role as well, and the movie is just so endearing that I really lose myself in it every time I watch it.It was a truly spectacular film; one of the best "made for TV"s I have seen, and it was a splendid job well done for all the cast and crew.
Prayers for Bobby shows the struggles that gay youth and their families can go through, whether that means failing or triumph.
This movie not only touches on the issues of homosexuality but also on pushing religion to far on someone, suicide and coming to terms with who you are.
And there are a few other evangelical organizations with strange ideas about human beings who might learn something.I will be surprised if Sigourney Weaver doesn't get at least an Emmy nomination, particularly given the speech she gives to the city council, both well written and well delivered.Ryan Kelly also delivers a believable performance as Bobby, regardless of some of the cutting required to get the film into a two hour programming window..
Bobby Griffith (Ryan Kelley) is a teen who has a loving family and a pretty good life.
He fears that his mother, Mary, (Weaver) will not accept him and love him anymore, due to her clear and well-known loath and contempt of gay and lesbians due to her faith and literal interpretation of the bible.
Instead, she treats Bobby as if he has a disease that can be "cured" through God. Mary's overbearing and abrasive treatment towards Bobby distances him from his family out to Oregon to live with his cousin, who believes anyone should be allowed to love anyone.
Sigourney Weaver hits a home-run performance as a right-wing bible carrying nut who can't accept the fact that her younger son is gay.She resorts to just about everything possible to get him to amend his ways.
The real tragedy here is to get his mother thinking that the condemnation of gays is really not the way to go.The film is a very good one as it especially comes to grips with the church's condemnation of the gay life style and the use of the bible to distort this way of living..
many things in this beautifully made movie were more simplistic than they needed to be.The priest called Mary's attention to commands in the Bible she obviously wasn't taking literally in her life: we should stone disobedient children to death, we shouldn't eat shellfish.
It felt like a couple of scenes had been cut, with the effect that at the climactic moment I found myself asking "Wha'?" instead of feeling the horrible inevitability of it.Why am I criticizing a movie that gave me the best cry I've had in months?
Aside from the production values (script, acting, cinematography, direction, etc.), which were excellent, this is one of those rare movies that incites thoughtful and far-reaching discussion and maybe even debate, that can impact and change people's lives.
There is no end to the positive impact this film will have, not only on parents and their children, but on those who may have preconceived notions about gay people..
Unfortunately, a wrenching tragic story has been rushed, and the bland results are more "after school special," than truly special, like the groundbreaking "A Touch of Frost." Bobby is well played by Ryan Kelley, although the character's anguish and inner conflicts remain unexplored.
Perhaps "Prayers for Bobby" is appropriate for families with a gay child that have no knowledge of homosexuality, which seems remote in the 21st century.
With a potentially important and gripping story and a talented cast, "Prayers for Bobby" is a lost opportunity to make a statement about the role that organized religion plays in demonizing gay Americans and denying them their inalienable rights..
It touched me in a way that no other movie has ever done, and it made me feel like I was Bobby.
I am honestly completely shocked at the effect this movie had on me, and I wish I had watched it a few years ago when I was in high school to understand what I was going through.I recommend this movie to everyone over the age of ten, especially "non straight" people and parents with gay, lesbian, and bisexual children, but even those who do not.
I have a huge heart for the gay community and i wanna show them that god loves them and accepts them as they are :) omg this was such an amazing movie and i hope it reaches so many people.I am so glad that the mom changed her heart in the end and i am so so so glad that she realized that if she only had loved her son that maybe just maybe he would still be alive.
I normally do not cry during movies and if I do, it feels kind of forced (like in "My sister's keeper" which is made so that you cry and feel better afterwards) but the final of "Prayers for Bobby" felt like "release".
Not this "finally-the-movie-is-over-release" but the release you can only experience after watching a loving mother going through the hardest process of her life to accept her son for what he was.
A Lifetime TV film, chronicling a catholic mother's poignant and heartening journey towards her son's coming-out (a turning point when her son commits suicide), evoking a radical turnaround from abomination to fully support for LGBT rights.
From director Russell Mulcahy (SWIMMING UPSTREAM 2003, 7/10), this film is based on a true story of Mary Griffith, a fervent gay rights crusader from 1980s.The story itself has offered a great amount of trauma and struggle enough to render empathetic impact, while gayness and religion are always ignitable when colliding head-to- head, so more or less, it all replies on the actors, how to make the thorny issue heartfelt and if it could, eventually, more or less alters a portion of its viewers' discrimination towards people with dichotomy lifestyles.
Mulcahy, may not have too much to display since the approach and message are quite overt, for instance, a marked metaphoric scene when Weaver is informed of Bobby's death at the entrance of the factory where she is working, a literal wire fence has obstructed herself from getting out (so she is the one who is being trapped within her own world), a very pragmatic and effective way in case viewers would fail to notice.
And above all else, I believe that God is a very loving God not a hateful or vengeful God. I believe He has a very special place for Gay people in Heaven when it comes to their time for they have, in many cases, suffered so much..
Overall the acting is extremely good but Sigourney Weaver must be singled out as giving one of the best screen performances I have ever seen in over 30 years of movie going.
The only thing that seemed strange were the exact reasons for his final deed, in this film his life wasn't all roses, but it didn't strike me as not worth living.It convinced me to read the book it is based on and here I found quite a different depiction of the situation leading to the suicide.
Only after reading I saw the depth of his desperation and suffering, I think the movie failed to present the real situation and hence suicide as a solution seemed a little unnatural, at least to me.All in all, I would recommend the movie, but I feel that the book does a better job of showing what happened..
This seemed to me like a perfect production, there might have been some imperfections but I was to busy loving every second of the movie to even notice, besides it wouldn't be based off of a true story if it didn't have its imperfections.
I would heavily suggest it to anyone in Bobby's situation or someone in a similar situation because the message is strong, the acting is amazing Sigourney Weaver, as the mother was the perfect choice.
I saw this movie last night and was overwhelmed by the story and the amazing performances especially by miss Weaver.
Most gay people will relate to most of the feelings and emotions in the movie but it will connect with most viewers (hopefully).
And like another reviewer mentioned before ...if you are someone who thinks that homosexuals are evil, I dare you to watch this film.Just a brilliant movie and thanks Signourney!.
I watched the movie last night, and it brought tears to my eyes , The fact that it was a true story makes a bigger impact on everyone.
I think everyone needs to watch that movie no matter what you are gay or straight , especially parents .
people needs to learn that every word has power that could lead to tragedy , stop all the hate in this world!Great cast/director Sigourney is so a giant actress really must see movie!"see you later bobby".
Well, this is a Lifetime movie, it isn't a huge budget, and it at least makes an attempt to get the message out.It is based on a true story which is the heartbreaking suicide of a young man who feels judged and condemned by society ( primarily by his mother, a stalwart Christian who quotes Leviticus, and leaves post-it notes in the bathroom for her son to read about how God wants him to be heterosexual).In 2011, this story should be self-explanatory in America, yet it is not.
But we can at least watch this film and recommend that people try to have empathy and understanding for others.Weaver portrays a woman who needlessly lost her son to a tragic suicide.
At times it seemed as though I were watching a movie based on my life.
Sigourney Weaver is an Actor of rare breed in the tradition of Betty Davis, Joan Crawford and sexy Rita Heyward....The Lady has class whether as Riley or Bobby's mother in her recent TV movie....I am wondering if she is working on anymore action type films because she is all woman in her roles or as my belief she is the Clint Eastwood of all the women actresses, yet I know women still do not get many roles after 40 except for the exceptional Merle Streep.
On the other hand, his religious mother Mary (Sigourney Weaver) refuses to accept it and actively tries to change him.
This is an eye opening movie that gives insight and perspective by telling the tragic true happenings of the Griffith family.
A Child Is Listening, Maybe Your Own. The greatest thing about Sigourney Weaver and the rest of the cast members who played members of the Griffith family is that in making Prayers For Bobby they did not succumb to the temptation of making a caricature of their character.
It's been done before, it would have been so easy, the religious right gives you so much material.But the Griffith family Harry Czerny, Sigourney Weaver and their children aren't bad people.
Which is what happens to the Griffith family when young Ryan Kelley as Bobby Griffith comes out to his brother who promptly rats him out to his mother.
It took him a long time to break free and realize his self worth, but his is a lot happier a story than what happens to Mary Griffith and her son.Another man whom I had a relationship with back in New York when I lived there was a survivor of electroshock treatment.
That is the challenge that Sigourney Weaver in her performance shows that Mary Griffith and her family met and overcame.Sigourney's final speech before her small town council advocating plans for a Gay Pride Day will move all of you.
That is my prayer for Bobby.And this film review is dedicated to all of the case examples I knew from my professional and personal life and to one other.
Sigourney Weaver hits the mark as a true story mother Mary Griffith.
The movie might seem a bit slow, but in fact it takes it time to show how Mary and her son Bobby eventually took life changing decisions.I read so much on the internet from fundamentalist christians and what they think about gays.
I think this film is a unique opportunity to think about how they deal with gays and their religion that should be about love and acceptance.The movie certainly is a tear jerker and I hope it has a wider audience.
I love this one, it felt so real (Yea I know it's based on real story what I mean is you can really feel like and it's happening to you or around you everyday).
As a guy I'm not very proud to say I cried over this movie but I'm not gonna lie to it either, there were four parts where I cried most, one is when Bobby jumped off the bridge, one when the family received the news, one when the mom was giving that speech, one in the end when she hugged a boy who looked like her son.I felt so happy for Bobby when he had a boyfriend but I already knew the story before I watched this movie so it broke my heart to know he was going to die not long from there.I myself am a gay guy, and I've never told my parents about my homosexuality, not planning to either, some people suggested to watch this movie with their parents after they come out, but I'll just save it for myself, coz with their mind of thinking, they probably would yell at me and say "ARE YOU SAYING UR GOING TO KILL YOURSELF IF WE DON'T ACCPET YOU?!".
If you want to sit down for a rare grade A TV movie, i would highly suggest "Prayers For Bobby" with an amazingly gutsy performance by Sigourney Weaver.Ms. Weaver plays an uber religious mother whose world is turned upside down when her son Bobby comes out of the closet as gay.
For a good portion of the movie, we follow the clashes between Bobby and his mother, and the pressure against him gets so out of control that he takes his own life.
Henry Czerny is also reliable, and the young man who played Bobby showed great promise in an amazing performance.In these days when vitriol against minorities is so out of hand, this movie becomes incredibly relevant, too bad this was a made for TV movie, it was based on a real life tragedy, and if it was in theaters and gained a larger audience, maybe some could put themselves in the shoes of Bobby and his mother.
All is not lost, it truly does get better.Prayers For Bobby, see it for an amazing performance by Weaver, and a truly inspiring, uplifting, and potentially life changing story..
The suicide of Bobby is in the middle of the movie, which seemed too early first but then the story takes a twist and it stays interesting and emotional until the very end of it.If you didn't watch this movie yet, I would totally recommend you to do so..
Before I start this review I thought it was best to say I did not like this movie because it was in favour of gay rights.
Judging by watching the movie, I'm not sure if the director know's the meaning of the word cinematography or thinks it is just filming some actors acting.
I really see how to someone who has any grasp on film making can think this is a good movie.
If this movie had been made by a less experienced hand than Signourney Weaver, it would never have been nearly good.All the supporting performances (including a sweet cameo of the real Mary Griffin, and ESPECIALLY the openly gay Dan Butler as the MCC pastor) were strong as well, but this story was Mary's story, and I just don't think they could have found a better actress to play her.Maybe I'm just too soft, but watching Weaver in the scene where she pours her heart out the pastor gets me every single time.
With this tragedy, Mary finally really understands her son and other gay people.
Bobby may still be alive if society in the 1980s was more supportive and accepting of gay people.
Bobby Griffiths, rejected and forced to leave his own community and family, first of all his mother, left and tried to live his life as a gay person who can love more than he has been hated and rejected.
This film struck me just the right way and I'm getting the book right away.When you hear such life stories from people who had to live through them (e.g. D.
L. Black when accepting an Oscar for Milk), you feel the need to do something about the current status quo and must help to change the world /spoiler coming up/, just like Bobby's Mother did.But to also mention the film itself - as said - brilliant script based on a very real tragedy but also great acting, especially the two main characters, Sigourney Weaver, who is brilliant in any film, and Ryan Kelley, just a few months my senior, a great talent and one of my favourite actors of my generation.
Seriously though, the amount of pressure and the amount of stress, Bobby had to face as a gay man, having to be rejected by your own mother was just so heart breaking.
Anyways back to the movie, I thought Sigourney Weaver was absolutely excellent at playing the mother, her speech was just so powerful and really made me cry harder.
This world would be a better boring place to live in!This movie was brillant just like the actors and its strong awareness on peoples sexual orientation.
RIP to Bobby Griffith and other people who have been affected by gay hate <3Be proud of you are everyone, don't let anyone tell you who to love and not to love! |
tt0167038 | Belle's Magical World | === The Perfect Word ===
Beast (Robby Benson) and Belle (Paige O'Hara) plan to eat together, and Beast asks for advice from Lumiere (Jerry Orbach). While Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers) escorts Belle to the dining room, they come across the castle's well-meaning but rather verbose scribe, Webster (Jim Cummings), turned into a dictionary, whom Belle invites to join them in the dining room (to Cogsworth's dismay).
During the meal, while Belle explains a story she has been reading to Beast, Beast gets sweaty. He demands for the windows to be opened, despite there being a draft of air in the room and the servants getting cold. Beast and Belle get into an argument, and Beast strikes Webster off the table when the dictionary begins giving unwanted synonyms to Belle's insults. Subsequently, they both stop speaking to each other, despite Lumiere and Cogsworth's attempts to patch things up. Eventually, Webster, feeling guilty for his part, forges a letter of apology from Beast to Belle with his friends, a pile of papers named Crane (Jeff Bennett) and a quill named LePlume (Rob Paulsen). Belle sees the letter, and makes amends with Beast.
That night, however, the truth comes out, and after a furious chase around the castle, Beast catches and banishes Webster, Crane and LePlume for the forgery, throwing them into the forest. Belle ventures out and brings them back, and Beast, touched by Belle's sympathy, forgives the three and allows them back in, realizing that their intentions were good. The moral of the story being that it is easy to forgive.
=== Fifi's Folly ===
On the anniversary of Lumiere's first date with Fifi (Kimmy Robertson), Lumiere grows so nervous to the point that he cleans himself excessively and turns to Belle for advice, by walking with her in the garden and reciting what he plans to say to Fifi to her. Fifi overhears this, and believes that Lumiere and Belle are having an affair behind her back. In reality, Lumiere has planned a surprise snow ride around the castle gardens with Fifi. To get back at Lumiere, Fifi attempts to make Cogsworth like her, who is apparently not interested.
In the end, things are cleared up and Lumiere and Fifi go for the ride, but the pot they are sitting in slips off the edge of the balcony and hangs over the moat (the same chasm in which Gaston will eventually meet his doom). Lumiere holds onto Fifi while hanging for dear life, and tells her that he loves her. Before they can fall, Belle, Cogsworth and a few more servants arrive and get them back to safety. Everyone ends up learning to not jump to conclusions and that sometimes things are just as they seem.
=== Mrs. Potts' Party ===
Mrs. Potts is feeling depressed due to dreadful weather, and Belle decides to cheer her up by throwing a surprise party for her. Belle has come to look at Mrs. Potts as a mother figure by this point. During preparations for the party, Belle and her friends have to avoid waking up the sleeping Beast. Beast spent the entire previous night fixing a leak in the roof and needs his sleep. However, Lumiere and Cogsworth's rivalry gets in the way. The two argue and compete over the tasks of composing music, choosing Mrs. Pott's favorite flowers, and choosing the flavors of the cake that will be served at the party. Two oven mits, Chaud (the red mit) and Tres (the blue mit), also take part in the argument, as they each side with one of the rivals.
Eventually, Lumiere and Cogsworth's attempt to sabotage one another's decisions has consequences. The baking cake explodes and makes a complete mess in the kitchen. Lumiere and Cogsworth, after a scolding from Belle, decide to put their rivalry behind them for good and work together to make a small surprise for Mrs. Potts. The plan goes well, and Mrs. Potts is cured of her depression, and the sun finally shines again. Everyone learns the power of cooperation and compromises.
=== The Broken Wing ===
Belle and Beast arrange to have lunch together again, but an injured bird accidentally flies into Belle's room, and she forgets her arrangement, instead paying more attention to the bird. Beast discovers this, and flies into a rage, as he has a strong dislike for birds, trying to catch the bird, but he trips over Cogsworth and hits his head hard on the floor. This strips him of his hatred for birds, but his selfishness remains, driving him to lock the bird in a cage and demand that he sing for him when he pleases, but the obviously saddened and frightened bird refuses.
Meanwhile, Cogsworth feels he is losing control over his staff, and demands their respect with harsh treatment. In the meantime, Belle convinces Beast to release the bird once its wing is cured. But the bird, still too weak, begins to fall, and Beast rushes to rescue it. In the process, Cogsworth falls from the West Wing balcony and into the garden. He is unhurt, and learns that you cannot demand respect, but you can earn it by giving it. Belle and Beast make amends, and Beast learns to treat people and animals with respect and compassion. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | Absolutely Terrible but maybe funny to laugh at.
This movie was probably one of the worst I've ever seen.
I kept watching out of sheer morbid curiosity.
The plots were bad.
The animation was bad.
The songs were bad.
There were some places that the animation was so bad that I literally laughed out loud.
It's boring as snot otherwise.
If you had any respect for any of the characters before it goes out the window completely with this movie.
The beast is a GIANT violent control freak and Belle always blames herself for stuff that's not her fault.
The only reason anyone would ever want to watch this more than once besides masochism would be if they wanted to remember their parents domestic abuse toward each other as some kind of dismal nostalgia..
This is an midquel of the only animated movie nominated for best picture?.
When I started reviewing on IMDb, I began to watch all the Disney direct to video sequels.
It was almost torture for me to watch all of them (I have seen 6 of them at the moment I wrote this review), but this one I only could watch 10 minutes of it before I turned of the PC and have to watch the first Beauty and the Beast to remind me that it was one of my favorite Disney films.THIS THING IS A DISCRASE TO THE ORIGINAL ONE!!!
The story is the bland, predictable plots of 3 failed episodes from a failed attempt of a TV- series (that is exactly what this is, and they ask $19.48 for it at eBay!!!!), the animation is just cheap and awful, the characters are nothing from what they were in the original (especially the beast), and the songs make Howard Ashman roll in his grave.This is one of the WORST Disney DTV sequel I have ever seen (the worst one being Hunchback of Notre Dame II).
Skip this movie, PLEASE!!!!!.
I think this one is strictly for kids.
Disney has now made straight-to-video sequels to a good bunch of their many animated features.
Two of these were made for their 1991 classic, "Beauty and the Beast".
Well, these ones aren't really sequels, as they are both set in between the events of the first film.
The first of these two straight-to-video films was "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas", which seems to be disliked by quite a few fans of its theatrical predecessor, but I think that can usually be expected with sequels.
However, this second one, "Belle's Magical World", is definitely inferior.The film features three short stories, all of which take place while Belle is in the castle, and the place is under the spell of the enchantress.
The first is "The Perfect Word", where a misunderstanding at the table between Belle and the Beast leads to trouble, and neither wants to be the first to apologize.
The next story is "Fifi's Folly", where Fifi and Lumiere's fifth anniversary is coming up, and Lumiere is unprepared, so Belle helps him.
However, Fifi sees Lumiere practicing romance with Belle, and thinks they're actually in love.
The film ends with "The Broken Wing".
In this story, Belle takes care of a bird with a broken wing, but a bird in the castle will probably mean trouble if the Beast finds out, as he hates birds!
The plot description I gave is for the original VHS version of Disney's third "Beauty and the Beast" movie.
Apparently, in the DVD version, there is another story added called "Mrs. Potts's Party", but I've only seen the original version.
However, since I highly doubt that one story would stand out as a classic over the rest, I see no point in watching the special edition.
Anyway, the first thing I will say about "Belle's Magical World" is that the animation is very 2-dimensional compared to what we're used to from Disney, which would obviously disappoint many people.
I didn't like "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" that much, but you certainly can't say the same about its animation.
I'm sure the stories in "Belle's Magical World" could entertain many kids (mostly younger ones, I think), and each story has a moral, so they could also teach them some valuable lessons.
However, for adults, the film really doesn't have a lot.
I personally didn't find any good humour in it, found that the constant conflict between Belle and the Beast got tiring, and the stories did not impress me too much at all in any way (they're not very well written).
In "The Perfect Word", the way Belle says to the Beast, "You're acting rude...
and foolish!" is a bit cheesy, and I think there are quite a few other cheesy moments in these stories.By the time this straight-to-video movie first came out, I was around eleven or twelve years old.
I don't know what I would have thought of it at the time, as I had lost interest in Disney by then, and it would be years before I would gain any of that interest back.
Even when this movie was first released, I think I was a bit past the age group it was aimed at.
I never saw "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" until a couple months ago, but unlike that film, I never even heard of this one until recently, I think just after seeing the first sequel to Disney's 1991 hit.
Well, as much as I like the theatrical original, I wouldn't have been missing much if I never became aware of this film's existence.
For little kids, I'm sure "Belle's Magical World" can be highly entertaining, and probably somewhat educational with its morals, but I do not recommend it for adult Disney fans..
A shockingly shoddy BEAUTY AND THE BEAST feature for very young children!.
That's right!
Under 9 on average, but maybe under 12s for some others!
I was 11 when I originally saw this on video and at such youth I wasn't able to notice the shoddy cartoon-quality or the fact that those classic characters we have all grown to love are Not the same or as good to see.
Belle is, I'll agree, not even beautiful but just a plain-looking woman with tinted skin, she wears the same bright blue dress all the way through with not one glamorous dress on, Wardrobe is to say the Least, annoying - my ears may bleed if I had to listen to her everyday!
Lumiere, in both the original and the Christmas edition was suave and elegant, but here he is a womanizing, unfunny twit!
Cogsworth, despite being the no-nonsense housekeeper he is famous for, is a complete sh-t and the most insufferable character I'd say!
He always seems to find shutting that unbearably grating pie-hole of his very difficult in this one and whose clock face should really have been used for turning back in time to the unforgettable two film in this series!
Poor, poor Mrs Potts was not brought to life by Angela Lansbury (one of my favourite classic actresses) but by Anne Rogers who captured none of Mrs Potts' character, no offence to her!
Not if she did her best!
When the beast roars it sounds so horrifically fake with clearly no additional roars, snarls or growls by a microphone.
I am aware that this is only a third feature following two other films so of course it wouldn't be as good but I'm sure that more of a contribution wouldn't have hurt the Disney artists who, indeed, have achieved such remarkable styles of animation over the years.
It's alright, I guess, and I do watch it sometimes though only when it suits me.
It's quite difficult to make a recommendation for you reading this because it depends on how old you are but remember this will not at all be what you may expect following the earlier spectacular movies!
And to think that on my video of it the text on the back cover said "boasting brilliant animation"!
It's a nice little flick but for one thing it's also highly poor and, for another, those 3 words ought to have been saved for the next re-release of the original!.
Inexcusable.
I didn't feel as if I'd been raped like I did with THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS,but BELLE'S MAGICAL WORLD is still the antithesis of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
Like CHRISTMAS,BMW hates its audience,although not to such an extreme degree.
It's ugly,uncanonical,idiotic,and the writing is horrifically bad.None of the stories work.
These are not the characters we loved from BATB at all,they're a bunch of pod people.
I wanted to dissect it,but after a few minutes,I gave up,because no one in their right mind would take this claptrap seriously.
What we have here are three stories.
"The Perfect Word" is an overbearing,ponderous study of forgiveness.
"Fifi's Folly" only works if you can accept that Babette's name is actually Fifi and that she's a closet James Bond villainess and that Lumiere is an idiot concerning women.
"Broken Wing" (or "Broken Wind" as I like to call it) is probably the most heinous of the bunch.
Beast hates birds?
Don't watch this crap- every copy of this video deserves to be cremated.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is still a cinematic classic,a transcendent celebration of love,art, intelligence and the human soul..
Painful pieces from an already failed TV-series..
If it is not fit for television, it is not fit for anything!
It was just such a painful experience to watch the most real and believable characters from one of the greatest animated movies ever created being torn apart with every word they uttered.
There is simply no magic at all in this shameless effort to cash in on the first animated movie nominated for an Oscar for best picture.
The animation is cheap and the dialogue is stupid.
They should have called it "Belle and Beast's Endless Arguments", because there is no other way to describe it!
Beast does something mean, Belle talks him out of it, that's it.
It is so stupid!
The first follow-up, The Enchanted Christmas, was at least passable with a good Tim Curry performance, but now with this stupid script and also the absence of Angela Lansbury, this poor excuse for a "movie" should have never existed..
Nice but forgettable.
The original is a masterpiece, and The Enchanted Christmas is actually not that bad at all.
This film is alright, but a lot of the animation is shoddy, and the songs are instantly forgettable.
At least Enchanted Christmas did more than adequately in those two aspects.
The storyline was merely a series of vignettes, like the sequel to Cinderella.
If I had a preference to which I prefer, storyline-wise, this one raises the bar.
Lumiere (though less elegant and debonair) and Cogsworth are funny here thanks to the brilliant voice overs of Jerry Orbach and David Ogden Stiers, but why was Belle changed?
She did very little, other than preach to the characters.
As for Mrs Potts, the reason why she was ruined, was because Angela Lansbury didn't voice her.
The stories are okay with nice ideas, with a bit of humour from Lumiere particularly, but the essence of the original was lost.
The best was "Fifi's Folly" but all three stories had problems of their own.
The message was laid on way too thick, and in general the writing was uninspiring.
And there were some bits about Beast's character that was unnecessary, like him hating birds.
I can swear that wasn't mentioned in the original!
Though I will admit that the bird was really cute.
I will give this a 6/10, in respect to the voice actors.
Bethany Cox..
Disneys' magical world.
The first Beauty and the Beast film is for me one of the best Disney films ever and while the second(the enchanted Christmas)was perhaps not as strong it still maintained all the warmth and humour of the first instalment.This film again has all of these traits but while The enchanted Christmas would not have looked out of place as a cinema release Belles' magical world does looks and feels like the straight to video film that it is.The short stories feel like chapters from a fairy story and the links in between are sweet with some classic Disney songs included.
Interestingly for a third sequel most of the original cast return and this I think is what raises this film above other straight to video films in terms of quality.Overall this is a worthy part of the classic Disney series..
"Belle's Magical World" and "The Enchanted Christmas" are both great D.T.V.s. I had watched "Belle's Magical World" 5 days ago on YouTube, and I thought it was is a very cute and funny midquel.
This film enriched with gentle lessons, which I do not mind at all, and two original songs that seamlessly fold one tale into the next; I don't think they are cheesy as everyone thinks, and besides I think the animation is swell.
Overall this film and "The Enchanted Christmas" are both great D.T.V.s. And since the film is in three adventures presented like chapters in a storybook, my favorite "story" is "Fifi's Folly." You know, a lot of people have been putting negative reviews, because they are comparing to the original film and also about the time consumption like: How long did Belle stayed at the castle?
And what about her dad?
And was Lefou still guarding the house?
Well, my theory is that the two films bookmarks before the library scene in the first film.
So she had spend the winter in the castle, and her dad (having no sense of direction) search all winter for the castle.
And as to the last question well even a lacky like Lefou can " bend" his orders - for food and warm..
OK so it's not the best out there but i thought it was good.
I miss angela lansbury being mrs.
potts.
I loved her in the original!
This one definitely isn't as good as the original, but I still liked it nonetheless.
But, I'm a huge BATB fan!
The major problem for me is the way they are drawn in this, they look like they are in some kind of cheap Saturday morning cartoon show, and they definitely don't look like the original.
It's still OK though.I don't know what the writers were thinking when they wrote this, the stories are kinda bad.
It makes me sad that they messed this up so much.Kinda disappointing, but you can obviously tell it's made more for the younger crowd like children.
Belle's HAMagical World.
This movie is possibly the cheapest, cheesiest, and poorest sequel ever made.Yet, it is the funniest and most idiotic movie by Disney, and will guarantee laughs at the sappy stories and lame plots from start to finish.It's a group of short stories that seem like bad fanfictions.*SPOILER ALERT* The first one's all about Beast and Belle being petty over a pathetic argument.
Then, three loser new characters decide to patch things up by forging a letter of forgiveness to give to Belle.
Part way through this little episode, Belle has wall eyes, which made my siblings and I laugh so hard.
Then, she and the Beast fight more over the letter...
and later learn the meaning of forgiveness.
How old are they???
Certainly old enough to know the meaning of forgiveness.Then, the next one's all about Lumiere being the world's biggest dope when it comes to romance.
This coming from the man who could woo anything female.
And they make FiFi a psychotic villainess who tries to kill Belle, and winds up getting off scotch-free by the end of it.
What a message to send the kids!Then, the next one's all about Mrs. Potts being angsty.
And the next one after that's all about Beast becoming overly possessive of a bird, to the point where he just seems downright silly.The animation's so ugly, it kills.
There are at least 100 mistakes you can plainly see...
and the coloring is awful.Belle's a simpering sap who blubbers whenever something goes wrong.
Plus, she's petty and very different from the usual Belle.And the side characters are annoying...
(I mean, Cogsworth and Lumiere fight almost all the time.
I know they did that in the movie, but it was overdone in this.)But the worst character is Mrs. Potts.
She's ruined in this.
Just buy it and see for yourself.I give it a 1/10 for the sap, but I give it a 10/10 for comedy..
Cute Film, but not par with "The Enchanted Christmas!".
As much as I love Belle and Beauty and the Beast, I could not bring myself to like this sequel.
For one thing, the animation is off.
Belle and the Beast facial expressions are no where what they were in the previous two films.
The mini-story plots are too predictable and poorly written.
Belle is much too petty, while the Beast is too aggressive.
The only plus side is the two solos, Belle gets to sing: "Listen With Our Hearts," and "A Little Thought." Both are well written songs, in which Belle gets to convey to the audience the importance of forgiveness, understanding and perspective.
The three (four/Special Edition) stories each have a moral, but just don't measure up to other two films.
At least most of the original cast is reprising their role, except for Chip and Mrs Potts.
Needless to say, for true Beauty and the Beast fans, this film is worth watching at least once. |
tt0490166 | London to Brighton | The film opens with a woman and child, Kelly and Joanne, bursting into a London toilet. Joanne is crying and Kelly has a black eye. Eventually Kelly gets them on a train to Brighton, and it is clear they are running from someone.
Joanne is an eleven-year-old runaway who is procured by a reluctant Kelly into having sex with an old violent mobster with a taste for underage girls. Kelly's pimp, Derek, bullies her into complying, but it all goes horribly wrong, and the old mobster is killed, presumably by one of the girls. The older man's son, Stuart, then forces Derek to find the girls. The film follows the duo's flight from London in the wake of what has happened.
Arriving initially in Brighton, Kelly visits her friend Karen and tries to earn enough money through prostituting herself to help Joanne afford the train to Devon, where the child's grandmother lives. The two are eventually tracked down by her pimp and his associate and taken to meet Stuart at a secluded field. Upon arrival, Kelly's pimp and associate are made to dig two graves, presumably for the girls. However, Stuart decides that the girls are the victims in this episode and decides instead to kill Kelly's pimp and associate. The film ends with Kelly and Joanne arriving at Joanne's grandma's house in Devon. Kelly watches from a distance as the girl and the grandmother hug, then turns away. | violence, cruelty, murder, sadist, flashback | train | wikipedia | In a run-down public toilet in London at 3.07 am, the middle-aged prostitute Kelly takes on the 11-year-old runaway Joanne.
The film explores the mother-daughter-like bond that forms between the girls as they are left to fend for themselves in the gritty underworld of South London.Paul Andrew Williams has done something remarkably cool here that he did not realise until his film started receiving praise and wider distribution (it even made its way to the Stockholm International Film Festival, where I saw it).
Although the seedy underground and hierarchies of bad guys, johns and pimps channel Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn, director Williamsm stresses that London to Brighton is "not a gangster movie", but an unflinching look at the two aforementioned characters and how they cope under pressure.The plot is left best unspoiled because it is gradually unfolded through well-positioned flashbacks, arguably the goldmine of the film.
Coming out of the cinema after watching "London to Brighton" I felt my senses reeling and the adrenalin pumping as if I had just stepped off a particularly fiendish theme park ride.There's a grim nastiness running throughout this story, interwoven with a thin thread of maternal compassion.
Without revealing the plot, I can say that had he stayed, the final scene which in no way strays from the noir would have rewarded his perseverance.The cast turn in convincing performances and Georgia Groome is excellent as the young runaway..
The fact that the Edinburgh International Film Festival bestowed their New Director award on Paul Andrew Williams is a solid enough indicator of the strengths and unique qualities of London TO BRIGHTON.
London to Brighton deserves to be a huge hit, its bold, its brilliant and its British and it proves once again that we have a thriving film industry packed full of talented people that can still give Hollywood a run for it's money..
For a first time director Paul Andrew Williams pulls off a very confident film, it can be quite hard hitting, very well written with some really good performances.
Instead the characters react only at the extremes: The prostitute with misgivings about sex involving very young children; not the prostitute with misgivings about prostitution.London to Brighton is notable because it places a 13 year old actor in one of the leading roles.
Crude and Dark Gem. In London, the pimp Derek (Johnny Harris) assigns the prostitute Kelly (Lorraine Stanley) that works for him to find a young girl on the streets to escort the powerful mobster Duncan Allen (Alexander Morton).
Kelly finds the twelve year-old runaway Joanne (Georgia Groome) in the train station and Derek proposes one hundred pounds for the service and the girl accepts.
Derek calls his associate Chum (Nathan Constance) and they begin to chase the girls.The excellent "London to Brighton" has a magnificent screenplay that discloses a crude and dark tale of friendship and lost of innocence through flashbacks and a surprising conclusion.
Britain from time to time produces brilliantly realistic urban films, and here in Paul Andrew Wiliams' debut feature we have a truly great genre entry that is awash with realism.Joanne is a 12 year old runaway befriended by young prostitute Kelly, a tragic event leads to them fleeing from London to Brighton on the train, in furious pursuit is a pimp and a gangsters son, and all of their lives are hurtling towards a night of reckoning.This film contains prostitutes, paedophiles, drugs, and violence, yet to even think that this film panders to genre stereotypes would be doing it an injustice.
The screenplay is as lean as a prize featherweight boxer, no saggy tag ons, no sub plots to bog the story down, just a hard as nails story culminating in a wonderful final reel.Lorraine Stanley, Georgia Groome, Johnny Harris, and Sam Pruell, your names, I hope, will get to be known outside of England, because you all excellently realised characters that reminded me of people I have encountered during my life.
Meanwhile back in London, the cold criminal Stuart Allen makes it painfully clear to small time pimp Derek that he wants Kelly and Joanne brought to him.I heard that this film was very grim stuff and as a result I skipped it in the cinemas, although I was "helped" in this decision by how quickly it came and went in the cinema.
Allen is a harder character because he does have to be a "crime lord" in this story of small fish but Spruell does pretty well to hold back and be a menacing force driving the story.London to Brighton is not a cheerful film but it is a gripping thriller set in a convincing world of dirt and grubby people.
A gangster movie with child prostitution as its centrepiece, London to Brighton limps gamely along the road to perdition with a couple of scenes as saving graces.Fairly early on I was paying more attention to the blood on the side of the woman's face, wondering how far she would have to travel before wiping it off, then realising it was the main clue (together with a hefty bruise) to signify whether we were in flashback or not.
The 13yr old actress Georgia Groome (playing 11 year old Joanne) puts some effort into her role, whereas most of the characters could be friends of the director cajoled into 'acting'.I asked the Director after the Festival screening if he wanted to make any sort of social statement with the film, raise social awareness of a terrible issue, but he said it would be nice if it did but he doubted it would last five days.
Containing stellar performances by Lorraine Stanley as Kelly, a street-smart prostitute, and Georgia Groome as Joanne, an 11-year-old runaway, London to Brighton is a low budget but gritty, uncompromising thriller that dramatizes the lives of two young prostitutes, the predators who prey on them, and the criminal underworld of British society.Though it is sometimes hard to watch because of the graphic violence, the film conveys a sense of humanity that shines through the despair.
Winner of the Best New Director Award at the Edinburgh Film Festival with a style reminiscent of the raw immediacy of Shane Meadows and the social awareness of Ken Loach, Paul Williams in London to Brighton has delivered an outstanding first feature..
I suppose those who feel that way would probably not take to London to Brighton, which like films such as Lilya-4-eva take an angle of child prostitution, and spun a different narrative out of it.Here, it's actually out of desperation - in fact almost all the characters here reek of it, in exploiting children on the streets and enticing them with significant sums of money in order to satisfy the whims of some rich clients.
The film takes on a non-linear narrative in having its tale told, which leaves you pretty much engaged in wanting to find out just why two women are on the flight as per its title, leaving behind the city of London in double quick time, where we are introduced at 3:07am to Joanne (Georgia Groome) in thick makeup, being hidden in a stank toilet cubicle by an older lady of the streets, Kelly (Lorraine Stanley), suffering from one badly bruised eye.I suppose a modest production budget made this film look like a typical gritty English crime thriller, with the hand held camera bringing the audience into the thick of the action, either slowly drawing some sympathies from the lead female characters because of the lack of options made available to them, including being on the run, or presenting a sense of clear and present danger up close, especially when pimps Derek (Johnny Harris) and Chum (Nathan Constance) become inevitably close in catching up with the duo for an event they committed, kept closely under wraps.The relationship between Kelly and Joanne remain one of the highlights of the film, two women who have nobody else to turn to, trying to determine what their next course of action might be at every turn.
In tow, she has Joanne (Georgia Groome) a 12 year old runaway who, on the insistence of sleazy pimp Derek (Johnny Harris), she had recruited off the streets to join her sleazy world of prostitution.
Derek doesn't want that to happen...A grim, seedy and cold tale, London to Brighton has upsettingly little in the way of humour and light in the unfolding of it's grimy little tale and so simply has to rely on a well written, depressingly realistic and hard hitting script and some admittedly fantastic acting to get it by.
And get by, thank heavens, it does.Flitting cleverly between events as they are unfolding and events told in flashback that lead up to the main characters's current situation, the film makes clever use of the real time aspect of Kelly and Joanne's frantic journey to get as far away as they can from the mess they are in and Derek's equally frantic mission to find them before his boss sees him meet with a premature end.
Kelly's pimp Derek (Johnny Harris) tries to turn her.This is a gritty little indie from newcomer writer/director Paul Andrew Williams.
Set in the underbelly of London's seedy crime world, this is the story of eleven year old runaway Joanne, who, at the start is coerced into prostitution by her companion, Kelly.
It' three in the morning, a prostitute called Kelly with ripped clothes and inflamed black eye bustles a terrified 12 year old girl into a public toilet somewhere in South London,they are fleeing from someone and decide to get the next train to Brighton.As the film progresses we slowly learn what has happened via a series of flashbacks, and it's a very harrowing subject.I have to admit I was blown away by this 'little' film, yes the subject is deeply unpleasant, but it is handled maturely, there are no 'Lock Stock' style bad guys in this film, just ordinary people, some good, but a lot of very very sadistic violent characters.You really care for the characters which is the most important essence of any film, the acting is superb, especially Lorraine Stanley as Kelly and newcomer, Georgie Groome who is barely a teenager and puts in a stunning performance as the terrified youngster Joanne.This is a quite brilliant debut from a young film-maker, Paul Andrew Williams, he recently quite rightly won a best newcomer award at the Edinburgh Film Festival, and for me it's one of the best British movies I've ever seen, and the best I can remember recently since "Dead Man's Shoes"..
It's about a prostitute called Kelly (Lorraine Stanley) and a young homeless girl named Joanne (Georgia Groomes) who go on the run from pimp Derek (Johnny Harris) for reasons that I won't reveal because it might spoil you enjoyment of this nasty little film.There are no heroes to be found here, no beautiful moments (with the exception of the final frame) just a lot of squalid violence and social decay.There are many things that baffle me about this great country of ours; our obsession with celebrity non-entities, our persistent tea drinking, or constant discourse about the weather, our weak and self serving politicians, and why when a half decent British movie is released, the sycophantic press hype it up so much, and raise expectations so high, that should any one actually bother to watch it, they will leave feeling let down.Unfortunately, 'London to Brighton' is not, as the critics would have you believe, the best thing since sliced bread.
You are sucked into their world, and you are left dirty and downtrodden because of it.As the story develops, a series of flashbacks occur to flesh out the missing pieces of the fractured plot (although I suspect most people will already have guessed the details of events that lead to the girls fleeing London).The movie is anchored by the very strong performances from Lorraine Stanley as the duplicitous Kelly, and Johnny Harris as the low grade Pimp with a psychotic limp and an eye for amorality.Generally the story moves along swiftly, in a predictable but nonetheless gripping and satisfying way.
This is certainly one of the best British films I have seen in recent years.London to Brighton instantly brought back memories of The Long Good Friday.
Johnny Harris' Derek is simply fantastic in his role as the villain, the two female leads are similarly outstanding in their roles: Lorraine Stanley as Kelly shows fantastic depth as a street wise old pro and Georgia Groome is sensational in the role of the runaway, who finds out very quickly that the streets of London are no place for a 12 year old.The film does have some flaws, but they are few and far between and do not prevent the film losing any of its hard edge with an ending you saw coming.Arguably I have never seen a better debut British film more deserving of a place on my DVD shelf next to such British greats as Nil by Mouth and The Long Good Friday than London to Brighton..
Thus, London to Brighton, with its scuzzy and raw feel, comes across as scarier; more frightening in its depiction of a world, the characters within and overall attention to genre.The girls on the run are twelve year old Joanne (Groome) and the much elder Kelly (Stanley), a prostitute.
This minute, but observed ploy, captures the film's tone of getting in deeper; of assuming something to be of a specific nature but then having to recognise a new threat, or new predicament, which furthers feelings and emotions.As an event which spawns the mess everyone finds themselves in, it is revealed that Joanne is a runaway wondering the streets of London, and is quickly picked up by both Derek and Kelly when it is made apparent a local crime boss, Stuart's father, wants a younger girl to feed some depraved sexual cravings.
There's a real sense of terror in London to Brighton; an immediacy which you feel is born out of the two female leads and their place in the film working within a genre which would usually, in terms of Kelly's role as a prostitute, see them relegated to a nothing supporting role or to act as mere eye candy.
I thought that London to Brighton was a great film it starts in London, a pimp called Derek assigns the prostitute Kelly that works for him to find a young girl on the streets to escort the powerful mobster Duncan Allen.
Overall this was a very good film about exploitation and trouble that revolves around the lives of pimps, prostitutes and the homeless when dealing with the sometimes disgusting demands of the paying punters.First of all the positive points, brilliant flashbacks were used but not too many times thankfully which didn't confuse but added clarity to the story behind the girl Joanne's predicament.
London to Brighton tells the tale of young runaway Joanne and prostitute Kelly who's lives collide and consequently take a turn for the worst.
Not only does London to Brighton triumph as a great British film but also as a gripping thriller, and one of which I can safely say new comer Paul Andrew Williams should be proud.London to Brighton tells the tale of young runaway Joanne and prostitute Kelly who's lives collide and consequently take a turn for the worst.
Never can i remember seeing a movie where i have just felt so sick,in shock,angry,upset and seething.Although it is probably the best British film ever made the contents is so shocking and thought provoking it will stay with you for a long long time if you have any conscience and morals.I know it is a film but the very evil that is among the nasty characters makes you want to hunt them down and beat them as their victims that is how realistic this film is portrayed and how well the characters are being shown to us in their roles.the film keeps you gripped from start to finish and you are as much a part of kelly and joanne,s character as they are,you go through their every emotion,fear and joyous moment which has to be said is few and far between.the worst bit is this is,not fiction this is going on in the uk and the world where these young underage girls are being abused.i watched it at approx 12.00 am and i cant sleep now as it has shocked me so much.the 12 year old who plays joanne is absolutely amazing and a strong actress for that age,she will be winning Oscars etc with acting as good and strong as this.as a father this is probably why I'm so affected by the graphic contents of this movie..
It is a decent product in many respects, great performances from Johnny Harris (Derek), Georgia Groome (Joanne) and Lorraine Stanley (Kelly), effectual editing, decent camera-work, lighting and sound.
The only criticism is that I think is that I more could been found out about Kelly's and Derek's pasts.London to Brighton is a grim view, but a worthy film..
If you can stand that, though, and the often dark, gloomy plot of a prostitute and a twelve-year old girl running away to Brighton from something they've done in the capital city (hence the title) you're in for a treat.The cast are excellent, most notably perhaps newcomer Georgia Groome as Joanne the young runaway.
I wanted to know more about the characters we meet in Brighton too - I don't think they were very well developed.Apart from these problems, I found "London To Brighton" very enjoyable, and recommend it to anyone who likes gritty British cinema.7/10.
Basically prostitute Kelly (Lorraine Stanley) with twelve-year-old newcomer Joanne (Georgia Groome) are on the run heading to from London to Brighton after doing something terrible.
Derek needed to find a twelve-year-old girl to perform sexual acts for mobster Duncan Allen (Alexander Morton), Stuart's father, and Kelly found Joanne on the streets. |
tt0945355 | Kidô senshi Gandamu: Dai 08 MS shôtai - Mirâzu ripôto | Set in a fictional universe in the year 2124 (Universal Century year 0079 according to the Gundam Calendar), the Principality of Zeon has declared independence from the Earth Federation, and subsequently launched a war of independence called the One Year War. The conflict has directly affected every continent on Earth, also nearly every space colony and lunar settlement. Zeon, though smaller, has the tactical upper hand through their use of a new type of humanoid weapons called mobile suits. After half of all humanity perishes in the conflict, the war settled into a bitter stalemate lasting over 8 months.
The story begins with a newly deployed Federation warship, the White Base, arriving at the secret research base located at the Side 7 colony to pick up the Federation's newest weapon. However, they are closely followed by Zeon forces. A Zeon reconnaissance team member disobeys mission orders and attacks the colony, killing most of the Federation crew and civilians in the process. Out of desperation, citizen boy Amuro Ray accidentally finds the Federation's new arsenal—the RX-78 Gundam, and neutralizes the situation. Scrambling everything they can, the White Base sets out with her newly formed crew of civilian recruits and refugees in her journey to survive.
On their journey, the White Base members often encounter the Zeon Lieutenant Commander Char Aznable. Although Char antagonizes Amuro in battle, he takes advantage of their position as Federation members to have them kill members from Zeon's Zabi family as part of his revenge scheme. Amuro also meets ensign Lalah Sune with whom he falls in love, but accidentally kills when facing Char. When the Federation Forces invade the Fortress of A Baoa Qu to defeat the Zeon forces, Amuro engages on a final one-on-one duel against Char due to their shared hatred for Lalah's death. Having realized he forgot his true enemy, Char stops fighting to kill the last surviving Zabi member, Kycilia Zabi. Amuro then reunites with his comrades as the war reaches its end. | violence | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0972844 | Tomb Raider: Underworld | Tomb Raider: Underworld begins with Lara Croft's mansion exploding and being engulfed in flames. The game then rewinds back in time to a week before the explosion, just after the events of Tomb Raider: Legend. Lara is searching for Avalon, hoping it will lead her to an explanation for the disappearance of her long lost mother. Underneath the Mediterranean Sea, Lara discovers an ancient temple designating itself as "Niflheim", one of the many Norse underworlds. Lara recovers one of Thor's gauntlets after a lengthy battle with Amanda Evert's mercenaries, and an encounter with an imprisoned Jacqueline Natla on Amanda's ship. Natla tells Lara that the Norse underworld, Helheim and Avalon are one and the same and that she will need to find Thor's Hammer to open the Underworld and find her mother. Lara soon discovers that she will have to find Thor's other gauntlet and his belt if she wants to find and wield the hammer. Natla provides Lara with a starting point for her search in this quest – coastal Thailand. In Thailand, Lara doesn't locate the next gauntlet, but she finds evidence that her father had retrieved it before he died. She also discovers a message that reveals her father and Natla had a working relationship which eventually soured. Lara is able to deduce where her father hid the missing gauntlet.
Back at the Croft Manor, Lara finds her father's secret office buried beneath her home. Upon his desk, Lara discovers the gauntlet as well as a tape-recorded message, warning her that Helhiem contains a powerful weapon. Suddenly, an explosion occurs and Lara's home becomes engulfed in flames, leading back to the opening events of the game. Zip tries to shoot Lara and claims that "Lara" detonated the bomb. When Lara returns to the burning office to recover the security footage, she encounters her doppelgänger who kills Alister Fletcher. After his emotional death, Lara resolves to continue with her quest. In Mexico, Lara finds both Thor's Belt and ancient pictographs linking the weapon in Helheim to Jörmungandr, a mythical Norse sea-serpent, brought about by the seventh age. Her next stop are ruins on Jan Mayen Island that correlate to Valhalla. It is here that Lara finally recovers Thor's Hammer. In the meantime, Zip has managed to track Amanda down to a sister-ship of the one Lara sank earlier. Armed with Mjolnir, Lara boards the vessel and interrogates Natla once again. Natla provides Lara with the coordinates of Helheim, but points out that Lara does not know the Ritual of Odin, which is needed to open its gates, so Lara reluctantly strikes a bargain with Natla and frees her from her cell.
They rendezvous in the outer chambers of the Helheim complex, deep below the Arctic Sea. With the ritual performed, Lara is able to use Mjolnir to open the gates of Helheim. Along the way, Lara discovers the horrifying truth of her mother's fate – she has been turned into a thrall, thus Lara forcibly shoots her. Natla reveals the true extent of her manipulation of Lara, also revealing that she was responsible for killing Lara's father. The doppelgänger prepares to kill Lara, but she is saved by Amanda. It is revealed that the Midgard Serpent was a Norse metaphor for the many tectonic divisions that encircle the world, beneath the seas. The doomsday device was built upon the most unstable junction of these lines and its activation would cause massive volcanic activity across the whole planet and the destruction of most of humanity. Lara successfully destabilises the device and strikes Natla with Mjolnir, sending her down into the pool of deadly eitr below. Lara and Amanda escape together using the dais, like the one that brought Lara's mother to Helheim, teleporting back to the temple in Nepal (from Tomb Raider: Legend). | violence | train | wikipedia | Despite being shorter than Anniversary, I felt that Underworld was a far superior game.
This chapter in the history of Lady Lara Croft corrected most of the frustrating mistakes of it's predecessor and made it an enjoyable gaming experience that was almost on par with Legend.
Underworld steered away from using extreme difficulty and repeated death as a means to increase the playtime and therefore made the game far less frustrating, to the point of being extremely enjoyable.
I have completed the main story, but I can assure you that I will be returning to each level to retrieve the collectibles I missed on the first run (which Anniversary didn't inspire me to do).Don't get me wrong, though, there are minor technical glitches, such as enemies freezing in place, places where Lara can easily get 'stuck' and on one occasion she became permanently invisible, forcing me to reboot, but these are only minor annoyances.
I'm not saying that Underworld is bad, just not what it was made out to be.Although Underworld did see a return of Zip and Allister, they only appeared at the beginning and end of levels and in the second half of the game, they were absent entirely.
I felt a little cheated by this as these two characters (and Winston) made Legend feel much brighter and more fun than any previous TR game.
Their constant playful jibes and contributions to the level-at-hand gave the game a less lonely feeling and allowed us to see Lara's wit, warmth, charm and flaws, making her a much more interesting character.
Though there are several moments where Lara's true emotions are shown, for the most part of the game, she feels much, much less three dimensional than she was in Legend.
But, as the name of the game implies, Underworld's plot goes places much darker than that of Legend or even Anniversary.
Some people may remember me starting a thread in the forum for this game about whether Lara's character would be tarnished by actions she takes in this game.
The resolution to one ongoing aspect of the plot was especially cruel, as if the writers sat around and asked themselves "What's the most punishing way (for Lara) that we can resolve this part of the story?" It's just one of many emotional blows the player is forced to endure during this game and, unfortunately, they are not countered by superior uplifting or hopeful moments.
While well done, I would've preferred it if the story had been a lot kinder to Lara.If you need your entertainment to end happily, this probably isn't the game for you.All-in-all, I believe that Legend remains the finest Tomb Raider game ever, although Underworld has just claimed second place.
In spite of it's heart-wrenching moments, it was a well designed and involving game that was not bogged down with infuriating, repetitive difficulty.Now I'd like to end with a plea to Eidos: PLEASE leave the game engine as is and devote your time (in the next TR volume) to making more levels!
I would have gladly settled for the Legend engine and graphics if it meant you would have spent the time you saved building three or four more levels!
I am extremely grateful for the wonderful gaming experience I have just had, but I don't mind sounding like a greedy bastard when I say: "I WANT MORE!".
As a die-hard fan of the Tomb Raider series I naturally had to have this game, the more so after reading the glowing reviews on Amazon.
The game won't run on older hardware.More good things first: Lara's interactive capabilities have further improved from her previous two adventures, her movements look more lifelike thanks to motion-capturing and scripted events, like pushing vegetation out of the way.
More important is her extended repertoire of useful moves: She can now balance on horizontal poles as well as swing from them, stand on narrow ledges, climb alcoves by jumping from wall to wall and use her grappling hook more effectively (how about enabling her to use grappled objects as jump-off or -up points, once she's reached them?) So I'm happy to say the "next-gen" experience begins to approach something like the natural "feel" of the classic series, where YOU played the game -- Tomb Raider Next-Gen often feels more like the game is playing you!
The developers achieved their goal of re-invigorating the core qualities of Tomb Raider -- exploration and immersion.
Just try to stray from the predestined path, and you'll know what I mean -- invisible walls everywhere; things & ledges Lara won't grab, low obstacles she can't jump over and even solid objects she'll fall through.
There are some funny videos on Youtube -- but it's not really fun to encounter in a Tomb Raider game.
This has been an issue since "Legend", but "Legend" and "Anniversary" combined don't have as much appetizing content as "Underworld", and the player stays hungry like the poor kid in front of the gourmet shop.
Good looks are a great device to keep players hooked, and I'm definitely saying: This game is a "must-see".
And maybe it never will.The story: It's quite good by Tomb Raider standards (meaning: the "meat" of the story is the most convoluted bundle of myths yet), but honestly it's the least I care about.
And I really, really, don't want to know her IQ or her cup size, but for the sake of the game I wish she'd get over that fixation about Mommy & Daddy for good.
I kind of miss the humorous touch.Some people have claimed the game is too short (true, it's the shortest of the Next-Gen games) and that it looks a bit rushed in terms of hidden objects and replay value -- I still haven't found all of them.
Because Tomb Raider deserves everything they promised sans the glitches and horrible collision detection.
However, after SO many iterations of this game, I want to see a realistic Lara.
I can't count the number of times I freaked out as I was on a ledge, and couldn't see where to go next, so I gathered I was to take a leap of faith in the game, only to find my deduction like two inches off.
I don't remember having this much of an issue with tomb raider legend or anniversary.
It felt sloppy, evading and shooting is a terrible affair, the camera starts freaking out as you are locked on to an enemy, but you can't see the enemy, as the game engine is trying to stay on Lara bouncing around.
Unless the next tomb raider can somehow design a combat system that is amazing, like...
The checkpoint save system is also annoying, but not too bad.Though some of the veterans will scoff, I find the optional "field assistance" hints an improvement over the previous games that offered no help at all - now I am less likely to need to look up solutions online when I get stuck.
At least there are difficulty settings for specific things like enemy health and fall damage.Lara's controls are a bit mixed.
Tomb Raider Underworld looks like a current generation game but feels like it is still stuck in the past.
The character models look a lot more realistic than in previous games, with Lara having a much more athletic build.
Lara still has a plastic Michael Jackson face, which does ruin the immersion a bit, but at least it doesn't affect the game-play.
For all the good looks this game has, there are so many things that spoil the game-play.
It does nothing to aid the flow of the game or enhance Lara's movement, in fact it impedes you so many times.
The gun battles are so bad it almost feels like it was tacked on because traditionally Lara has had to shoot something.
Experienced tomb raiders should have no problem completing the game.
As good as the story and levels are, the bad camera, the length of the game, and the little replay value will ensure that I do not revisit Underworld for a while.
Underworld really does feel like a half-game..
This is a continuation of the story from Tomb Raider Legend.
Crystal Dynamics third Tomb Raider game and Lara's complete next gen debut.
The game sadly follows Angel of Darkness's footsteps in making Lara's first game on the new generation of consoles a mess.
Which Eidos is known for rushing their developers.Graphically the game looks great.
I fell through a boss one time, I went through a boat wall, close to the end of the game the screen just went black and I had to cut off my PS3 and turn it back on before I could do anything else, and at one point the screen went completely gray.
This game is shorter than Anniversary as well, but longer than Legend by a small margin.There are some improvements here.
Just like Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness.
I'm a big Tomb Raider fan, have played all the previously released games, including gold games, and I must say, this game is most like Tomb Raider AOD: A great story, stunning new graphics, and out of control controls.
Although this game doesn't contain as many texture glitches as AOD, the setback is that the camera is completely out of control.
It's like they put the game on 2x speed compared to Tomb Raider Anniversary, which completely takes out the pleasure of playing the game, and just makes you confused and even sometimes nauseous.
The story is interesting, and in line with the previous game Tomb Raider Legend, although in this game you have no idea where to go, because the textures are too realistic and the camera is in your way.
First Tomb Raider game and really enjoyed it.
Tomb Raider: Underworld follows the story from the previous game Tomb Raider: Legend where Lara, as a 9 year old girl gets stranded in the Himalayas with her mom when, suddenly her mom disappears through a portal and Lara tries to solve the mystery that her dad started about what really happened to her mom.
HP, because of the puzzle solving and collecting Wizard Cards, and James Bond because of the shooting and different weapons, though I liked Underworld's camera view better than James Bond.The graphics were amazing; it's like watching a movie especially with the cinematics in the game; the story is unbelievably awesome, unpredictable and very well thought out and done and also connected very well to Legend's story; combat was very fun especially with the Adrenaline Headshot.
Make sure, at least, to buy Legend first to get accustomed with the story before playing Underworld which is the climax of the story like I did.
Some people didn't like how Allister and Zip weren't in Underworld as much as Legend but It didn't bug me as much.
One glitch that I had to endure was during the Southern Mexico level, I got stuck because I saved my game after jumping over a pillar laying across the hallway in Xibalba then stopped and went back to go get a treasure, but when I started from when I saved it, the motorcycle was on the other side of the pillar than I was so I had to start over, just to warn you..
The graphics were amazing as always and the game play is fun and interesting especially with the new weapons that she finds over the course of the game.
The makers have really focused on design and movement with this game making it seem more realistic and of course as any Tomb Raider fan will know that this one contains blood.
I am still with Tomb Raider 2 being my favourite but they are getting closer to the greatness they once had and who knows maybe my opinion will changed within a few years..
Levels are long and boring with too much detail on meaningless treasure hunting (the Platinum depends on you getting all 179 treasures in the game, but it's glitched, so you're screwed) and not enough action.It's time for Lara to hang up her hot pants.
While not overly different from Legend and Anniversary, it has definitely taken inspiration from the two and combined all of the best bits of both.The story itself is extremely compelling, and the ending is truly epic and moving.
The story is what kept me going, something that hasn't happened since Mass Effect and Gears 2.As you may have guessed, I have played the game on Xbox 360.
I have an open mind for all platforms (and play on PC as well), but I believe Tomb Raider is best played on your console of choice due to the fact the controls work so well on a controller.
Apart from some minor control quirks and the odd camera moment, most of the game remains solid and stable and never did the quirks frustrate or hamper the experience.Some familiar characters return for Underworld, including Zip and Alistair.
If there is one thing I would have changed in Underworld, it's that Zip and Alistair don't play as big a role as in Legend, which is a shame because there are times in Underworld where you know you would be hearing them if you were playing Legend.Some people however will like this approach, as there are no hints and tips given to you when solving puzzles, as Zip and Alistair are oblivious to your actions.
Instead, Lara films her expeditions with an HDD camcorder (which has the same amount of battery every time she uses it), and this progresses the story in the same way Zip and Alistair did in Legend.Being more like Anniversary will certainly please the older fans, but for people who properly joined the series at Legend (like me), some will feel the lack of dialogue is, well, lacking.
This however is only my opinion, and on the plus side the lack of dialogue certainly adds to the feeling of isolation present throughout the game.Overall, Underworld is a great game, with dazzling graphics in a similar style to 'Uncharted' on the PS3.
The exploration and story really keep you going, and the generally epic feel to the game makes it feel like a Hollywood blockbuster.
I really enjoyed Tomb Raider: Legend, I was so enraptured in Lara Croft that I instantly got Underworld.
I've never seen a Tomb Raider game with this much detail in the graphics and Underworld has it in spades from jungles, to ancient cities and ruins and even underwater and the mythical lands of Norse mythology.
I'd say Underworld is an amazing game that is almost up to par with Legend, but a longer game would definitely made me more happier..
I think that Underworld is one of the best games in Tomb Raider series along with Legend.
I think that graphics are great, characters are very well made and that the game has more interesting story than any other game I've played.
Tomb Raider: Underworld, more like return of the Angel of Darkness.
Many times I while playing I would simply think, was this really needed?
I was born in 1996, so I have been around as long as Lara has, and I must say, the new Lara in this game is more uglier than the one in the original Tomb Raider.
The look of Lara Croft in Underworld seemed like it would fit better in a different game, in a whole other franchise.
It looks like someone tried to throw Lara off a cliff and resemble her themselves.
I would have much rather liked it if they stuck to the original design and just revamped it a little, much like Legend or Anniversary.(Note* If you play Tomb Raider Legend on the PS3 in the trilogy game, you can see many similarities in the old Lara and in that one.)Pros, Levels and tomb areas are beautiful, I have no complaints.
I don't know who they based this Lara off of, because it sure looks nothing like Alison Carroll.
Lara seriously looks like a Barbie that you can find at the dollar general.Game Play is way way too short.
Things are to much fast paced, I don't know a person alive who moves that fast, it looks like something out of the twilight universe.
The camera angel is a little funky, especially in the tomb raider trilogy game.
I can be looking forward, and all of the sudden the camera will start to bounce, and I will be looking behind Lara.No Zip or Alister commentary through out the game.
Lara moves really blocky, her swan dive is all messed up, it looks like a monkey in a human suit jumping awkwardly.
I honestly would have enjoyed a fight between Lara, the Doppleganger, and Amanda in the foyer of Croft Manor or something like that.
She is suppose to be the big baddie, but you only have conversation with her about three times in the game, four, if you watch the 'Previously on Tomb Raider' video.179 treasures, that give you nothing except developers content.
I would have really loved outfits like in Legend and Anniversary, but sadly you can only use what they give you, and one unlockable outfit you can only use in the first level.
6 relics in 6 levels, that only give you a slight health boost, that you don't need because Lara rarely takes that much damage in this game.Those are my complaints.
I am not saying to not buy this game, it is a really nice game, but be prepared for glitches and bugs, and fast pace, and if your a Tomb Raider gamer with experience, you could find yourself on the third level within an hour or two.
Hell, this game makes AoD look really appealing right now.
I would only recommend that you play it if you have had previous experience with Anniversary and Legend, otherwise you won't really know what's going on or how the game really runs. |
tt0047013 | Garden of Evil | En route to California to prospect for gold, Hooker (Gary Cooper), Fiske (Richard Widmark), and Luke Daly (Cameron Mitchell) stop over in a tiny Mexican village. The three men and Vicente Madariaga (Victor Manuel Mendoza) are hired by a desperate Leah Fuller (Susan Hayward) to rescue her husband John (Hugh Marlowe), who is trapped in a gold mine in hostile Indian territory.
During the harrowing journey, the party's already frayed nerves are aggravated when the men become attracted to the woman. The group then arrives at the mine site—called the "Garden of Evil" because the Indians regard it as the domain of evil spirits. They find an injured, but living John Fuller.
As they leave, they are pursued by Apaches. Eventually, only Hooker, Fiske and Leah are left alive. At a choke point in the cliff-hugging road, the two men draw cards to see who will stay behind to hold off pursuing Indians while the other two ride to safety. Fiske "wins" and succeeds in killing or driving off the enemy. After seeing that Leah is safe, Hooker returns to talk with a dying Fiske, who urges him to settle down with Leah. | violence, melodrama | train | wikipedia | While Cooper's career spanned ninety-two feature films, in which he appeared as everything from a masked Cossack to an Italian Renaissance explorer, a foreign legionnaire, a baseball great and countless sophisticated romantic adventurers, he is best remembered as a Western star...'Garden of Evil' tells the story of three American adventurers (Cooper, Widmark, and Mitchell) who are stranded in a Mexican fishing village after the ship that was taking them to California is put out of commission...
Instead, they are now in Puerto Miguel, approached by a woman in trouble, a Spanish-speaking American woman, Leah Fuller (Susan Hayward), who offers to pay them handsomely if they escort her through hazardous Indian territory to rescue her husband who is hurt and trapped in a gold mine up there in the hills...The mention of gold makes them agree and, together with a Mexican macho man named Vicente (Victor Manuel Mendoza), begin their long, arduous journey...Emotions become tense when Leah discovers Vicente marking trails and, later, finds herself fighting off the crude advances of one of the three soldiers of fortune...When the group arrives at what the Indians call the Garden of Evil, a sacred grounds atop a high mountain where the mine is located, they found Fuller (Hugh Marlowe) still alive, but embittered and with a broken leg...
Wellman's superb, high adventure 'Beau Geste,' and her third with director Hathaway...Richard Widmark proceeds his ways of gambling with a neat line in cynical cracks; Cameron Mitchell fails in his unwelcome sexual advances; Hugh Marlowe uses a variety of both conscious and unconscious processes to deal with his angry feelings; Victor Manuel Mendoza gets intensely angry after being hit; and Rita Moreno delights the environment with her sweet voice...Hathaway was one of the great Hollywood veterans still in harness, a versatile director whose Westerns have been as variable in quality as his other films...
One of the early Cinemascope adventures from Fox, GARDEN OF EVIL has a superb cast at the top of their respective games, fantastic special effects, wonderful widescreen photography, and one of house composer Bernard Herrmann's very best scores (which is saying a mouthful).
First of all, the story works....Next, the lines work and the performances are perfect: Susan Hayward's voice is the feminine equal of the stoic, knowing and forceful sound of Gary Cooper's voice: those voices are the trademarks of both of their film careers, and in this movie the interplay of their vocal tracks are very significant, definitive performances in both their careers....just listen to their lines and you will appreciate the fact that this movie is one of the high points of the dramatic art of two great performers...You will also enjoy the visuals in this movie....Hayward is sexy, and backed by beautiful vistas.
It also has more great lines than most movies - alldelivered brilliantly by Susan Hayward, Gary Cooper and Richard Widmark.Here are some as I remember them (not necessarily accurate).
Coop and two other Americans heading around the cape to California, find themselves stranded in a hole in the wall village on the Mexican coast for several weeks while the ship they are sailing dropped anker for repairs.A desperate woman arrives at the cantina looking for men to help rescue her husband trapped in their gold mine.
Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, and Richard Widmark are on a trip through the wilds of Mexico in search of gold.
However, the lure of the prospects of wealth spur the group on to the mine, and they reach the mine, save the husband, but now face the dangers posed by the Apaches.Each character offers some sense of presence to the film; Cooper is able to portray the silent, strength of character person, while Widmark adds a philosophical, yet cynical, view of life in his role as Fiske, a gambler.
A trio of American drifters formed by a veteran ex-sheriff named Hooker (Gary Cooper) , a card player named Fiske(Richard Widmark) and a gunfighter , Luke Daly (Cameron Mitchell) going to California and marooned in rural Mexico are recruited by a beautiful woman named Leah Fuller (Susan Hayward) who offers a strong reward to rescue her husband named John Fuller (Hugh Marlowe) from vengeful Apaches .
It's gold rush time and en route to California, Hooker (Gary Cooper), Fiske (Richard Widmark) and Luke Daly (Cameron Mitchell) stop over in a small Mexican village.
Here the three men hook up with Vicente Madariaga (Victor Manuel Mendoza) and are lured by a desperate Leah Fuller (Susan Hayward) to go rescue her husband John (Hugh Marlowe), who is trapped in a gold mine up in the mountains.
Mountains where hostile Indians lay in wait, but the Apache are not the only thing to be worried about, the other is themselves.With that cast, Henry Hathaway directing, Bernard Herrmann scoring and CinemaScope inspired location work coming from a volcano region in Mexico, you would think that Garden Of Evil would be far more well known than it actually is.
That it isn't comes as no surprise once viewing it myself.Hathaway's film has real good intentions, it wants to be a brooding parable about the effects of greed, a character examination as men are forced to question their motives.
Some people complained about the Indian's role.I think that the first thing to bear in mind is that this western is more a fable than a realist story:the Indians ,whom we almost never see -a little more than the Arabs in Ford's "the lost patrol" or Duvivier's "la bandera",but not much more-:they are silhouettes in the landscape .The real danger is man's endless greed who ,were the earth made of gold,would die for a handful of it.That's what Gary Cooper's character says.I think that Hathaway's 1957 movie "Legend of the Lost" is more convincing than "Garden" .This search for a treasure in the desert does not need an outside threat:no hostile tribe here.Men are finally on their own and madness is around the corner.Try to see both movies in a row,mainly if you do not think that Henry Hathaway is an auteur.He is..
I bought this film on DVD in a local secondhand DVD shop,ours being region 2,i was surprised that you can not get this on region 1 area or region 0 which a lot of modern dvds are now,i suppose if you really look around you will find them.I thought the film was very good for 1954,the photography was good,the horse riding scenes on the cliffs were exciting,and the music was good,it was subtle and gradually built up to a climax,but never became to intense,the film was quite atmospheric almost as if you were with them,the directing was clever.the characters were interesting,five very different types of people all brought together.However i think i am the only female so far to wright a comment on this film ,and my point of view may differ.What i see is that the female character is acting in a very paranoid and agitated way ,and is trying to distance her self from them,which is how you would react if you were a woman travelling with four men you don't know,to her the enemies may not just be the Indian's in the mountains.The scene in where she is riding her horse and she looks round because she can hear Hooker and Friske laughing,believing it must be about her, says it all.I mean ,every time she makes a move to go anywhere one of them follows her,i don't think it has occurred to them that she may just want to go to the toilet,the only ulterior motive i can see her having is get me out of this uncomfortable situation,thats why she wanted to stay behind and stoke the fire,she was probably thinking give me some space.A good intriguing film any way..
An all-star cast gets us through the plot.With breathtaking scenery, Susan Hayward, as Leah, secures the aid of Cameron Mitchell, Gary Cooper and Richard Widmark in trying to free her trapped husband in a mining cave.As the husband, Hugh Marlowe steals the acting in the film.
Garden Of Evil is an entertaining and well made Technicolor/Cinemascope adventure that shows a part of Mexico's interior not usually shown in western pictures.The plot involves Gary Cooper and his treasure seeking pals being paid to rescue Susan Hayward's husband from a collapsed goldmine located in the supposedly cursed title area.
This is a fine watch in spite of the choppy script.Cooper and Widmark's characters' boat breaks down on the way to the California gold fields--they have to stop in Mexico.
Faced with weeks on end of boredom the men agree to follow a woman in need into the interior, in order to rescue her husband from a cave-in in their gold mine.The Garden of Evil is really is a downright theological movie at times.
Offhand the only matte shot I've liked more is from Tarzan the Ape Man, 1932 (actually another cliff overhanging green plains).Did I mention that this film has Gary Cooper, Richard Widmark, and Susan Haywood?
This flick i remember when i was a kid in the fifties and so it has stuck w\me all these years...I am totally bias when it comes to this Western gem,for i see it as special and original in its own right !Pure adventure w\its exotic locales in Mexico and the music of Bernie Herrmann is unsurpassed !Widmark I would single out as the glue of this yarn and Coop & Hayward are more than adequate;It is majestic in scope & breath and I personally opine that it is the greatest of all exotic(the look)Westerns ever filmed !There is a moral here and it just further enhances this dusky jewel....-the Mighty Bo. A rare Western but still got some stereotyped annoying flaws.
This is a pretty good Western, from an expert in the field (Hathaway) – immeasurably aided by its star cast (Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark, Hugh Marlowe and Cameron Mitchell), a compelling plot line (three adventurers help a woman save her husband, trapped in a mine, then fight over her and the couple’s gold), the pleasant Widescreen photography (the format was still a new fad at the time), and a magnificent score (courtesy of the great Bernard Herrmann).
Incidentally, yet another contemporaneous Western pitting one woman among several desperate men in a remote landscape was THE NAKED SPUR (1953), one of the well-regarded series of Anthony Mann/James Stewart Westerns – as in that film, the central group here has to contend also with a horde of marauding Indians.Cooper, the nominal lead, had just had a career resurgence with his Oscar-winning performance in another genre outing – the classic HIGH NOON (1952); as I said in my review of YELLOW SKY (1948), which I’ve just watched, Widmark’s role here was kind of similar to the one he played in that earlier Western – though, by now, he had begun to stretch effectively from outright villain types.
The supporting cast, then, includes only one prominent role for a Mexican – yet another member of the group who, in defiance of the Indian onslaught, expires in a hail of arrows – whereas young Rita Moreno’s saloon singer proves to be the only other female character in the film.P.S. I own a copy of the bare-bones R2 DVD of GARDEN OF EVIL; the upcoming R1 edition should be a SE and include an Audio Commentary – and, as far as I can tell, it’s only going to be available as part of a 3-Disc Collection also comprising two other classic Westerns from the Fox studio: THE GUNFIGHTER (1950; which I already own on R2 as well) and RAWHIDE (1951; not available elsewhere)....
Coop made several films in Mexico, including "Vera Cruz" with Bert Lancaster.All entertaining to watch, but this one I especially liked.It has the standard "coop gets the girl" ending, and some fairly corny mellowdrama, but by and large it was worthwhile, and even, in some ways, memorable.My favorite scene is near the end of the film where Coop and his friends are fleeing from a hoard of Indians along a narrow trail that skirts the side of a mountain (perhaps special effects, perhaps a real place, I've often wondered), and someone has to stay behind to stand them off while the rest make it to safety.
Above average western yarn complete with an array of fine actors and a script rich in symbolic metaphors.The cast features the likes of Gary Cooper, Richard Widmark, Susan Hayward, Cameron Mitchell, and Hugh Marlowe.
Something much more could have been made of this story, but apparently Henry Hathaway went ahead and directed this meandering tale without his usual enthusiasm for stark adventure laced with a morality tale about gold and its effect on men.SUSAN HAYWARD rounds up three men to escort her through dangerous territory in Mexico, circa 1850s, so that she can redeem herself by rescuing her husband, hurt in a mining accident.
Gold prospectors GARY COOPER, RICHARD WIDMARK and CAMERON MITCHELL agree to escort the woman, all of them aware of her allure and equally lured by the money she offers them for their help.Once again, GARY COOPER gets to play his heroic man of a few words, rising to the occasion especially at the climax when he proves himself a true hero.
CAMERON MITCHELL gets to do some over-acting as an unpleasant man with his mind on seducing Hayward while chewing the scenery.Although much of the film was shot on location in various Mexican locales, some of the night scenes have a strictly stagebound studio look that the CinemaScope camera cannot disguise.
The film was beautifully shot by veteran cameraman Milton Krasner, but it's panoramic vistas sometimes overshadow the story of four men hired to escort a beautiful woman through hostile territory to rescue her husband trapped in a gold mine in 1850's Mexico.
Gary Cooper (Hooker), no stranger to "buddy films", this time finds a the "so called" buddy in Richard Widmark (Fiske).
A stellar cast that includes; Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark, Cameron Mitchell and Hugh Marlowe traveling through Indian country leaves the audience pondering the usual, "Who will survive?".
"Garden of Evil" was the first western filmed in the original wide screen format of CinemaScope and stereophonic sound.(The second was "River of no Return") both produced by Fox studios.The Mexican landscapes are excellent thanks to the superb photography and use of color.
While in a cantina, these men (Gary Cooper, Richard Widmark and Cameron Mitchell) are approached by a frantic Susan Hayward who is trying to recruit men to follow her into Apache territory to rescue her husband who is trapped following a mining accident.
Here, Gary Cooper and Richard Widmark are given good opportunity to finally flesh out their characters.Overall, this is a slightly better than average Western.
Richard Widmark & Gary Cooper arrive in town looking for some action when Hayward bursts in offering them a reward to save her husband hurt in the mine they own.
Hooker (Gary Cooper), Fiske (Richard Widmark) and Luke Daly (Cameron Mitchell) are stranded in the dusty town of Puerto Miguel, Mexico when their ship breaks down.
Leah Fuller (Susan Hayward) comes to town in need of men to rescue her husband John Fuller (Hugh Marlowe) who is trapped in their mine.
With lovely locations in Mexico this was Fox's first western in the then new process of Cinemascope and Stereophonic sound and boasted a top notch cast in Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward and Richard Widmark.From a fine screenplay by Frank Fenton - Cooper and Widmark together with Cameron Mitchell and Victor Manuel Mendoza are four adventurers contracted by Leah Fuller (Hayward) to go back with her into the wilds of Mexico to rescue her husband (Hugh Marlowe) who is lying trapped and injured in a gold mine.
Cooper as Hooker is at his laconic best, Hayward is as gorgeous as ever, Mitchell in a good part as a temperamental and impatient young gun, Mendoza as the likable and amiable Mexican companion and Widmark shines as Fiske the droll and garrulous gambler who cuts for highest card to see who goes and who stays behind.Beautifully photographed in Cinemascope and colour by Milton Krasner it is all excitingly handled by Hathaway.
Three men (Gary Cooper as "Hooker"; Richard Widmark as "Fiske"; and Cameron Mitchell as "Daly) are stuck in a Mexican sea town while their ship is being repaired.
While drinking together in a cantina (where Moreno is dancing - it is owned by her boyfriend Victor Manuel Mendoza, here as "Madariaga") they are all approached by Susan Hayward (as "Leah Fuller") to assist her in rescuing her husband (Hugh Marlowe as "John Fuller") who is an engineer exploring a gold mind.
Mendoza's character of Madariaga is as complex as Cooper's Hooker, Widmarck's Fiske, Mitchell's Daly, or Hayward and Marlowe's twisted Fullers.
Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark and Cameron Mitchell are leads; Hugh Marlowe and Victor Mendoza are in supporting roles; and Rita Morena has something a little more than a cameo.
An American woman, Leah Fuller, hires them to rescue her husband John who is trapped in a gold mine located deep in Indian Territory.
Beautiful location photography and a good score by Bernard Hermann...and that about warps it up for GARDEN OF EVIL.Gary Cooper seems very bored with his part.Richard Widmark seems there for a vacation and doesn't want to get too worked up, either.Cameron Mitchell and the Mexican dude really get excited over their thinly written parts.And Susan Hayward, once again, gets a part that suits her non-acting ability.Do Cooper or Widmark get any close-ups in this film?
This long-forgotten western boasts a great cast with Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark and Cameron Mitchell, filmed extensively in seldom seen remote Mexican locations.
Who would think a line up like Gary Cooper, Richard Widmark, and Susan Hayward, could lend themselves to such a disaster.Garden of evil was slow, ponderous and boring. |
tt0086143 | Private School | Christine "Chris" Ramsey (Phoebe Cates) lies in bed narrating a trashy romance novel to Betsy (Kathleen Wilhoite), her roommate at the Cherryvale Academy for Girls. Meanwhile, three students of the nearby Freemount Academy for Men, including Jim Green (Matthew Modine) and his overweight, slobbish friend Bubba (Michael Zorek), sneak into Cherryvale to peek on the girls. Jordan Leigh-Jenson (Betsy Russell), showering at the time, sees that the boys are peering at her and enlists Chris and Betsy's help to drive them away; the three boys fall off the side of the building. In response to being disturbed, the roommates light a bag of feces on fire and put it in front of Jordan's door.
About a week later, at a co-ed dance, Chris reveals that Jim is her boyfriend; as the couple are dancing, Chris tells Jim that she has decided she wants to surrender her virginity to him. After a speech by headmistress Miss Dutchbok (Fran Ryan), the band plays a slow song while Jordan dances alone and conspires against Chris. Bubba, sporting an erection from Miss Dutchbok's speech, sneaks off to the headmistress' office with Betsy to drink and have sex; however, the two are caught in the act by the headmistress and her friends. The following day, after morning aerobics, Chris books a hotel for Jim and herself.
After another period of time, students of the two schools are horseriding together. Jordan trots past where Chris and Jim are talking and flashes her breasts at Jim. In revenge, Betsy steals Jordan's shirt, forcing the latter to ride nude in front of the headmistress et alumni. That weekend, Jim goes to buy condoms, but is distracted by the pharmacist (Martin Mull in an uncredited role) and ends up buying dental hygiene products; when Chris goes to buy the protection herself, she is distracted and eventually seen by Miss Dutchbok.
After a time in the arcade where Jim is forced to speak romantically over the phone to Chris by his friends, Jordan swears greater revenge. The following day, Jim, Bubba, and another friend dress as women to sneak into the girls shower room. Jim is caught by Jordan, who arouses him with a cold bottle and forces him to give her a massage. Meanwhile, Bubba meets up with Betsy for a tryst, but leaves before they have sex. As Bubba is exiting the building through the ledge of Betsy's bathroom, he witnesses Jim massaging Jordan. When he is startled by Betsy, he falls off the ledge. Meanwhile, after Jim confesses to Jordan that he is in fact really a boy (which was already known to Jordan), she pretends to scream and kicks him out of the room, leading to Chris finding out about their indiscretion. Chris storms out of the building, heartbroken.
After several weeks of unsuccessfully trying to get Chris back, during parent visitation day, Jim asks for the help of her father. After Betsy and he tell Chris to take Jim back, she does; Chris and Jim then leave for the hotel. After failing to have sex during the night because Chris finds the hotel too kitschy, as well as getting sick from the room-service food, they have sex on the beach in the morning.
Meanwhile, Jordan's father (Frank Aletter) has sex with her new stepmother while the chauffeur Chauncey (Ray Walston) listens in. Not long afterwards, Miss Dutchbok, who has mistaken Chauncey for Mr. Leigh-Jenson (Jordan's father), has sex with him in the back of Leigh-Jenson's car. Bubba and Betsy, looking to have another tryst, climb into the front seat and turn on the loudspeakers, ensuring that the chauffeur and Ms. Dutchbook's indiscretion are known by everyone present at the program. Upon realizing what Bubba has done, Miss Dutchbok lunges at him, eventually resulting in the car going into the pool. Afterwards, Bubba begins hitting on Jordan, eventually leading to Jordan paying him a midnight visit; when Betsy catches them together, she is apoplectic. The film ends with graduation day, where the graduating girls moon the camera. | cult, stupid, prank | train | wikipedia | null |
tt3966404 | Mustang | The film starts with Lale, the youngest of the five sisters and the protagonist, bidding an emotional farewell at school to her female teacher, who is moving to Istanbul. The sisters decide to walk home instead of taking a van, to enjoy the sunny day. Along the way, they play in the water at the beach with their classmates. For one game, they sit on boys' shoulders and try to knock each other off. When they reach home, their grandmother scolds and hits them for their having this kind of bodily contact with boys and thus "pleasuring themselves" with them. Their uncle Erol is equally furious. From then on, the girls are forbidden from leaving the house, even for school.
The sisters feel stifled in their home as their grandmother tries to make them suitable for marriage. When in public they must now dress in drab, conservative clothing. Instead of attending school, they must stay home, where they are taught how to cook, clean and sew by their female relatives. Even so, the oldest sister, Sonay, sneaks out occasionally to meet her lover, and Lale looks for various ways to escape.
Lale, who loves football, is forbidden from attending Trabzonspor matches. She resolves to go to a match from which men have been banned due to hooliganism. A friend tells her that the girls in the village are going together on a bus. The sisters, who are happy for an opportunity to leave the house, sneak out of the house with Lale. When they miss the bus, they hitch a ride with a passing truck driver, Yasin, who helps them catch up to it. They’re ecstatic in the exuberant atmosphere of the all-female crowd cheering for their team. Back home, their aunt catches a glimpse of them at the match on TV, just as their uncle and other village men are about to tune in. To prevent the men from finding out, she cuts the house's, and then the whole village's, electricity.
When the girls return, their grandmother decides to start marrying the sisters off. They’re taken to town, ostensibly "to get lemonade", which is actually an opportunity to show them off to potential suitors. Soon enough, a suitor and his family arrive to meet them. Sonay vows to only marry her lover and refuses to meet the prospective suitor and his family. Selma is sent instead and becomes engaged. Sonay gets engaged a short while later to her lover. At the two sisters' joint wedding, Sonay is clearly happy while Selma is not. On the night of her wedding, Selma's in-laws come to view the bed sheets in a traditional ritual to establish that Selma was a virgin before her wedding night. Because there is no blood on the sheet, her in-laws take her to a physician to have her virginity tested.
Next in line for marriage is Ece. It’s revealed that her uncle is sexually abusing her at night. In Lale’s words, she starts acting “dangerously.” When the three remaining girls stop with their uncle near a bank, Ece allows a boy to have sexual contact with her in their car. She makes jokes at the lunch table, inciting loud laughs from her sisters, and is told to go to her room, where she shoots herself and dies. The surviving sisters and their family attend the funeral.
Now it is just the two youngest sisters, Nur and Lale, at home. Lale continues sneaking out. On one impulsive attempt to walk to Istanbul alone she is encountered by Yasin, the truck driver, who is kind to her. At Lale's request, he later teaches her how to drive. When she is caught on the way back into her house, the house is again reinforced to try to make it impossible for them to leave.
It becomes evident that the uncle starts abusing Nur as well and that their grandmother knows about it. She says that now it is time for her to be married off. Though she is young, she is found a suitor and engaged to be married. On the night of Nur's wedding, Lale convinces her to resist, and the girls bar themselves inside the house while the whole wedding party is outside, much to the embarrassment of their family. As the wedding party disperses, their uncle violently tries to get inside. Lale finds the phone hidden in a cupboard and plugs it in to call Yasin for help. The girls gather up money and a few supplies, grab the uncle's car keys, and sneak out of the house. They manage to escape in the car, crashing it close to their house. They hide and wait for Yasin, who picks them up and takes them to the local bus station. The girls take the bus to Istanbul, where they find their former teacher, who greets them warmly. | violence | train | wikipedia | Mustang at the same time offers a laugh and a tear; the viewer is offered the perspective of young ladies growing up, discovering their sexuality and being told that this is a bad thing.Of course some critics will argue that this movie might give viewers a wrong impression about Turkey.
Now that thats out of the way lets get into the review.The film tells the tale about five young free spirited sisters living in a conservative Turkish household, and the friction regarding the relationship between them and their uncle and grandmother.
One of the first things i noticed when i watched the film is that the family relations depicted in the film bear a striking resemblance to an old conservative Serbian family, which doesn't come as a big surprise since the Turks practically ruled our lands for five centuries, and that is one of the main reasons i would recommend this to anyone who was raised in a Balkan country which was occupied by the Turks, because i think they will find some interesting parallels.What bothered me the most about the film was the fact that certain characters weren't very developed, specifically the teacher, and the driver that frequently helps the younger sister, i simply wished that the script devoted more time to explaining their motivation.
Also the ending seamed very unexpected, and not in a good way, it simply wasn't foreshadowed enough for it to be satisfying.All in all i think this is a worthy contender for the academy award, and it made me very interested in the future career of Deniz Gamze Ergüven, the director of the film, she is a talented woman with a bright future regarding the world of cinema, i wish her the best of luck..
Turkish-French screenwriter and director Deniz Gamze Ergüven's feature film debut which she wrote with French screenwriter and director Alice Winocour, is inspired by her aspiration to depict what it is like to be a woman in Turkey.
It tells the story about an adolescent girl named Lale.Distinctly and subtly directed by Turkish-French filmmaker Deniz Gamze Ergüven, this quietly paced fictional tale which is narrated by the main character and interchangeably from multiple viewpoints, draws a pensively humane portrayal of sisters by circumstance, living with foster carers in a village in the Republic of Turkey, whom after being young girls which involves playing with boys at their school and causing a consequential situation, is introduced to housework, virginity tests and arranged marriages.
While notable for its distinctly atmospheric milieu depictions and cinematography by cinematographer David Chizallet and Ersin Gök, this character-driven and narrative-driven story about the towering will and the freedom of the child where a sweepingly generalizing comment is uttered about feminists not understanding and denouncing maternity which is as generalizing as saying that every mother denounces all single women or vice-versa or that every mother is or have to be an anti-feminist because she has chosen to become a parent and a she in agonizing reluctance has to say goodbye to her mother, depicts some studies of character and contains a great and timely score by composer Warren Ellis.This charmingly youthful, immediately engaging and conscientious realization which is set in Turkey in the 21st century and where a daughter joins four orphaned sisters named Nur, Ece, Sonay and Selma, clothing suits better than custom, sisterhood inspires and remains and motherly attachment surpasses, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, rhythmic continuity, natural humor, majestic scenes of Lale and Istanbul and the unconstrained acting performance by newcomer Güneş Nezihe Şensoy.
Writer/director Deniz Gamze Erguven admits to being inspired by Sophia Coppola's 1999 The Virgin Suicides (though this is not a remake), and by offering us a rare glimpse into the lives of five sisters in a rural community in Turkey, it's clear why the film has been so well received at film festivals – culminating in an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film.
But of course, country of origin is a minor ripple in this year's uproar over diversity at the Oscars.Not being any type of expert in Turkey culture or customs, I must accept that the insights provided by Ms. Erguven and her co-writer Alice Winocour are somewhat accurate, which makes the balance between the tradition of female oppression and the amazing spirit of the girls so relatable for many.
The shame brought to the family and the threat of the girls being "spoiled" highlights the extreme reactions from their grandmother (Nihal G Koldas) and Uncle Erol (Ayberk Pekcan).Lale (Gunes Sensoy) is the youngest of the sisters and in the end proves to be the toughest and most independent.
They find ways, small and large, to rebel
but it's soon enough clear that the mission is to marry the girls off before it's too late (there's that "spoiled" thing again).As Lale witnesses what her older sisters are subjected to, and how happiness or their own wishes play no role, she becomes more determined to avoid such destiny.
I think the director manages to show the virtual prison experienced by all sort of women in our society, through the case of those sisters.However, and despite the director's best intention, movie in general fails to deliver an authentic picture of everyday life and details in the country.
I don't agree, but it would be better if they had worked more on the everyday life and details of the countryside where the film occurs (like better local dialogue, better acquaintance of local customs).In short, I found Mustang a very important movie, but with its own problems.
2015 added to the word's long list of uses the French-Turkish drama "Mustang" (PG-13, 1:37), which became France's submission for the 88th Annual Academy Awards and was nominated for (and was a strong contender for) the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Given its subject matter and quality, "Mustang" is a great name for a great film.The movie explores the relationships and lives of five adolescent sisters living in the seaside village of Inebolu in north-central Turkey.
You might even call them wild (in a strongly independent sense), they are kind of ownerless – as orphans living with their grandmother (Nihal Koldaş) and uncle (Ayberk Pekcan) – and they are quite prone to stray from the strict expectations of their strongly conservative society – as much as they can.When the girls are caught innocently frolicking in the sea with some of their (gasp) male classmates one day after school, their lives change suddenly and dramatically.
Telephones and computers are locked in a closet, bars are placed over the windows, clothing the girls chose for themselves are replaced by drab, formless dresses and daily life becomes an endless series of home economics classes in which female relatives come by to teach the girls how to be proper Turkish wives.Also coming by the house is a parade of single young men with whom grandma begins arranging marriages for the girls.
In spite of instances of abuse and the increasingly severe limitations on their personal freedom, the girls still fight to be themselves, spread their wings, meet boys on their own, keep supporting each other and enjoy each other's company as long as possible."Mustang" represents the best in foreign film.
Undeniably amongst the most powerful, provocative & pragmatic narratives to surface on the silver screen in recent years, Mustang is a beautifully balanced blend of skillful direction, sensible writing & terrific performances that takes a much-needed dig at patriarchy & conservatism and also works as a joyful celebration of sisterhood.Set in a small Turkish village, the story of Mustang follows five young orphaned sisters whose lives are changed completely when they are caught innocently playing with some boys on a beach, after which their conservative family bars them from going to school anymore and begins marrying them off one by one without their consent.Co-written & directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven in what is actually her feature film debut, Mustang takes only a few minutes to establish the strong bond between the siblings before stepping into the realm of absurd social & cultural restraints that snatches away their freedom in the blink of an eye and every restriction imposed upon them turns out to be both nonsensical & unnerving.The screenplay is no slouch either for it packs in an engaging storyline that smoothly unfolds over the course of its runtime and is filled with meaty characters whose arcs are well-defined plus they exhibit surprising depths.
The scripted characters do have some flesh on them, thus providing a solid platform for the actors to built their performances upon but they further up the ante by delivering wonderfully layered & highly convincing inputs that makes all the relevant characters in the film stand out.The story is told from the perspective of Lale, the youngest of the five siblings, and it's through her eyes that we witness the injustice she & her sisters are subjected to yet what keeps them together is their common passion for freedom & constant pursuit of ways to bypass the restrictions imposed upon them by the elders.
On the other hand the girls in the movie act like city girls and suddenly came to live in a rural part of Turkey in a family which they knew nothing about their philosophy of life, the traditions.
Probably it is because, one of the writers (Alice Winocour) is not Turkish and Deniz Gamze Ergüven (director and writer) I guess didn't spend much time in Turkey especially in the rural areas, didn't listen real stories.
This film is a great example of how a movie can be ''off topic''The director thinks that Turkey is a catholic based country.
Unfolding against a backdrop of adolescent sexual repression, rebellion, and loss of innocence, Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven's magical first feature Mustang tackles the issue of gender inequality that women all over the world have to confront, the title symbolizing their strength and untamed spirit.Co-written by the director and Alice Winocour, the film is set in a rural Turkish village near the Black Sea, and takes place in a conservative patriarchal culture that discourages the expression of femininity other than in fulfilling traditional gender roles.
But behavior of people are highly unrealistic in this movie.1) No Turkish girl in that age can defy their elders like that 2) No young Turk calls an elder woman as ''Hanım'', it is mostly used by elites or in working places.
The film is set in the rural that tells a story of five young orphaned sisters who were raised by their stereotype grandmother and strict uncle.
It depicts how those girls grow up without the parental supervise which is more essential than under others care and challenges they face due to difference between modern lifestyle they want to adopt and old traditions they inherited.I know everybody comparing it with 'The Virgin Suicides' and so I thought the same because that's what everyone thinks who had watched these two films.
A scene in the hospital checking a girl's virginity after her honeymoon is disturbing.Writer/director Deniz Gamze Erguven and writer Alice Winocour have crafted a story for the ages about how women continue at the hands of patriarchs and the establishment to suffer the loss of freedoms we take for granted.
But any girl knows for sure that if you are beautiful and intelligent, any man in this world would love to marry you no matter what people say.There are so many Turkish films that is made with a feminist mindset: İki Genç Kız, Hükümet Kadın, Kadının Adı Yok, Bekle Dedim Gölgeye, Cazibe Hanımın Gündüz Düşleri, Şalvar Davası, Ölü Bir Deniz, Kupa Kızı are amongst the few I can think of.
Though nominated as a French film at the 2015 Academy Awards, "Mustang" tells the story of a group of young Turkish girls who are imprisoned in their own home after they're caught frolicking with a bunch of boys, and are taught how to become obedient little housewives until they can be married off in arranged marriages.A nightmare example of what happens when parents and guardians do horrible things to their charges for what they believe are the right reasons, "Mustang" starts by establishing a feeling of outrage in its audience at the way these young and free spirits are treated that slowly transforms into one of dread and horror that religious and disciplinary convictions can be taken to such damaging extremes.
Most infuriating of all is the jaw-dropping hypocrisy, all too typical in cultures where women are treated as property, of the patriarchal male who shoots off his mouth about modesty, propriety, godliness, you name it, all while raping each young girl as the one before her gets married off.But "Mustang" also suggests what these same cultures don't seem to get or at least pretend not to: that the natural flow of humanity is toward progress and freedom, and oppressed people more likely than not will eventually have their freedom, no matter how they might have to take it.
This lens assumes with a somewhat colonialist arrogance that if only Muslim girls could take a gender studies course, shave their heads and start self-harming themselves, like normal people do, everything would be alright for them.Yes, this makes the film easier for a liberal westerner to relate to, but only by misrepresenting the realities of the girls living in a very different culture, with a very different set of values and beliefs that are not portrayed here at all.Many others here have pointed out the pronounced similarity to The Virgin Suicides (and perhaps Picnic At Hanging Rock), and indeed it often feels much more an American teen movie version of the Islamic world than something coming out from that world itself.Other things seemed not to ring true, such as one of the sister's erratic and promiscuous behaviour and the sex abuse subtext thrown in at the 11th hour that doesn't make sense in terms of any of the characters' behaviours and is not fleshed out enough to warrant its inclusion.For all this, it's still a well-made film, and the emotional scenes feel powerful, if manipulative.
The irony of Mustang's title is that this beautifully filmed story is not about captivity but about the wild spirit that cannot be tamed.Set in a traditional Turkish village, five orphan sisters set home on the last day of school and stop to frolic innocently with some boys on a beach.
Full of heart, Deniz Gamze Ergüven's feature film debut is about five orphan girls who once are seen innocently playing with boys on a beach, Which outrages their strict conservative guardians who confine them while forced marriages are arranged.This is a terrific film that doesn't shy away from harsh realities, which like the film says their lives change in the blink of an eye because of a wholly innocent event.
It gives an insight to a different culture and in particular the way women are treated, the director clearly has a lot of influences from prison films to Iranian cinema.It is shot hand-held which gives the drama a sense of the chaotic and turmoil, that these girls no doubt feel inside.
first of all as a person living in turkey and knowing the culture of it very well, i liked the Mustang in many aspects.Although it is the first feature film of the director and does not represent our culture,traditions and daily life at all, i liked the rebellion against patriarchy.The director, in this context, is not successful in showing the features our social life.To begin with characters i gotta tell that they acted so perfectly even if they never been actress before.Especially the character of Lale impressed me through her open-minded wisdom, her braveness into new life.The other girls were a bit fade beside her.Even so they all were good enough to be applauded by spectators.Secondly the place that film was shot does not comply with the events and the characters.You can not see such events and behaviours in north of turkey.This mistake happened since the director doesn't know the culture of turkey very well and cant see the point of issue properly.Thirdly, showing girls innocent in all ways is contradiction to what this movie aims at.There is a huge difference to have a sexual relationship between married and single during teenage according to culture of my desperate country.As for me both of them wrong as hell.But showing the girls innocent when they r doing whatever they want is completely nonsense but ordinary for the director and for people who do not live in these land.Fourthly, what is the point of this film?
However, freedom-loving sisters find ways to improve under the pressure of their environment The main characters of the film are young Turkish women, aged 11 to 16 years.
When a neighbour complains about the girls' wild play with boys from their school the sisters are virtually imprisoned to protect their "honour." Their home is turned into "a marriage factory." Women come in to train them to be traditional wives.
A casual perusal of the majority of posts on IMDb by Turkish natives maintain that Ergüven's view of the way things are in Turkey as depicted in the film, is inaccurate and superficial.Mustang is set in İnebolu, in northern Turkey, near the Black Sea. The story concern five sisters who live with their uncle and grandmother in a provincial, conservative town.
The girls are to be married off one after the other, and that's what happens over the course of the film.The movie is supposed to be made by a Turkish woman from her personal experience, but it often seemed too fantastic to me.
I really wanted to like and love this movie when I begun to watch it but it doesn't touch the real problems of women of Turkey. |
tt0052141 | Rock-a-Bye Baby | Clayton Poole (Jerry Lewis) is a small-town TV repairman whose former sweetheart, Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell), is now a famous movie star. Carla marries a Mexican bullfighter and becomes pregnant; her husband dies the day after the wedding. Her agent, Harold Herman (Reginald Gardiner) tries to avoid a scandal by sending Carla back to the town where she grew up. The cover story is that she is going into seclusion to prepare for her next role, the lead in the religious epic The White Virgin of the Nile. Carla turns to Clayton for help, and he agrees to care for the child once it is born.
Carla gives birth to triplets, and Clayton discovers that he has to be married before he can adopt them. He marries Carla's younger sister, Sandy (Connie Stevens), who is in love with him. The press learns that the triplets are Carla's, and Carla tells reporters that she and Clayton are secretly married. Now suspected of bigamy, Clayton goes into hiding with the triplets.
Nine months later, Sandy gives birth to quintuplets. A statue of Clayton and his five babies is erected in front of the town courthouse. | flashback | train | wikipedia | I've read the preceding comments and they pretty much tell the story of why this is a classic Jerry Lewis film.
However, I think one of the reasons I love this one so much is that it also captures a feel for what life was like growing up in the fifties (as I did).
Watching Rock a Bye Baby, which is authentically of the era confirms that.
(In fact, the court house and town square in both of these films appear to have a striking similarity to one another.)Although the story owes a lot to The Miracle of Morgan's Creek as inspiration (and even gives Preston Sturges credit), it really has its own unique flavor as well.
The subplot with the sister and its resolution are wonderful additions.Over all I think it is a great film and can't wait till it's available on DVD (Is anybody listening?)..
Jerry Lewis shows what could have been, might have been, with this gem.
Believe it or not, before he became the king of overindulgent egomania in many of his later films, Lewis did manage to put a few good films on celluloid.
These films were not only funny, but gave us charming, sympathetic characters, a good script, and good supporting casts.
Of his early solo efforts, Rock-A-Bye Baby is the one that has stuck with me the longest, so it is the Lewis film I have chosen to talk about here.Lewis plays Clayton Poole, a television repairman, who has gone through life carrying a torch for the beautiful Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell).
Because of advice that Clayton gave Carla, she left town to become an actress, and ends up becoming a big film star.
Carla's father, Gigi Naples (Salvatore Baccaloni) blames Clayton for his daughter going away.
Then there is Carla's younger sister, Sandra (Connie Stevens), who is carrying the torch for Clayton.
Later, just when she finds out she is to star in a film called (believe it or not) White Virgin of the Nile, she also finds out she is pregnant.
Believing that she will not be able to do the movie if people find out she has had a baby (not to mention the way morality was looked at back then, see what happened to Ingrid Berman), Carla contacts Clayton to see if he will temporarily take care of the baby till the film is finished.
What Carla doesn't tell Clayton is that there is not one baby, but three as she has had triplets.What happens after that, well I set it up for you it's up to you to find the movie and watch it.
Jerry as Clayton is funny throughout, without resorting too much to mugging while keeping the slapstick toned down to where it fits well into the picture.
Marilyn Maxwell plays Carla, and though in todays climate it would hard to understand her motives, in this movie we are reasonably able to understand her motives, and despite the fact that she is using Clayton, we are sure she wouldn't if she had another way out.
Connie Stevens as Sandra, is sweet and funny, especially when she gets frustrated at Clayton for refusing her advances.
Salvatore Baccaloni as Papa Naples, shows a rough mean exterior, yet we know inside he is a loving, carring, father.
There is an early scene in this movie, where Clayton sings a song with himself as a child, played by Lewis's own son Gary.
I'll not tell that, as it is one of the funniest endings of not only a Jerry Lewis movie, but of any movie.
I only wish Jerry had made more films like this one.
I used to love Jerry Lewis films as a kid, and although I prefer the Lewis/Martin combos to his solo efforts, this would have to be one of my favorites.
Although the first 15-30 minutes aren't great, once Lewis is looking after the triplets there is a lot of fun to be had here, and Lewis plays his character with great pathos, in fact some parts of his performance are enough to bring tears, the way he portrays Claytons unrequited love for Carla.
The film also includes some lovely songs, particularly the Italian lullaby he sings with Papa Naples.
I have to admit I've never been a rabid Jerry Lewis fan (even with a French last name, I can't join some of my relatives on the Continent in idolizing him), but, in looking back, I've seen more of his movies than I might have preferred.
This one, though, was a lot of fun, possibly because it was a delightfully vulgar remake of a Preston Sturges classic.The VistaVision/Technicolor production values are first-class; the supporting cast is able to withstand Jerry's frantic goofiness (especially Marilyn Maxwell, who gets to perform the wacked-out production number, "White Virgin of the Nile," and Ida Moore as Jerry's elderly landlady, avidly and simultaneously consuming every product being advertised on the TV she is constantly watching); and Frank Tashlin's direction pilots Jerry through the plot's crazy machinations with just the right touch of cartoon-like unreality.If you're a Lewis fan, it's a must-see; if you aren't you may still find it an enjoyable way to spend a mindless 103 minutes..
It might be redundant to say that Jerry Lewis did his best work with Frank Tashlin as director, either by himself or with Dino.
He was a comic genius, but it took another genius to bring out the best in him.Paramount dusted off the Preston Sturges classic The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek for Lewis in his early years as a solo entertainer.
It took a lot of rewriting because Lewis's raucous type of comedy is far different than Eddie Bracken's more gentle schnook like character.
Still Jerry does generate a lot of whimsy and pathos in his character of Clayton Poole.It seems years ago Lewis had a big old torch for Marilyn Maxwell who left town and became a Hollywood Star.
Maxwell's younger sister Connie Stevens is also crushing out on Lewis, but he can't see for the glare in Maxwell's spotlight.Marilyn is now in a family way expecting triplets as a result of a marriage to a bullfighter who died in the arena after the honeymoon.
It was all a blur and she can't remember where she got married, only that she did.Her agent Reginald Gardiner fixes up the answer, have her go away to quietly give birth, then send them to her old friend Lewis to take care of.
Of course Jerry gets fond of the three and goes to extraordinary lengths to tend to the kids.
His scenes with the infants are both Tashlin and Lewis at their best.
The only real criticism I have is Lewis's best comic moment is unfortunately right at the beginning where he gets involved with a some loose chimney bricks, a runaway firehose, and a great deal of chimney soot, wreaking havoc for the whole neighborhood.
Something that good should have been saved for last.Rockabye Baby is not quite the classic of Miracle Of Morgan's Creek, but it's right up there with some of Jerry's best..
I am a fan of Jerry Lewis' early movies so when I shared this movie with my 11 and 5 year old grandsons, I was tickled to death when they laughed themselves silly watching it!
They loved it from the first scenes with the runaway fire hose to the ending where Jerry makes those wild and crazy faces!
I wish there were movies like this today (other than animated ones) that you could go see as a family.
We owe it to our children and grandchildren to share as many movies like this with them as we can, because otherwise they won't get the chance to see genuine hilarity.
This is one of my favorite Lewis movies..
Jerry Lewis and three babies.
A famous movie star has triplets, but doesn't want the public to find out.So she leaves the babies to Clayton Poole (Lewis) to babysit.Bad mistake?I think not.I think he does a pretty good job if you ask me.Rock-a-Bye Baby is a great Jerry Lewis movie from 1958.It has that Jerry's well known slapstick comedy and it's also a warm and touching movie at the same time.
It is beautiful to watch Jerry and Salvatore Baccaloni singing Dormi-Dormi-Dormi.This is a movie that makes you laugh and a movie that may make you cry.I didn't cry.I rather laugh when I'm watching a movie.Especially a Jerry Lewis movie.I'm funny that way.
But anyway, watch Rock-a-Bye Baby if you want to see a funny and tender Jerry Lewis comedy..
I have seen most of Jerry Lewis' comedies and I wasn't surprised that I liked this film, as it was made during a period in which most of his best films were made--the late 1950s (don't ask me what I think of the ones from the late 60s and 70s...yick).
However, I must confess that while I liked the film overall, it was very uneven and about as many gags worked as flopped.
As for me, I actually preferred many of the moments when Jerry wasn't trying to be funny-- such as one of the musical numbers where Jerry and the babies' grandfather sing a nice little duet.The plot to this film is kind of weird.
Clayton Poole (Lewis) used to date Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell) but now Carla has gone on to better things.
Yet, oddly, Clayton agrees to raise the kids even though they aren't his and he spends most of the rest of the film with the three adorable little girls.
As for the music, Jerry sings a lot of tunes (several of which were poorly chosen, as they were out of his musical range) and his acting is very nice.
Overall, a cute little film that Lewis fans will love and others will at least tolerate..
Typical Jerry Lewis of the day.
I like the film because it allows Jerry to face the situations that make for a movie that is a lot of fun.
He is called upon to watch twin babies of a girl he thinks he is in love with who is a movie star, so while she goes all over the world filming he gets a crash course in baby rearing.
Connie Stevens at her best is also along as a girl who really likes him.
Jerry does it all in this film.
I like this period of his career after he broke up with Dean Martin.
The wonderful Paramount's including this film, Who's Minding the Store, and his best in my opinion The Nutty Professor show him in his heyday.
A Jerry Lewis Musical / Comedy.
This is another typical Jerry Lewis comedy.
Jerry Lewis hits a home run for his typical audience.
Then again, the supporting cast including Marilyn Maxwell, Connie Stevens and Salvatore Baccaloni make it more than just a Jerry Lewis comedy.
She plays the perfect girl next door who is head over heels for Jerry.
The trick is, it is Jerry who is playing hard to get.
This adds to the wonderful genre that Lewis created in his comedies.
Through a series of circumstances he ends up taking care of a set of triplet girls.
Much of the comedy comes, of course, from Lewis's pratfalls and lack of understanding about raising children.
A woman decides to go to court to have the girls taken from him, and we get the classic treatment of a man who knows love in his heart.
It is an excellent movie for the whole family to watch.
A loose remake of Preston Sturges' wonderful The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, Rock-a-Bye Baby is safe entertainment for the Jerry Lewis fans.
Here he plays Clayton Poole, a small town guy whose childhood sweetheart, Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell) is now a big film star.
When she finds she is pregnant, the problems it will cause her career prompts her to coerce Clayton into looking after what turns out to be triplets!
Narratively outside of Lewis' mad-cap rearing of the babies, there's a running thread of Carla's sister, Sandra (Connie Stevens), being hopelessly in love with Clayton - who of course has no idea, while the sentimental strings are pulled as Clayton fights to not lose the kids to a shifty legal guardian.The musical numbers start to grate on the nerves after a bit, with them feeling like attempts to show off something that isn't there, and the running time is too long to sustain this type of comedy.
But once a Lewis fan then always a Lewis fan, with that in mind Rock-a- Bye Baby still has enough fun and frothery to make it above average entertainment.
Jerry Lewis: Babysitter.
A Jerry Lewis vehicle that delivers exactly what his fans want while pleasing no one still hoping for a surprise from the comedic actor.
Frank Tashlin-directed chaos isn't very funny, and occasionally verges on ludicrous when it tries passing Lewis off as a sensitive soul (this is no stretch for Jerry, as he manages to turn even his baby lullabies into infantile showstoppers).
Pretty Marilyn Maxwell and a teenage Connie Stevens give the movie some pep, but Jerry's performance is full of fake-schmaltz.
Classic Lewis..
My mother was a Lewis fan, and often watched this with me, the pair of us in fits of giggles.The film centres around Lewis who is taking care of the three children of his childhood sweetheart Carla, much to the frustration of Carla's younger sister Sandy, for reasons that become immediately apparent.Lewis stars as Clayton Poole; a likable loser, and he is as goofy as always.
Connie Stevens as Sandy is sweet, and manages to keep up with the crazy antics of Lewis.
But for me the best part of the film was always Sandy's dear drunken papa played by the wonderfully endearing Salvatore Baccaloni.This is a great film to watch with your children.
They'll get a good laugh from the slapstick, and you'll feel like a kid again by the end of this feel good oldie.A warning: Some of the hum our is quite dated, and there is a racially insensitive scene that might offend some, but it should be taken into consideration the year this film was produced, and the comedic climate of the time.I highly recommend it to those of you who are yet to have the pleasure.
The babies were absolutely adorable, I couldn't stop looking at them throughout especially while the other characters were talking!
My favorite songs in this were: Dormi-Dormi-Dormi (Sleep- Sleep-Sleep), Rock-a-Bye Baby and The Land of La-La-La. They really gave you a good feeling by swaying your head and boogie the night away!
I was surprised to have seen the little boy who played Jerry Lewis' younger self, I actually didn't know that was Gary Lewis aka his son!
I found it funny that he had the ring on his left index finger like Jerry Lewis normally wears.
He was a great little boy and of course, he was just gorgeous!This movie gives you goosebumps, watch it!.
While there is plenty of comedy to keep your funny bone out of joint, the film overall depends on a bunch of idiots to create its plot.
Surprisingly, Jerry Lewis's simpleton is not one of them; His character (if not himself) comes with a lot of heart, taking in three adorable babies which may or may not be his.
Then, there is her older sister (Marilyn Maxwell), a movie star who insinuates that Lewis is the father and leaves the babies with her so she can continue her career.
This musical variation of 1944's "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek" keeps the viewer guessing as to who & why the identity of the kiddy's daddy is never revealed until the end.Comically, the film is extremely funny, especially the opening scene involving a fire hose that destroys an entire neighborhood.
The adorable Ida Moore is very funny as Lewis's commercial loving landlady who tries pretty much every product she sees on TV.
Although Salvatore Baccaloni's papa is the real dumbbell of the story, he does get a nice duet with Lewis called "Dormi-Dormi-Dormi (Sleep-Sleep-Sleep)".
Lewis's young son appears as his character in a flashback which is a nice touch, and the courtroom scene at the end has some clever dubbing utilized for comic effect..
Rock-a-Bye Baby is truly Jerry Lewis' first solo effort with no Dean Martin-like role at all.
Before I review this Jerry Lewis movie, let me just mention a couple of players from previous films he made with Dean Martin: Hans Conried plays his boss, Mr. Wright, and Mary Treen plays a nurse.
Okay, with that out of the way, I'll just say this was quite a change of pace for Lewis since for one thing, there's no role that would have been played by Martin since Jer is truly the whole show here.
Also, with him having to take care of babies that happen to be sired by former girlfriend Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell), his shtick is not-so-frantic when he's on screen with them.
Helping him is Carla's father (Salvatore Baccaloni) and her sister Sandy (Connie Stevens) who has a crush on Clayton Poole (Jer's character).
Oh, and Carla's a movie star so there's also an agent (Reginald Gardiner) on hand.
And one more thing: Jerry sings some good songs, including a duet with Mr. Baccaloni, in his own normal voice and he's as good as Dean would have been if he warbled them.
He also sings with his son Gary, who's underage here and years from his fame with the Playboys, in a sequence mixing present with flashback as Gary plays his father when his age.
Reportedly, Jerry's father Danny also appears though I didn't recognize anyone with the family resemblance.
Okay, I've said enough so on that note, I highly recommend Rock-a-Bye Baby.
One more thing, you'll be amazed when you see the picture of the bullfighter Carla was married to when she had her triplets! |
tt0104740 | Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland | Set in 1905 (the year the Little Nemo comic strip premiered in the New York Herald), the film opens with the young boy Nemo experiencing a nightmare in which he is pursued by a locomotive. Upon awakening the next day, he goes to see a parade welcoming a traveling circus. However, Nemo is unable to see the circus because his father and his mother are too busy to take him. Later that night, Nemo imitates sleepwalking in an attempt to sneak some pie away, which acts against a promise he had made earlier to his mother. Upon falling asleep that night, Nemo is approached by figures from the parade. The circus organist introduces himself as Professor Genius and claims that they had been sent on a mission by King Morpheus, the king of a realm named Slumberland. The mission involves Nemo becoming the playmate of the princess, Camille. Although Nemo initially has reservations about interacting with royalty of the opposite gender, he decides to set off to fulfill his mission after being persuaded with a gift box of cookies from the princess.
Nemo is taken to Slumberland in a dirigible which he is allowed to drive, causing some chaos and is introduced to King Morpheus, who doubles as the circus ringmaster on Earth. Morpheus reveals that he summoned Nemo to become his heir to the throne. Morpheus gives Nemo a golden key that opens every door in the kingdom and warns him of a door with a dragon insignia that must never be opened. Nemo is introduced to Princess Camille and the pair roam the entirety of Slumberland together. Afterward, Nemo meets the mischievous clown, Flip, who angers a group of cops and forces him and Nemo to hide out in an underground cave. There, Nemo discovers the door that Morpheus warned him not to open. Flip tempts Nemo into unlocking the door, which unleashes the dreaded Nightmare King. Nemo rushes back to Morpheus' castle in time for his coronation ceremony, where Nemo is handed the royal scepter, the only thing capable of defeating the Nightmare King should he ever return to Slumberland. In the middle of a dance session between Morpheus and Genius, the Nightmare King reaches the castle and steals Morpheus away. As the partygoers search for a scapegoat, Flip reveals that Nemo was responsible for the Nightmare King's escape, since Morpheus gave him the key.
Nemo awakens in his home, which floods with seawater and ejects him into the ocean. Genius discovers Nemo and tells him not to blame himself for all that has happened. When the two return to Slumberland, Flip reveals that he has a map to Nightmare Land, where Morpheus is currently being held. Nemo, Camille, Flip, and Genius set off in a tugboat in search of Morpheus. They are soon sucked into a whirlpool and find themselves in the monster-infested Nightmare Land. The four come across a group of shapeshifting goblins who wish to aid in the quest to find Morpheus. The Nightmare King sends a flock of frightening giant bats to seize the rescue party. Nemo attempts to use the scepter, but awakens in his bed instead. The goblins appear in Nemo's room and the group travels to Nightmare Castle by flying through a hole in the sky. However, they are subsequently imprisoned in the castle, where the Nightmare King demands possession of the scepter. Nemo soon uses the scepter to finally eliminate and defeat the Nightmare King. Slumberland celebrates the fall of the Nightmare Kingdom. Camille escorts Nemo home on dirigible. The two share a kiss after which Nemo awakens in his room, where he apologizes to his mother for breaking his promise and trying to take the pie. Nemo's parents also agree to take Nemo to the circus. Nemo stares out the window as he reflects on his adventure. | cult | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0102789 | Ricochet | In 1983, rookie Los Angeles police officer and law student Nicholas Styles (Denzel Washington) meets his future wife Alice (Victoria Dillard). He drifts away from his childhood friend Odessa (Ice-T), who is drifting into a life of crime in South Central Los Angeles. Styles and his partner Larry Doyle (Kevin Pollak) patrol a carnival, where they encounter hitman Earl Talbot Blake (John Lithgow) and his servile accomplice Kim (Josh Evans). Styles catches Blake at gunpoint and is forced into a standoff when Blake takes a hostage. After stripping his equipment and uniform off, Styles uses a hidden gun in his athletic supporter, shooting Blake in the knee and subduing him. The incident is caught by an amateur videographer and is shown on television, making Styles a hero. He and Doyle are subsequently promoted to Detective, while Blake is sent to prison.
Eight years later, Styles has moved on to be an Assistant District Attorney, is married to Alice, and has two daughters. At the same time, Blake has degenerated into further violence fighting against the Aryan Brotherhood. He also strikes a deal with the leader of the gang to plot an escape. Having been incarcerated with Blake, Kim is paroled and plans to assist in Blake's escape and revenge. Blake and the AB members stage a violent prison escape during a parole hearing, which only Blake and the AB leader survive. Blake murders the gang leader and burns his corpse.
Styles finds Odessa, who has become a major drug-dealer in the neighborhood. Blake and Kim later kill the city councilman, staging his death to appear as a suicide. Styles is abducted by Blake and Kim outside his home and is held hostage in an empty swimming pool for several days. Blake and Kim regularly inject Styles with heroin and cocaine while engaging in arm wrestling. Blake hires a blonde white female prostitute Wanda (Linda Dona) to have sex with Styles. As she stripes naked, Wanda ignores Styles' weak objections and proceeds to rape him as Blake records the incident on video. After Blake and Kim deposit Styles' unconscious body on the steps of City Hall, Alice overhears Styles' phone conservation and thinks he cheated on her with a prostitute. Styles witnesses a video of Blake going up to his daughters' room and holding a hatchet over them just before the tape cuts out. Terrified and enraged, Styles heads to the park, sees a black-clad figure who is a clown, and holds him at gunpoint. After the tape has been substituted with the video recording of Styles' rape, he vehemently protests his innocence and Blake's complicity to District Attorney Priscilla Brimleigh (Lindsay Wagner), who suspends Styles. After receiving evidence of Blake's obsession, Styles and Doyle go to the bookstore that night, and Styles beats information out of the owner. Blake ambushes Doyle, fatally wounds him in the alley, and escapes.
Desperate, Styles contacts Odessa for help, evacuates his family from their home, and takes them to the housing project Odessa uses as a drug lab. Styles then goes to the roof and raves to the street below, appearing to be suicidal. Blake arrives at the project, while Styles fakes his own death by starting a fiery explosion in the building and escaping. Odessa's gang abducts Kim, and Odessa sends a message to Blake that Styles is alive and intends to get him, challenging him to come to the Watts Towers. Blake finds Kim tied to the scaffolding and kills him. On the towers, Blake and Styles fight until Styles knocks Blake off the tower, fatally impaling him on a spike. Styles reunites with his family and calls out to Odessa one last time, inviting him to basketball. The television news crews are there, broadcasting the latest events that have dramatically proven Styles innocent. When a newscaster (Mary Ellen Trainor) asks Styles for a comment, he turns off the news camera. | revenge, neo noir, murder, violence | train | wikipedia | This is a typical Denzel Washington film: well-acted, rough language, a racial theme and an involved story that holds your interest.
It gets predictable in the end but I like the analogy in the film to the classic movie, "White Heat."I was sorry to see a few things: once again, white people are all the bigots; Lindsay Wagner, television's nice lady of the past, now using very profane language here and looking hard.Overall, this sometimes looks like a "B" action film more than a classy one but it's still an interesting crime film that sports a few different angles.
Denzel Washington, in a full, maniacal "Die Hard" mode, is Nick Styles, a maverick cop who is framed fro murder after Blake (Lithgow, in electric psycho mode) escapes form prison seeking revenge on Styles, the man that put him on cold seven years ago.
Sure, it has the very same conventionalisms and clichés of every other action movie (Styles partner dies, et al), but still, Ricochet goes over the average thanks to bravura performances by the two leads and some damn fine action sequences and camerawork.But now, Russell Mulcahy has stepped into oblivion and John Lithgow has become somber family fodder in mind numbing sitcoms about aliens and rock..
Ricochet is an intense movie that stars Denzel Washington,John Lithgow,and Ice-T!I really don't want to say much in case you haven't seen it.
I will point out a few things though.Lithgow really steals the show here as he puts on a great performance as a very mean villain!There is one small sex scene and a little nudity in a bard but it really doesn't show it that long.The music is excellent by Alan Silvestri!I love it when the haunting music starts when Lithgow shows up in some scenes.There are some really intense moments.Jesse Ventura is in the film for a while and boy does his character look different than his others in previous movies.Washington and Ice-t were very good.Anyway it a cool film directed by Russell Mulcahy!If you haven't seen Ricochet before than now is the time to check it out!.
And the scene with the hooker when she walks up to a drugged out Denzel who is begging her in his drugged state to not have sex with him (she does anyway) and she says "I love it when they beg" Over the top music score helps push this into bad movie heaven as does the "making crap great" director R.M. working at the top of his bad movie MTV form.
Rookie Cop (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Denzel Washington) has come a long way from the tough streets of L.A., Nick's life changed forever when he becomes a celebrity.
Together with the help of another friend (Kevin Pollak) to set a trap for Blake.Directed by Russell Mulcahy (Highlander, Resurrection, The Shadow) made an entertaining, lurid, action/thriller.
Over-the-top vehicle for Denzel Washington, here playing policeman-turned-District Attorney who puts slimy killer John Lithgow away, but quickly becomes the psycho's main target after Lithgow escapes from prison (in what must be the most nondescript prison-breakout in movie history!).
If you are looking for an action movie that provides plenty of thrills, conflicts, drama, chases, and breathtaking suspenses and actually has a PLOT, then this film is for you.Washington and Lithgow are both first rate, as always, and this movie does not disappoint.
I swear, the Oscars get more meaningless with each passing year.John Lithgow puts in a fine performance as the bad guy, but in the end, you wind up rooting for him because Denzel Washington's acting makes one believe that he just doesn't give a damn.
Unlike other actors who do this, such as Russell Crowe or Jack Nicholson, he cannot even do it in an interesting way.One thing this film does have going for it is the violence, which was graphic enough to get the film an R-rating in Australia during a period when the OFLC was a touch more relaxed, but unfortunately there is not enough of it to make the film interesting to watch, as was the case in Virtuosity (another steamer in which Washington is out-acted by the pot plants).I used to enjoy Ricochet as a guilty pleasure, but after seeing Denzel Washington get the highest of accolades for a film that was out of theatres here almost as quickly as it was released, I won't be watching it again.
Styles goes on to achieve fame and lands the job of Assistant District Attorney, whilst Blake is sent to prison from where he plots a mission from hell that will destroy Styles life wholesale.Whilst not amounting to more than your standard revenge thriller, Ricochet does have grizzly devilment within its plot to make this a recommend for those who enjoy the popcorn thriller.
Denzel Washington is routinely good as Styles, handsome and believable as the cop done good who gets his life flipped upside down by the revenge thirsty Blake.
The film is tight on action (including a couple of gross scenes for those inclined), no little suspense, and a wonderful homage to White Heat into the bargain.It's no award winner, it's for those who like to be entertained with a bowl of no brain popcorn on their laps.
Lithgow plots revenge while incarcerated and breaks out violently at his parole hearing.He turns the tables on Washington in several ways including the killing of his friend and fellow officer, nice played by Kevin Pollak.
The main problem with this film is that it tries too hard to establish Denzel as good and Lithgow as evil, and both end up as simply unlikeable characters.Lithgow is so evil that there's nothing to sympathize with.
Ice T who plays a bad guy relative of Denzel's, who helps in Denzel's plan to outwit Lithgow, while also bringing some rapping lyrics, though was really wasted or forgotten, in the fact that he wasn't really needed in this film.
An Impressive film, directed by Aussie's Russell Mulcahy (Razorback, Highlander) fans of Denzel's should view it, and also if craving revenge, it's a bonus, Lithgow, a villain here, who can't be dead enough.
Denzel Washington as a district attorney who is hunted and teased by a crazed escaped convict (John Lithgow) that he had put away when he was still a police officer.
Laughable dialogue, and an insane ending, so preposterous they need a final scene of a news lady to explain what the tower execution of always awesome John Lithgow would mean for protagonist Denzel Washington and his career.
> Somehow the plot just does not come through, although the actors try to pull it together with some good acting, particularly Lithgow and Washington.
Now, unfortunately, the rest of the movie wouldn't be on the level of Training Day but it was still good.Earl Talbot Blake (John Lithgow) was put behind bars in 1984 by Officer Nick Styles.
It offered action, a decent plot, and of course good acting from Washington and Lithgow.
The D.A. will soon be on the run from the law, having to team with old street gang members in order to clear himself.Denzel Washington is the cop/D.A. and John Lithgow, incredibly, the psycho killer who seemingly can't be stopped.
Action fans who just want to go on a free wheeling ride and don't care about logic may enjoy it while others may be turned off by a film that becomes pretty hysterical in its presentation, particularly the climax with television cameras there to record all the action.In the prison Lithgow has a cell wall covered with photos of Washington, a reflection of his clear obsession with him.
A Terrific,Entertaining Action-Thriller With Brilliant Performances From Denzel Washington And John Lithgow..
All of those elements make Ricochet an effective Action-Thriller that Denzel Washington and John Lithgow at their best.Set in Loos Angeles,California,Ricochet tells the story of criminal Earl Talbot Blake(John Lithgow)who wants revenge and payback against Cop and Assistant District Attorney Nick Styles(Denzel Washington)who busted Blake years before.During the 1970s,80s and early 90s there were a bunch of Action and Thriller films that weren't huge Blockbusters or Box Office hits in the movie theaters but still managed to find a a second life and audience on Cable Television and Home Video one of the prime examples of this would be the release in 1991's Ricochet,a fantastic and underrated Action-Thriller that wasn't a huge Box Office hit but is one of those films when you see you never forget it.
This is a movie that wears it's Political Incorrectness on it's sleeve and it's the kind of film that has an brutal edge While Ricochet is still a Popcorn movie with good guys,bad guys and plenty of thrills this is also a movie that takes you on a dangerous journey dealing with various themes such as revenge,obsession and violence told in a wild and dark way.
We see Nick Styles go from rookie Cop to Assistant Distrjct Attorney and media sensation becoming a star over night while Earl Talbot Blake is a prisoner plotting his revenge following Nick's career and becoming more and more obsessed with getting back at Nick.
There is also a terrific Hip-Hop title track Ricochet by Ice-T.In final word,if you love Action-Thrillers,Denzel Washington or John Lithgow,I highly suggest you see Ricochet,a terrific and entertaining Action-Thriller that will be worth your time.
It's quite an eye-rolling, but barnstorming action thriller starring Denzel Washington, John Lithgow, Kevin Pollack, Lindsay Wagner and Ice Cube.
After his daring and bloody escape that leaves many dead – according to the authorities Blake among them – he easily and painlessly infiltrates Nick's family, career and inner circle within mere days, somehow managing to turn Nick from a local law abiding hero into a pariah wanted by the law, hated by the public and mistrusted by his own friends and family.In case you haven't guessed by now Ricochet is unbelievably silly, but unbelievably silly fun, back in the days when R rated movies were still allowed that indulgence.Lithgow has a ball as the profane, violent and intense Earl Talbot Blake, some of his disgusting statements and retorts are blackly quotable, and his over the top mannerisms and facial gestures are so serious they're hilarious.
Denzel too allows himself to get a little dirty, he swears up a storm and even though it is not his intention manages to bang a hooker and ingest a powerful cocktail of illicit substances, all in the one scene.Having Ice T around as a smack talking ne'er do well just adds flavour to proceedings, and Kevin Pollack gets to try a couple of his character impressions as Nick's former partner and best buddy.Ricochet is violent, silly, implausible and somehow absurdly entertaining.
I can't say that it is that great a movie, but you'll never be bored, and the film pulls out all the stops to hold your attention, even if for much of the time your eyes are bugged and you are mouthing 'Really?' incredulously.I liked Ricochet as a gormless kid in my late teens, I am pleased to say I enjoyed it almost as much today, but perhaps for slightly different reasons..
Some things work very well, such as the performances of the two leads, Denzel Washington and John Lithgow, but the character of Kim (Josh Evans) is completely unnecessary and detracts from the intensity of the film.
Impressive plot and story for a suspense-thriller, but poorly executed, mostly by Washington, who goes beyond the annals of overacting to play egotistical Nicholas Styles, once a policeman who made it big by putting away hit man Blake, played by John Lithgow.
i found this to be a very exciting,action packed movie,with a few good twists.Denzel Washington is great here as a rookie cop.John Lithgow is also very good here.Ice-T has a smaller role,but is also very good.look for Lindsay Wagner(the original Bionic Woman) in a supporting role.once the movie gets going it(and it doesn't take long)it keeps going.it's a real nerve shredder.i was glued from the get go.there's a lot more action than character development in this one,but you are given enough information on the characters to have some investment in them.if this movie doesn't get your blood pumping,i'd be very surprised.but then again,it's all a matter of opinion and taste.for me,though,i enjoyed every second of it..
If you are a Denzel fan, you'll be able to get thru this one, otherwise, you'll probably turn it off.A young Denzel gets to strip naked and talk all kinds of talk in this role as a high profile cop who hits it big after a key arrest of John Lithgow who plays the bad guy.
I suggest you skip Ricochet unless you are trying to watch all the films Denzel ever made, both bad and good..
There are Individual Set Pieces that are Effective and Brutal and There are Scenes that are Cringe Inducing, Like a Switch of Allegiance with a Backstory that is Barely Hinted and Does Not Ring True.Denzel Washington and John Lithgow are the Right Actors in the Right Roles but are Betrayed by the Lame Script, Inept Storytelling, and a Style that is Pedestrian.
Denzel Washington is the LA cop responsible for the arrest of psycho-killer John Lithgow, who escapes with a plan to ruin the career of his crime-busting nemesis (instead of simply killing him, which would have been a lot easier).
The racial overtones, the rough language, the hard action - all in Denzel's films, but in others it is a little more polished.John Lithgow plays the criminal out to get revenge and boy, is he scary!
de Souza, who wrote the screenplays for "48 Hrs.," the "Die Hard" films, "The Running Man" and "Commando." So what, exactly, went wrong here?Well, here's what I put together.The cop-buddy bit with Denzel and Kevin Pollack is borrowed from "48 Hrs." The battle between Lithgow and Washington (which ends in a battle on a tower) comes straight from "Die Hard," while the idea of a man taking on an army of disbelievers, or bad guys, is ripped-off of "Commando." I wonder if Steven realized he was ripping-off his own work so much while he wrote this script.1.5/5 stars -John Ulmer.
Drama starring Denzel Washington and John Lithgow.
Nick Styles (Washington) is a rookie cop who captures the quite sadistic Earl Blake (Lithgow) in an unusual fashion.
It is another example, perhaps the most obvious, of the trend I have discussed above.RICHOCHET opens with young cop Nick Styles (Washington), taking down a treacherous villain named Blake (John Lithgow).
There are no new revelations or twists in RICOCHET, and the movie concludes with a ridiculous finale, which finds both hero and foil talking and climbing.The role of Nick Styles gives Washington very little to do, except to react to the evil devices employed by Blake.
de Souza, from "48 Hrs." ('82), "Commando" ('85) & "Die Hard" ('88) fame, wrote the screenplay, so what went wrong here, for so much talented individuals present a ludicrous final draft ?Mulcahy's handling of the film is no better, some scenes are way 'off' and just inserted in for the sake of the director's egocentrism, like the out of place / silly behind bars' swordfight between John Lithgow and Jesse "The Body" Ventura (the former W.W.F. Superstar, better known for playing Blain in John McTiernan's "Predator" ('87), which was reminiscent or better, a "homage" to Mulcahy's previous "Highlander" films.Denzel acts too straight serious for the movie's ridiculous tone, looking like he was thinking that he was in the next "The Silence of the Lambs" and John Lithgow plays his usual screen personna: the wicked and demented individual which is also very intelligent and stylish and then makes a stupid move out of nowhere for the hero to save the day.
Lithgow is always exquisite & over-the-top / hammy in this kind of roles, but his fans will love him no matter what, 'cos the actor never disappoints.The rest of the cast are as useful to the overall plot as umbrellas in a sunny day: Kevin Pollak is totally dull and his death scene / line exchange with Denzel is near Ed Wood's material; Lindsay Wagner plays it better, but lacks screentime and Ice-T, playing himself once again, is so irritating to follow and acts so lousy that makes Keanu Reeves' a Sir Laurence Olivier in comparison.The only way you can enjoy "Ricochet" is if you're a fan of Golan-Globus produced B-films from the decade earlier, and even Cannon Group released far better and entertaining action flicks that, at least, did not take themselves so seriously.In short, "Ricochet" only wins in its polished visuals and scores at a "so bad, it's good" level that worths a watch, besides that it may be for Denzel nowadays what "Bachelor Party" is for the now established and respected Tom Hanks, but at least the latter is funny and entertaining, whereas "Ricochet" is a failed attempt at whatever they were suppose to be doing and an almost embarrassing product for the resumé of the all involved..
Smart and ambitious rookie cop Nick Styles (an excellent and engaging performance by Denzel Washington) launches his career and rises all the way to assistant district attorney after he arrests vicious and cunning psycho Earl Talbot Blake (splendidly played with deliciously wicked lip-smacking relish by John Lithgow).
They keep telling him things like, "Denzel -- John Lithgow is dead." Blood work reveals both cocaine and heroin in his system of course.
The story is simple enough Denzel Washington plays Nick Styles, a cop/attorney who busts a psychopath named Earl Talbot Blake(John Lithgow) at a drug ring gone sour.
Earl Blake plots his revenge on Nick Styles in jail and escapes from prison.
John Lithgow plays Earl and he goes on a limitless hunt trying to destroy the reputation of the former cop, now a respected district attorney played by Denzel Washington.
It also succeeds with Lithgow playing an scary antagonist stealing the show from everybody, and Denzel does his routine acting, very good.However, this film cannot be viewed just for those things. |
tt0039169 | The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer | Margaret Turner (Myrna Loy) and Susan Turner (Shirley Temple) are sisters who live together. Susan is an intelligent 17-year-old high-school student with a habit of forming short-lived interests after hearing the regular guest lectures at the school. Margaret is a judge, and Susan's guardian.
Richard Nugent (Cary Grant), a handsome and sophisticated artist, is a defendant in Margaret's courtroom, charged by ADA Tommy Chamberlain (Rudy Vallee) with starting a nightclub brawl. She releases him with a warning when it becomes clear that the fight was started by two women fighting over him.
He proceeds to Susan's school, where he is the guest lecturer for the day—and as he speaks, Susan becomes infatuated with him. After the talk she finds a reason to spend time with him and suggests she model for him; that evening, she puts on a sophisticated dress and sneaks away from home and into his apartment while he is out.
Richard has no sooner discovered Susan in his apartment than Tommy and Margaret arrive to rescue her from his presumed seduction. Richard assaults Tommy and is held in jail until Matt Beemish (Ray Collins), who is the court psychiatrist and also Margaret and Susan's uncle, intervenes and explains the true situation. He recommends allowing Susan to date Richard until the infatuation burns itself out; Tommy will drop the assault charge if Richard complies.
At a high-school basketball game, Richard tries unsuccessfully to boost Susan's image of Jerry White (Johnny Sands), the boyfriend she dumped for him. Later, at a school picnic, Susan persuades Richard to enter a series of novelty races (open to adult family members), where he loses repeatedly to Tommy. But in the main event, an obstacle course, she asks Jerry to help Richard win. Because he still loves her, Jerry complies, helping him directly at one point, then colliding with Tommy so that Richard does win the event.
Meanwhile, Richard and Margaret are becoming attracted to each other, to the discomfiture of Tommy, who sees Richard as a habitual troublemaker and wants Margaret for himself. Hoping Richard will stop seeing Margaret if he no longer has to date Susan, Tommy announces he is dropping the charge. But Richard and Margaret go out to a nightclub, where they are interrupted in succession by all the other main characters as well as a former girlfriend of Richard's. They all part angrily.
Afterwards, though, Matt is able to talk sense into Susan, and she returns to Jerry. Matt finds out that Richard has decided to take a trip and is able to manipulate affairs so that Margaret will travel with him. Learning that Tommy is coming to arrest Richard on trumped-up charges, Matt forestalls him by telling police at the airport that Tommy is a mental patient with delusions of being an ADA. Richard and Margaret are happily surprised to meet each other as they approach the plane to board. | romantic, comedy | train | wikipedia | Cary Grant is my favourite actor, and Myrna Loy, best remembered for her trademark housewife equal in "The Thin Man" are two of Hollywood's brightest comics together in a pretty funny film.
Throw in teenaged seventeen year old Shirley Temple falling for a shining knight in armour/playboy/artist Cary and her Judge sister, and a fun packed comedy results.
Shirley Temple plays a high school girl Susan Turner who falls for an artist called Richard Nugent (Cary Grant).Also Susan's older sister Judge Margaret Turner starts to like this playboy artist.The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer is a good comedy which has many fine moments.The acting is brilliant, and how could you miss with this cast.Cary Grant is a man you can always count on.He could always make great performances.Myrna Loy is wonderful and so is Shirley Temple.This ex-child star celebrates her 76th birthday today, so happy birthday Shirley.
Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Shirley Temple all get plenty to work with, as each of their characters is pretty well-suited to their talents.
Harry Davenport and Ray Collins head up a pretty good supporting cast, and the situation builds pretty well, leading up to a complicated, entertaining set of tangle-ups.While there is nothing remarkable about it, "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer" is the kind of pleasant silliness that takes the right touch to make it work.
The contrast between the older man and the young girl creates a lot of funny situations.To make matters worse, the sister of the young girl is a judge, who sees right through the roguish Richard Nugent and wants him to leave the girl alone, but figures that surely her sister will soon get bored with the man.Myrna Loy does wonders with her role as Margaret Turner.
In minor roles, Rudy Vallee and Ray Collins are perfectly cast.In a couple of scenes in the film we see Richard Nugent in shining armor, as both sisters take turns in imagining him her hero.
Like most romantic comedies, the premise of THE BACHELOR & THE BOBBY-SOXER really isn't on the firmest of grounds (though why watch a film if you want full-blown reality?).
She has guardianship of her younger sister Susan (Shirley Temple), a hormonal young girl who develops an instant crush on a roguish art lecturer Richard Nugent (Cary Grant) when he gives a lecture at her school.
What ensues is a delightful comedy of errors as Richard squires Susan around town, while struggling to deal with an assistant district attorney (the suitably uptight Rudy Vallee) and Susan's own ex-boyfriend Jerry (Johnny Sands) as he falls in love with Margaret (and vice versa).
Watch Cary Grant's reactions in this scene--truly a fantastic comedic performance that has, thankfully, been captured on film to the great benefit of future generations.
Temple makes Susan sweeter and more tolerable, and she definitely holds her own in the company of Grant and Loy. The only problem with the film, given its great cast and very funny script, is that the 'comedic' element triumphs at the expense of the 'romantic'.
While Loy makes an excellent straight (wo)man, it really is a shame that we didn't get to see more of her, or more of her character interacting with Grant's.All in all, great fun, great laughs, great cast.
I find it is clever without being profound, its characters are unusually believable and well-developed; and it is a light-hearted look from beginning to end at a very interesting plot question--the precocity of young people who lack categorizing definitions, life-experience and therefore the context to make prioritized value decisions; in a word, it's about the problems adults have with children who want to act as grown ups without having the means to do so successfully.
Fundamentally, the film concerns five persons--Nugent, played with charm by Cary Grant, intelligent Myrna Loy as Margaret, pretty Shirley Temple as a fast-growing Susan, her daughter, Rudy Vallee as Grant's rival, prefiguring his stuffy role in "How to Succeed in Business" and other comedies, and Lillian Randolph as long-suffering Bessie, the family's maid and confidant-adviser.
The happy ending achieved for all in this story-line is the result of the common sense shown by Loy and Grant; the 'screwball' aspect which is not a genre, but rather a way-of-handling social-mores comedy, is here made to serve a plot that involves several hard-working normative people in a situation that should never have happened but has in fact happened.
"The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer" offered Cary Grant a plum comedy role, which he obviously relished with glee.
It got him cast as a smart artist playboy paired with no nonsense judge Myrna Loy, whose younger sister, Shirley Temple, has some growing up pains to work through.
This trio, assisted by Ray Collins, Harry Davenport, and Rudy Vallee in a very funny turn, work together for some good laughs, thanks to a clever original script by Sidney Sheldon.
With: a slyly endearing Ray Collins, a bemusedly prim Myrna Loy, a pompously befuddled Rudy Vallee, and a well-deserved Oscar for writer Sidney Sheldon, along with a final scene that could not be more apt.
Makes You Laugh a Lot. The adolescent Susan Turner (Shirley Temple) is a fashionable and spoiled teenager that lives with her tough and uptight sister Margaret Turner (Myrna Loy), who is a judge.
One day, Margaret has to judge the artist Richard "Dick" Nugent (Cary Grant), who is a reckless and wolf playboy, for a fight in a nightclub and she dismiss the case.
However, be warned that especially with comedies the humor often appears dated decades later, and this surely does, too.It's not what I'd call "hilarious," but it's a pleasant film and one of the few good ones featuring Temple as a young lady.
I thought this movie was a great screwball comedy and just seeing Cary in that wild races(ex.egg race) He is just such a funny man.
Myrna Loy is a judge who sentences Cary Grant to Shirley Temple in "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," also starring Rudy Vallee, Johnny Sands, Ray Collins, and Veda Ann Borg.
Grant is Richard Nugent, an artist who gets into some trouble and comes before Judge Turner (Loy).
He leaves court and heads for a high school to give a lecture, only to encounter Judge Turner's 17 going on 35-year-old sister, Susan, played by Shirley Temple.
Toward the end of the film, he takes Judge Turner to dinner; before long, the entire cast is at the table talking and arguing as the waiters continually sing "Happy Birthday" to one customer after another, and a diner at another table tries to retrieve Rudy Vallee's chair for his own party - it's a great scene.
The whole scene involving the town picnic with Grant in a three legged race, a potato spoon race, a potato sack race, and finally an obstacle course is funny in and of itself because it's Cary Grant doing it.Myrna Loy in this film is Nora Charles with a career.
He's the District Attorney here, a snooty District Attorney as only Rudy Vallee can be snooty.Also giving good performances are Ray Collins and Harry Davenport as Loy and Temple's uncles, Johnny Sands as Temple's would be boy friend and the one and only Veda Ann Borg as a brassy dame as only she can be brassy.One of Cary Grant's best comedies from the Forties..
This movie is full of fun; Cary Grant and Myrna Loy should have had more comedy roles together!
A fast-paced, well-written and witty script does more than just show off the three main actors, Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple, it gives some of the funniest lines to the supporting cast.
Hard to believe that this movie, in which Shirley Temple plays a high schooler, was actually toward the tail end of her film career.
Well, anyways, Cary is forced into helping Myrna Loy with her younger sister (Shirley Temple--who is way too young to be Loy's sister).
When Shirley Temple was too old for those little girl films, she was able to play enjoyable Teenagers in some classic roles and probably her best is in this one.
She plays "Susan Turner" the sister of "Judge Turner" played by Myrna Loy. Poor Susan seems to fall in love whenever a guest speaker arrives in her high school and the very bachelor "Dick Nugent" Cary Grant ends up with her.
I enjoy watching Cary Grant may a fool of himself, he will do what it takes to make a movie funny, but the star of this movie is Myrna Loy, she was in her forties, but she look like she was only in her thirties, and still sexy.
I think anyone who like Cary Grant and the lovely Myrna Loy will love this movie..
On the face of it,the film is no more than a routine story of teenage girl falling for older man,but there is so much comically inventive incident which takes it into near classic territory.Standing above all is the eternally handsome Cary Grant,in a brilliant portrayal of comic facial expressions and dialogue;it's easy to understand why teen Shirley Temple(in easily the best of her young adult roles)fell for him.Also first class are Myrna Loy(she adds clever nuances to her slightly underwritten role),Rudy Vallee,Ray Collins and Harry Davenport;mention should be made of underrated comedy supporting actor Irving Bacon too,who gets big laughs with his sparse few lines in a bit part;others can struggle for entire movies without getting as much as a chuckle.
But Cary Grant is peerless here,as he was in most of his films.There are great moments with most of the cast in the film,but Grant produces the funniest,especially his reaction to seeing Ms Temple in his abode,and his explaination to lawyer Dan Tobin(also excellent)in a prison cell of how she got there.Many are now beginning to realise that he was(and still is)the greatest leading actor to have appeared in films;there are very few,if any,who can match his consistency in comic or dramatic roles.8 out of 10..
It never oversteps itself but things keep spinning forward merrily despite the simple storyline that has Cary being penalized by a judge (Myrna Loy) who insists that her sister (Shirley Temple) be cured of her infatuation by eventually tiring of him.
Support is good but the film belongs to the three leads.Overall this is a pretty amusing comedy but not one that stands out in my memory as being anywhere near Grant's best at this type of thing.
(The playboy angle just doesn't seem like much of a stretch.) Anyway, there are some pretty clever lines (especially the hoodoo one), and an imaginative storyline, and Shirley Temple was downright pretty when she grew up, but overall The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer isn't anything unforgettable..
A teenage girl (Shirley Temple) develops a crush on an older man (Cary Grant).
Her older sister is a judge, played by Myrna Loy. When Temple sneaks into Grant's apartment and places him in trouble with the law, her sister suggests a plea bargain where Grant has to date the teenager in order to cure her of her infatuation.
Fun movie with great performances from Grant and Loy. Temple is lots of fun too.
Myrna Loy plays Judge Margaret Turner, the guardian of her teenage sister played delightfully by Shirley Temple, in one of her few movie roles as a teenager.
Harry Davenport as Uncle Thaddeus is wonderful, and Ray Collins as Uncle Matt plays Cupid in this rather odd love triangle between Loy, Temple, and Grant.
Rebellious 17 year old bobby-soxer Susan Turner (Shirley Temple) lives with her guardian sister Judge Margaret (Myrna Loy).
Myrna was a lesser actress, albeit one that I truly like, but her performance here (driven by the script) would have lost her any man, even to her kid sister.If you like Shirley Temple and/or Cary Grant, this is a great movie.
Cary Grant gets many chances to show off his flair for physical comedy, Shirley Temple is no less grating as a young adult than she was as a child, and Myrna Loy (who I watched this for) is in the movie a lot, but never given very much to do.
Cary Grant was, and is, always worth watching, find him a great actor and really like to love many of his films.
Do like Myrna Loy, though have seen quite a number of times that could have used her much better, and wanted to see too whether the film deserved its best original screenplay Oscar.While 'The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer' is not one of the best films or roles for those involved (Grant, Temple and Loy have done better performances and been in better films, though that is in no way disparaging the film or their talents), it is more than well worth the time.
A masterpiece it may not quite be, but it was so much fun to watch, was full of charm, beautifully played and very difficult to dislike regardless of what one thinks about the story.It is a story best forgotten and just enjoy 'The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer' for everything else that it does right, for it is the film's weakest link (and actually the only real big fault).
Cary Grant and Myrna Loy are terrific together and a teenaged Shirley Temple is superb with the three of them surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast.
Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Shirley Temple..What a team!!!.
Rudy Vallee is very funny as Tommy, the jealous assistant D.A. Shirley Temple as Margaret's teenage sister Susan, Ray Collins as Uncle Matt (Dr. Beemish), and Harry Davenport as retired judge Thaddeus all bring much hilarity to their respective roles.
Casting Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple and Rudy Vallee all in the same film sounds excellent and should've resulted in a better film than this 1947 comedy from RKO.
Rowdy playboy Grant is arrested for disturbing the peace and his court case judge (Loy) sentences him to court her teenaged sister (Temple).
Judge Margaret Turner (Myrna Loy), is alarmed when her precocious teenage daughter Susan (Shirley Temple), develops a crush on Dick Nugent (Cary Grant), a roguish art lecturer.
Shirley Temple falls for Cary Grant.
Also deserving credit are director Irving Reis and writer Sidney Sheldon.******* The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (7/24/47) Irving Reis ~ Cary Grant, Shirley Temple, Myrna Loy, Johnny Sands.
Cary Grant stars as a playboy painter who becomes the object of a crush by teenager Shirley Temple.
I did not know that Shirley Temple ever made any movies past puberty, so I watched this little film with great interest.
(Rudy Vallee) and Temple's sister...yes Myrna Loy.Grant is arrested on a very sticky charge - we are never informed precisely, but it appears to be attempted statutory rape.
For example, at least two identify Shirey Temple's character as a college student rather than a high schooler.To understand the interpersonal dynamics of the story, let's start with two of the great supporting actors in this film Rudy Vallee and Ray Collins.
The idea of the high school girl and the playboy artist dating or marrying would have been a bit scandalous in a middle class milieu like this, but it would not necessarily have seemed criminal to most folks.So now we come to the silly schoolgirl crush which Shirley Temple's character conceives with regard to the urbane, sophisticated, handsome, and slightly rakish artist played by Cary Grant.
Our teen heroine in this movie is a bit of what we would now call a "drama queen." We see this not only in her relation to the older artist, but in the way she returns to her high school beau talking about how handsome he will be in uniform (he just got his draft notice).When our psychiatrist uncle (Collins) comes up with the idea of having the artist (Grant) pay court to the bobby-soxer (Temple) till she tires of him, he is playing a double - even a triple - game.
"The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer" is one of my favorite romance comedies starring Cary Grant as professional painter Richard Nugent (the bachelor), Myrna Loy as Judge Margaret Turner, and Shirley Temple as Margaret's much younger sister Susan (the bobby-soxer), for whom Margaret is legally responsible.
Nobody but Cary Grant could play the role of Richard Nugent, a man who tries his best to be respectable and elegant but who innocently gets caught up in extraordinary situations.
Myrna Loy was perfect as the stern yet likable Judge Margaret Turner, who is very loving & protective of her younger sister and who eventually sees just what a charming man Richard is.
" Oh My Goodness Shirley Temple And Cary Grant ".
In this film, Shirley Temple is cast as Myrna Loy's younger teenage sister, and her responsibility since the death of their parents.
Myrna Loy soon discovered playing Shirley Temple's older sister wasn't easy because she had to treat her rather severely on the screen.
Clearly this film survives because of Cary Grant's charm and meticulous sense of comedic timing along with the renewed box-office magic of a beautiful teenage Shirley Temple.
Too bad, because what preceded it was sometimes pretty funny.In the end, Temple returns to her puppyishly loyal boyfriend and Grant steals Myrna Loy from the Assistant District Attorney.
But at 19-years-old in real life here, Shirley Temple is all but stretched to her breaking point playing Loy's little sis, "Susan," who is supposed to be 17.
Myrna Loy plays Shirley's much older guardian sister(42 vs.
The comedy goes awry here and as a result, the film soon goes downhill quite rapidly.Yes, there are some funny moments, especially the scene in the restaurant where the entire cast is assembled and each denounces the other.You know that the relationship between Grant and Temple can't be and that older sister Loy will fit the bill..
A dashing artist (Cary Grant) makes a bad impression on judge Myrna Loy. Her younger sister (Shirley Temple) encounters him at her school, and gets a school-girl crush on him that causes him nothing but headaches. |
tt0041859 | The Set-Up | Bill "Stoker" Thompson (Robert Ryan) is a 35-year-old has-been boxer about to take on an opponent at the fictional Paradise City Arena. His wife, Julie (Audrey Totter), fears that this fight may be his last and wants him to forfeit the match. Tiny (George Tobias), Stoker's manager, is sure he will continue to lose fights, so he takes money for a "dive" from a mobster, but is so certain of Stoker's failure that he does not inform the boxer of the set-up.
The beginning of the film shows Stoker and Julie in their room at the Hotel Cozy, passionately debating whether he should participate in the fight. Julie tells him that she has a headache and won't attend the match. Stoker claims the $500 prize could allow them to buy a cigar stand or invest in another boxer, Tony Martinez, and start a new life. Julie says she cares more about his well-being than money, but Stoker responds: "If you're a fighter, you gotta fight."
After Stoker departs for the arena, Julie continues to struggle with her fear and desire to support him, but ultimately ends up not using her ticket to the event and instead roams the streets surrounding the arena.
At the beginning of the fourth and last round of the vicious match with the much younger and heavily favored Tiger Nelson (Hal Fieberling), Stoker learns about the fix. Even though he is told that Little Boy (Alan Baxter), a feared gangster, is behind the set-up, he refuses to give up the fight.
Stoker wins the vocal support of blood-thirsty fans who had at first rooted against him and ends up defeating his opponent. He pays for his decision with a beating in an alley outside the arena from Little Boy, Tiger Nelson, and their cronies. The group irreparably damages Stoker's hand with a smash from a brick.
The story closes with Julie meeting Stoker as he staggers out of the alley and collapses into her arms. "I won tonight," he tells her. "Yes," she answers. "You won tonight. We both won tonight." | cult | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0023327 | The Penquin Pool Murder | Gwen Parker (Mae Clarke) meets her former boyfriend Philip Seymour (Donald Cook) at the local aquarium and asks him for some money so she can leave her husband, stockbroker Gerald Parker. However, Mr. Parker receives an anonymous telephone call tipping him off to the rendezvous. When he confronts the pair, Seymour knocks him out with a punch. As there are no witnesses to the altercation, he hides the unconscious man in the room behind an exhibit.
Schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers (Edna May Oliver) takes her class on a field trip to the aquarium. Shortly after tripping up fleeing pickpocket "Chicago" Lew (though he gets away), she loses her hatpin; one of her students finds it. Then Miss Withers sees Parker's now-dead body falling into a pool housing a penguin. Police Inspector Oscar Piper (James Gleason) arrives and uncovers several suspects: the widow and Seymour; Bertrand Hemingway (Clarence Wilson), the head of the aquarium, who had financial dealings with the deceased; Chicago Lew, found near the scene; and even Miss Withers herself, as it is later determined that her hatpin was driven through the man's right ear into the brain. Bystander and lawyer Barry Costello (Robert Armstrong) catches Gwen Parker when she faints, and acquires a client when she is taken in for questioning.
Seymour confesses to protect Mrs. Parker, but Miss Withers does not believe him. She convinces Piper to notify the press that the murder was committed with a thrust through the left ear.
Later, Costello passes along a message from Chicago Lew, in which he claims to know the identity of the killer. However, when Piper and Miss Withers go to see him at the jail, they find him dead from hanging. Costello concocts a way in which Seymour could have escaped from his nearby cell using a duplicate key (which is found), strangled Lew, and hanged him with wire without entering Lew's cell.
At the murder trial of Philip Seymour and Gwen Parker, while questioning Miss Withers, Costello slips up, showing that he knew that Gerald Parker was killed via the right ear. The motive is that he is Gwen Parker's current lover.
When Gwen Parker is released, the waiting Seymour slaps her in the face, to the amusement of Piper and Miss Withers. Piper then unexpectedly asks Miss Withers to marry him. She accepts. (However, in the sequel, Murder on the Blackboard, they are still single.) | mystery, murder, humor | train | wikipedia | With the coming of sound to the movies and "the Crash" to the stock market, musicals, screwball comedies and tightly plotted "cozy" mysteries became staples of 30's film going and frequently a valuable, if unintentional, tour of the decade's culture (one of the potential motives of one of the suspects in THE PENGUIN POOL MURDERS is a "margin call" on a brokerage account about to be wiped out by falling stock prices!).In 1932, a year after Dashiel Hammett had introduced the "hard boiled" detective to novels and films with his Sam Spade in THE MALTESE FALCON (a decade before the Oscar winning remake we all know today!), while Philo Vance was still at his peak, Charlie Chan had just started his marathon run, and two years before Dashiel Hammett would backtrack to seemingly invent the "comedy mystery" in the first of the THIN MAN series, Stuart Palmer's "Hildegarde Withers" stories were pointing the way to that perfect bantering comedy.Miss Withers was one of the first screen characters to build on "the little old lady" detectives first introduced by Mary Roberts Rinehart and later to be highly polished - though with fewer comic overtones - in Agatha Christie's Miss Marple tales.Beautifully acerbic character actress Edna May Oliver first assayed the plum role of Withers in THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER, playing every stereotype of the prim, corseted but observant, spinster school teacher for all they were worth against the background of a solidly plotted mystery and a grand supporting cast headed by perennial mystery fixture James Gleason as the much put-upon Inspector Piper.
A New York City now long vanished became an active part of the supporting cast.While Miss Oliver chose not to be pinned down to the continuing Withers role after only three films (THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER - '32, MURDER AT THE BLACKBOARD - '34 and MURDER ON A HONEYMOON - '35), passing on the part to solid comedienne Helen Broderick for the less well written but enjoyable and frequently aired MURDER ON THE BRIDAL PATH - '36 and (with less effect) fine supporting comedienne Zasu Pitts for a final two (THE PLOT THICKENS - '36, and FORTY NAUGHTY GIRLS - '37), all the Withers' films are fun - but the Olivers are the best of the bunch.Connoisseurs of period mystery should especially treasure THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER for its location shots of some now vanished (or at least radically transformed) Manhattan landmarks - most notably the then New York City Aquarium (long before the institution decamped to Brooklyn).
If you're going to be in New York, don't miss this increasingly meaningful piece of sculpture - but first see its setting as it looked 70 years earlier in delightful PENGUIN POOL MURDERS!.
Because of this, it was cute to see that through the course of the film, Gleason's character fell for Miss Withers--he grew to love and respect her just like the audience did throughout the film.For the genre, this is about as good a film as you'll find--plus, it has cute penguins and Edna May Oliver!!
Well it isn't at all.Add to all of this schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers (Edna Mae Oliver) is in the aquarium at the time of the murder with her students conducting a tour of the exhibits, and that she has quite the penchant for solving mysteries as well as agitating the detective on the case, Oscar Piper (James Gleason), and you have a great little precode mystery here.What really makes this film stand out is the chemistry of the leads, Gleason and Oliver.
Then there are those great precode one-liners from Oliver, not the kind of stuff you'd expect from a prim and proper spinster such as Hildegarde.Highly recommended as an excellent start to a good series of mystery films starring Oliver and Gleason..
When I reat a little bit about it, it didn't sound too interesting, but since I like the pre-code period so much, and I'd never seen an Edna Mae Oliver film before (other than a tiny snippet from Saturday Night Kid) I decided that I might as well go and see it.PPM is a fast-paced and hilarious murder mystery, still as gleefully enjoyable as it was upon it's first release.
Edna Mae Oliver and James Gleason were two of the best character actors in Hollywood in the "golden age" of film making.
And in THE PENGUIN POOL MURDERS they joined together as Hildegarde Withers and Inspector Piper of the New York Police Department.
From start to finish this film crackles with wit and is filled with visual tics and quirks that lead us to the conclusion that these are two souls that we will not soon want to forget.Helen Broderick tried unsuccessfully to fill Ms. Oliver's shoes in the fourth and final installment of the Withers' series "Murder on a Bridle Path" but there was no chemistry between Gleason and Broderick as well as the fact, that it was not a well written entry.
As there are many reviews correctly praising the work of Edna Mae Oliver, James Gleason, and RKO studios set decorating department, suffice it to say that this is an outstanding opening entry into the Hildegarde Withers mystery series.
Most of the action of "The Penguin Pool Murders" takes place in a recreation of the beautiful New York Aquarium, which charmed and delighted resident and tourist alike for almost half a century beginning in 1896.
The mystery itself is first rate with Edna Mae Oliver and James Gleason exuding great humor and personal chemistry as two enjoyably mismatched detectives in this very intriguing whodunit..
The first of three films for Oliver as novelist Stuart Palmer's fiftyish caustic, snoopy schoolteacher Miss Withers, the movie was a major hit in 1932 and one can see why even today, the duologue is hilarious, the setting quite novel, and the cast is fine, especially Oliver and James Gleason who have such a superb team chemistry together is near tragic they only made three films together (Oliver left RKO-Radio Pictures in 1935 and the studio unwisely decided to carry on the series with different actresses much to moviegoers - and author Stuart Palmer's - displeasure.) The plot has been dealt with by other posters so I won't go in to it but even if murder mysteries are not your thing, if you love a good comedy you'll will thoroughly enjoy this picture as Oliver gets off some delicious zingers, mostly at the semi-incompetent Inspector Piper (Gleason)'s expense.
The movie boasts two cultish 1930's leading ladies in support cast quite against character, Mae Clarke in an unusually glamorous role for her as one of the suspects and most surprising, Rochelle Hudson, best known for her ultra-wholesome ingénues, painted up like a back street hooker as a floozy of a telephone operator who has a hilarious run-in with Miss Withers.
At least there are a dozen or so Miss Withers novels by Stuart Palmer ( many still in print including THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER) for us to cast her again in our minds eye again in the role.
PENGUIN POOL MURDER (RKO Radio, 1932), directed by George Archainbaud, the first (and best) of six film mystery series featuring Stuart Palmer's fictional character of Hildegarde Withers, a spinster schoolteacher, who matches wits with Oscar Piper, a New York City police inspector, is a rare find these days, considering how it predates Agatha Christie's better known female sleuth of Miss Marple.
In retrospect, Hildegarde becomes a detective on her own only when the police cannot solve or deduct any clues she encounters, and yet, not being on a professional level when crime solving is concerned, proves that experience is not the issue, but the powers of deduction are.The story opens with an air view of New York City's Battery Park where various characters are introduced: Gwen (Mae Clarke), a young woman married to Gerald Parker (Guy Usher), a middle-aged businessman, having secret rendezvous with her lover, Philip Seymour (Donald Cook) at an aquarium.
After learning that Parker was murdered with the use of her own hat pin found plunged into his right ear drum to the brain, Hildegarde decides to take matters into her own hands by becoming a crime solver herself, much to the dismay of Inspector Oscar Piper.The success to the initial pairing of Edna May Oliver and James Gleason lead to several sequels, all featuring Gleason, two more starring Oliver, including MURDER ON THE BLACKBOARD (1934) and MURDER ON A HONEYMOON (1935), one with Helen Broderick in MURDER ON THE BRIDLE PATH (1936), and two featuring ZaSu Pitts in THE PLOT THICKENS (1936) and FORTY NAUGHTY GIRLS (1937).
While Broderick physically was a satisfactory substitute for Oliver, though no where as good as Oliver, the series actually fell apart once it acquired Pitts services, which brought an end to what might have become a long running film series.Supporting cast consists of Edgar Kennedy as Donovan; Robert Armstrong as Barry Costello, the attorney; Gustav Von Seyffertitz as Max Von Donnen, the lab expert; Clarence Wilson as the aquarium director; Sidney Miller as the typical know-it-all student; and Rochelle Hudson as the Switchboard Girl.
Edgar Kennedy, famous for his "slow-burn" characterizations in numerous features and comedy shorts, is completely bald in this installment, mainly due to the fact that he was playing Daddy Warbucks in LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE (1932) with Mitzi Green, about the same time he was working in PENGUIN POOL MURDER.Never distributed to video or DVD, and at one time a late night show favorite on commercial TV channels, and formerly shown on cable television's American Movie Classics from the 1980s to 1998, at then on Turner Classic Movies where it had once been presented some years ago as part of viewer's request night.In spite of its age, PENGUIN POOL MURDER surprisingly holds up well, thanks to the perfect casting of the horse-faced Edna May Oliver and New York sounding James Gleason in the leads, a well written and occasionally witty screenplay by Willis Goldbeck, and although viewers might guess whom the killer might be before it is all over, it's certainly fun to sit through this one to see through Hildegarde's power of deduction how she gets to trick the killer into reveal him or herself.
Even if the mystery becomes too familiar to be suspenseful upon repeated viewings, THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER can still be savored due to Oliver and Gleason's marvelous chemistry..
Edna May Oliver plays the gawky ,spinsterish and bespectacled amateur sleuth Hildegarde Withers -the sort of person who always carries a neatly rolled umbrella irrespective of the weather-who teams up with wisecracking policeman Inspector Piper(James Gleason)to solve the murder of Gerald Brooks (Guy Usher).The title derives from the murder location -the Battery Park Acquarium.
There is no shortage of suspects-from the Acquarium director (Clarence H Webb)to the ungrieving widow of the deceased (Mae Clark)and one of her lovers (Donald Cook).Together they set a trap to unmask the killer.Oliver and Gleason work well together and they are blessed with a witty script by Willis Goldbeck as well as some pacey direction from George Archainbaud This was the first of a series and is a good example of solid studio professionalism from its era.
In the early 1930's, the marvelous character actress Edna May Oliver starred in a three-film series as spinster school teacher/murder detective Hildegarde Withers.
The films are fun, but the main reason to spend the time is Miss Edna May.In this, the first of the series, Miss Oliver discovers a very dead body floating in the penguin pool in the New York City Aquarium.
Even with her class in tow, she wastes not a moment in starting to gather clues.James Gleason is great as the police detective trying to solve the crime HIS way; others in the cast include Robert Armstrong, Edgar Kennedy & the lovely Mae Clarke.
Schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers (Edna May Oliver) and Inspector Piper (James Gleason) team up to find out.It's creaky in spots and some of the acting is bad but, all in all, this is an enjoyable murder comedy.
Oliver (a WONDERFUL character actress) is letter perfect as Withers and Gleason is just great as gruff Inspector Piper.
Fun start to a brief detective series featuring the character of Hildegarde Withers and her beau Inspector Piper.
Penguin Pool Murder (1932) *** (out of 4) The first film in RKO's Hildegarde Withers series features Edna May Oliver in the role who teams up with Inspector Piper (James Gleason) to try and find the murderer of a stockbroker whose body turned up in a penguin pool.
Penguin Pool Murder from 1932 stars Edna May Oliver, James Gleason, Mae Clarke, and Donald Cook.
It's a B movie, the first of the Hildegarde Withers series.While Miss Withers is with her students at the aquarium, the body of a stockbroker, Gerald Parker, is found in the penguin tank.His wife Gwen (Clarke) is suspected, as she had a boyfriend (Cook) there at the time.The inspector on the case, Piper (Gleason) has to put up with a witness -- Miss Withers, who else -- who has all kinds of opinions and advice.
It stars Edna May Oliver, James Gleason, Robert Armstrong and Mae Clarke.
The Penguin Pool Murder is the start of their wonderful union, and although the mystery element is weak on this one, the all round quality of the production (sets and photography) and the spirited work of cast and director ensures a great time can be had here.
After a dead body is found in the penguin tank, Ms. Oliver teams up with police inspector James Gleason (as Oscar Piper) to solve the murder...This was the first in a series of movies based on characters created by novelist Stuart Palmer.
Also, the ending event was reconsidered off screen, in Mr. Palmer's second book.****** The Penguin Pool Murder (1932-12-09) George Archainbaud ~ Edna May Oliver, James Gleason, Robert Armstrong, Mae Clarke.
It's a quick and sometimes hilarious case.Gleason locks up about half of the cast over the course of the film; eventually he's positive he's got the right man and vows to turn in his badge if he's wrong, to which Oliver responds: "If you turned in a badge every time you suspected the wrong person in this case, the department would have to have a special trophy room for them." Gleason is not discouraged ("Don't mind the badge situation, I can take care of that") but he has gradually come to value her ideas and ingenuity.It's a lively partnership between two gruffly charming characters—the two stars are excellent, and are both at their best when on the screen together.A fun supporting cast includes Robert Armstrong as a lawyer who appears somewhat mysteriously; Mae Clark and Donald Cook as attractive young suspects who may or may not fall (or be) in love; the wonderful Clarence Wilson, he of the bald head, mustache, and eternal twitch, as aquarium manager Bertram B.
Far from creaky and mannered as the year might suggest, this is instead a lively little film in which a murder takes place in an aquarium, the doors are locked and then a couple of sleuths have to figure out who's responsible.The movie is notable for being the first outing for the character of Miss Withers, an unlikely crime-solver who would go on to star in other mystery dramas.
When young Sidney Miller and Oliver both notice a body in the penguin pool, the game's afoot.The body is that of the late Guy Usher and as in the case of most murder mysteries a lot of people who would like him dead happen to be in the aquarium.
That does not stop Hannon from making a lucrative living as a dip.The Penguin Pool Murder's biggest asset is the chemistry between polar opposites aristocratic Edna May Oliver and the plebeian police inspector James Gleason who investigates the homicide.
Zasu Pitts and Helen Broderick would add their own take to it for single appearances at RKO, and Eve Arden would bring the character back in a TV movie 40 years later, but other than Arden, who had the benefit of years between the character's appearance, Pitts and Broderick were both too different than Oliver to make the character seem to be the same person, especially with James Gleason around as her initial foe and later beau Oscar Piper for all five of the RKO series.In "The Penguin Pool Murder", an aquarium is the spot for murder, and leave it to chance for Hildegard Withers to be there.
"I'm a schoolteacher and I might have done wonders for you if I'd caught you early enough!!!" so starts the witty repartee between Hildegarde Withers and Inspector Piper, and a great movie partner- ship was born.This was the first film in a far too short series.
Stuart Palmer created the character of Hildegarde Withers (Edna May Oliver) and the very exasperated Police Inspector Piper (James Gleason).
Oliver made 3 Hildegarde Withers films - "The Penguin Pool Murder", "Murder on a Blackboard" (1934) and "Murder on a Honeymoon" (1935).
A school teacher and a police inspector join forces to discover the murder of a man found dead in a penguin pool at an aquarium.
Only seventy minutes but worth every minute.Playing the school teacher turned detective Hildegarde Withers for the first time (two further films followed with her in the lead) Edna May Oliver is perfectly cast.
***SPOILERS*** Excellent detective movie involving spinster teacher Hilderard Martha Winters, Edna May Oliver, solving a murder mystery that New York's police top detective Oscar Piper, James Gleason, couldn't even get a handle on.It's when stockbroker Gerald Parker, Guy Usher, is found dead after being dumped in the Battery Park Aquarium's penguin pool that it's the late Gerald Parker's wife's Gwen's, Mea Cark, former boyfriend Philip Seymour, Donald Cook, who's suspected in his murder.
And, her interactions with James Gleason are just wonderful.Oliver plays a spinsterish school teacher here who helps solve a murder that takes place at the New York City Aquarium. |
tt0119668 | Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | This panoramic tale of Savannah's eccentricities focuses on a murder and the subsequent trial of Jim Williams (Kevin Spacey): self-made man, art collector, antiques dealer, bon vivant, and semi-closeted homosexual. John Kelso (John Cusack), a magazine reporter, finds himself in Savannah amid the beautiful architecture and odd doings to write a feature on one of Williams' famous Christmas parties.
Kelso is intrigued by Williams from the start, but his curiosity is piqued when he meets the violent, young Billy Hanson (Jude Law), Williams' lover. Later that night, Hanson is dead, and Kelso stays on to cover the murder trial. Along the way he encounters the irrepressible The Lady Chablis, a transsexual stand-up comedienne; Sonny Seiler, lawyer to Williams, whose famous dog "Uga IV" is the official mascot of the Georgia Bulldogs; a man who keeps flies attached to mini leashes on his lapels and threatens daily to poison the water supply; Serena Dawes, a former silent-film actress; the Married Ladies Card Club; and Minerva, a spiritualist and voodoo practitioner.
Between becoming Williams' friend, cuddling up to a torch singer, meeting every eccentric in Savannah, participating in midnight graveyard rituals, and helping solve the mysteries surrounding Hanson's murder, Kelso has his hands full. The judge and jury later find Williams not guilty, much to the pleasure of Kelso and the witnesses. Williams congratulates Kelso on proving his innocence.
As depicted in the film, Williams suffers a heart attack and dies a week after the trial concludes. As he dies on the floor near where Hanson died from his wounds, Williams sees an apparition of the hustler in death, then momentarily alive. The camera cuts away from the scene, showing both Hanson and Williams dead and only a few feet from each other. Following the funeral and visiting Hanson's grave once more with Minerva, Kelso, Mandy and the Lady Chablis go off together for a picnic with Uga. | comedy, mystery, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0040623 | My Brother Jonathan | The story revolves around the life of Jonathan Dakers (Denison), a small town doctor. He is training to be a surgeon when his father dies. Due to the resulting financial problems, he cannot continue his training. He buys a share in Dr. Hammond's general practice in Wednesford, a poor foundry town.
When Dakers notes that many patients have been injured in industrial accidents at the foundry, he comes into conflict with its owner Sir Joseph Higgins, and the owner's son-in-law Dr Craig, who owns the town's competing medical practice. He writes a report criticizing the condition of the foundry and buildings the workers live in but Craig, who is also the local Health Officer, deliberately mislays it.
When Dakers performs a life saving tracheotomy on a child with diphtheria, and takes the child to the hospital, he is charged with misconduct, as the hospital charter precludes infectious cases.
As a child Jonathan Dakers met Edie Martyn (Beatrice Campbell). Years later they meet again when he is training in a hospital. He has a thing for Edie, however his brother Harold and she fall in love. Harold is killed in World War 1, but Edie is pregnant. To save her from shame Jonathan marries her. However he is also in love with Rachel Hammond (Gray), the daughter of his medical partner. Soon after giving birth to a son, Edie dies, first telling Jonathan to be happy with Rachel, whom he later marries. | romantic, flashback | train | wikipedia | A quality film.
Although not surprising in its plot this film is well made and acted.
(With fine film score too) The story is told mainly in flashback by Jonathan Dakers,an ageing doctor to his son who has just come back from war.
The old doctor talks about his relationships and also his medical career and how they intertwined.
It is the kind of film almost impossible to make these days as it is a story of a decent man who does decent things.
Films about ordinary people and their ordinary goodness are difficult to make without being dull or worthy but this film pulls it off.The acting is solid.
You can believe in the idealism of Michael Denison's character.
Sterling support is given by Dulcie Gray, Finlay Curry, Ronald Howard, Mary Clare and Stephen Murray.
James Robertson Justice appears too briefly though.There are many good scenes in the film; the boys cricket match, the hospital emergency meeting, the new years eve party.
There is an excellent scene where Dr Dakers performs a tracheotomy on a boy.
No music in the background, just the laboured breathing of the boy.
There is also a touching scene on a hill (shot on location) with Denison and Gray where she quotes AE Houseman, where you can tell they are in love even without them uttering it.
Such subtle film making has long gone in British films..
Genuine, touching, Dickensian.
This was a very very late night movie but worthy of a much better time slot.
The country Doctor who forsook a potential London surgeon's career for the betterment of his younger brother is so true to life of good people.
People who'll never be named Father of the Year but whose ranks are the oil in society.
Denison plays a very constrained man, emotionally, in many scenes, but as the reviews before attest, when prompted to let his affections fill the screen he's as adept as any star.
The grasping of the business-end of the soot-sodden town are entirely real and just as much in play today when nature meets commerce.
The opening scenes allude to the beauty before industry & the storyline nicely parallels this with the grass actually being greener on the other side of the hill.
A glimpse into life just so recently gone gives the film social interest as well..
Pete Murray in early acting role.
Yes as a person who watched "Juke Box Jury" in the early 1960s, I and my generation mainly remember Pete Murray as a pop presenter on TV, now here he is in 1948 acting playing a doctor's son at the beginning of his show business career.This film has a mammoth cast and must be the signature film of long time married couple Michael Denison and Dulcie Gray.The film tries to illustrate the importance of enough food, housing and education to make a wholesome society, apart from the obvious central need for adequate medical care.The pivotal relationship is that between two brothers Jonathan Dakers and Harold Dakers played by Michael Denison and Ronald Howard respectively.The action is set in Worcestershire, England in the first half of the 20th century.Jonathan is passionately interested in medicine and becomes a medical doctor while Harold is more the action figure, going to Cambridge university, excelling at cricket and ultimately is killed in action in WW1.Romantically They are both in love with Edie Martyn (blonde beauty, Beatrice Campbell) who initially marries Harold but when he is killed in the war marries his brother Jonathan who then agrees to adopt young Tony Dakers (Pete Murray) his nephew.The brothers parents are played adequately by Mary Clare and James Robertson Justice.However Mrs Dakers suffers from delusions that her favourite son, Harold, will sometime return from the army and will not accept his death!This is a competent production all round and I awarded it 7/10..
Surprisingly good movie.
Ran across it by accident.
Excellent performances, great plot, learned some historical stuff to boot.
Great old drama with a tissue needed now and then but more dramatic and captivating than depressing.
Good for a rainy night.
Nice to see one of the first performances by Leslie Howard's son Ronald, who went on to do a TV series of Sherlock Holmes.
There is some great medical background to be learned in this movie, as well as the conditions in hospitals in the early Twentieth Century.
Some great lines about WWI also, and some heartwarming parts that make it endearing.
It is a story of two brothers whose familial relationship - trials and tribulations - are the same as many through the centuries..
Topical at the time.
This was a topical film when released because the National Health Service had recently been inaugurated.is stars Michael Dennison and Dulcie Grey and is told in flashback.So we get to see what life was like before the NHS.Some good performances by lots of very familiar actors.Very typical film of its period and a very interesting threesome..
Chronicle of a family bravely facing constant setbacks with a cheer.
Jonathan Dakers is an aged doctor in the black coal district of the Midlands looking back on his life with many pleasant memories.
He and his brother Harold were the sons of a would be poet, who left his family all but ruined.
Jonathan could have become a surgeon but was obliged to take on an ordinary practice in the slums, where he gets into a permanent conflict with a corrupt senior physician (admirably played by Stephen Murray) who controls the local hospital.
The brothers love the same woman, but Jonathan, who is the first to court and love her, constantly has to put off their engagement for the sake of his plight, while his brother takes care of her instead and makes her pregnant before joining the war in 1914, where he falls in battle.
Jonathan marries her to save her from dishonour, but she dies in childbirth, he takes care of his brother's son as if it was his own and marries the daughter of his mentor.
The son is never told that his parents are not his real parents, until he decides not to follow his father to become a doctor like him but to instead join the war in 1939.
That's where the film begins.So "My Brother Jonathan" is really the fallen brother's story and view of his brother the doctor, who is eloquently played by Michael Denison in a sustained and gripping performance throughout the film.
It has been called Dickensian, and there is indeed a touch of the warm humanity of Dickens colouring this exquisite masterpiece, perhaps the best of all doctor's films, but it also reminds you of A.J.Cronin's many medical novels and is strongly akin to James Hilton's "So Well Remembered" with Trevor Howard as the alcoholic doctor in the same coal district who is always right in his sometimes fatal diagnoses.
This film is less dramatic, there is no evil here and no looming tragedy, but it is so much more sincere and appealing in its humanity, sustained throughout by Michael Denison's wholly convincing impersonation of this infinitely sympathetic character of a doctor meeting with constant adversity and hardship by disasters, but who never lets go of his patience nor of his good humour.
This is almost a film to adore..
Strangely likable.
My Brother Jonathan is a product of its time with a trite moralistic story and somewhat cardboard main characters.
However there is a liveliness to the film that makes it enjoyable.
The story moves forward briskly, the dialogue is crisp and there is a range of well-acted minor characters.
On the other hand the direction is painfully inept.
Characters squash up together in an awkward way to fit into the shot, and often the physical action is somewhat out of kilter with the dialogue.I had to laugh when a character having knocked at the door is told to"come in" and replies "I'm already in"!
I wonder if that was an adlib because this sort of thing happens throughout the film.
While watching I never lost the awareness that there were some hamfisted aspects to the film, but I still enjoyed it.
British character actors are to the fore and they deliver with verve and conviction.
I'd rate the lead,Michael Denison, as one of the weakest.
He has an irritating fatuous smile throughout and altogether appears to be somewhat of a stuffed shirt, but is still acceptable as a "good guy".
I guess it is plausible that some of the best people among us are not the ones with wit and charm..
My review contains a spoiler.
This film cropped up on Talking Pictures, Freeview last week.
For its time, it was an entertaining film, but was very truncated and the ending is NOT happy.
All the way through this story Jonathan keeps losing out to his brother, even after the brother is killed in the war.
But the most ironical happening is reserved for the ending, which is very sad.
I suggest you read the book, by Francis Brett Young, to get the full story.
By the way, I noticed Leslie Howard's son, who was the image of his father. |
tt1016283 | Xposé | Two actresses, Zara Fernandes and Chandni Roy, are both set to make their film debut on the same date. Chandni's film becomes a box office success, whereas Zara's film is a flop. This angers Zara who believes she is higher and better than every other new actress. Zara starts an argument with Chandni after an awards party, and the two end up fighting. Later that night, Zara is murdered. The blame obviously goes towards Chandni, and she has no way to prove her innocence.
Chandni's lover, Ravi Kumar, decides to step in and find the real murderer to save his love. Ravi happens to be an ex-cop, who was sacked from his job as a police officer after shooting a parliamentarian apparently. Ravi is now an actor, who happens to have debuted in the same film as Zara. The suspect list in the murder is extremely high, there is Virmaan, who is Chandni's ex-boyfriend, Subba Prasad who is Zara's film director and KD, a music director who had an affair with Zara, as well as many other suspects.
In the end, it finally turns out that after Zara & Chandni's fight, Zara went up to the terrace where she met KD (hinting that their affair was still going on at the time of her death) and as the two got together, KD's wife Shabnam started looking for KD. KD heard Shabnam coming up to the terrace, so tried to run away, and accidentally pushed Zara away from him, which led to her to fall from the terrace. It also turns out that after falling down, she landed outside Subba Prasad's window. Subba decided to let her fall so her death could gain attention and maybe help their flop film be successful.
KD & Subba are arrested. KD is arrested for 7 years and Subba Prasad is given life sentence. After all the supposed suspects leave the court, Chandni confesses to her love for Ravi. The two get together, and Ravi tells Chandni that actually, he knew that she was the one who murdered Zara. In a flashback, it is revealed that after Subba let Zara fall down, she was still alive and was found by Chandni. Chandni was so frustrated and annoyed by her that she hit Zara on the head with a glass bottle, finally killing her. Ravi decides to keep this a secret between him and Chandni, and the two walk off and the story ends. | non fiction | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0077087 | Sword of Justice | Norman "Dack" Rambo starred as Jack Martin Cole, who had emerged from an unjust prison sentence to become a rich playboy by day and a troubleshooting mercenary at night, à la The Saint. Bert Rosario co-starred as Hector Ramirez, a former petty crook who was Cole's junior partner and former cell-mate, and Alex Courtney, another series regular, appeared as Arthur Woods, an attorney who had unsuccessfully defended Cole on criminal charges, who - from his involvement in that case - was motivated to head a special federal task force for the Justice Department to fight white-collar crime. His associate and partner in the task force was a federal agent known only by the family name of Buckner (Colby Chester).
Cole had previously been a full-time playboy, but his family had powerful enemies who framed him for embezzlement. Arthur Woods defended Cole at his trial, but without success. After being wrongly convicted, he served a prison sentence for the crimes he had not committed, à la The Rockford Files; Ramirez became his cell-mate during this period. During his confinement, Cole's parents died, and his family fortune was almost totally destroyed by their enemies. Bitter, hateful, and rage-filled as a direct result of his misfortunes, Cole swore revenge. To that end, once he returned to prison after attending his dead parents' funerals, he learned how to crack safes, break into banks, and most of the other secrets of the criminal trade. Upon his release, he decided to turn the tables on such above-the-law criminals as he blamed for his misfortunes by fighting them at their own game, à la It Takes a Thief, and using a unique way to leave his message: the "3" from a deck of cards, indicating how many years he spent behind bars. On these cards would be a written warning for the criminal(s).
The three of clubs would read: "The club is the sign of vengeance--it holds no man as friend." However, he would also leave clues for Woods to follow, not revealing his true identity. He would leave these with the three of diamonds. In the first installment of the series, "A Double Life," this card read: "A diamond's suit means, 'Fill your cup with wealth and worldly things.'" If there were persons Cole was assisting or protecting, he would leave the three of hearts with them. Presumably, the heart indicated compassion, concern, caring, and a wish not to see this person come to harm. The three of spades would mark the end of the game, and this card read: "The spade is the sword of justice--its rapier marks the end." In the pilot installment, later re-edited into the made-for-television film "A Double Life," the club was the sword; the spade, the vengeance sign. The second series installment, "Aloha, Julie Lang," reversed this.
The primary enemy Cole brought down in Sword Of Justice: "A Double Life" was played by Larry Hagman, foreshadowing the later mutual hostility of their respective characters on Dallas. | revenge | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1227926 | Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog | Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog consists of three acts of approximately 14 minutes each. They were first released online in July 2008 as individual episodes, with two-day intervals between each release.
=== Act I ===
Dr. Horrible is filming an entry for his video blog, giving updates on his schemes and responding to various emails from his viewers. Asked about the "her" that he often mentions, he launches into a song about Penny, the girl he likes from the laundromat ("My Freeze Ray").
The song is cut short by his "evil moisture buddy" Moist, who brings up a letter from Bad Horse, the leader of the Evil League of Evil. The letter informs Dr. Horrible that his application for entry into the League will be evaluated, and that they will be watching for his next heinous crime ("Bad Horse Chorus").
The following day, Horrible prepares to steal a case of wonderflonium for his time-stopping Freeze Ray by commandeering the courier van using a remote control device. Penny happens to be on the same street ("Caring Hands"), and appears asking him to sign a petition to turn a condemned city building into a homeless shelter. However, the remote requires his attention, and he appears uninterested in her and her cause. As Penny leaves, Horrible is conflicted, but opts to steal the wonderflonium, telling himself that 'A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do' ("A Man's Gotta Do").
When Horrible remotely drives the van away, Captain Hammer appears and takes over Horrible's song, smashing the remote control receiver and inadvertently causing the van to veer towards Penny. Hammer pushes her out of the way (into a pile of garbage) just as Horrible regains control of the van and stops it, making it appear that Captain Hammer stopped the van with his bare hands. The two confront each other, with Hammer slamming Horrible's head on the van's hood, but Penny emerges to thank Hammer, making him forget about beating up Dr. Horrible. As Hammer and Penny serenade each other, Horrible glares at them while he makes off with the wonderflonium.
=== Act II ===
Dr. Horrible stalks Penny and Captain Hammer on their dates; Horrible sings of the misery of the human condition, and Penny sings of hope and the possibility of redemption ("My Eyes"). Penny and Horrible, known to her as Billy, begin to talk openly as friends.
On his blog, Horrible reveals that his Freeze Ray has been completed, and that he plans to use it the next day. The following post reveals that he has failed, as Hammer and the LAPD watch his blog, and they were ready for him. He then receives a phone call from Bad Horse and is reprimanded, saying that the only way to be inducted now is to commit an assassination ("Bad Horse Chorus (Reprise)"). Horrible is conflicted and can't decide on a victim, or even if he wants to commit a murder at all, even though the League will deny his application if he doesn't.
Billy chats with Penny over frozen yogurt, at the laundromat, about his problems ("Penny's Song"). As they grow closer, Penny mentions that Captain Hammer is planning to drop by. Billy panics and tries to leave, only to run into Hammer as he walks in. They feign ignorance on recognizing each other, but when Penny leaves them alone, Hammer reveals that he recognizes Billy as Dr. Horrible. Captain Hammer then taunts Dr. Horrible about his crush on Penny, happy to be taking the thing that Dr. Horrible wants most. It becomes obvious that Hammer doesn't really care about Penny but just wants to sleep with her to spite Horrible. Horrible decides to kill Hammer as his heinous crime for admission to Bad Horse's Evil League of Evil ("Brand New Day").
=== Act III ===
The city is abuzz with Captain Hammer's crusade to help the homeless and he is considered the city's new hero; Penny ponders her relationship with Captain Hammer, waiting at the laundromat to share frozen yogurt with an absent Billy; and Dr. Horrible goes into seclusion while obsessively constructing a Death Ray to kill Captain Hammer once and for all ("So They Say").
At the opening for the new homeless shelter, where a statue of Captain Hammer will be unveiled, Captain Hammer begins a speech of encouragement to the homeless, but it degenerates into self-centered, condescending praise of his own excellence and relationship with Penny ("Everyone's a Hero"). Penny, embarrassed and disillusioned, quietly tries to leave as the crowd joins in singing Hammer's song, but they are interrupted by the appearance of Dr. Horrible, who uses the Freeze Ray on Captain Hammer, cutting his song short. Dr. Horrible taunts the shocked crowd and declares that they cannot recognize that Hammer's disguise is "slipping", and he reveals a second, more lethal laser gun: his completed Death Ray ("Slipping").
At last, Horrible aims the lethal weapon at the frozen form of Captain Hammer, but hesitates. At that moment the Freeze Ray unexpectedly fails, and a suddenly revived Hammer punches Horrible across the room. The Death Ray falls from his hands, damaging it. Hammer then picks up the Death Ray, turns it on Horrible, and triumphantly completes the final note of his prior song. However, ignoring Dr. Horrible's warnings, Hammer pulls the trigger and the damaged Death Ray misfires. The weapon explodes in Hammer's hands, injuring him and causing him to feel pain, apparently for the first time in his life. He flees, a wailing wreck, asking for "someone maternal". Dr. Horrible realizes suddenly that he has succeeded in vanquishing his nemesis, but still having not committed the murder required by the League. Unfortunately, he discovers Penny slumped against a wall, impaled by shrapnel from the exploding weapon. Tragically, she dies in Horrible's arms, deliriously reassuring him that Captain Hammer will save them.
Dr. Horrible declares a Pyrrhic victory, with "the world [he] wanted, at [his] feet", seeing that her death is ironically the murder he required. In the aftermath, Horrible gains infamy and is free to commit additional crimes unfettered by Captain Hammer. Horrible becomes a member of the League, striding into a party in celebration of his induction, attended by Moist and the villains Pink Pummeller and Purple Pimp. Meanwhile, Captain Hammer is seen on a psychiatric couch sobbing to his therapist.
Dr. Horrible, donning a new outfit – red coat, black gloves and his goggles covering his eyes – takes his seat at the League, composed of fellow super-villains Tie-Die, Snake Bite, Professor Normal, Dead Bowie, Fake Thomas Jefferson, Fury Leika, and Bad Horse (who proves to be an actual horse). He addresses the camera, saying, "now the nightmare's real", and in working "to make the whole world kneel", that "[He] won't feel...". He completes the line "...a thing" in a final blog post as Billy, out of costume, looking numb and lost in the midst of his lab. ("Everything You Ever") | romantic, comedy, entertaining | train | wikipedia | I read Joss Whedon and his brother's were bored during the Writer's Strike last season and came up with the idea for Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog.
If you simply enjoy being entertained, this enchantingly short trio of episodes sheer is perfection itself.Congratulations to Joss Wheedon for giving his planet such a very sweet little gift.i'm not much of a fan of musicals as a rule, but this one plays so cheekily on all things geeky it's hard to resist.Too often these days, performances rarely reveal that the cast absolutely enjoyed their rolls so much.
Knowing that these people all performed for free and for friendship makes this one all the more enjoyable to watch.So many Directors with so much money & talent at their disposal really do miss the point, and the point is to put your heart into it.So obviously made with love, and the help of friends, Dr Horrible will make you smile over & over!.
For 'Buffy' fans, "Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" is similar to the famous 'Once More With Feeling' musical episode, exploring familiar Whedon territory with some favourite Whedon stars: Nathon Fillion from 'Firefly', Felicia Day also from the last series of 'Buffy', plus Neil Patrick Harris and cameos galore: is the good guy good, is the hero the heroine with a day-job, and does the bad guy *want* to be horrible?
Or, to put it another way, it's about the nerdy guy wanting the girl and the beefy upstart with an ego the size of a blimp is hogging her for himself.That's the gist of it, anyway, but to say this is all Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is about is to do a total disservice to Whedon and his large fan-base.
One is thrust into that sharp, laconic, and joyously obvious sense of humor that reveals Whedon as someone who is a kind of curious master of musical comedy with those appropriate doses of barbed satire.At the same time, as one who may have watched their share of Buffy and even Firefly knows, Whedon is also a hopeless romantic (hopeless in that he can't seem to put people together without *something* going wrong, which is the point of all drama one supposes), and his tale of Dr. Horrible, done through songs that reveal the characters' souls, heartfelt and adorable and totally meat-headed (the Captain's final song at the podium with his award is next to Godliness), and at the same time a cheap joke (random cowboys singing along from the sides of the frame) or a catchy number (the "Man's gotta do" song is far more wondrous than about 99.9% of stuff on the radio now) isn't sacrificed for the sake of what little plot there is.And lest not forget the acting, or at least the awesome musical prowess.
Neal Patrick Harris and Nathan Filion are just about perfect in their roles, as is the woman who plays Penny (the red-headed girl Dr. Horrible meets at the Coin Mart), with Filion especially juicy in a somewhat campy turn where he takes all those heroic qualities of his Firefly character and reveals the dark side ("And yes, we had sex").
Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog is about as close to romantic-comedy-musical-satire amazement as one could hope for, or maybe not expect, from Whedon, particularly as a free web-series running just about the length of a full short film (or an extremely short feature)..
As preposterous as it sounds, this thing actually works and I wouldn't be shocked at all to hear that Whedon's little experiment yields a profit on DVD revenues."Dr. Horrible" is about a man with that very name played by NPH who considers himself a villain and is only waiting to receive his official acceptance into a league of villains, though to do that he must succeed at an evil plan or most specifically, kill someone, neither of which he has been able to do.
In classic fashion, it is over-cocky hero Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion who worked with Whedon on "Firefly") who seems to always interfere with both of Dr. Horrible's objectives: being evil and Penny.The music in this serial was probably the most surprising thing about it.
In Joss Whedon's "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog," you will find a lovable antagonist (Neil Patrick Harris as Dr. Horrible) trying to make his way into the "company of Evil" as a villain that is unwilling to actually harm people, yet wants to be viewed as dangerous.
His love interest, Penny (Felicia Day, head-writer of "The Guild"), is a benevolent free spirit that wishes to help the homeless people of America, while "Captain Hammer" (Nathan Fillion, the captain in "Firefly") manages to woo her as a "Corporate tool" superhero that supposedly saves lives.This comedy web-series/musical/drama, which has been stated by Joss Whedon as being inspired by "The Guild," another popular web-show, is full of wonderful songs that can make you laugh or almost move you to tears despite the obvious satirical influences.
Neil Patrick Harris is really wonderful in the lead role - showing the angst, insecurity and loneliness of a evil villain who "wants to rule the world" - and has a crush on a lovely girl in the laundromat he frequents.
Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) has two goals: get inducted into the Evil League of Evil, and win the heart of his laundromat crush, Penny (Felicia Day).
However, all this was worth it as the strike allowed Joss Whedon to have the time needed to make this 45 minute masterpiece, Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog.
Better yet, just like Whedon and the rest of the cast, Harris seems to love making every minute of this movie, making the characters both more believable and more likable.
When he's not working on his freeze ray he's pining after Penny, the girl of his dreams, and avoiding beat downs from his arch-nemesis Captain Hammer (who is dickish enough to make us hate him too).The backstory of this three act mini movie is really just as interesting as the movie itself.
The result is a great little musical about a D list villain named Dr. Horrible trying to gain respect and his way into the Evil League of Evil.
if you have doubts over watching this then don't, it may seem a little weird and you may be a bit inclined to turn it off in the first few moments but don't, because this is one of Whedon's best pieces of work and it gets better and better and leaves you wondering what he will do next with this great creationwatch this no matter what, especially if you love NPH or the awkward and quirky type of humour 10/10 just magnificent.
I absolutely love this series.With Felicia Day, NPH, and Nathan Fillion starring in this how could it go wrong?Led by the fantastic Duo of Jed and Joss Whedon this series tugs at your heart strings is strewn with comedy and most of all makes you side with the bad guys.Definitely check this one out..
Entertainment Weekley says: "The songs are kinda perfect
the thing is dam*ed funny."The film Stars Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser, How I Met Your Mother) as a lovestruck wannabe supervillain, with Nathan Fillion (Serenity, Castle) as the self-absorbed superhero smitten with the same girl.
"Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" was a three part internet series created by Joss Whedon during the Writer's Strike.
Even people who are not fans of the musical genre can enjoy the quirkiness and humor of "Dr. Horrible's Sing- Along Blog" I'm a huge fan of Neil Patrick Harris, and he certainly did not disappoint.
Also watch for songs you'll find yourself singing in the shower like My Freeze Ray, A Man's Gotta Do and Brand New Day.The story is nothing special at a first (nerd trying to conquer the jock and win the girl) but is clever enough to keep the show going until the freaking brilliant ending.
Act three was mostly good for Nathan Fillion's character's arrogance and the cast's improved confidence with the singing, particularly Neil Patrick Harris.
"Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" created by Joss Whedon is an action- packed musical with lots of humor.
The main character, "Dr. Horrible" is a super villain who acts like a normal person but has a plan to "rule the world" with Penny, a woman he loves at the local laundromat.
Combining two seemingly discordant movie themes such as a theatrical, offbeat musical and a superhero flick may seem like cinematic suicide to some, but Joss Whedon's low-budget production Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog meshes the two genres seamlessly, creating something new and enjoyable for both musical and superhero fans, alike.Dr. Horrible, played by Neil Patrick Harris, is portrayed as a sad excuse for a villain, as his values are genuine and his attempts at badness are mostly foiled.
Dr. Horrible records his feeble evil efforts on an online blog where he reveals his latest evil attempts and his unwavering love for a girl named Penny, portrayed by Felicia Day, who he has quietly adored from afar at the local Laundromat.
Captain Hammer's said Hammer is his penis (as revealed in a conversation with Dr. Horrible)...and its all downhill from there.The absolute worst thing about this film (and that says a lot) is Felicia Day. I know that she was probably trying but she had no chemistry with Billy and no chemistry with Captain Hammer and to top it all off, her singing voice is as weak as the jokes.
I mean okay, Dr. Horrible comes off as creepy, even in his "Billy" secret identity and Captain Hammer comes off as "I'm 100% perfect" type assholes, don't get me wrong that was the intention but if someone had to choose between these two, I sincerely hope to God that they'd choose neither.There are only 2 things salvageable about this film - it has a few halfway decent songs (Well...the first and last of the second act) and Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer but thats because he plays it so over the top and even though he couldn't save the movie, he does provide the film with a leg to stand on outside of "the songs".
Anything else, the writing, Neil Patrick Harris, the visual effects, the rest of the songs, the direction...it either ranges from awful to they looked like they had none of this to they looked like they were trying but not even they could save this (This last one only applies to NPH).Overall if you like this film, GREAT, I wont judge you but for me...this was 40 minutes of not caring, not being entertained and not laughing at any joke it was throwing at me.
Dr. Horrible: Cheesy and I like it When I first heard Joss Whedon had directed a sing-along blog, my first reaction was, no way!
The singing maybe horrible, the acting maybe cheesy, but put it all together and it is awesome.First we have Dr. Horrible played by Neil Patrick Harris; he's trying to earn his way into the "Evil League of Evil".
This slow-paced, weak-humored, poorly-scripted Comedy/Musical was the absolute dregs of "horrible" filmmaking.Yes. Horrible.The dumb, easily-forgettable songs were horrible.Superhero, Captain Hammer was horrible with his despicable mind-set on laying every woman that he possibly could.Precious Penny, the do-gooder, was horrible with her self-righteous crusade to help the homeless.And, last, but not least, the petty, sniveling, little stalker, Dr. Horrible was the most horrible one of all, with his boring, unfunny monologues and his pure vanity-boy, frost-tipped hair.This episode was only 45 minutes in length, but it dragged on with its horrible stupidity for what seemed like an eternity.Horrible.....
Dr. Horrible who poses as an evil scientist, Captain Hammer who poses as the good guy, AKA, superhero and Penny who is comes across as very immature.
Dr. Horrible actually stopped the van.Captain Hammer and Penny started dating and that is when I thought the movie got cheesy.
I really did not see Penny dieing as the way the blog would end and Dr. Horrible acting like nothing else mattered without her.
As the film comes to an end, the two face off in a duel for power and the affection of Penny, which ends badly for one of the two.ReactionAs I sat in class, watching Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog, I couldn't help but enjoy myself.
Each person played his or her role perfectly; with Neil Patrick Harris playing the love stricken Villain, Nathan Fillion playing the conceded, poor excuse for a Super hero, and Felicia Day playing the secret lover fought over by both characters.
Oddly touching, absolutely hilarious, and even beautiful, "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" is a blast of pure fun from Joss Whedon and Neil Patrick Harris!.
Directed by Joss Whedon (from a script he co-wrote with brothers Jed and Zack, and actress/writer Maurissa Tancharoen) and starring the fantastic Neil Patrick Harris, "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" is a dash of pure fun, released in 2008 originally as a web-series, and subsequently released as a sort-of short film on DVD and Blu-Ray.A musical "tragicomedy", the story follows Harris as Billy aka "Dr. Horrible" an aspiring super-villain, who boasts and teases his work via a video-blog online.
He yearns to be a part of the "Evil League of Evil" (run by super-villain "Bad Horse"), and secretly desires the affections of Penny (the gorgeous and hilarious Felicia Day from "The Guild"), the girl of his dreams who he sees frequently at his local laundromat.However, he is at odds with several factors working against him, including the egotistical and somewhat sociopathic superhero of the city, Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillian), his own conflicted emotions (he must pull a major crime to join the league, but detests murder and death), and other factors.Eventually, he decides to heist "Wonderflonium", a fictitious element that he needs to complete his time-stopping Freeze-Ray, but the heist goes sour and he inadvertently causes Penny and his nemesis Captain Hammer to meet.
Day is a lot of fun as Penny, and Fillian is a blast as the hero, who is more of a villain due to his ego than even Dr. Horrible.The real star, arguably though, are the musical numbers.
Fillion's "Captain Hammer" is the shallow superhero nemesis of Neil Patrick Harris's Dr. Horrible, the latest in a long line of villains who have somehow had time to get their doctorate.
Something that I have always felt,that has made all of Whedons classic TV shows stand out,is how they all break out of any of the so-called rules of the genre,by having "The dumb blonde" be smart & sassy (Buffy),a vampire who takes on a bunch of lawyers (Angel),a John Ford western set in space (firefly),and giving a personality to a very empty character (Dollhouse).When I was hearing about this short film,I went looking round like crazy to find it in a DVD shop near me.Sadly,I discovered that the DVD has not come out in the UK,which made me decide that I would try to import the disc in a few weeks.Luckaly for me,a friend of my dads surprisingly passed me the DVD,to keep!Whilst it does not reach the (almost) unreachable heights of Whedons stunning shows,I found it to be a fun short film.The Plot:Dr Horrible is a wannabe super-villain,who is desperate to become a member of the Evil League of Evil.To become a member,he makes a decision that he should build a death Rey to kill the local,macho egotistical super-hero Captain Hammer.Shockingly for Horrible,as he is gathering all the parts to the Rey gun,the girl from the laundrette (who he has had a big crush on for along time)seems to be getting very keen on hum...View on the film:Due to this film having inevitable problem of being compared to the incredible Once More with Feeling episode of Buffy.I feel that Whedon (who also co-wrote the film with his three brothers and Maurissa Tancharoen)dose a great attempt at equalling that episode,with an interesting use of electronic music mixed into the piano-led songs.Joss has also,very pleasingly,put his great funny dialogue into the script (the part where it is revealed why the super-hero is called Captain Hammer is very hard to forget!)The only parts that I think could have been a bit improved upon,would have been to give the laundrette girl a few more scenes,and for the ending to have been slightly longer,and not so rushed.Final view on the film:An entraining short film,with likable songs and a very good enjoyable script with some great Whedon dialogue..
This was partly inspired by Felica Day's great web show "The Guild" and for that reason and many others she stars as Penny.The main plot is Dr Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) is trying to get into the League of Evil, as well as win over his crush Penny.
For example Captain Hammer (played by Nathan Fillian) was clearly used to getting everything he wants, and for Dr. Horrible (played by Neil Patrick Harris) things never turn out the way they are supposed to.
Neil Patrick Harris plays Billy also known as Dr. Horrible who is a wannabe villain that has a need to be esteemed by Penny and Bad Horse.
I did like Niel Patrick Harris' acting as Dr Horrible and Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer...
Felicia Day as Penny needed some more material, I mean as an audience we are given little to no reason why Dr Horrible would be in love with her.The other thing I really like about this is the music.
Shortly after this, Hammer and Penny start singing to each other.In the next act, Dr. Horrible is watching them while they are on their dates.
Often breaking into song through out the movie, Captain Hammer gets the girl, leaving Dr. Horrible heartbroken.
Dr. Horrible's sing along Blog is an amazing web series/short for many reasons, the acting performances are wonderful as well as the vocals, the songs are great (my personal favourite is on the rise), good directing, and most of all for me, the writing. |
tt0120879 | Velvet Goldmine | Set in a dystopian, grey version of 1984, gay British journalist Arthur Stuart is writing an article about the withdrawal from public life of 1970s bisexual glam rock star Brian Slade, and is interviewing those who had a part in the entertainer's career. As each person recalls their thoughts, it becomes the introduction of the vignette for that particular segment in Slade's personal and professional life.
Part of the story involves Stuart's family's reaction to his sexuality, and how the gay and bisexual glam rock stars and music scene gave him the strength to come out. Rock shows, fashion, and rock journalism all play a role in showing the youth culture of 1970s Britain, as well as the gay culture of the time.
Near the beginning of his career, Slade is married to Mandy. But when he comes to the United States, he seeks out gay American rock star Curt Wild and they become involved in each other's lives on a personal and creative level.
The vignettes show both Wild and Slade becoming increasingly difficult to work with as they become more famous. Wild and Slade, and other main characters, suffer breakdowns in both their personal and professional relationships. Eventually, Slade's career ends following the critical and fan backlash from his on-stage publicity stunt where he faked his own murder.
As he gets closer to the truth of where Brian Slade is now, Stuart is told by his publisher that the story is no longer of public interest, and Stuart has now been assigned to the Tommy Stone tour. But Stuart is obsessed and continues searching out Slade. We discover that Stuart was also at the concert where Slade faked his own death, and that after seeing Wild perform, Wild and Stuart had a sexual encounter.
Eventually, Stuart discovers the true identity and whereabouts of Brian Slade, and once again encounters Wild as several mysteries are resolved. | cult, mystery, psychedelic, queer | train | wikipedia | The film isn't about Iggy Pop and David Bowie, it isn't even about two gay men, its about two people who are falling in love at the most inopportune and exploitable moments of their lives.The characters aren't just engaging, they are addictive, the plot isn't just compelling, it's spellbinding.
Actually all Todd Haynes' movies are great and very unique, but this one...The world would be a little bit darker without Velvet Goldmine..
I must admit the beginning confused me a bit, and the movie may have lacked in plot, but I just didn't notice, during the movie, I felt like I got sucked up within it, not like becoming one of the characters, but as if the cinema and the people within was gone and the only thing that existed was the movie - this only happens to me very,very rarely, I don't know if I've really been _that_ captured by a movie ever before - and it seemed the time that passed was at the same time very long and still just a few minutes.
However, I don't think that matters very much (although that may be because I wasn't there during the glam-era) it's a very good movie, it's artistic and the music is adorable (but I do think Bowie should have let them include at least the song Velvet Goldmine) so why bother about whether it's really real or fictional?
but as far as I'm concerned, he didn't have to do anything really, he was beautiful enough (not quite as marvellous as Jonathan's character Brian though) to have his existence in the movie justified anyway.I rate this my fav movie right now, and everyone with an open mind should see it and for the rest of you lot, I just pity you that you can not see the beauty of this piece of art, because it really really is an utterly beautiful dream, I'd like to call it, once you let yourself fall into it and don't think of annoying unimportances (which I usually do while watching a movie, this one saved me from that, I guess I owe that to Todd and the talented, beautiful actors)..
Even if I didn't think this movie was fantastic (which I do), I would have to be impressed with the incorporation of Oscar Wilde, his fascination with the decadence of pop culture, and his brilliant philosophies concerning art.At the end of the film, when Arthur Stuart sits to have a drink with Curt Wylde (Oh look!
you were expecting a restrained movie about david bowie and iggy pop?i loved the camp, outfits, and excesses, and was unexpectedly moved by the story.
Being too young to have experienced the glam rock scene of the seventies and eighties and the roots of punk rock this movie not only gave me an awesome Ewan fix but a surreal, musically effulgent look at a time period that few got to experience first hand.
But Velvet Goldmine kick a whole lot of ass for anyone who loves music, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Kurt Cobain and the pioneers of some of the greatest music to come out of the 20th century.
The Glam Rock era is one that Arthur knows well, in fact back at the time of the genre explosion he was very much on the scene, his life, Brian Slade's and wild American rocker, Curt Wild, are all linked by decadence and outrageous fulfilment!There is no getting away from it, Velvet Goldmine divides film lovers across the spectrum, some folk are genuinely baffled by it, others (such as myself) think it's close to being genius, while some cinematic observers want to throw up at the mere mention of the film!
Here I am after my third viewing thinking that I'm still right and that Velvet Goldmine demands repeat viewings to fully comprehend director Todd Haynes outlandish homages.This is not remotely close to being a true story of the era, but it certainly has its finger on the pulse as regards how the genre evolved and lit up so many a dull dole day for many many people.
Some instances and characters are based around factual things, I mean you would have to seriously know nothing about music to not see the David Bowie and Iggy Pop structured core on show here.
Haynes sticks his tongue in his cheek and doffs his cap to Citizen Kane, cloaking it in a whirl of luscious identities and sexual explorations, the campy veneer lurching forward at every opportunity, with all of it strummed out to a soundtrack of glittering urgency.It's a splendid cast list containing Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard (of course), Michael Feast and Emily Woof, with Meyers outrageously believable and McGregor having the time of his life.
However, the cinematography is beautiful and memorable, the costumes are fantastic!, some of the acting is incredible, and the directing makes you feel like a stranger as well as an insider in the spectacular world of glam rock.
Its about the death of Glam Rock, and even though this is a weird premise the stories of how one person changed the lives of many beautiful people without even being aware of it is mesmerizing...on top of that you get a guilty pleasure out of all the make-up, sex, and extremely bizarre music.
Christian Bale is a journalist attempting to figure out where his once-upon-a-time hero/rock-star Brian Slade (Meyers) disappeared after a fake death ten years prior.
All of this is summed up with Curt Wild (Mcgregor)This movie claims to be about Brian Slade, but it's about the people he left in his wake..
Adding Lou Reed seems like over kill, but I'll take it- if there is anything that I learned from watching Goldmine many times- is that the bigger the better.This is a great coming of age movie- it is a bit adult.
It is interesting only for a few vague references to the actual history of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Brian Eno. Ewen McGregor is cool for about 30 seconds as he does an impression of Iggy (Curt Wild) on stage.
If you want to see great androgynous costumes, and hear great glitter rock, you are much better off renting the Bowie concert flick "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars." Velvet Goldmine is another great idea turned in to a bad movie..
As an Eno fan I was happy to hear quite a lot of his (and Roxy Music's) songs used on the soundtrack, and some of the Bowie pastiches were very good also, but I find 'Velvet Goldmine' to be overlong and ultimately unsatisfying.
Todd Haynes' fantasy rethinking of an era in rock history, as a David Bowie-like singer in the early '70s burns out and disappears, and one of his most ardent young fans--now a music journalist--interviews friends and colleagues hoping to get at the truth.
The U.K. truly got a colorful slice of the glam-rock era (as opposed to the U.S., which pretty much missed the boat--and the musical point), and the film, mostly set in England, nails that distinctive time and place with embracing accuracy.
Personally it took me 3 times of watching before I tied everything together, but after seeing it that much and studying every scene I felt that I was left with such an amazing feeling to have viewed something so beautiful.Also, don't expect this to be a true account of David Bowie's relationship with Iggy Pop, it's not.
Velvet Goldmine is a perfectly good idea, and is essentially a loving homage to a bygone era, that of 70's glam rock.
Christian Bale is fine as a journalist who on hearing disturbing news of his teen-era idol, has flashbacks telling the story of his immersion in the world of glam rock and the seventies music scene.
The only time this comes close to working is when the Suzi Quattro clone covers the New York Dolls, and Ewan MacGregor--as Iggy Pop-alike Curt Wild--confusingly gets to do an actual Iggy song.There are compensations--MacGregor's Iggy impersonation is spot on in everything but physique, and Christian Bale demonstrating again what a cruelly underrated and underused actor he is.
While uncovering the truth about disappearing star, Arthur will come to terms with his own past.This movie is brilliant, wild (e), beautiful, exotic, as the rock movement it depicts and in its best moments (which are plenty) it has achieved the result that the praised to the high heaven "Moulin Rouge!" could only dream about.
VG is lurid, is dreamlike, is surreal and it recreates perfectly the decadent world of 1970 Glam Rock with its androgynous male rock stars who looked like the strange and exotic flowers of faraway worlds, with its nostalgia and obsession, glitter and psychedelic colors, the world where Oscar Wilde whose name has been mentioned more than once would've felt at home.The film's visual palette is incredible, the costumes are jaw-dropping, the music and singing simply mesmerize.
Ewan McGregor's acting and courage (Curt Wild, the punk-rock pioneer who looked in the movie very much like another Curt) was among the most memorable along with a relative newcomer Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Brian Slade and incredible Toni Collette as Brian's American wife Mandy.
I know I can be amazed easily, but this particular movie stands out from the crowd.McGregor's performance as the screwed up American rock star Curt Wild is tantalizing and Rhys-Meyers as glam icon Brian Slade leads both males and females to temptation with his androgynous beauty and amazing talent.
When watching this movie, you just think you had seen it all live on stage.Granted, the characters are all fictional and fairy tale-like (although the similarities to certain real-life celebrities of that era are quite obvious), but still they appear so real that you think you've known them for ages, even if they hardly tell anything about themselves.That's another fascination of the movie: you will not understand it upon first viewing.
That's quite a refreshing difference for the gay audience every once in a while!So, if you like amazing images, colorful and glittering pictures, great music, heart-wrenching love, bombastic stage shows, deep wisdom and witty humor, then this is the movie for you.
I suppose after recently viewing "Far From Heaven," and seeing Todd Haynes' name attached to this, I had my expectations way too high.Style in the film is cool, but the opening title sequence reminds me of what didn't quite make the cut of the first Austin Powers flick.The main issue for me was that I didn't really feel for any of the characters.
They all seemed like one dimensional caricatures.Never did I feel the soul behind Brian Slade (his inspirations, his songwriting, his artistic process -- isn't that a big part of a musician?!) All I know is he's a guy that likes to perform in flamboyant clothing, with no reference to where his music is really coming from.
I understand that this is fiction, and not truly the stories of Iggy Pop and David Bowie, but as a chic born way after the Glam Rock Era faded away, I am everlastingly grateful to this film for bringing that era back to the forefront.
Curt Wild was an AMAZING character; his total and unapologetic honesty with himself, his close friends, his love Brian Slade, and his audience leave him something to be respected and admired.
Take a look at the small details---like where Curt is working when Arthur calls him up at the end---and see if you can't tell me that their romantic life, at least, came together.That's the beauty of this film...alot of it can be left up to personal interpretation.
Also, for some reason, everyone just loves Ewan in this movie, but I still have not seen anything all that wonderful, sure, he plays a grunge rock star who likes to jump up and down with temper and be insulting, while really he turns out to be an ok guy after all.
Ewan McGregor gave a great performance (I almost believed he was a glam rock star), Jonathon Rhys Meyers was perfectly cast as the David Bowie lookalike, and Christian Bale gave an outstanding portrayal (as usual) of the lonely, confused Arthur Stuart.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who plays the part of the Bowie character, Brian Slade, does a terrible job singing it; the New York Dolls "Personality Crisis" is also butchered.
I'd watch Ewan McGregor doing his Iggy thing and be thinking, "My that's a good cover of 'TV Eye.' That Mr. Pop was one hell of a performer.
Not remotely inspiring in the role.3 direction ....lost and spiralling out of control from first frame4 script ...see direction5 costume and hair and makeup were quite lovely really even if a little anachronistic at times (also the early promo Brian Slade film short that was far too polished with expensive late 20 C.
What I love the most about the movie is the artistic stride of the fashions, the music, and glam rock icons themselves such as Brian Slade, Curt Wild, just to name a few.
Excuse me, but this is film is really not important, because tells a wrong story without a good taste - and plays Roxi Music songs to a character, who should be David Bowie.
The film centers around glam rock and it's Bowie-like star Brian.
Glam Rock Star Brian Slade(Jonathan Rhys Meyers) has faked his own assassination and it is up to reporter Arthur Stuart(Christian Bale) to find what happened to him.
Great cast, great movie, and really wonderful soundtrack (I especially like the songs that Ewan and Jonny sing themselves!) I hope Velvet Goldmine helps bring Glam Rock back!.
Although the use of new songs in glam style annoyed me a bit, I loved that they did use many originals from the 70s by people like Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Mick Ronson and Lou Reed.
Todd Haynes ode to the era of glam is not a biopic of David Bowie and Iggy Pop. Instead, its the fictional story of Brian Slade (Johnathan Rhys-Myers) and Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor) who prance and vamp through hoards of groupies, hangers on, and entourages of press leaving devastation everywhere.
As an Iggy Pop-like character, McGregor inhabits Curt Wild with lust and sensuousness that makes him magnetic to watch and equally stunning in scene stealing duets with Rhys-Myers or Christian Bale.Toni Collette, so heartwarming in Muriel's Wedding, is a sour, left in the dust wife, her ambition and desire for the limelight went only as far as her husband's need for a convenient beard.
I've watched Velvet Goldmine several times and it just keeps getting better - as does my impression of Christian Bale as one truly great actor.
Even if it's just for the music, you ought to see this film: If you were ever a fan of David Bowie (in his "glam rock" period)you'll feel as if you're stepping back in time watching this movie.
It's the story of Brian Slade, a 70s pop-idol, seen through the eyes (with constant flash-backs) of a journalist who is gathering information for a story on Slade, but cannot track him down.The music is great, some parts of the movie actually play like a video clip.
The acting is also great, especially Ewan McGregor (as the other pop idol, Curt Wild) & Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as Brian Slade.
This was supposed to be about the sexual confusion of the 1970s "Glam Rock" era in Britain & followed the central character's exploration of his bisexuality, which was fashionable at the time amongst those who could afford the lifestyle.But this story is just a mess, hampered by trying to copy real life people (Bowie & Iggy Pop etc) without straying so close as to risk being sued.
Cultists will love it (they can excuse almost anything) but the end result tells us more about the film-maker than it does the Glam/Glitter rock era.
It has been said that the central character, Brian Slade, and his career were based on David Bowie in his various incarnations, and Haynes makes a good fist of evoking the whole early Seventies glam rock scene when sexual ambiguity became for some just another fashion and a release for others.
My problem is that there is quite a lot about Velvet Goldmine which isn't half bad, especially the performances by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor (as a gay Iggy Pop type of character), Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard and Christian Bale.
That said, I have to say that Todd Haynes' film was absolutely fabulous and a real pleasure, both visually and aurally.The music was excellent, and the costuming was definitely Oscar worthy.I thought Christian Bale really nailed his part, as he always does, and Toni Collette, as Brian's (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) wife was the best I recall seeing her.
That's the movie where you can enjoy a great story and extremely moving performances by Rhys Meyers, Macgregor, Bale and the rest of the crew.
and then when he comes off stage and collides with Mandy and they're both crying because they are the only 2 people who know how much it hurts to love Brian Slade.The emotional power of this film is amazing.
If you like music and the glam-rock lifestyle you will probably enjoy this movie.
The movie is Velvet Goldmine and the time period is the 70's Glam rock era of England.
The story is told thru Arthur (Christian Bale) who is an investigative reporter looking for a glam rocker, Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) who has disappear- ed.
As a person old enough to remember the glam rock era, this movie portrays well and captures the feeling of that time.
The Bowie-esque character Brian Slade is played by someone I think may be the most beautiful boy I've ever seen, his name is Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and he alone is worth checking out. |
tt0069840 | The Candy Snatchers | Candy (Susan Sennett) is a 16-year-old girl who is kidnapped on her way home from her Catholic school. Her three kidnappers include Eddy (Vince Martorano), his partner Jessie (Tiffany Bolling), and Jessie's brother, Alan (Brad David), who bury her alive in a Southern California field. They give her a pipe for air, expecting they will soon gain a ransom from her father. Unbeknownst to them, Candy's burial is witnessed by a young mute child living nearby, Sean Newton (Christopher Trueblood), who tries to tell his intolerant parents, Dudley (Jerry Butts) and Audrey (Bonnie Boland), about what he saw.
The kidnappers contact Candy's father, Avery Phillips (Ben Piazza), demanding that he pay her ransom in all the diamonds in the jewelry store he manages. However, Avery does not report the abduction to anyone, including Candy's mother Katherine (Dolores Dorn).
The kidnappers dig Candy up and bring her to their hideout. Jessie and Alan intend to remove Candy's ear to present to Avery as leverage, but Eddy prevents this. Jessie and Alan visit the morgue, where they bribe the coroner Charlie (Bill Woodard) to remove an ear from a cadaver. Meanwhile, Eddy and Candy bond, with the former promising the latter that he will not let harm come to her. After Jessie and Alan return to the hideout, Eddy rapes Jessie, who shows signs of mental illness.
Eddy presents the ear to Avery, who dismisses the threat of killing Candy, as he is really her stepfather and hopes to obtain two million dollars Candy is set to inherit from her late biological father when she turns twenty-one. Meanwhile, Alan heads to the hideout to kill Candy. Sean infiltrates the hideout, where he discovers Candy, who tells him to contact the police. Alan returns to the hideout and rapes Candy. Eddy interrupts the assault and beats Alan. Sean escapes unseen. When he goes home, he misunderstands Candy's instructions and uses a police doll to call a Jewish deli in Brooklyn.
Jessie and Alan insist that Candy must be killed. In the night, Eddy takes Candy to her grave, promising to return to save her. The next morning, he tells Alan he killed the girl. As Sean watches them drive off, he tries to sneak back with a pair of scissors. However, his mother catches him, and gives him a Downer to keep him quiet. The kidnappers visit Katherine, who becomes intoxicated and is seduced by Alan. The kidnappers have Katherine call Avery, who is having an affair with his employee, Lisa (Phyllis Major). Avery returns home, where he is held at gunpoint by the kidnappers while Alan murders Katherine.
Avery leads the kidnappers to the jewelry store, where he delivers to them the contents of the safe. Avery unsuccessfully attempts to retrieve his snubnosed revolver, but is shot by Alan. Alan attempts to shoot Eddy, who kills him. Eddy and Jessie attempt to escape, but Avery kills Jessie and pursues Eddy to the grave site, where they have a gunfight that ends with Avery's death.
Eddy attempts to dig Candy up, but is shot dead by Sean with Avery's gun. Sean listens to Candy's breathing through a drain pipe. Audrey calls Sean with a cowbell, prompting him to make a trail to his house by scooting down the hill on his backside. Then a gunshot is heard, followed by the sound of the cowbell dropping, and Candy's breathing in her underground prison. | comedy, murder, violence | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1316053 | Good People | The story begins with four men pulling a heist together. The men rob a man named Khan (Omar Sy), a well-known French heroin dealer, of his drugs and money. Ben Tuttle and Bobby emerge from the building first. Ben shoots Bobby and runs off with all of the money and drugs. The two other men, Jack Witkowski (Sam Spruell) and Marshall, exit later. They find Bobby dead, and run off before they get caught.
Tom Wright (James Franco) and his wife Anna (Kate Hudson) are living in London and have fallen into severe debt while renovating their family's home. They are trying to have a baby, but have been unsuccessful thus far. After their downstairs tenant doesn't respond to their requests to keep it down, the couple goes downstairs to discover their neighbor, Ben, is dead. The official cause of death is ruled a heroin overdose by the police. While cleaning the apartment, the Wrights discover £220,000 in a loose ceiling tile. The couple debates what to do with the money, as well as the remainder of Ben's things. After some time, Tom spends some money on paying off the house they were renovating, and Anna spends some money to go to a fertility clinic. Meanwhile, Detective Halden (Tom Wilkinson) is suspicious the Wrights are withholding information. He begins tracking their movements, as he seems to believe Ben's death is connected to his daughter's.
A man is shown being threatened by Jack Witkowski to reveal the location of his cousin, Ben. As soon as he reveals his location, he is killed. Witkowski and his partner Marshall break into Ben's old apartment to look for the money. They are unsuccessful. Khan approaches Tom Wright about his money, claiming that Tom must choose a side, his or Jack Witkowski's. Tom refuses to choose a side and when Tom arrives home, Witkowski is waiting for him. Witkowski tortures Tom, but Tom refuses to give up the location of the money. Detective Halden arrives and Witkowski and his partner run off. Halden tells the Wrights he wants to use them as bait, off the books, to arrest Witkowski, as Witkowski has inside connections with law enforcement.
The Wrights schedule a money drop with Witkowski, and then meet with Detective Halden and Khan separately to devise a plan. During the drop, Witkowski makes Halden as a cop and Marshall shoots Halden. The Wrights run off with the money and Khan tells the Wrights they are on their own, as he believes he has been played. Halden is shown recovering in the hospital, as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Witkowski and his men take Anna's friend Sarah and her baby, Julian, hostage. The Wrights agree to meet Witkowski at the house the Wrights were renovating, where they've been hiding. The Wrights inform Halden of the plan and rig the house in preparations for their meeting. Witkowski falls through the floor and Tom puts nails through Marshall's feet. Khan and his men arrive at the house, to the surprise of everyone. Halden arrives at the house and kills one of Khan's men with his car as Sarah and her baby escape, but Halden is knocked unconscious. A game of cat and mouse ensues throughout the house between Khan and his men, Witkowski and Marshall, and the Wrights. Khan's other man is killed by Tom and Khan kills Witkowski. Tom fights with Khan who is about to kill Tom when a shot from Marshall directed at both Khan and Tom kills Khan. Anna is nearly choked to death by Marshall until a revived Halden enters the home kills an unaware Marshall with a gunshot just in time. The movie ends with the house burning to the ground, the Wrights moving out of their apartment, and Anna announcing her pregnancy to Tom. | murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0039645 | My Favorite Brunette | The story is told in flashback from Death Row as Ronnie Jackson (Hope) relates to a group of reporters the events that lead to his murder conviction. Jackson is a San Francisco baby photographer who dreams about being a real private detective like his office neighbor Sam McCloud (Ladd). One day he is mistaken for a detective by mysterious lady in distress Carlotta Montay (Lamour), who claims that her wheelchair-bound husband was kidnapped at the pier as they arrived from overseas. A sinister figure (Lorre) listens at the office door. Carlotta gives Ronnie her address, and a coded map. Ronnie hides the map in the cups next to his office water cooler. Ronnie then drives to the address, which is a mansion down the Peninsula. Kismet (Lorre) greets him at the door. Carlotta tells Ronnie that the missing man is her uncle, not her husband. He entered the country on some secret mission, she says. The mansion belongs to Major Montague, she says, who was a former partner of her uncle. Major Montague enters the room, and calls Carlotta away for a phone call. Major Montague also believes that Ronnie is a private detective, as he had Kismet follow him from the office. When Carlotta is out of the room, Montague tells Ronnie that Carlotta is mentally ill. He introduces Ronnie to a wheelchair-bound man in the next room as Carlotta's uncle,who tells Ronnie that he obviously has not been kidnapped. Ronnie tells Montague that Carlotta had given him a map to hold. Carlotta reenters the room, and when alone with Ronnie, tells him that the call was from her uncle, who told her he was safe. "He was forced to make that call", opines Carlotta. Now she suspects Montague, because he lied to Ronnie about her. She tells him to guard the map with his life.
As Ronnie leaves the mansion, he remembers that Kismet has kept his handgun. Ronnie climbs up a tree and looks into a window, and sees the "Uncle" stand up out of the wheelchair and walk around the room. As Ronnie snaps a photo of this fake uncle through the keyhole, Kismet, who has followed him, throws a knife at him. Ronnie flees to his car and roars out of the mansion grounds. The others chase him by car and shoot out his tire. Ronnie runs into an apartment and intercoms himself in by saying the he is "Joe", and many women buzz him in.
Back at his office, Ronnie develops the keyhole photo showing the "Uncle" walking about. Kismet has followed him there, and as Ronnie is calling the police, slugs him over the head, and burns the photo and what he thinks is the negative. When Ronnie comes to, a lady customer arrives to pick up her baby's photograph, and Ronnie gives her what he thinks is her baby's negative.
Ronnie summons the police and drives back to the mansion with them. The mansion is deserted, and Kismet poses as the gardener for the owners, who are out of the country. The police apologize to Kismet for the interruption. (This scene would be repeated years later by Alfred Hitchcock in his film "North By Northwest" with Cary Grant.) Montague gives Kismet Carlotta's ring with a note attached to leave as a 'clue' for Ronnie to discover. Ronnie returns to the mansion and finds the clue, which is a card for the Seacliffe Lodge in Carmel. Ronnie drives to the Lodge, which is really a sanitarium. After a bizarre golf match with an inmate and an imaginary golf ball, Ronnie is captured by the Montague gang and locked in a room at the sanitarium. Carlotta is also prisoner there. Montague explains that Carlotta's uncle had turned down his offer to buy mineral rights in some land. Carlotta's real uncle is then wheeled into the room to prove he is unhurt. He asks Carlotta to light his cigarette,then puts it out and gives her the cigarette. Ronnie refuses to reveal the whereabouts of the coded map, so Kismet slugs him. Carlotta tells them falsely that the map is in a water cooler cup at the Ferry Building, about an hour away. Montague sends a stooge to the Ferry Building to get the map. In her room Carlotta unwraps the cigarette from her uncle and the note on the paper says to see a 'James Collins', a scientist. Ronnie and Carlotta are able to knock out a nurse and flee from the sanitarium. Back at his office Ronnie gives Carlotta the map. They call James Collins' office and arrange to meet him at a restaurant that night. (Why didn't they call the police and tell them that Carlotta's uncle was being held at the sanitarium?) A stooge for the bad guys has followed them and overhears their arrangements.
They meet the scientist, James Collins, at the restaurant and show him the map. Collins says that he made the coded map, which depicts cryolite deposits from which uranium can be mined. He says that Carlotta's uncle had scheduled an important meeting with the government at the Pilgrim Hotel in Washington. Collins takes the map and Ronnie drives him to the police station. As Ronnie drives up to the police station, Kismet, who is hiding in the back seat with Ronnie's gun, shoots Collins and takes the map out of his pocket. Ronnie and the dead Collins are spotted by the police, and Ronnie flees the scene. He is now wanted for the Collins murder.
Carlotta and a disguised Ronnie fly to Washington and go to the Pilgrim Hotel. They answer a help wanted ad and sign up as a bellboy and a maid at the hotel. In the gang's suite, they record the gang's confessions on a recording machine, including Kismet's confession that he murdered Collins. But when the police are called, Kismet switches the records and throws the incriminating record out the window. Montague points out to the police that Ronnie is wanted for the Collins murder in San Francisco. Ronnie is arrested and taken away; the gang still has the map and Carlotta's real uncle.
The flashback ends. Ronnie is on death row, and curses Carlotta for disappearing and not testifying at his trial for Collins' murder. When the prison warden comes to get Ronnie from his death row cell, Ronnie faints. When he comes to, Carlotta is there, and tells him that he is a free man. Ronnie had mistakenly given the keyhole photo negative to his customer. The photo from that negative revealed the uncle to be an imposter. Carlotta said that detective Sam took that lead, and 'the rest was routine'. Ronnie was cleared. Carlotta's uncle was saved.
The warden tells the executioner that the execution was cancelled. The executioner (Bing Crosby) curses and walks away. Ronnie and Carlotta embrace. | mystery, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | The 1940's was a very prolific period for Bob Hope as he made 21 movies during that decade including some of his very best (the "Road" films of course with Crosby and Lamour, "The Paleface" with Jane Russell, and "My Favorite Blonde" with Madeleine Carroll).
However, "Brunette" rates as high, if not higher, than any of these as it had a very funny script and a wonderful supporting cast including Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jnr, John Hoyt, Ann Doran, Reginald Denny, Ray Teal, Jack La Rue and a couple of surprise star cameos.
Peter Lorre in particular seemed to enjoy sending up his usual image as a sinister killer.San Francisco baby photographer Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) has unfulfilled ambitions to be a private detective like his neighbour in the next office Sam McCloud.
When Sam goes out of town Carlotta Montay (Dorothy Lamour) comes in seeking help and mistakes Hope for the detective who thinks this could be the big chance to prove himself but as usual in a Hope film he runs into more trouble than he can handle.
The plot thickens as he accompanies Lamour into many ludicrous situations, unforeseen danger and one hilarious episode after another.Some favourite lines from the film:Bob Hope: "You see, I wanted to be a detective too.
or even Alan Ladd!".Bob Hope (to Peter Lorre): "Nice cheerful place - what time do they bring the mummies out?".Bob Hope: "It always looked so easy in those Tarzan pictures!".Bob Hope (to Dorothy Lamour): "I don't know how much more of this I can take - you've had me in hot water so long I feel like a tea bag".Bob Hope could always be relied upon to bring us the laughs with even the most average script but in this film he excels as he is given some great material to work with and certainly makes the most of it.
When baby photographer Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) office-sits for traveling p.i. Sam McCloud, he finds his dreams of playing detective coming all too true all too soon when mysterious damsel-in-distress Carlotta Montay (Dorothy Lamour) sashays into his office.
Hope and Lamour's usual comic/romantic chemistry is at its finest amid a nifty supporting cast including Peter Lorre, the unfairly uncredited Jean Wong (a delight as Mrs. Fong, mother of a tot so loathe to smile that Ronnie quips, "This kid's gonna grow up to be a sponsor!"), Lon Chaney Jr.
The rest of the cast is good too, and it all works very well as light entertainment.Hope plays a photographer who longs to be a detective, and then gets his chance, only to find out that it's a lot more than he can handle.
Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney Jr. add atmosphere and humor as two of Hope's adversaries.Anyone who likes Hope should enjoy seeing him in "My Favorite Brunette", and it is also recommended for anyone who likes light comedies of the era..
Others in the film are Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jr., Charles Dingle, Frank Puglia, Reginald Denny, among the supporting cast.The film is still a lot of fun as it makes fun of other more dramatic movies thanks to the direction of Elliott Nugent..
Bob Hope plays a baby photographer who has always wanted to be a private eye...a detective.
The film introduces a selection of stock characters from films of this type- apart from the private eye himself there is the sultry femme fatale (here played by Dorothy Lamour in a move away from her "sarong girl" image), the soft-spoken but sinister foreign villain (played by Peter Lorre, parodying the parts he played in "The Maltese Falcon", "The Man who Knew Too Much" and other films) and the wheelchair-bound old man (like General Sternwood in "The Big Sleep").
(In his work as a photographer he even allows himself to be terrorised by a baby).Seen as a pure comedy, this is not the best, although there are a few amusing gags, such as the lunatic asylum inmates playing golf without a ball, Lon Chaney's musclebound but stupid warder, a joke at the expense of Hope's odd-shaped nose ("I'll personally punch you in the nose so hard it will look like other peoples' noses") and the scene where Hope, trying to record Lorre's confession to a murder, keeps pulling the plug out of the socket.
The film concerns upon Ronnie Jackson(Hope) a quite shy baby photographer gets mistaken with his next door neighbour Sam McCloud(Alan Ladd) a famous San Francisco private eye.The problems start when the Baronesa Carlotta Montay(Dorothy Lamour) contracts to Ronnie to find her husband(Frank Puglia) and investigate about a map what marks the location of a Criolita(uranium) deposit that would be the key for defense of free world.It will lead him for a way of international intrigue.
Appear cameos and guest appearance of famed stars ,thus Alan Ladd as typical tough detective and Bing Crosby in a liking final interpretation .Crosby along with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour made a famous trio with much success and starred numerous films with title ¨Road to..Bali,Morocco,Zanzibar,Hong Kong¨.
Besides appear as secondary actor Lon Chaney Jr repeating the role of the simple-minded in the film adaptation of Steinbeck's of ¨Mice and men¨(1939),Chaney's performance as an innocent burly is spectacularly touching and amused.Peter Lorre as always plays an astute villainous with skills for throwing daggers .The motion picture is well directed by Eliott Nugent.
BOB HOPE is a baby photographer mistaken for a private eye by no less than DOROTHY LAMOUR who asks his help in finding her hubby's murderer.
Turns out she's really talking about her uncle, but she's a liar (like Mary Astor in THE MALTESE FALCON).The gags get off to a good start with ALAN LADD asking Bob to mind his office while he packs a gun and goes on a private eye mission.
It's entertaining with Hope at his liveliest and Lamour at her prettiest and a supporting cast that more than compensates for a script that's only fault is that it's pretty predictable from start to finish.Despite flaws, if you can find a decent print of the film it's worth watching..
Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour team up for this spoof on private eyes movies, particularly Sam Spade.
In "My Favorite Brunette," baby photographer Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) gives an interview to reporters from death row where he is minutes away from being gassed.
Before his humor dried up with changing times and he ended his film career with a few turkeys (too bad for he truly deserved so much more), he made many of the best comedies of his era."My Favorite Brunette" is filled with wit and clever lines from a cast that includes Dorothy Lamour, who is given an opportunity to go beyond her Road Picture image and show genuine acting talent, Peter Lorre, who is as always creepy and sadistic--he also doesn't like to be called Cuddles by Hope--Lon Chaney Jr., a much underrated actor who was always in his father's shadow, and Jack La Rue, whose face the viewer is sure to recognize.
The stuffing in-between gets a little too long and thin, at times.***** My Favorite Brunette (3/19/47) Elliott Nugent ~ Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jr..
Every line is delivered just right and he and Dorothy Lamour are great.Every situation is milked for its comedy potential and sure, it's corny - but boy, it don't half work!This is just a wonderful comedy with an edge of excitement and a great send-up of some of the clichés of Film Noir.One to relax and laugh along with - Hope and Lamour at their best!.
He suspects her sanity, not realizing he's only one step behind her en route to the sanitarium."Nutty as a fruitcake, but with all that beautiful frosting!" That's not James Stewart talking about Kim Novak, but rather Bob Hope on the subject of Dorothy Lamour, his co-star in this farcical takeoff of the film noir, made more than ten years before Hitchcock's "Vertigo".
Still, Peter Lorre is on hand to lend the film some Hitchcockian gravitas as one of the key hoods, and the opening set up showing Hope at San Quentin telling his tale to reporters as he awaits the gas chamber gets things off right.Hope is Ronnie Jackson, a baby photographer whose office is next door to a detective he idolizes.
Features a terrific supporting cast, including Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney, Jr. There are some funny cameos from Alan Ladd and Bing Crosby.
In fact, you could easily watch it twice in a row just to get all those jokes you missed the first time.The plot here is complicated on purpose, but the key set-up is having a baby photographer (Hope) mistaken as a detective (which he always wanted to be).
Bob Hope in one of his better comedies of the 1940s, a clever satire of noir mysteries (Raymond Chandler, in particular) which substitutes hard-boiled for soft-boiled without losing the essence of a good crime story.
Dorothy Lamour (with the wonderful character name Carlotta Montay) is the supposedly schizophrenic and paranoid client; Peter Lorre is her evil valet; and nobody cracks walnuts like muscle-stooge Lon Chaney.
It stars Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Frank Puglia, Lon Chaney Junior, Peter Lorre, John Hoyte and Charles Dingle.
With Hope's chemistry with Lamour (gorgeous and hard looking) set in stone (they had already worked together at least seven times by this point), this is complimented by the likes of Lorre and Chaney who mimic past performances in more serious fare, while Alan Ladd pops in for a delightful little cameo to further nudge and wink to film noir iconography.
In other words, the best dark and mysterious detective thriller of the genre it satirises.The satirising of noir detective thriller films is made all the more plausible by the perfect casting of the likes of Lorre and Chaney Jr. It's by juxtaposing their characters with the wise cracking Bob Hope that makes the comedy work in a surreal way.
It just wouldn't have worked out quite the same way with other actors.The film particularly satirises the far fetched, convoluted noir detective thrillers of the 40s era, and how the sleuth can never see the trees for the wood.The cameo role of Bing Crosby was particularly well placed and very witty in his disappointment at not being Hope's executioner.
Bob Hope is mistaken for a detective in "My Favorite Brunette," a comedy from 1947 costarring Dorothy Lamour and Peter Lorre.
A baby photographer who desperately wants to become a partner to the detective down the hall, Sam (Alan Ladd in a cameo), Ronnie gets his chance when a lady in distress (Lamour) visits Sam's office while he's away.
Ronnie pretends he's Sam and before you know it, he's in all kinds of trouble, running from a gang of thugs that includes Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney who are looking for a map.This is an entertaining comedy with good performances all around.
Apart from the great cameos, some other things to look for are Lon Chaney, Jr. playing a character pretty much like his Lenny from "Of Mice And Men".This is undoubtedly one of Bob Hope's best films for a variety of reasons.
Bob Hope is a bit hard to take seriously, even given that he is playing comedy, but Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney Jr. are a lot of fun to have on hand.
This isn't a bad thing since the original is so good, it just means that we can't see this as clever as many people see it.Still it worth seeing, especially if you like Bob Hopes type of silliness..
Hope's rapid fire one-liners are the main attraction of this film, but that's bolstered by a better than average supporting cast which includes Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney as one of the many villains.
Poking affectionate fun at the whole detective/film noir genre, My Favorite Brunette comes complete with Philip Marlowe style narration from baby photographer Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope), as he describes to members of the press how he came to be facing the gas chamber for murder.He starts his story as hard-boiled private eye Sam McCloud (an uncredited Alan Ladd) leaves town for a few days, entrusting wannabe detective Jackson to mind his office.
Not wanting to miss out on an opportunity for some serious sleuthing, and beguiled by the brunette's beauty, Ronnie becomes embroiled in a case of mystery and murder.Where Hope's comedic style often comes across as horribly dated (particularly in some of the Road movies), with cheesy vaudevillian gags, disparaging quips about his fellow stars, crusty jokes about current news events and awful ad-libbing, My Favorite Brunette manages to avoid most of these pitfalls by sticking to a sharp script that focuses on the parody of a particular genre, largely curtailing the need for smug asides, derogatory remarks and off-the-cuff buffoonery.The result is a very satisfying spoof that benefits from a solid cast, including some familiar faces who are happy to send up their stock-in-trade, including Peter Lorre playing slimy henchman Kismet and Lon Chaney Jr. as a hulking Sanitarium employee.
In this case, Hope played Ronnie Jackson, a baby photographer who as the movie opens is sitting on death row waiting to be executed.
MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE (Paramount, 1947), directed by Elliott Nugent, stars popular funnyman Bob Hope in another one of his top comedies.
With MY FAVORITE BLONDE and SPY being a spoof on espionage thrillers, MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE does the same here, a satire in the best possible level to the then current trend of "film noir" detective mysteries.The narrative begins in San Quentin Prison where Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) is on death row for his execution in the gas chamber for murder which he didn't commit.
During the proceedings, Dorothy Lamour finds time to sing one song, "Besides You" by Sam Evans and Jay Livingston.What makes MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE extremely worthwhile are the comic support by two horror movie greats, Peter Lorre (Kismet, the villain), and Lon Chaney Jr.
Though being a comedy, Lorre plays his role straight and menacing, making his performance all the funnier, especially scenes involving him and Hope, who addresses him as either "Cuddles" or "Gremlin." Aside from in-jokes commonly found in Hope comedies, such as a reference to Ray Milland and his "lost weekend," there's also surprise cameos by top leading actors as Alan Ladd and Bing Crosby.
There is a fun crime-mystery as the basis for the story and quite a bit of comedy to keep it fun.Bob Hope is good in this - such a strange and funny character Ronnie Jackson.
I'm glad I was reminded about this film - it's a worthwhile comedy.Fans of classic comedy films, Bob Hope, Lon Chaney Jr and/or Peter Lorre should like this one quite a bit.8.5/10.
"My Favorite Brunette" shapes up as Bob Hope's finest vehicle since 1940's "The Ghost Breakers," and this time he gets luscious Dorothy Lamour all to himself.
Enjoyed this 1947 film starring Bob Hope,(Ronnie Jackson),"How to Commit Marriage" '69 along with Dorothy Lamour,(Carlotta Montay),"Marcus Welby,MD",'46 TV series who runs all around trying to get away from Peter Lorre,(Kismet),"The Verdict",'46 who does everything he can to capture and kill Ronnie Jackson and Carlotta.
Hope is a photographer who specializes in baby pictures but really wants to be a private detective like his hero down the hall, Sam McCloud (a cameo by Alan Ladd).
The writing is weak, Elliott Nugent's direction is flat, the supporting cast--other than Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney Jr.--isn't really up to par, and for some reason Hope and Lamour don't seem to have any chemistry at all.
He even got to drag in Paramount's favorite noir star Alan Ladd along for the fun.Hope as Ronnie Jackson, baby photographer, has an adjoining office to private eye Sam McCloud and Hope would like to get into his line of work, having completed a correspondence course.
Chaney does an imitation of his gentle half-wit Lenny from Of Mice and Men, Dingle satirizes his rapacious southern businessman from The Little Foxes and Lorre spoofs all the sinister henchmen roles he's done in innumerable films.It all almost ends on death row in San Quentin where Hope is arrested for a murder of a British Intelligence Officer played by Reginald Denny.
********************MILD SPOILERS AHEAD*********************************Bob Hope plays a baby photographer who wants to be a detective like the guy in the next office over from his.
Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney are hilarious villains in this comedy spoof of detective thrillers which has an entertaining story line that keeps things lively and watchable.In my humble opinion, I like this film better than the 'Road' films (Road to Bali and Road to Utopia) I've seen so far with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour.
Bob Hope and Company do an incredible job in My Favorite Brunette of parodying the dark detective movies that were so popular at the time.
Hope is joined by an excellent cast that includes Dorothy Lamour in the femme fatal role, Peter Lorre as a knife-throwing killer, and Lon Chaney, Jr. as a simple, but ultimately kind gangster whose efforts to help Hope only seem to get him in deeper.
Lon Chaney, Jr., Peter Lorre, other good supporting players, cameos by Alan Ladd and Bing Crosby.
SYNOPSIS: A photographer assumes the role of private detective and becomes involved in fraud and murder.COMMENT: The private eye spoof certainly forms a fascinating sub- genre of comedy, and "My Favorite Brunette" is one of the best of the breed, thanks mainly to the presence of Bob Hope (the perfect protagonist for this sort of parody) and a superior cast of support players, led by vacationing tough-guy Alan Ladd, is-she-on-the-level Dorothy Lamour, fascinatingly nasty Peter Lorre, not-quite-as-dumb- as-he-looks (but almost) Lon Chaney, real-gone loony Charles Arnt, plus Charles deep-dyed Dingle.
Scripted by Edmund Beloin and Jack Rose, the movie tells the story of children photographer Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope), whom secretly fantasizes about being a private detective. |
tt0109906 | The Glass Shield | John "J. J." Johnson is a rookie police officer in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Because of his inexperience and race, he experiences tension with his white colleagues as their first black deputy. Although he initially clashes with Deputy Deborah Fields, the department's first female deputy, they strike up a friendship. While on patrol, Johnson backs up Deputy Bono when he stops a black man, Teddy Woods, at a gas station. When Bono runs Woods' drivers license, he finds a warrant for his arrest. Woods reveals he has a stolen pistol in his car, and the police officers arrest him.
Deputy Fields is the second office to the scene of a murder, but Detectives Baker and Hall dismiss her observations. Mr. Greenspan says a black man murdered his wife in a botched robbery, and the detectives pressure Woods to confess after they trace his stolen pistol to the murder. Woods defiantly proclaims his innocence, frustrating his lawyer, James Locket, who advises him to show less attitude in court. At the same time, community activist Reverend Banks raises awareness of the death of a black prisoner whom he believes to have been murdered by the police while in custody. Johnson dismisses the concerns of his family and girlfriend, saying there is no evidence of this.
While coaching Bono on what to say at the trial, Johnson's commander, Clarence Massey, learns that Bono stopped Woods because of his race. Frustrated, Massey instructs him to come up with a better excuse. Bono suggests a traffic violation and later requests that Johnson back him up. Johnson agrees, and Massey praises him for his loyalty and dependability while chastising Fields for her refusal to fit in better. At the trial, Locket points out holes in the police testimony, making Johnson wonder if he made the right decision. Fields joins Johnson in investigating what really happened. With help from a whistleblower, they discover numerous cover-ups that involve Baker, Hall, and Massey.
As the trial progresses and Greenspan's testimony proves problematic, Massey has Baker murder Greenspan to prevent him from becoming a liability. Hall, sick from cancer, dies at the station. Tensions rise as Johnson and Fields continue pursuing their own investigation, and they become further paranoid when Johnson insists they were intentionally given faulty intelligence during a drug raid. After Fields is hospitalized following an assault, Johnson and Baker come to blows. Massey breaks them up and temporarily places Johnson in a jail cell. When released, he delivers incriminating evidence to Locket that implicates Baker in various crimes, including the murder of the black prisoner and framing Woods.
The jury can not reach a verdict. Facing a widespread investigation of police corruption that goes to the city council and mayor's office, the district attorney offers to drop the charges against Woods. Locket, with the reluctant backing of a city councilman, instead pushes for a new trial, which the judge accepts. Bono turns state's evidence and testifies against Johnson, admitting that the two committed perjury. Caught up in the probe, Johnson pleads guilty and receives a suspended sentence. After the sheriff's department is disbanded, Massey retires, Baker is sentenced to four years and is in an honor prison while appealing. The unit is disbanded and the other officers including Bono are reassigned. | murder | train | wikipedia | A film that tackles blackmail and race relations in the LA sheriffs office.
This was a great low budget police film about corruption in the LA sheriffs office.
The film revolves around a young black cop, who stumbles onto a corruption case invovling police brutality towards minorities.
The film also highlights just how easy it is to get blackmailed by people who are supposed to be on your side.
THE GLASS SHIELD while lacking the stigma of bigger films like LETHAL WEAPON, tells a human tale about a cop and his female partner, however, I feel Lori Petty's role could have been bigger.
There was another part of this film that touched on something briefly, sexism on the law enforcement circuit.
The trailers for thisa movie suggest it was edited heavily and that the character played by Ms. Petty played a significantly larger role in that version.
The logical direction for this film would to have been having the black cop and the woman police officer piercing the layer of corruption together in lA.
A great film that tells a stroy from a african american point of view.
The film also highlights the conflict within the african american/black community towards police and police brutality and how it is hard for even them to sometimes accept black police officers.
An interesting film with a interesting and powerful premise.
An Excellent Film.
Being that I was only thirteen when this film came out, I vaguely remember the promos for THE GLASS SHIELD.
As usual, the Hollywood establishment misrepresented this film during its release and I fear no one saw it, and those who expected 1) Ice Cube to have a huge role or 2) Lori Petty to get naked were severely disappointed.
I've been hearing a lot of underground talk about Charles Burnett, lately, so I picked up this film (thinking it was a usual cop-meets-gangsta film previous to my knowledge that Burnett directed it.) I must say that it is an excellent, incisive picture that manages to duck every convention one expects from Hollywood.
I was reminded of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, but this was without the Mr. Tibbs-like over-the-top innocent; JJ (an excellent Michael Boatman) is truly a real character, with real guilt and real problems.
Ice Cube plays his role well, and Lori Petty is good, but it is the creepy fraternity of mustachioed white cops that makes this film truly frightening.
They are bad, but not outright evil; they are, instead, men too pumped up on the power of the badge and the sidearm and the encouragement of their peers.This is a riveting film with less than two "action" scenes; the tension exists instead in the idea that terrible violence awaits every character at every turn, and when the higher-ups descend to the levels of insane criminals, we realize the significance of the title, and the vulnerability of peace.Highly recommended..
I just saw _The Glass Shield_ for the first time since it was released theatrically.
Despite the violent overtones, the film is a subtle and compelling parable on race, power, and sex in the US.
It won't satisfy anyone with the attention span of a fruit-fly or a fetish for blood and guts, but it gets under your skin (so to speak) if you pay it the slightest bit of attention.As a side note this is one of the very few feature films chosen by the Whitney Museum of American Art for its biennial surveys of contemporary art (there was another film that year as well, _The Hours and Times_, also excellent)..
Gripping police drama exposing corruption at L.A. precinct....
There's a strong resemblance to the much praised L.A. CONFIDENTIAL in this vivid story of crime and corruption on the police force, based partially on a true story involving these events.Basically, it's the tale of a black police rookie who tries to fit in by covering corrupt practices and tries to uncover the truth behind the false prosecution of a black man (ICE CUBE).
The black rookie (MICHEAL BOATMAN) suffers slurs inherent with being the first black man on the force and other social injustices within the department.All the performances are first rate, beginning with Boatman, who does a fine job, MICHAEL ANDERSON, BERNIE CASEY (especially good as Ice Cube's lawyer), and ELLIOT GOULD--all first rate.
LORI PETTY is also convincing as the only woman rookie who helps Boatman in his investigation.
MICHAEL IRONSIDE is chilling as one of Anderson's most corrupt officers.Given terse direction by Charles Burnett in well paced, brisk, documentary style, it maintains a grip on the attention throughout as it unravels a tale of police corruption and the hard decisions that have to be made..
Such a surprising film.
I was hesitating between giving 8 or 9 and decided for a 9 when I thought "It was so difficult watching this film - it really showed well how frustrating some things can be in Life; I'm exhausted".And that in itself sums up this film : it does not have the top notch direction of Crash which won the 2006 Oscars, but, just like Crash, I was on the edge of my seat till the very very end of the film.
I was punching the wall out of feeling as frustrated as some of the characters, I was tense and worried that someone was going to get shot, I was a total ball of nerves by the end.
And for that alone I went for a 9 rather than an 8 : this film is 10 out of 10 in terms of drawing the viewer into the frustrations of police corruption, racism, sexism, cover-ups, minor mistakes which come back to haunt you big time, the effect on communities, fate.
It is not a traditional Police film, it is a hundred times more than that.If you liked Crash 2006 (the one which won the Oscars), then you'll like this film.
The movie sends a good message.
As clichéd as it sounds: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
As other viewers have noted, this movie is low budget and not overtly action packed.
But it does showcase very well what can happen when trying to fit in: Loosing sight of what is right and wrong, then trying to do what is right and getting penalized for it from different directions.
Many movies do an awesome job in telling a tale.
The message of being drunk with power and corruption among peers is something that is not only seen in the law enforcement institutions, but in the corporate and higher education areas as well.
It just appears that corruption is more harmful in law enforcement because there is the higher probability that people may become physically and psychologically damaged (on the deepest level) as a result of corrupt people misusing their guns, badges, and utmost authority).
The movie is more likely to hit home for someone who is female and/or a minority who has had some in-depth exposure to law enforcement.
While many police officers are, for the most part, decent and on the level, I would say that EVERY law enforcement agency has some level of corruption occurring.
The corruption can be a lone officer or two belittling citizens unjustifiably (and getting away with it), or a group of them who systematically abuse power.
Perhaps a film like this would be worth mandatory viewing for new police recruits.
Not only is there the lesson of how wrong and nasty discrimination is (especially in groups), but there is also the lesson of your own well meaning, however wrong actions, coming back to haunt you.
I'm surprised this wasn't a made for TV film!
The writing and direction is not up to movie standards.
The writer decided that rather then rely on well written story with just a few of the points he wanted to make; he decided to throw every racism cliché into this one.
And while the story is just plain silly; the poor direction leads to some pretty poor performances.
I'm sure many of the actors in this film don't list this as one they are proud of.
We all know that there are abuses by law enforcement; but this writer/director is beating us over the head with this script.
If your looking for a well written, well acted story that make you feel like you got your monies worth; avoid this film like the plague.
RE: Worst Film?.
How your comment makes the top response for this film proves not only how naive you are, but how culturally bankrupt and immoral this nation is.
They elect a man like Bush, who invades a hornets nest, indebted your children and grandchildren, and runs a police state media called Fox network.
You are saying there is no such thing as the mafia or corrupt police and racism is not real.
This film shows and tests the police as humans.
Not everyone likes being pushed around by the police and not everyone is as passive and out of touch as you, thank God, if he exists..
The stage curtains open ...Based on the true story of John Eddie Johnson, "The Glass Shield" chronicles the events surrounding the arrest and incarceration of an innocent black man based solely on circumstantial evidence - and the corruption involved behind the scenes within the Sheriff's Dept where Johnson worked as a deputy.This wasn't a bad film, though it really does have a made-for-television feel to it.
I felt like I was watching a true crime story on TV rather than a movie with a wide screen release.
It is low on violence and high on emotion - a morality tale in which, we as the viewers, can sense and experience the frustration that John Johnson (played by Michael Boatman), deputy Deborah Fields (played by Lori Petty), and Teddy Woods (played by Ice T) all went through.
All of the actors, for the most part, did a standard job with nothing outstanding between them except for Michael Boatman's performance.
He really did put his all into the part as this was his big chance to step up in a starring role.This movie is part crime story and part courtroom drama - playing out almost like a Law & Order episode.
Overall, I did enjoy the movie, but it wasn't something I would necessarily recommend anyone to see.
The movie itself isn't very good.
The lighting makes too much use of neon blue, a popular fad around the time this appeared.
The acting is okay, though, except for Ice Cube, who cannot seem to act.
The script has two good things going for it.One is that the cops, though authoritarian in manner and attitude, are humanized without being sentimentalized.
And Ironsides doesn't offer any false hope or, indeed try to comfort his friend in any way.
He simply sits there and listens while Walsh, again without going into it, quietly talks about how he'd like to leave his family with a little something.
The script and the director handle Walsh's death scene in the same understated way.
Cops wouldn't.
That's what I mean by "humanizing" them without "sentimentalizing" them.The second interesting thing about the film is that it dips a toe into some curious and seldom-dealt-with sociological waters.
Cops demand that kind of loyalty too.
And here we have two "minority" members who find themselves working for the Sheriff's Office.
Boatman is black and is a cop.
Lori Petty is a woman (and a Jew, I think) and is a cop too.
Which allegiance takes priority -- the allegiance to the minority group or to one's comrades on the police force?
What happens when loyalties come into conflict?The film brings the question up but soon dumps it.
Boatman realizes that he is black before he is blue.
There's not a bad African-American to be seen.
We can all feel satisfied now that our true identities have been found and all the corrupt and dissembling cops have been cleaned out.
It's rather overlong, too, and the story resembles "Serpico." Even the title is second-hand.
"The Glass Shield." It sounds like a variation on the pop culture phrase, "the glass ceiling," suggesting that the female cop, Lori Petty, will run into prejudices.
A good film, though the previous comments are not without truth.
Glass Shield is an intriguing film, starring Michael Boatman, Ice-T, Bernie Casey, and Lori Petty.
The film centers around the corruption of the Ingomar Station around LA.Its one of those films you need to watch several times to understand all of the details.
You know, one where there are 900 names thrown around and they expect you to remember all of them even when the names don't depict a character in the film.The comment about this being a leftist movie is definitely true: Anyone black, female, supportive of civil rights, adoptive of children outside your race, etc is good.
Anyone white and male in this film is evil (minus the one cop that works in the holding cell).The film is definitely worth watching.
Just be open minded that the writer, or at least the casting director, is probably one of those people who blames white males for everything (crime, racism, etc) without checking the violent crime statistics first..
Try to fit in or decide to do the right thing?
Ambition is one of the things that stands in the way of J.J. Johnson(Michael Boatman)...the other is that he is a rookie state trooper with the LA Sheriff's Department and the first black officer at his first assigned station.
The station's only female deputy Deb Fields(Lori Petty).
This movie progresses with nonstop suspense and explosive decisions to be made.
Johnson and Fields uncover mass corruption when they discover that a well known criminal(Ice Cube)has been framed and jailed for a vicious murder.
Do they break the unwritten code of silence or do the right thing?
Well...what makes for a better movie?
This gritty police yarn is filled with obligatory violence and an all-star cast of actors like: Richard Anderson, M.
Emmet Walsh, Michael Ironside, Bernie Casey and Elliott Gould.
I was really impressed with Boatman and Ice Cube.
Overall the truth proves to be pretty damn powerful..
Very good cop show..
Show was very interesting regarding newcomer cops, especially blacks and females.
I really hope this no longer goes on in precincts but unfortunately, it probably happens more often than we'd like to think.
Michael Boatman played a very dramatic believable officer - definitely worth watching!.
Terrible movie.
This movie has got to be one of the worst, most leftist, racially biased movie ever made about cops and non-black people.
It feeds into the racial tensions and further perpetuates the myth that all cops and people in office are evil and corrupt.
I was watching this movie thinking it should be taking place in Mexico or Russia.
However I can't imagine the corruption being that bad even in those countries.
This movie had absolutely no technical advisors, no realism, no factuality and was poorly written.
On one scene, I saw one of the main character wearing his police uniform with white sneakers.
The list goes on and on but I wont waste anymore our my time or yours.
This is something I would totally expect though from rapper Ice Cube.
I'm surprised Snoop Dog didn't make an appearance in this movie.
An action packed police film on an indie film budget..
Charles Burnett sculpts the movie with star protagonist JJ or John Johnson played by Michael Boatman is a young African American Cop who is excited and eager to be a police officer.
He soon realizes that being a police officer is not what he expected as he soon realizes the wrong and dishonest dealings going on with in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.
Our young Valen JJ teams up with another minority, young female officer Deborah Fields (Lori Petty) to right the wrongs and restore justice as any honest, moralistic young adult would do.
These young officers' morals are what drives the plot and leads their actions to fulfill justice in their hypocritical department.JJ's suspicions began when he is involved with the unlawful arrest of Teddy Woods (played by Hollywood Star Ice Cube).
Teddy Woods's case goes to court and becomes the center of attention to the audience via Deputy Johnson's role in arresting Mr. Woods, to reveal the injustices of the department.
Throughout the judicial fiasco JJ and Deborah are harassed by other officers about being a minority in the white male department.
If that isn't enough JJ must deal with a frustrated relationship with his girlfriend (you will have to watch and see for yourself if their romance endures).Young and Zealous JJ deals with more than just romantic issues and physical harassment.
Johnson views many of his colleagues as men seeking to put the bad guys behind bars and willing to bend the rules in order to do so, a white lie as to why you pulled someone over if it means you are putting a bad guy behind bars.Many viewers of the film will undoubtedly connect this film's message with the Black Lives matter campaign and other civil rights protests.
This aspect of the movie connects generations of Americans in three generations.
A grandparent may connect to it from the civil rights movement in the 1960's, their child may relate to the movie in the time that it was released (1994) along with the Watts Riots, and finally the potential grandchildren and my fellow peers view the movie as a prophecy of the Black Lives matter campaign.
While the ending may have been to potential of lack of money (as often is the case in independent films), this eight-million-dollar film does a great job of wrapping the viewer into the film to see a struggle that still is not resolved in our society despite the horrible acting that "hurts like getting hit with a bat".
Yes, that is an actual line from the movie that comes during one of the worst scenes of acting I have ever seen.
However, director Charles Burnett shows us hope through JJ. |
tt0068576 | Fear Is the Key | John Talbot is talking on radio to a girl and another man who are flying a plane. He hears them being machine gunned to death by another plane.
Some time later, Talbot appears in a small town in Louisiana, where he starts a fight with some local police. He is arrested and faces trial, where it is revealed he is wanted for killing a policeman and robbing a bank. Talbot escapes from the courtroom, shooting another policeman and kidnapping a woman, Sarah Ruthven.
A car chase ensues. Talbot and Sarah meet up with a mysterious man, Jablonsky, who reveals that Sara is the daughter of an oil millionaire.
Jablonsky turns Talbot and Sarah over to Sarah's father. There is a man working for him, Vyland, who hires Talbot for an unspecified task. Jablonsky is retained to guard Talbot. It is then revealed that Jablonsky and Talbot know each other and have arranged his whole scenario for an unspecified reason.
Late at night, Talbot sneaks out of the house and travels to an oil platform to search for something. When he returns he sees Vyland's henchmen burying something - it is Jablonsky's body.
Talbot then sneaks into Sarah's room and makes a confession: all the events up until the present time, except for the brawl in the town, are part of a scheme. The brawl was to get Talbot into court. The shootout in court was faked; Talbot shot the policeman with blanks. Sarah was invited there deliberately so she could be kidnapped. Everything was set up to get Talbot and Jablonsky into the house. Talbot says her father used his money for a stake in a salvage operation but didn't know about Vyland, and that Sarah and her father are in danger, especially after the death of Jablonsky. Talbot asks Sarah for her help, although he won't say what his plan is or what is going on.
Talbot is hired to operate a submersible for an unspecified project. He goes to an oil platform with Sarah, Ruthven, Vyland, Royale and Larry. Talbot deliberately delays the launch of the submersible.
Larry begins to suspect Talbot and pulls a gun on him but falls off the platform and dies. With Sarah's help, Talbot then kills another of Vyland's men. He calls for help back on the mainland but the authorities can not fly there because of the storm. He is forced to enter the submersible with Vyland and Royale.
The sumbersible approaches the wreck of a DC-3. Vyland admits to Talbot he is looking for cargo. Talbot says he knows what the cargo is - over $80 million in uncut diamonds. Talbot then switches off the oxygen and tells Vyland and Royale they will die in six minutes.
Talbot says the diamonds were a payment from the Colombian government to buy arms during a revolution. They hired a plane from a small airline, Talbot's, but it was shot down by people who knew what was on the flight. Talbot says the plane contained his brother, wife and 3-year-old son. He has planned his revenge over three years.
Talbot tells Vyland and Royale he is willing to die on the ocean floor beside his family. He asks who ordered the destruction of the plane. Vyland confesses it was him, which is heard by Talbot's associates on the oil platform via microphone. Royale shoots Vyland dead. He then confesses to killing Jablonsky. Talbot turns on the oxygen and returns to the surface. | revenge, murder | train | wikipedia | One of the All Time Great Adventure Movies You've Probably Never Heard About.
I was browsing the commentary track on the DVD release of Soderbergh's movie *The Limey* where he and screenwriter Lem Dobbs are talking about Barry Newman and movies with cool chases...
Lem Dobbs just so happens to mention his fondness for "Fear is the Key" and it's cool car chase sequence, etc., Once I hear the words "movie" and "cool car chase" in the same sentence my interest automatically goes through the roof...
as there is nothing better I like than a movie with a cool car chase in it.
When I was at Tarantino's 4th Annual Film Fest I asked him about the movie and he hadn't even seen it (though he just had gotten a print of it).
So here for this huge period of time was this movie I had been building up and dying to see...Well at last I finally got to see it (as I found a place that was legit and sold copies of it) and was not let down in the slightest though I will say the last 5 minutes of the movie has one of the most original and intense endings I've ever seen.
The movie is worth watching for seeing a tour de force performance by Barry Newman, the very very gorgeous Suzy Kendall (whom was also in Torso), and a pre-Gandhi Ben Kingsley (with hair), a very electrifying and long car chase that is one of the coolest car chases I've ever seen in a movie, and the last 5 minutes which just sucks you in and makes you forget your watching a movie...
It drifts along for the first couple of minutes and then *BAM* it takes off like a bat out of hell and never slows down until the credits roll at the end.
It is one of those few action/adventure movies where you aren't quite sure what is going to happen next, which way it will twist, nor are you really sure of the intentions or alliances that any of the characters...
it just literally takes you on a wild ride of adventure and intrigue.The car chase sequence which goes on for quite some time (like around 10 minutes or so) is just one of the all time coolest car chases you will see in a movie.
but it is cool in it's own unique way of sorta of throwing out the usual movie rules cliche that you can only have a car chase on a road.
In this movie if a car is coming down the road right at Barry Newman...
Which makes the scene electrifying with movie coolness.I would talk about the ending more but...
it would be a huge injustice to say anything other than it was my favorite part of the movie and I'm surprise a James Bond film hasn't ripped it off yet.Barry Newman shines John Talbot and puts on a tour de force type of performance that is so friggin good and cool!
You rarely ever get such a cool acting performance in a action/adventure type movie...
yet Barry Newman here shows why he was one of the best and coolest actors of the 70's and even today!I will say I just loved loved Suzy Kendall in this movie.
I had previous seen Suzy in the movie Torso so I was already a big fan of her work.Alistair Maclaine who wrote the novel to which the movie is based on is known for full throttle engaging novels full of adventure that once they get into gear they grab a hold of you until the very end.
You can chalk this one as another one of Alistair's novels that was made into a great movie (Guns of Navarone, Ice Station Zebra, Where Eagles Dare, are some of the other and more well known).So I am very thankful now to Lem Dobbs who inspired me to see this fine flick and hopefully now I can spread that onto others now to see this forgotten but great movie..
Fine actioner based on Alistair MacLane's novel holds a few surprises for those lucky enough to catch this underrated gem.
An unorthodox and at times bitty script is held together by an amiable cast including a young Ben Kingsley (debuting with a full head of hair) surprisingly in his only film before his Oscar winning performance of 'Ghandi' ten years later.The screenplay is a crafty one, with Barry Newman ploughing through the first half of the film seemingly out of control and playing a role hauntingly similar to his one in 'Vanishing Point' keeping the viewer guessing what's going to happen next and why.
Though the ending may not quite reach some viewers expectations, it does wrap things up succinctly, making the thrills on the way (including a fine car chase that bursts from a courthouse breakout) all the more worthwhile..
It begins with the same male hero we see in all movies made after 1940, a man so vicious and mean that the movie's idea is to turn your thinking around about the guy.
The character in the movie is the key, and the screen writing, directing, and acting are superb.
Barry Newman is great in the lead role , and although the plot is a bit far-fetched in places, it is great entertainment and has a good twist at the end , but I do think the underwater scenes looked a bit like the bottom of a goldfish pond !
If you like the car chases in VANISHING POINT....
I watched this adaptation of an Alistair MacLean novel tonight and it is fantastic.
Barry Newman stars as John Talbot, a drifter who ends up getting into it with the local police in a parish in Louisiana.
He gets hauled before a judge but breaks out of the courtroom, taking oil heiress Sarah Ruthven (Suzy Kendall) hostage in the process.
The first half hour is comprised of an amazing car chase that is right up there with the likes of THE FRENCH CONNECTION.
Seriously, this is one of the greatest (and unheralded) car chases of all-time (courtesy of VANISHING POINT's stunt coordinator Cary Loftin).
Newman, also fresh off that other car chase epic VANISHING POINT, is quite good as the mysterious Talbot.
Supporting turns include John Vernon (I wonder if he a good guy), Dolph Sweet and a weaselly looking guy in his film debut named Ben Kingsley.
Firstly I will say that this film definitely has an impact like the original 'Planet of Apes' with the late great Charlton Heston.However, with multiple viewing you will discover more and more about the lead character 'Talbot' - so believably played out by the under-rated talented actor Barry Newman, and the storyline will become even more engaging.
I would simply recommend you either buy the DVD or await the Blue-Ray version when it comes out from the date I have posted this review.The supporting cast is very good, including Dolph Sweet, John Vernon, earliest appearance of Ben Kingsley (with some hair still) and the lovely Suzy Kendall.It is not until near the end of the film that you realise where the film is actually going with it's unique ending inside a mini-submarine (or Bath-Escape as it was called) called the Fathom.
The car chase is well choreographed and in a Smokey and the Bandit style - even longer than the car chases in Bullitt and French Connection.Without going into too much detail, I have not read the book by the classic novelist Alistair MaClean, but if it is even better than the theatre adaptation of the story then maybe one day I will have to seek out the book, because this film, despite it's old age is a classic in my mind.Find it, and I guarantee you will like it a lot.
It takes a bit of getting used to when seeing Barry Newman in a role like this, because he definitely has an 'un-likely' hero look about him.
It's based on a novel by Alistair MacLean that I should imagine few people have heard of, and it stars Barry Newman of VANISHING POINT fame.
The fact that it was a flop on release means that I'd never heard of it before I saw it showing on TV.The film begins with an electrifying opening, full of twists, sudden violence, and high speed action.
Then we get a lengthy, well-shot car chase clearly included to capitalise on Newman's reputation as a 'car chase' actor, before the movie settles into a rather bogged-down, if not confusing, storyline.
Newman is an acceptable hero but I was particularly excited to see Euro-starlet Suzy Kendall's (THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE) appearance.
The by rote villain duties are provided by John Vernon, but the real standout is an incredibly youthful Ben Kingsley - yes, complete with his own head of hair - as a henchman.
By the end of its running time, FEAR IS THE KEY has offered up plentiful action, some convoluted plotting, and just a few decent twists, and I thought it passed the time well for what it is..
Ben Kingsley with hair takes some adjusting to, but his acting is solid.
The movie itself is extremely uneven, with a grabber opening, followed by a prolonged car chase that seems like it was yanked right out of a "Smokey and the Bandit" movie.
Drawn from Alistair McLean's book of the same name this is a solid thriller that twists and turns nicely throughout.
Barry Newman is good as Talbot, the character who finds himself drawn into shady dealings.
While the mobsters are adequate (including an early appearance by Ben Kingsley!).The twist are good but if you've read the book it really takes away from the movie as there is not a whole lot else to hold the interest.
However the twists keep you guessing what people's motives are almost up till the end - having said that it's not in the league of Se7en or Usual Suspects so don't expect too much.The ending is a strange anti-climax to the film, I won't give it away but it is rather muted considering the plot up till that point.Overall a good story but let down by a lack of any real extended tension and a disappointing conclusion.
I must have read every Alistair MacLean novel growing up so I'm sure I've read this one in the distant past though I don't recall anything about it nor do I think I ever saw this movie before.
I know Barry Newman from his last-minute-lawyer Petrocelli TV role later in the decade but he's possibly better here as John Talbot, a man on a mission although, while the mission is indicated only cryptically at the beginning, it becomes crystal clear by the end.Until it does, the film narrative leaves criss-crossing dust-trails as to his motives and in so doing seems to conform to other early 70's adventure movies with a violent courtroom escape, lengthy car chase and the hostage-taking of a pretty girl but once the reveal is made as to what his intentions are, the plot plays out to a surprisingly taut, claustrophobic finish and not the crash-bang-wallop affair you might have expected after the all-action beginning.For a British B-movie, the production values are surprisingly high as witness the scenes inside the bathysphere, during the storm and of course the ten minute plus car chase.
Newman turns in a terse, committed performance and there's good support from main villain John Vernon, his main henchman, a young Ben Kingsley on his film debut and Dolph Sweet as an ex-cop private detective who gets caught in the slipstream of events.
Suzy Kendall mostly plays the role she and Susan George almost played by rote around this time although she does show some moxy coming to Newman's aid in a fight scene.As for the direction, I appreciated the subversion of the traditional adventure movie plotting of the time by starting the action loudly and finishing it all quietly but effectively.
Roy "Get Carter" Budd also delivers a background score which does all that an early 70's soundtrack needs to do.All in all a watchable and entertaining thriller with more than one twist in the tale..
I like Alistair MacLean's books, so I approached this film with a sense of dread.
Fortunately, this is perhaps the best of all the MacLean's film adaptations.
It begins with the most extraordinary car chase imaginable (far better than the much touted one in The French Connection) and never relaxes from that point on.
To reveal much of the plot would be a spoiler, but suffice to say that the hero spends most of the film acting as the bad guy, trying to confuse some crooks that he's on their side so that he can get into their organisation and carry out his terrible revenge plan.
Barry Newman is terrific as the hero, in a role similar to his Vanishing Point character.
John Vernon is a mean villain, too, and Dolph Sweet has a short but pivotal role as a friendly insider.
The title is some kind of misnomer.I would rather call the film " Appearances are the key".The beginning of the film is triteness ,routine thriller : car chase,hostage-taking,fighting...But little by little we begin to realize that all that we are watching is like a trompe-l'oeil painting.Things are not what they seem.You've got to pay attention during the very first scene -a very tragic one,which is given a thoroughly neuter even inhuman treatment-,cause the answer to the questions you ask yourselves only comes at the end.The final sequences pack a real wallop ,particularly when we see the plane.This film was almost an anomaly in the seventies scene:to think that at the time the blockbusters were "dirty Harry" and "Shaft" .Talbot is finally much more human than the two superheroes."Fear is the key" has a contemporary feel ,but no remake needed..
One of the best Alistair Maclean Film/Novels Ever!.
Underrated in both cinematic and musical score terms, Fear is the iconic embodiment, of seventies real action cinema, without the gadgets.
Barry Newman(Petrocelli) and Vanishing Point, the original!
Class performances from John Vernon, The charismatic Tony Anholt (The Protectors/Space 1999) put this movie in a league up there with few others.
A "9" minute car chase to rival any.
Watching Fear Is the Key is almost exactly like reading Alistair MacLean's adventure novel on which the movie is based.
Or any of MacLean's adventure novels, for that matter.
He knew how to set up a plot that would capture a reader straight off, and then never let the tempo slow down, always building one readable action sequence after another, however improbable.
It holds up as a good action read to finish in a day or two.
(Louisiana bayous and tidal swamps are great places to imagine.) Fear Is the Key, the movie, has a lot of action.
The opening, like so many of MacLean's books, has great hooks.
John Talbot (Barry Newman), grim and surly, is driving down the Louisiana coast looking for trouble.
He finds it, slugging cops, insulting a judge, making a courtroom escape and shooting a court constable, taking a young woman hostage and then spending the next 15 minutes or so on one of the longest car chases I've seen.
It's kind of boring after awhile because it goes on for so long and -- key point here -- we have no idea what this tough guy's motivation could be.
It's forty minutes before the outline of some reasonable motivation takes shape and 60 minutes before the point of the movie is reached.
The last forty minutes, however, when plot and motivation finally meet, turn out to be satisfyingly brutal and filled to the brim with revenge.
Along the way, in addition to Newman, we meet a puzzling big business natural gas owner played by Ray McAnally; his daughter (the hostage) played by Suzy Kendall; a smoothie crook played by John Vernon; a possibly corrupt cop played by Dolph Sweet (in a fine performance) and a cool hit man with a nearly full head of dark hair played by a young Ben Kingsley.
Newman, who played tough guy heroes in a number of movies during this time, is grim and capable to a fault.
In my opinion, Barry Newman was a fine actor when he wasn't called upon to be this kind of Hollywood hero.
The movie, like Alistair MacLean's books, gives us action and more action, sketchy motivation and enough loose ends to make a big ball of yarn.
'Fear Is The Key' is an underrated action movie from 1972, based on the bestselling novel by Alistair Maclean.
Much of his stuff was filmed, including 'The Guns Of Navarone', 'The Satan Bug', 'Ice Station Zebra', and 'Puppet On A Chain'.'Fear' opens in Louisiana, as an unnamed man ( Barry Newman ) is in radio contact with a plane.
Before he can be sentenced, Talbot escapes, taking Suzy as hostage.
In a stolen car, they are chased relentlessly.That's enough plot.
A very good supporting cast includes John Vernon and Ben Kingsley ( in his first movie role ).Roy Budd wrote the music, and as you'd expect coming from the guy who scored 'Get Carter' its first-rate.The action is fast ( that car chase goes on forever!
), and Newman looks cool as the hero.
Action takes precedence over characterization in "Fear Is The Key", but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Some of the plot twists are rather obvious, and John Vernon's casting gives away the identity of the chief bad guy almost instantly.
Not that he doesn't make an excellent bad guy, as does Ben Kingsley, playing a seriously creepy hit-man in his film debut.
Barry Newman is a solid antihero who sheds the "anti" as the film proceeds.
Suzy Kendall is beautiful but not asked to do much, except for her participation in one close-quarters fight scene where she tries to help Newman. |
tt0104868 | The Mighty Ducks | Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) is a successful Minneapolis defense attorney of the Ducksworth, Saver & Gross firm, who never loses a case but whose truculent courtroom antics have earned him no respect among his peers. After successfully defending a client resulting in his 30th win, Bombay is called into his boss's office to be congratulated, but also chastised for embarrassing the judge. Regardless, he celebrates by going out drinking and is subsequently arrested for drunken driving. Bombay is sentenced to community service by coaching the local "District 5" PeeWee hockey team. Bombay has a history with the sport, although his memories are far from pleasant: Years ago, Bombay was the star player on the Hawks. When struggling to cope with the loss of his father, Bombay missed a penalty shot during a championship game, costing his team the title for the first time and disappointing his hyper-competitive coach, Jack Reilly (Lane Smith).
When Bombay meets the team, he realizes the children have no practice facility, equipment or ability to go with it. The team's first game with Bombay at the helm is against the Hawks, the team from the snooty suburb of Edina. Reilly is still head coach and remains bitter about Gordon's shortcoming in the game years earlier (even lamenting that they should take the runner-up banner down from that season despite having a wall full of first place banners from other years). District 5 gets outclassed and pummeled during the game due to Reilly demanding the Hawks run up the score; after the game, Bombay berates the team for not listening to him and the players challenge his authority. For the next game, Bombay tries to teach his team how to dive and get penalties. Meanwhile, Bombay discovers his old mentor and family friend Hans (Joss Ackland) who owns a nearby sporting goods store, was in attendance. While visiting him, Bombay recalls that he quit playing hockey after losing his father four months before the championship game, and due to Reilly solely blaming Gordon for the loss. Hans encourages him to rekindle his childhood passion.
Bombay approaches his boss, the firm's co-founder Gerald Ducksworth (Josef Sommer) to sponsor the team, something Ducksworth reluctantly agrees to do, after being offered his own jersey. The result is a complete makeover for the team, both in look (as they can now buy professional equipment) and in skill (as Bombay has more time to teach the kids hockey fundamentals). Now playing as the Ducks (named for Bombay's boss), they fight to a tie in the next game and recruit three new players: Figure skating siblings Tommy (Danny Tamberelli) and Tammy Duncan (Jane Plank) and slap shot specialist and enforcer Fulton Reed (Elden Henson). The potential of Ducks player Charlie Conway (Joshua Jackson) catches Bombay's eye; he takes him under his wing and teaches him some of the hockey tactics he used when he played with the Hawks.
Bombay learns that, due to redistricting, the star player for the Hawks, Adam Banks (Vincent Larusso), should actually be playing for the Ducks. He then threatens Reilly into transferring Banks to the Ducks. After hearing an out-of-context quote about them, the Ducks players lose faith in Bombay and revert to their old habits.
Ducksworth makes a deal with Reilly about the Hawks keeping Banks; however, Bombay refuses it, since it would be against fair play, which Ducksworth berated him about when he started his community service. Left with either the choice of letting his team down or get fired from his job, Bombay takes the latter.
Bombay manages to win back the trust of his players after they win a crucial match and Adam Banks, who decided he'd rather play for the Ducks than not play hockey at all, proves to be a valuable asset. Because of his well-to-do background, Adam is given the nickname "Cake Eater" by his teammates. The name is, at first, seen as derisive, but then becomes a term of endearment. The Ducks manage to make it to the championship against the Hawks. Despite the Hawks' heavy attacks taking Banks out of the game, the Ducks manage to tie the game late and Charlie is tripped by a Hawks player as time expires. In exactly the same situation Bombay was at the beginning of the film, Charlie prepares for a penalty shot to win the championship. In stark contrast to former coach Reilly's attitude (Reilly told Bombay that if he missed, he was letting everyone down), Bombay tells Charlie that he will believe in him no matter what happens. Inspired, Charlie jukes out the goalie with a "triple-deke" (taught to him by Bombay) to defeat the Hawks for the state Pee Wee Championship.
The Ducks and family race out onto the ice in jubilation, where Bombay thanks Hans for his belief in him and Hans tells Bombay he is proud of him. Later, Bombay boards a bus headed to a minor-league tryout, secured for him by the NHL's Basil McRae of the Minnesota North Stars. Although he seems daunted at the prospect of going up against younger players, he receives the same words of encouragement and advice from the Ducks he had given them, promising he will return next season to defend their title. | inspiring | train | wikipedia | I loved how these bad-playing, poor attitude-having kids could always be inspired to become champions, no matter how tough the odds and no matter how many times movies like this were remade with soccer, football, baseball, and dogs.
Out of all those inspirational sports-are-good-for-kids movies, this was and always will be my favorite because it is the first one I can remember and the first I've ever seen.
The Mighty Ducks (aka as the Champions), is one of the great Disney movies I have seen.
Not your typical fairytale, but a rugged kids adventure, which also goes into that winning is not everything, but that being in a team and playing as a team is the most important part of any sport and is good measure for a person's life.Aggressive trial lawyer Gordon Bombay has never lost a case.
But when he's sentenced to a community service assignment, he must coach a ragtag team of peewee hockey players who can't skate, can't score and can't win.
Watch the pucks fly as they battle their way to the most important game of their lives!This film is a great story for young up and coming sports people' to watch and learn that winning is not the be all and end all of sport.
Although it can have some extraordinary individuals that play, the theme is still the same, that a team has to stick together and try as hard as it can.This movie has a very young and funny cast, with some old heads thrown in for good team balance.
While he is a very aggressive character in the beginning, Gordon brings his knowledge and experience to a group of young kids that would make any sports coach proud.
The other main star is a very young Joshua Jackson who portrayed Charlie Conway, a good ice-hockey player, who reminds his coach a lot of himself as a young peewee hockey player.
Jackson has made a name for himself in Hollywood starring in films such as Cruel Intentions, the disappointing Skulls and the popular TV drama, `Dawson's Creek'.Other cast members also include the rival coach of the Hawks Ice-Hockey team, Coach Reilly played by veteran actor Lane Smith.
Ice-Hockey is a demanding sport and this movie shows that this is the case, with heavy bumps and unrelenting pressure on players.
Although this isn't the most talented group of athletes to take the ice, and in the beginning the Ducks do really suck', they prove that with some good coaching guidance and team camaraderie, anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Directed by Stephen Herek [BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE], THE MIGHTY DUCKS was a surprise box office hit in 1992 and was followed by two better sequels and a decent animated series.
Emilio Estevez, in what is his best role to date, plays Gordon Bombay, the coach of The Ducks in this family sports comedy.
"Mighty Ducks" taps into that fan base with a fun little movie set in Minnesota that captures the fun, drama, and emotion of the experience.For a basic plot summary, this movie tells the story of Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez), a corrupt lawyer who his forced into community in the form of coaching Minneapolis, MN youth hockey (an area in which he had some childhood experience).
While at first, Bombay is hesitant to give even a modicum of effort towards the cause, he gains inspiration (whether positive or negative) from old-time mentor Hans (Joss Ackland), former coach Jack Reilly (Lane Smith), and bright-eyed youngster Charlie Conway (Joshua Jackson).This is a pretty straightforward kids flick.
Just like how "Little Big League" just "gets" baseball humor, "Mighty Ducks" does the exact same thing as hockey.Basically, you can't go wrong with this on family movie night.
It's all balanced out to entertain the little kids, but Gordon Bombay's arc is one for the adults.I also miss the kids that would end up not being in the future movies.
One of the great kid movie-sports-films of all time, this movie always has a special place in my heart when it comes to losers turning into winners.
Emilio Estevez provided a rather believable performance as a snooty lawyer turned-peewee hockey coach.
And the acting is spirited, with Emilio Estevez charming, dignified and fun as the disgraced lawyer who has to coach the worst ice hockey team and Joss Ackland solid as Hans.
Just recently, I saw D2 and D3, my friend unfortunately did not have the first Mighty Ducks movie, so I had to watch those first then rent this one.
The second and the third were pretty good movies, but I felt bad, because it felt like you're getting into a group of friends, and you don't know their history, you weren't there?
You know that feeling, and as silly as it sounds, that's how I felt watching the sequels without seeing the first one.Gordon is a lawyer who has had a little trouble with the lying in his career, therefore, he must do community service.
He starts off on a rocky relationship since he doesn't like kids, but he grows to love them and they do back learning that there is more to a game than just winning, but it'd be nice since they end up in the championships.I loved The Mighty Ducks, I felt like it was a terrific family film and I'm surprised it wasn't played in my childhood since I was seven years old when it came out, but you know the saying, better late then never, right?
I'll try not to spoil the film's plot, though it is a basic one, with your predictable, yet heart-warming feeling.Be on the lookout for future Dawson's Creek star Joshua Jackson in his second, and most notable role (excluding playing Pacy) playing the leader, Charlie Conway.*** out of ****.
No matter what people would say this movie is a classix it is the story about a man who forgot what sports all is about he is one day taken from drinking and driving and on that day he begins to wake up he had forgotten his past his memories because he would not open his eyes but then he gets a team an ice hockey team and well everything else you need to find out Emilio plays a really great and beautiful part in this movie and so does everyone else it is worth to see this movie and just do see Emilio play what he plays best hehe it is a funny and touching movie about opening a new chances in some ways well anyway what more is there to say then BUY IT SEE IT LOVE IT.
Bombay ends up coaching against a guy who humiliated him as a child when he missed a penalty shot (by the way, why wasn't the score tied after he missed it since a goal would have won the game?).
Joshua Jackson kills it as up-and-comer Charlie Conway learning from the master himself, Gordon Bombay (a dazzling performance by Emilio Estevez) who learns and even relearns a few life lessons of his own as he teaches a ragtag group of kids how to play the games of hockey and life..
Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) was once a star of his peewee hockey team but he hit the post, lost the championship game and disappointed Coach Jack Reilly (Lane Smith).
After a drunk driving arrest, his boss works out a community service plea with the court for him to coach the worst 0-9 peewee hockey team.This is the 'Bad News Bears' in the form of a hockey team.
The Mighty Ducks will surpass your expectation in linger in your memory banks even 10 years after watching the hockey hooligans learning to skate.
Fun Movie To Make You Feel Like a Kid. A self-centered lawyer (Emilio Estvez) is sentenced to community service coaching a rag tag youth hockey team.I am not going to say this is an amazing movie, because really it is nothing all that special.
It is just a fun movie for kids and adults who like to feel like kids.All I really want to write here is: I wonder if Bill Murray had gotten the role of Gordon Bombay, how would that have been different?
They succeeded in making a spontaneous, somewhat entertaining piece of nostalgia for the current generation of teens, but to be completely honest, this is one of the most vanilla sports movies I've sat through in my day, only elevated to being somewhat passable because of its efficient use of its star, Emilio Estevez (seeing this as a child, this was my introduction to the man who would later be one of my favorite male character actors) and its surprisingly successful array of motivational music, which make the cliché ending satisfying and memorable.The story is paper thin, but works as some minor league, or pee-wee, entertainment.
Estevez plays Gordon Bombay, an immensely cocky, successful defense attorney who has never lost a case in his life, but is sentenced to coach a team of young, misfit hockey players after being caught drunk driving.
Bombay has had contention with the sport of hockey after he blew a title win in a penalty shot as a child, greatly putting his coach (Lane Smith) to shame.Now, coaching the District Five team, Bombay is unmotivated and careless, until he sees these kids are genial and somewhat good-natured (and the fact that his old coach is still employed at their rival team), leading him to finally put effort into his work.
He names the team the "Ducks," after the most noble creature in the wild, who travel in packs and stick by one another.Estevez gives about the most entertaining performance one could bring to the table for this kind of movie.
His character is a smart-ass, cut-throat, boisterous know-it-all, who winds up having his heart warmed by a group of helpless kids who don't take that much pride playing for the hockey team until he gets involved.One of the downfalls of the children is that they are carbon-copies of the rambunctious tykes we see in so many movies, and any point at connecting or learning about one of them is especially moot.
The result is corny and usually unnecessary, but Estevez's chemistry with the mother, Heidi King, is just charming enough to make us somewhat care.As simple, pleasant entertainment, obviously the film's main goal, The Mighty Ducks works just fine as basic and has competence to carry a long runtime.
It's a Disney movie that gets half the job done.Starring: Emilio Estevez, Joss Ackland, Lane Smith, Heidi Kling, Josef Sommer, Joshua Jackson, Elden Henson, and Shaun Weiss.
'The Mighty Ducks' is an uplifting story about competing, succeeding, losing, and loving the game of hockey.
The team happens to be a group of annoying children who slide around the hockey rink and who learn what it is like to be the underdog and then succeed through the help of their heroic coach.
The first time I saw mighty ducks, it was just like watching the sun rise.
And I can not imagine any one putting on a performance like Emilio Estevez for Gordon Bombay.
With great catchy lines "There's no point in winning if you can't win big!" and the serious scenes involving gordon bombay and his team, their is something in this movie for everyone.
And also i found the change in Estevez's character from an analy retentive lawyer to a fun loving Ice Hockey coach is marvelous..
i was personally inspired by this movie,i learned to skate by watching the ducks fly down the ice in the flying v.
When Gordon Bombay was a kid he use to skate and play hockey.
it all came down to him in the end in a penalty shot, he missed the shot causing the hawks to loose the game.Gordon Bombay was successful lawyer then went to teaching hockey.
coach Bombay wasn't to happy with there performance for the last few games they lost a lot and tried to get the team to take dives to get penalties.
The parents of the children who he teaches aren't happy with coach Bombay's performance.In the end its the Hawks Vs the Ducks with Gordon Bombay's original coach Lane Smith (I) he also was in the movie son in law with Paulie shore.
This movie is based on a bunch of kids who don't know how to play hockey but when they get a coach everything changes.This was a great movie.The sequels were great too but this one was amazing.My favorite character is Charlie..
I pretty much have no respect for movies like "The Mighty Ducks".
Despite the tremendously clichéd plot--that of an aging fallen athletic hero who loses faith in himself and disinterest in the sport until he has the opportunity to turn a misfit team into a victorious one with hard work and much-needed nurturing--the Mighty Ducks is probably for those youngsters of the early 1990s what films like the Karate Kid were to those youngsters of the mid-80s.
Estevez' past failure as a youth hockey player himself is given a foggy glimpse and old coach Lane Smith ends up being the antagonist here.
i wasn't even a fan of hockey when i first watched this movie.
Emilio Estevez of 'Breakfast Club' fame plays a lawyer forced to coach a ice hockey team as part of community service in this Disney family film.It's a fun film with its heart in the right place, and boasts good performances from Estevez and the youngsters playing the team.It's not without its slow moments, and the love story feels a bit shoehorned in, but other than that this is a decent film..
Made in a time when comedies about kids and sports were probably among the most popular kinds of movies, The Mighty Ducks is the undisputed best of any of these.
(Other favorites of mine include The Sandlot and Little Giants.) The plot isn't complicated, as many have said, Gordon Bombay is an overworked lawyer who gets a DUI charge and is given community service, coaching a kids hockey team of misfits.
The difficulty in this is Gordon played hockey himself as a kid, and blew a championship game.
I don't know if younger kids still watch this movie but if you ask any teenagers who Goldberg is you'll get a laugh and some fun reminiscing.
Gordon Bombay going off to play minor league hockey at the end of the movie?
I don't care how much natural talent you have, if you don't play hockey during that time period, you aren't going to be good enough to try out for the minor leagues.
The 1 and 2 star reviewers cannot honestly tell me they weren't impressed by Gordon Bombay's abilities to take a helpless group of kids that had no chance of going anywhere in life let alone hockey and making them champions.
Unfortunately for one duck the pressure and spotlight that comes with such great success has caused some turmoil in his life, however I think it's important to understand that Goldberg's actions in no way reflect upon the team nor should they diminish the actions of Coach Bombay who took on the heroic task of turning a bunch of kids from Minnesota to world renown legends.
Emilio Estevez plays a hotshot lawyer who is haunted by the time when he was a kid when he missed a penalty shot during a hockey tournament and they lost the game, "letting down" the demanding coach.
When he gets busted for DWI, he has to do community service and coach a ragtag kids hockey team.
A good classic movie for kids.
It's a Disney movie for kids, so it's of course very limited, and it is exaggerated because the point is to entertain and propel young hockey players to already role models.
Maybe this movie is a bit cheesy, copied off Bad News Bears, that may be - but the Ducks are a NHL hockey franchise, that's a a pretty big deal!
If you are a kid and you love to play hockey, that movie is for you.
If you a parent of a kid who plays hockey, you'll hate this movie !.
Basically young hotshot lawyer Gordon Bombay (The Breakfast Club's Emilio Estevez) is arrested for drink driving, and the court orders him to serve community service by coaching a children's hockey team, not very good in their league, and of course he is not happy.
They also manage to get a sponsor and don the team name of The Ducks, but while all this is going on Gordon still has flashes from his past where he played hockey himself, watched by now apposing Coach Jack Reilly (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman's Lane Smith), and he lost.
Disney's 1992 live action film "The Mighty Ducks" is about a man caught for drinking, and now he had to perform community service: by coaching a peewee hockey team.
I hope D4 will be as good, just like these old ones!!!!!Also, look out in this movie for the 1992 Minnesota North Stars, in which one of the players at that time included Mike Modano and a year later, they moved here to Dallas as the Dallas Stars!!!!!"The Mighty Ducks" is the best hockey movie out there.
The Mighty Ducks (1992): Dir: Stephen Herek / Cast: Emilio Estivez, Joss Ackland, Joshua Jackson, Lane Smith, Elden Henson: Another Bad News Bears knockoff with Emilio Estevez training a group of misfits to play hockey.
***MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***The Mighty Ducks is one of my favorite sports movies by far.
This movie reminds me of when I played in a Pee Wee hockey league and my team sucked.
Basically its about a horrible hockey team that needs a coach.
Together they become champions.Emelio Estevez does a great job as coach Gordon Bombay and really adds more of an adult humor to the cast of misfit kids that bring funny, but immature humor to the movie.Disney does good. |
tt0362590 | Employee of the Month | For years, Zack Bradley (Dane Cook) has been working at the local "Super Club" as a box-boy. He lives with his grandmother and spends his free time with co-workers Lon Neilson (Andy Dick), Iqbal Raji (Brian George), and Russell Porpis-Gunders (Harland Williams). Despite his "slacker" like ways he is kind-hearted, popular and supportive. His coworker Vince Downey (Dax Shepard) earns the Employee of the Month title for the 17th time in a row. Vince is egotistical and rude towards his co-workers, mainly his box boy Jorge Mecico (Efren Ramirez), who he berates constantly. His co-workers dislike him, but he is oblivious to this. When new cashier Amy Renfro (Jessica Simpson) is hired, Zack and Vince fall for her and compete for her affection. Zack is told that Amy slept with the "Employee of the Month" at her last job, so he decides to win the title. Amy has dinner with Vince, but is repulsed when he puts the move on her. Vince doesn't realize how Amy feels, thinking they had a good kiss and continues pursuing her. Zack steps up his act and becomes a harder worker, giving Vince competition for the title. He also goes on a date with Amy, which takes place entirely in Super Club.
Within a few days, with Vince still winning the daily star, Zack realizes that getting "Employee of the Month" is not as easy as he thought. With Iqbal's encouragement, Zack finds his groove and to Vince's horror, wins the star the next day. A war of attrition begins, as Vince tries everything he can think of to derail Zack's string of stars, even breaking into his house to reset the clocks and cause him to be late. Zack barely arrives on time and Vince's attempt to sabotage him is unsuccessful. Zack takes Iqbal's shift on the day of a championship slow-pitch game against rival chain Maxi-Mart. However, he leaves to play in the game and Iqbal is fired. Frustrated at Zack's new attitude, his friends tell him he is turning into Vince and feel his attempt at getting the title is a result of trying to have sex with Amy. Amy overhears the conversation and is disgusted at Zack for his true intentions. Amy tells Zack her last boyfriend, who was Employee of the Month, was conniving, conceited and impolite which was why she requested a transfer because she could not stand being with him.
At month's end, Zack and Vince are tied. On the day of the tie-breaking competition, Zack quits, gets Iqbal his job back and tells him he took responsibility for what happened, making a heartfelt apology to Lon, Iqbal, and Russell. Zack tells them he plans to win the competition, not for recognition or to make an impression, but for pride. When the store manager is about to announce Zack's resignation, Zack, Lon, Iqbal, and Russell show up claiming Zack never filed the resignation papers. It is revealed Russell bribed the human resources manager with a broken Butterfinger. Zack tries to reconcile with Amy, giving a heart-felt apology and telling her that no matter what, he is a better man because of her. Despite Vince's protests, the competition, for the fastest checkout, is held. The Employee of the Month Award will be granted to the person who finishes the task first.
Vince beats Zack by seconds, but during the award ceremony, Semi (Marcello Thedford), the security guard, brings a surveillance video of the competition that shows Vince throwing items behind his back and onto the belt without scanning them. Vince denies the allegations of under-ringing. The store's assistant manager, who had just completed an audit of the tills used in the competition, proved the surveillance video was right about Vince giving customers free things and has been doing this for 18 months, costing the store thousands of dollars. When security tape footage is shown and his register receipt totals proved he cost the store money, Vince is fired and required to wear a police tracking device in lieu of jail time. Zack ends up winning the competition having the second most points and Amy's love. Six weeks after Vince is terminated from Super Club, he is on probation and working at Maxi-Mart, a rival store. Jorge finally learns to assert himself and treats Vince the same as he was treated by Vince. He is still willing to give Vince a ride to the bus stop, knowing that this would put Vince outside the range of his probation leg-tracker. | comedy, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1047490 | Lo | The film opens with Justin (Ward Roberts) sitting inside a pentagram and following the steps in a dark magic book to summon the crippled demon Lo (Jeremiah Birkett). Justin orders Lo to search Hell for his girlfriend April (Sarah Lassez), whom he insists was taken by a demon. Lo becomes angered not only by the demand but the fact that there are countless billions of people in Hell and finding April would be an impossible task. Undeterred, Justin orders Lo to search anyway. Conceding, Lo asks for details about April to narrow down his search. The memory of their first meeting begins to play in the background in the form of a Vaudeville play. April's personality is quirky, endearing, but overall odd.
As the flashback ends another demon, Jeez, arrives, whom Justin identifies as the demon who took April and injured him. Jeez has come to see "the mortal who tamed the beast; it explains that it has felt many emotions (hate, annoyance, embarrassment), but never love, making it confused as to why "it" - April - fell in love with Justin. It says the one Justin calls April was once considered to be one of the best killers in Hell but abandoned its kin to experience love.
Justin refuses to believe that April is a demon, despite insistence from Lo and Jeez. Lo makes a mistake in conversation, revealing that it in fact did know April - as a cold-blooded killer demon. After Justin insinuates that Lo is too weak to bring April back, Lo leaves in anger. While alone, Justin discovers that the cut on his hand from the summoning spell has begun to voice his subconscious thoughts and he begins to argue with it. Lo returns, finding the argument amusing.
Lo tells Justin that April is in "lock up" and can't be retrieved so instead it's brought two souls from Hell to describe the tortures they endure after April tricked them into selling their souls.
Lo once again states that it can't retrieve April, going as far as to say its legs were crushed when April returned to Hell. Justin jumps to the conclusion that Lo helped her escape and was punished. Lo tells him to think about her if he wants to see her again, beginning another Vaudeville-style flashback, this time of their first Christmas together.
Justin hands April a present which she unwraps after some initial confusion to discover a rare copy of Faust. She seems confused by the concept of gift-giving but quickly becomes excited about the prospect of reading as she had never read a book besides her own before, a slip of the tongue she quickly covers up. Justin accepts it as her being quirky and doesn't seem to notice. April becomes confused when Justin asks what she got him and becomes upset when she realizes that he expected a gift as well. Realizing that she only has one thing to give as a gift, April gives him her book on demon summoning, which she explicitly tells him not to open and to burn it if she ever leaves.
As the flashback ends, Lo points out that it seems obvious she was a demon. The cut on Justin's hand begins to talk again, questioning April's trust in him and implying that she was using him, and he made it easy to do so. Lo tells Justin that his condition will only worsen the longer he stays in the circle and that he should undo the spell and leave. A waiter (the same one from the flashback about Justin's first encounter with April) then appears and offers Justin a drink. Lo tells Justin that the drink will allow him to travel though Hell to her. Lo asks him if April is truly worth going to Hell for and Justin responds by downing it, an act that causes Lo to laugh uncontrollably before telling him it was poison.
Lo leaves before Jeez arrives, telling Justin that it's a slow-acting poison that can be stopped, but only if he ends the spell, goes to a hospital and gets his stomach pumped. Justin responds by saying that he won't leave without "her", a fact that annoys Jeez who tells him that demons are genderless and that April is an "it". Out of curiosity, Jeez asks what love is. After a brief and pointless attempt at defining love Justin merely smiles, annoying Jeez to the point of leaving.
The hand begins to talk again, this time making the point that it would rather live than die for April. Justin agrees that he doesn't want to die, but wouldn't be able to live without her. Just as he is about to cut off his own hand to stop his inner conflict, Lo interrupts him.
Lo says that April is vile for falling in love and isn't worth any effort on Justin's part. Justin ignores this on the grounds that who she was on Earth isn't who she was in Hell. Lo remains adamant that she was always the same murderer she was in Hell. Justin responds by forcing a flashback while Lo watches.
In the flashback, Justin and April are in bed but are both woken up when she has a nightmare, only to be comforted by Justin. April suddenly smells sulfur and is attacked by Jeez. Justin tries to help but is slashed across his chest. As he lays dying, April bargains with Jeez to return to Hell as long as she is allowed to save him first, a condition Jeez agrees to. He reminds her to bring the book, but she brings the book of Faust instead, leaving the demon summoning book with Justin.
Once the flashback ends, Lo admonishes Justin for not burning the book as she had asked, saying that Justin had betrayed his love. Justin becomes digressive with Lo and comes to the conclusion that humans are allowed to make mistakes, while demons get satisfaction from torturing them because they don't have a choice. Lo begins to laugh again, accompanied with other demons, while Justin holds his head in pain. After Lo stops laughing at him, Justin becomes infuriated and shouts at a surprised Lo, reiterating that he is the master and that he has power over it. He orders Lo once again to find April in Hell, and then to "fuck off". Lo, left speechless, leaves. Once Justin calms down, he looks at a picture of April and begins to cry.
Justin looks up to see April in front of him. She notes that he didn't burn the book, but she forgives him. Justin again affirms his love for her and his determination to bring her back with him. She kisses Justin, extracting the poison from his body. April tells Justin that she can't go with him as the demons would always find them, putting Justin in danger. Justin offers to stay but April refuses to let him stay in Hell for eternity. As April drags herself away she pauses and,looking back, she becomes Lo, revealing that they were the same person from the start.
The next day Justin is shown in his apartment preparing to burn the book. As he sets it on fire, he watches, ending the film. | romantic, plot twist | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1238291 | Five Minutes of Heaven | In Lurgan, Northern Ireland, during 1975 and the Northern Irish Troubles, the Irish Republican Army are targeting British loyalists and the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force are exacting revenge on Catholics they claim are militant republicans. Alistair Little, 17, is the leader of a UVF cell, eager to let blood. He and his gang are given the go-ahead to kill a young Catholic man, James Griffin, as a reprisal and a warning to others. When they kill Griffin, his 8-year old little brother Joe watches in horror. Little is arrested and sentenced to prison for 12 years.
Thirty-three years after the murder, Little and Griffin have been set up to meet on camera by a reconciliation project. Little has served his sentence and peace has been agreed to in Northern Ireland, but Joe Griffin is not coming on the programme for a handshake. He is carrying a knife and intends to murder his brother’s killer during the meeting. However, just before he is to go on camera, he becomes extremely agitated and demands that the cameras be removed. When the producers try to calm him, he leaves, and the two men don't meet.
Little offers to meet Griffin, and Griffin accepts. As he reaches for the knife, his wife tries to stop him, and he pushes her to the floor. Griffin asks Little to meet him at Griffin's old house, where Little murdered his brother, now abandoned and boarded up. Griffin, full of hate and wanting vengeance, attacks Little from behind and attempts to stab him. They fight and fall through a second story window and fall to the street outside. Both are hurt. Little tells Griffin that he's leaving for Belfast. He explains why he killed Griffin's brother. He tells Griffin to "get rid of me", to tell his family that he's killed Little and to live his life for them, not for vengeance against Little.
Griffin very shakily lights up a cigarette as Little pulls himself from the wall he was sitting against and limps down the road. Soon after, Griffin attends a therapy group and tells them, crying, that he wants to be a good father for his daughters. He calls Little and tells him, "We're finished." Little appears happy and befuddled, not quite sure what to do next. | revenge, psychological, murder, violence, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0070077 | The Friends of Eddie Coyle | Eddie Coyle (a.k.a. "Eddie Fingers") is an aging delivery truck driver for a bakery. He is also a low-level gunrunner for a crime organization in Boston, Massachusetts. He is facing several years in prison for a truck hijacking in New Hampshire set up by Dillon, who owns a local bar. Coyle's last chance is securing a sentencing recommendation through the help of an ATF agent, Dave Foley, who demands that Coyle become an informer in return. Unbeknownst to Coyle, Dillon is an informer for Foley.
A gang led by Jimmy Scalise and Artie Van has been pulling a series of bank robberies in broad daylight using hostages, Coyle having supplied them with pistols. Another gun runner, Jackie Brown, is supplying Coyle, who demands more guns from him as the gang ditches their pistols after each job and needs a fresh supply for each heist. Jackie goes to great lengths to get Coyle what he needs while taking an order from a young hippie couple shopping for machine guns (actually M16 rifles). Coyle finds out about the machine guns when he picks up the pistols from Jackie and offers to set up Jackie for Foley to avoid jail. In a dramatic scene at a train station's parking lot, arriving to deliver the machine guns, Jackie is arrested by Foley and his team.
Coyle meets with Foley and argues that he has fulfilled his end of the deal, but Foley claims his superiors don't agree. More information is required from Eddie or else he'll still go to prison. A bank worker has been killed during a heist by the Scalise-Van crew and they are now wanted for murder. In desperation, Coyle decides to inform on his friends Scalise and Van, but by then Foley, acting on a tip supplied by Dillon, has already caught the gang in the act of executing a heist. Foley tells Eddie his information offer was too late and he therefore cannot make a deal for leniency.
Meanwhile, Dillon meets with an intermediary of "The Man", the mob boss, in the parking lot of an MBTA station. Dillon is eager to finger Coyle for betraying Scalise and Van, but it turns out the Mob already have Coyle's name as Scalise believes Eddie snitched on him. Dillon convinces the intermediary that he was afraid that Coyle was going to inform on him to stay out of jail. Dillon frames Coyle for informing on Scalise and Van, confirming the Mob of Coyle's guilt. "The Man" wants Coyle done away with immediately, by nightfall, and offers the contract to Dillon because of Dillon's reputation as a "good" hit man. Dillon insists on $5,000 upfront for killing Coyle. The intermediary tells Dillon he will get back to him after talking to "The Man".
A despondent Coyle arrives at Dillon's bar, knowing that prison is now inevitable. While Eddie gets drunk, he and Dillon discuss the arrest of Scalise and Van. Dillon then takes a phone call from the mob confirming the contract and the upfront payment. To set up the hit, which has to be carried out that night, Dillon tells Eddie that the phone call was from a friend who can't make it to the Boston Bruins hockey game that night. Dillon offers to treat Eddie to a night on the town, taking him to dinner and the Bruins game to "forget your troubles."
At the Boston Garden, Eddie is becoming increasingly drunk. After he leaves to use the restroom and get another round, Dillon is joined by a young man he has told Eddie is his "wife's nephew" who will be joining them at the game, but who is late. In reality he is a young hood who is being groomed by Dillon and will be in on the hit. When Eddie returns to the seats, he is sloppy drunk and sentimental. He soliloquizes about Bobby Orr, the hockey great who helped lead the Bruins to two Stanley Cup victories in 1970 and 1972 (the latter the year the film was made in Boston).
"Can you imagine being a kid like that? What is he, 24 or something? Greatest hockey player in the world. Number four – Bobby Orr. Geeze, what a future he’s got, huh?"
Eddie has no future; he will soon be dead and the future belongs to the young hoodlum who is Eddie's potential replacement as a criminal associate of Dillon.
After the game, Dillon and the young hood exit the Garden with an inebriated Coyle as Dillon explains that he has arranged an assignation with a couple of girls in Brookline. Eddie is equivocal and tells Dillon he has parked his car in the South End. The "nephew" offers to give them a lift. In the car, Dillon asks a drunk and sleepy Eddie where his car is parked, but Eddie does not respond, having fallen asleep. Dillon gives instructions to the young hood on how to drive out of the city to Quincy. As Dillon explains the machinations of the hit and the young hood's payoff, the drunk Eddie sleeps in the front passenger seat; using a .22 caliber revolver, Dillon shoots Coyle inside the moving car. They leave the car containing Eddie's body outside a bowling alley on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester and split up.
In the final scene that underlines the bleakness of the story, Foley meets with Dillon at the Boston City Hall plaza and thanks him for giving him Scalise and Van. Foley is largely unconcerned that Dillon cannot tell him who murdered Coyle, leaving the impression that he knows Dillon is involved but remains too useful to pursue for the murder of a petty criminal such as Eddie Coyle. | neo noir | train | wikipedia | The friends of Eddie Coyle is one of the 1970's lost crime/cop movies of it's era which in all fairness deserves better treatment i.e. a nice restoration on DVD done in wide-screen would not go a miss!
The biggest draw back of the movie from a box office draw perspective is that lead actor Robert Mitchum's stardom was on the wain by 1973 and his main body of fans would not have liked the character that he played.
Well to start with the fact that it's different from the above mentioned movies.Robert Mitchums sleepy looking demeanor made him very believable as a worn out aging two time loser who can't face the prospect of more jail time was very good in his role.
In fact despite this some now believe that Bulger himself might have been an FBI informer too i.e. playing for both teams while enriching himself!Yes the movie does move slowly, but it is more than compensated with a pretty reasonable story and a fine list of American character actors who are very believable in their roles.
Alex Rocos is good as the lead crook, a baby faced Peter Boyle as an informer and the versatile Richard Jordan playing a bent FBI official top the cast along side Robert Mitchum.
There is also a shot of the old Boston Garden featuring an ice hockey match with the Boston Bruins in their heyday led by the legendary Bobby Orr. For anybody interested to see what Boston looked like in the early 70's with it's greasy spoons and neighbourhood bars check this one out.Many of the characters here are not likable at all, they are devious, manipulative, self centered and two faced, but I suppose it's true what they say "no honor amongst thieves!" It's not the greatest of films but not all that bad, it's well worth a watch for all of the above!.
It was during Mitchum's last hurrah, when he made interesting character studies like "Farewell, My Lovely." This story is a loser's tale, in the same vein as many of Paul Newman's best films, like "The Hustler" and "Nobody's Fool." Some audiences will have a hard time with the nature of the role because they expect a tough guy like Mitchum to kick into gear at any moment, but he never does because it's not that kind of movie.
Robert Mitchuim gives an outstanding performance as Eddie Coyle, a small-time Irish gangster who works both sides of the fence.
We're all aware of the antihero,well I think this movie has the quintessential "fantastic loser".Excuse me for coining a phrase but this group may go unnoticed otherwise.Along with movies like Fat City,Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (or just about every Warren Oates role)these characters may be the most interesting to watch,and Robert Mitchums performance in this movie has to be the best.Like a character that is hated but still championed it must have been hard to pull off a loser without the audience feeling overwhelming sympathy.I cannot believe when reading about Robert Mitchum that this movie is not mentioned.For me it is unquestionably his finest and most honest.Supporting roles,writing and direction all get high marks as well.One of the finest in a decade of masterpieces..
I think this film captures Boston and the lives of small time mobsters better than any other film.Elmore Leonard called the novel upon which the movie is based the best crime novel ever written.
A Disposable Man. Anyone who does not think Robert Mitchum is a serious actor has never seen The Friends Of Eddie Coyle.
You would think that Mitchum lived in Boston all his life.Playing the title role in The Friends Of Eddie Coyle, Mitchum so submerges his own personality that you forget in fact you are watching Robert Mitchum and you really think you are seeing the downfall of a man named Eddie Coyle.
When Mitchum rats out some old friends for a series of bank robberies where two people were killed, he's sealed his doom.The obvious comparison to make with this film is the John Ford classic, The Informer.
Also take note of Peter Boyle as the bartender/criminal, Richard Jordan as a really smarmy cop and Helena Carroll who has a few, but some really well played scenes as Mitchum's long suffering wife.The film was shot totally on location in the Boston area and I recognized quite a few locations from my travels there.
Some very interesting comments there about star Bobby Orr and the bright future he has in the world of hockey from a man whose world is about to crumble.The Friends Of Eddie Coyle is a classic from the Seventies one of the best films Robert Mitchum ever did and not to be missed, especially if one wants to see a different side of old rumple eyes..
Peter Boyle is simply fantastic in his role as a Whitey Bulger character combining hit-man, bartender, informer, and a friend of Eddie Coyle.
Coyle, played in grand loser style by Mitchum, is running out of time while looking at an inevitable 3-5 year prison stint for bootlegging liquor (an outdated crime if there ever was one).
Alex Rocco leads a band of bank robbers linked to Coyle who are making headlines as they take out banks left and right and Richard Jordan is a treasury agent who keeps intense links with underground figures who keep him in the know, including Boyle and Mitchum.
The Friends Of Eddie Coyle is simply one of the best true-to-life films I've ever seen and a movie so well made it's hard to believe it's such a sleeper.
Eddie Coyle, the ubiquitous main character and a small-time Boston gun-runner, has no potential for greatness.
Classic crime story featuring great performances, esp Mitchum as "working-class" hood whose life intersects with bank robbers, an aggressive cop and his informant.
But everyone else is utterly unlikeable, Peter Boyle as a bartender and mob functionary, Stephen Keats as a gun runner, and particularly Richard Jordan as an ice cold undercover cop ("Have a nice day").Mitchum is a desperate gun mule trying to work both sides of the fence by being an informer on the people he's working for.
This is one of Robert Mitchums's greatest performances and thats saying a lot.Eddie Coyle is a low end hood and C.I. trying to play both ends toward the middle.Great supporting cast including,Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, and Alex Rocco{from Braintree Ma.} this is not an action crime film, this is a character study, the author of the book George v.
Higgins was a district attorney in Ma,and the dialog has an authenticity that other crime films don't have.But the biggest crime is that PARAMOUNT DOES NOT RELEASE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE ON DVD!Peter Yates directs the film in a subtle and real way.A true lost gem of the 1970's..
THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE is not a title that springs to immediate attention when we're discussing great Hollywood movies from the 70s but for a forgotten crime drama where not much happens it is very compelling .
A middle aged man Eddie "Fingers" Coyle involved with the Boston mob finds himself facing jail time and if he comes up with useful information for the local police department so what's he going to do ?
There's Dave Foley a Boston detective who's trying to put a lid on crime in the city and uses people in a completely disposable way to get results and perhaps most memorable of all there is Dillon played by Peter Boyle who is a mob hit man but will do anything to survive inside or outside of the law .
When violent action occurs it jars even more because it ends in an instant, with unsuspecting citizens walking or driving past who have no idea that something's been stolen, someone's arrested, someone's dead.Robert Mitchum's effortlessly modulated performance is a gift to the other actors; his generosity in underplaying Eddie Coyle's dim desperation enhances the power of the characters created by Peter Boyle, Steven Keats, Richard Jordan, Alex Rocco and Joe Santos, and gives the film a rare balance of distinctly different personalities.One small protest: the novel's been compressed, and the nature of the final betrayal altered.
Peter Yates has directed such excellent movies as `Bullitt,' `Breaking Away' and `The Friends of Eddie Coyle.' `The Friends of Eddie Coyle?' The film isn't as well known as the other two, but it may be Yates' best work.In this delightfully complex crime drama, Robert Mitchum stars as a small-time Quincy, Mass., hood who is selling guns at the same time he's trying to beat a liquor transporting rap.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)Peter Yates directed the better known Bullitt in 1968, the heyday of the new American film movement toward great realism, gritty location shooting, hard edged characters without redemption, and more open violence and sex.
Robert Mitchum as an aging, small time gun runner on his way to doing some jail time, anchors his scenes and makes the movie seem special.
In its story of cops and crooks, it shows how there can be dishonour among thieves, especially if you're an ageing sad sack like Robert Mitchums' Eddie Coyle, and will do just about anything to avoid doing any more time.
Easily one of the best crime dramas of the seventies (and maybe in American film history), Peter Yates' cinematic version of George Higgins' fine novel, The Friends of Eddie Coyle stands as a perfect example of the small, perfectly acted and executed story of wretched small-time hoods and the verminous criminal-justice types who chase them.I cannot find a substantial flaw in the story of Eddie Coyle (Robert Mitchum giving a superb performance), an aging thief who is the middleman between an apprentice-like gunrunner (a very tough Steven Keats) and a robbery crew (headed by the fine Alex Rocco).
The only whiz-bang is the occasional muscle car owned by the gunrunner or confiscated by the feds and driven by Jordan, easily the most cruel and contemptible "good guy" you'll see for a long time.It's all so real and acceptable watching Peter Boyle as a bartender who manipulates the feds to his benefit, Rocco hiding out between robberies and boasting to Coyle about how his girlfriend goes bottomless around the house ("All I gotta do is reach down there and off she goes!"), and Mitchum's Coyle, puffy and weary, an old Irish racist who acts like a dog that's been beaten too many times, but still has his teeth.
Although this heist movie is sprinkled with two stifling bank robberies and a frenetic parking lot double-cross, director Peter Yates (who got in an early career best directing Steve McQueen in 1968′s Bullitt) manages to cause a stir in the film via an introverted look at old-timing gangsters and the new wise guys.Robert Mitchum is the titular Eddie 'Fingers' Coyle.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle is set in Boston, Robert Mitchum, plays the title character Eddie'Fingers' Coyle a small time low life gun runner and hustler, who tries to avoid an eminent jail sentence, makes a deal with federal agent Richard Jordan in to giving evidence against his 'friends' who are in fact a team of bank robbers led by Alex Rocco, Co-Starring is Steven Keats who plays 'Jackie Brown' it is evident here that Tarontino appropriated that name for his film of the same name, Peter Boyle is another 'Friend' Dillon the bar man, who has a few 'Friends' himself who lends his talents to providing one with a shocking climax.
'The Friends of Eddie Coyle' is hands down easily one of Robert Mitchums best roles which is after many years of unavailability is finally available through the Criterion Collection..
We suspect that one day, when some Film Historian is giving a close scrutiny of the sum total of Mr. Peter Yates work, that he will rate THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE right up there next to the top of the list, right next to BREAKING AWAY!
My buddy, Schultz and I rate the top three Robert Mitchum films from this period as: FAREWELL MY LOVELY (as Phillip Marlowe), THE YAKUZA (seems to be mostly forgotten) and today's honoree and THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE.
Even those few times in the movie where someone takes a hot round, you don't even see much blood, and certainly not a lot of physical violence.Though the cinematography gets a little dark and murky towards the end, I thought overall the filming was just to my liking.
He is looking at a Stretch and is Desperate to get Free.Of Course, in the Cinema World and the Real World for that matter, the Odds are Stacked against Him. That is the Film's Concern and through the use of Gritty, Realistic Dialog, and Unfettered, Chilling Locations both Interior and Exterior, it Weaves its Downbeat Tale with Good Characters and Character Actors.Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, and Steven Keats are there for Mitchum to interact as the Story Spirals to its Inevitable Conclusion.
After his last crime has him looking at a long prison sentence for repeat offenses, a low level Boston gangster (Robert Mitchum) decides to snitch on his friends to avoid jail time.While preparing for his role, Mitchum wanted to meet Whitey Bulger and was warned against it by Higgins.
Eddie Coyle (Robert Mitchum) is a small time hood in Boston who is about to be sent to jail.
The intricacies of a bank robbery (the buying and selling of the firearms, the precise staging and actions of the participants) are given more attention than the personalities involved, and that extends to "fink" Eddie Coyle, played by a too-solid Robert Mitchum.
Any viewer bringing those expectations to this movie will be sorely disappointed.If you can put those expectations aside, it's easier to appreciate one of Robert Mitchum's best performances, ably abetted by the supporting performances Richard Jordan, Peter Boyle, and Alex Rocco.Boston and it's nearby environs provide authentic locations and allow viewers to observe the non-glorified day to day world of blue collar, working class, low level criminals and the equally morally nebulous law enforcement community who co-exist in their world.Similar to The Departed, there are no "good guys" and no sympathetic bad guys to root for or against.
The movie depicts a true-to-life desperate world of survival through betrayals in the lower echelons of organized crime.If you've ever enjoyed a Robert Mitchum movie, then watch The Friends of Eddie Coyle to see perhaps his best performance..
Higgins, director Peter Yates' The Friends of Eddie Coyle takes pride in its authentic depiction of 1970s Boston, where Irish mobsters trade weapons and organise truck hijackings over a diner table.
It follows low-level criminal Eddie 'Fingers' Coyle, played by Robert Mitchum, as he faces a lengthy spell in prison for a crime organised by bartender associate Dillon (Peter Boyle).
"The Friends of Eddie Coyle" is just as much a character study as it is a crime film.
Although there are guns, criminals and gangsters, 'The friends of Eddie Coyle doesn't present itself as a violent film' as drama prevails over action scenes.
"The Friends of Eddie Coyle" plunges you into the Boston underworld, full of treacherous people, all playing each other for leverage; a genuine pit of snakes (Peter Boyle most of all).
Boston criminal Eddie 'Fingers' Coyle (Robert Mitchum) is in the mire, the cops have him bang to rights and he's facing a long stretch in the big house.
So I watched 1973's "The friends of Eddie Coyle", starring tough guy Robert Mitchum.
This movie stars Mitchum as Eddie "fingers" Coyle a gritty thug from the bad side of Boston.
What is real important here is the act of betrayal, and as long as the relationship between Peter Coyle and his friends is somehow ellipsed, the film's concept has no strength at all.In fact, it is hard to figure out what this movie is about until it has run a long time.
And, if you want to see him as a good ol' Boston gangster, watch a scene or two from The Friends of Eddie Coyle.
A matter of trust among conspiring criminals seems to be the theme of this dark, drab, very dreary story about Eddie Coyle (Robert Mitchum), an aging, haggard Boston hoodlum, trying to get out of a two-year sentence by making a deal with the local feds.
The atmosphere is unrelentingly grim and there's no-one involved who could be regarded as either heroic or glamorous.Eddie "Fingers" Coyle (Robert Mitchum) is a small time hood who's facing the prospect of a prison sentence after having been caught driving a truck of illegal liquor for his best friend Dillon (Peter Boyle).
In "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" we get a look at one of the least- glamorous underworlds ever committed to film, and Robert Mitchum is well-chosen for our guide.
Robert Mitchum, in one of his finest performances, is the worn out Eddie Coyle, a small-time crook looking for one last score, but getting involved with one too many sleazes.
All those friends of Eddie's make us wary every time we meet them: Scalise (Alex Rocco), who robs banks, sometimes violently; Jackie (Steve Keats), the dangerous dealer in stolen machine guns; Dillon (Peter Boyle), owner of a low-life bar who knows more about things than Eddie does.
Mitchum still looks like he might be a tough guy, but his Eddie Coyle is a man who has had the force of his life wrung out of him.
Or did he?Hard edge crime drama set in the crime ridden street and swanky suburbs of Boston with Robert Mitchum as the desperate Eddie Coyle looking for a way out of the mess that he, because of his friends in the world of crime, finds himself in but only ending up getting in deeper instead.
If you are a fan of crime films and/or Robert Mitchum you may enjoy this movie.
Robert Mitchum was effortlessly brilliant as Eddie Coyle - a small time gangster who is on his way down. |
tt0044419 | The Big Sky | In 1832, Jim Deakins (Kirk Douglas) is traveling in the wilderness when he encounters an initially hostile Boone Caudill (Dewey Martin). However, they soon become good friends. They head to the Missouri River in search of Boone's uncle, Zeb Calloway (Arthur Hunnicutt). They find him when they are tossed in jail for brawling with fur traders of the Missouri River Company. When 'Frenchy' Jourdonnais (Steven Geray) comes to bail Zeb out, Zeb talks him into paying for Jim and Boone too.
The two men join an expedition organized by Zeb and Frenchy to travel 2,000 miles up the river to trade with the Blackfoot Indians, in competition with the Missouri Company. Zeb has brought along Teal Eye (Elizabeth Threatt), a pretty Blackfoot woman Zeb found several years before after she had escaped from an enemy tribe. Zeb intends to use her as a hostage, as she is the daughter of a chief. On the journey, they encounter another Blackfoot Zeb knows, Poordevil (Hank Worden); they take him along. Later, Teal Eye falls into the river and is rescued from rapids by Boone.
The Missouri Company knows about the threat to their monopoly. One day, it makes its move. A party led by Streak (Jim Davis) captures Teal Eye and tries to burn the boat, but Frenchy wakes up before the fire causes much damage. Poordevil tracks the enemy and Zeb and Jim rescue the woman. Later, the expedition puts in at a company trading post and leaves a warning not to interfere. A week later, they repulse an attack by Crow Indians. Jim is separated from the group and shot in the leg. Boone, followed by Teal Eye and Poordevil, finds him, extracts the bullet and waits for his friend to heal. When they rejoin their band, they find Streak trying to buy the boat and the goods on it. Jim compares the bullet dug out of his leg with one of Streak's and finds them to be the same. Streak and his men are killed in the ensuing shootout.
The expedition reaches the Blackfeet and begins trading. Teal Eye tells a very disappointed Jim that she loves him... like a brother. Boone follows her back to her teepee. When he emerges much later, he is surprised to find out he is now married. However, Teal Eye makes him buy her from her father, so that he can leave any time he wants to. With winter coming on, the men begin the long return trip. However, Boone changes his mind and decides to stay with Teal Eye. | revenge, murder, violence, historical fiction | train | wikipedia | As usual in Howard Hawks' works, the movie is based on swift-pace-action amalgamated with the human interaction of the characters.
Set in the American frontier of the early 1800s, it's the story of an ambitious party who pole their keel boat up the Missouri River into new territories, far beyond where other white men have ventured, to trade for furs with the Blackfeet Indians."The Big Sky" was filmed on location, and this alone makes the film worth watching, for the splenor of the Snake River and Grand Tetons, where the film was actually shot, is breathtaking.But "The Big Sky" has other virtues which raise it far above the average "scenic".
Third, and perhaps most touching, is the tale of male bonding not only among the group of men, but one-on-one between Jim Deakins, played by Kirk Douglas, and Boone, his young sidekick, played by Hawks protegé Dewey Martin.
Bringing to life the major characters of this exciting adventure are Kirk Douglas as happy-go-lucky Jim Deakins, Dewey Martin, adequate as Boone Caudill, Arthur Hunnicut in award-winning form as Uncle Zeb, Jim Davis as Streak, Steven Geray lovable as Frenchie, owner of the riverboat, the Mandan, Hank Worden as Poor Devil, and Elizabeth Threatt as Teal Eye, the Amerind girl Geray is returning so they can open fur trade with the proud and wary Blackfleet chiefs.
What propels the first portion of the film narrated Hunnicutt, is developing friendship between Jim Deakins and enigmatic runaway youth Boone; then they find Uncle Zeb in a St. Louis jail and are freed to join a dangerous very-early voyage up the Missouri River.
It would be hard to credit Hawks enough for all the good things that happen in this film; he even finds a way to enliven the story by playing up the differences between Martin and Threatt one of h signature male-female disagreements.
The Big Sky is generally considered inferior and less important compared to Red River, the Western Howard Hawks directed in 1948 or four years before this one and which already has a status of a classic and Hawk's masterpiece.
Howard Hawks himself wasn't pleased very much with the final result because he wanted John Wayne to play Kirk Douglas's role and mainly because the studio insisted on cutting out 20 minutes of the film to facilitate its distribution.
But in my opinion The Big Sky stands on the level of Howard Hawk's best work remarkable for its visual beauty (though filming it in colour would definitely improve it), fine performances (Kirk Douglas is magnificent here and it's hard to imagine other actor playing this role), wonderful music from Dimitri Tiomkin and interesting story of, basically, friendship, that even might be called love, between the two main characters of Jim Deakins (Kirk Douglas) and Dewey Martin (Boone Caudill) but friendship on a background of a perilous and adventurous journey up the Missouri river to the Indian territory where no white man ever set his foot before, with a group of peculiar French adventurers and an Indian princess Teal Eye (Elizabeth Threatt) who steals their hearts and threatens their friendship.
Kirk Douglas (Jim Deakins) is superb as he portrays one of three game hunters, along with Dewey Martin (Boone), and the comic backwoods relief of Arthur Hunicutt (Uncle Zeb).
One of my favorite Kirk Douglas films is The Big Sky where he plays mountain man/trapper Jim Deakins.
I'd like to say that Howard Hughes spared no expense in making this film, shooting a good deal of it in the Grand Tetons, the actual location for the adventures of many fur trappers.
RKO did use color on films with a lot less budget.There's a lot of similarity between The Big Sky and Red River.
In The Big Sky a group of independent trappers basically want to land a nice fur contract with the Blackfeet Indians where few whites have gone up the Missouri River.
Hunnicutt is also the narrator of the film.Douglas and Dewey Martin join up with the group in St. Louis and the trappers have the usual adventures as they take the flatboat up into the Missouri River country.
Jim Davis is one lean and mean villain as the company troubleshooter who wants to keep the independents out.Arthur Hunnicutt got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role, The Big Sky proved to be his career film.
The Big Sky is directed by Howard Hawks and adapted by Dudley Nichols from the novel of the same name written by A.B. Guthrie Jr. It stars Kirk Douglas, Dewey Martin, Elizabeth Threatt & Arthur Hunnicutt.
Dimitri Tiomkin scores the music and Russell Harlan photographs on location at Grand Teton National Park & Jackson Hole in Wyoming.1832 and Jim Deakins (Douglas) & Boone Caudill (Martin) meet by chance out in the wilderness.
After finding him via a bar room brawl, the two men agree to join Zeb in a venture up the Missouri river to trade fur with the unpredictable Blackfoot Indians; their insurance against attack by the Blackfoot coming courtesy of Teal Eye (Threatt), a beautiful Blackfoot princess kidnapped years previously and now being returned home.
Western fans were grateful that the experience didn't make him turn his back on the genre, tho, for he delivered Rio Bravo 7 years later.Having not seen the full uncut version of the film, I personally have to say that the 122 minute version viewed was pretty uneven and lacking a certain narrative spark to make it fully work.
Undoubtedly the star of the show is Hunnicutt (who also narrates), tucking into a boozy, grizzled, teller of tall tales character, Hunnicutt lifts the film on the frequent occasions it threatens to sag beyond repair.With the visuals and enjoyable Hawksian take on "man love" the film is worth the time of any Western fan.
If you put in a film one of the best directors ever, some of the better actors of all time, plus a marvelous screenplay like this, you only can get an astonishing movie.
Howard Hawks's strong point is showing relationships, and here he is at his best with Douglas, Dewey Martin, Arthur Hunnicutt and Elizabeth Threartt (excellent as the Indian woman).
Like Red River where they make a long journey to sell the cattle here they make quite a journey but this time up the river.This film should have been in color, there was no reason for it to be in black and white, considering it was filmed in a national park and the scenery is so important.
A great cast makes the story come alive; Kirk Douglas is great as Jim Deakins, Arthur Hunnicutt cements his place as one of America's great character actors with his role as Uncle Zeb, and what can you say about Elizabeth Threatt--a beautiful gal with eyes that could melt an iceberg.
It is an excellent movie, with an outstanding cast, a very good story, and one of the best performances by a supporting actor, Hank Worden as "Poordevil".
This was directed by Howard Hawks and stars Kirk Douglas and Dewey Martin as two, well i don't know what to call them but they join up with Arthur Hunnicutt on a some sort of mission to go way up in Indian country to trade or something and also drop off this Indian girl.
Even though Kirk Douglas has top billing, he just doesn't seem to have much to do and Arthur Hunnicutt has the best role as an Indian scout and Dewey Martin's uncle..
I say slightly better because the film's vivid color really made it much more attractive than the black & white in "The Big Sky".
Based on the novel by A.B. Guthrie, it has KIRK DOUGLAS in the lead as the head of the expedition but most of the footage belongs to young DEWEY MARTIN in his first big screen role.
I found none of the narration objectionable (as others here seem to imply), but the structure of the screenplay is awkwardly handled, especially toward the latter part of the film.Another minus point, the night scenes in the woods look as though they were photographed in a studio and not on location which minimizes the sense of danger from Indians and other trappers that the story requires.
But most of the exterior daylight scenes are photographed in crisp B&W photography in real outdoor settings which tend to jar against the studio-lit scenes, making them more noticeable.There's plenty of male camaraderie and friendship among the trappers and colorful incidents involving the Indians, so if this kind of western is your thing you'll undoubtedly find it interesting.
B. Guthrie's masterpiece novel of the same title---leaving out the very dark events of the second half---Howard Hawks' 1952 film version of THE BIG SKY is unique unto itself: it need not be compared with the novel, nor history itself.
It's HOW Hawks tells and shows that story and its characters that makes this an unforgettable film.
Other movies about trappers and mountain men, especially ACROSS THE WIDE MISSOURI and JEREMIAH JOHNSON, have moments that are wonderfully evocative of that era, but for me THE BIG SKY possesses the one scene that has never been bettered in terms of capturing the spirit of these men and their times.
This western features lovely scenery (alas, in black and white), a fairly good chase story, impressive music, and some excellent props and sets.
Yes, I know this is a frontier western but it yet is one that manages to feel more like an adventurous pirate movie at times.
It makes this an unique sort of western, by Howard Hawks.In its setup and with its story, this foremost remains a quite simplistic movie.
In so doing, they removed the soul of the story and any edge and impact it may have had as a film adaptation.The epic nature of Guthrie's book and the evolution of its main character, Boone Caudill, from a naive, Kentucky lad into a hardened and competent survivor/mountain man, has been replaced with a downscaled riverboat farce that bears little resemblance to the author's intent.
It is also apparent that director Hawks decided the Zeb character in the movie, played by actor Hunnicutt, wasn't irritating enough.
And unfortunately, Kirk Douglas' star appeal, which could have helped lift this film, was scuttled by the milktoast role he was given.If you can believe it, the film version of Guthrie's Pulitzer prize-winning sequel, "The Way West," also starring Kirk, is even worse.In my opinion, "The Big Sky" further solidifies Howard Hawks' place as one of the most overrated, tepid directors in the history of cinema..
Great 50's adventure.But I have one question, why would Hawk's film in black and white?
"The Big Sky", which Hawks made made in 1952, was a western produced on a scale every bit as grand as his earlier effort, "Red River".
There is also a great deal of water in evidence for a western, since most of the action takes place on board a boat making it's way up the Missouri River.
In fact, the biggest conflict is with the large "Trading Company", with which the protagonists are in commercial competition.Filmed in black-and-white amid some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States, "The Big Sky" is a spectacular and somewhat unusual western that is well worth a look..
It's also fun to see Jim Davis before his Dallas days as well as Dewey Martin (The thing from another world, The longest day) and Paul Frees (countless movie voice overs).Although not my favorite adventure film, the story is believable and without any serious gaps.
Once I see the name Howard Hawks, I know immediately the picture is going to be a great film with outstanding actors.
Even though the film is in black and white, it still captures your imagination as to those early pioneer days and the desire for men to fight the many odds against them; Indian attacks, fur traders and even a single female Indian Blackfoot, Elizabeth Threatt,(Blackfoot Princess) who managed to entertain the old timers and the young French bucks in the camp.
I also like the story about a largely unknown time in western America and and I like the way it is presented as a story being told by the Arthur Hunnicutt character, the old mountain man Zeb Calloway.
In fact, I'm not sure Teal Eye, who is played by Elizabeth Threatt, has a single line in this movie and Boone has little to say except in the scenes dominated by Douglas.
A Howard Hawks/Kirk Douglas/ Arthur "Arkansas" Hunnicutt/ Dewey Martin/ Elizabeth Threat/ Jim Davis/ Steven Geray movie for the ages.
Directed by Howard Hawks in the year after THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, THE BIG SKY postulates a highly liberal message about the possibilities of communication between Euro-Americans and Native Indians.
Jim Deakins (Kirk Douglas) and sidekick Boone Caudill (Dewey Martin) join a group of fur-traders embarking on a perilous journey into America's wild interior.
I'd heard very good things about Howard Hawks THE BIG SKY and the synopsis in TV guides made it sound good - A fur trapper makes a dangerous voyage into the American wilderness and battles Indians .
Sounds good doesn't it so I was hoping to see the type of colourful fast paced adventure that Hollywood does best As soon as the opening credits came up it was only then that I realised the movie was filmed in black and white .
One the way up river they have many things to contend with including Company men, Crow Indians, nature and Teal Eye who wants to kill Boone because he has the scalp of the Blackfoot warrior he believes killed his brother.I was a little surprised when the film started to see it was in black and white and 'narrow screen'
I'd imagined with a title like 'The Big Sky' it would be in Technicolor and widescreen to show of those big skies to maximum effect.
In the Big Sky, we first meet Jim Deakins in Kentucky, where he meets his new friend, Boone Caudill, (these characters were originally to have been played by Wayne and Clift in a re-pairing from their Red River success).
Kirk Douglas account addresses this as he mentions loving doing this movie in spite of spending more than 2 weeks tent camping.The lack of money for a long feature contributes to the fact this one was shot in black and white in an era where color had taken over for films like this.
Lewis & Clark-like adventure featuring Arthur Hunnicutt's best, Kirk Douglas.
Produced and directed by Howard Hawks, based on the novel of the same name by A.B. Guthrie Jr. with a screenplay by Dudley Nichols, this above average, yet somewhat unusual Western is almost documentary- like in its storytelling, which is narrated by one of its main characters, Zeb Calloway (Arthur Hunnicutt, who earned his only Oscar nomination (Supporting Actor) for his dual role.It's about a Lewis & Clark-like trip from St. Louis to Montana via the Missouri River in 1832.
The other lead characters are played by Kirk Douglas and Dewey Martin.
Iron Eyes Cody, recognizable from the "Keep America Beautiful" ads, appears uncredited as a Blackfoot sub-chief.Outdoors-men Jim Deakins (Douglas) and Boone Cardell (Martin) meet on their way to Louisville and, becoming fast friends, decide to go on to St. Louis together to meet up with Boone's uncle Zeb Calloway (Hunnicutt).
In fact, he is over-shadowed by Dewey Martin and Arthur Hunnicutt, the latter winning a best supporting actor nomination for his part as the heavy-talking fur-trader in the film.
One can only guess why Hunnicutt was nominated.The film recounts the meeting of the two men and their journey along with Hunnicutt up the Missouri River to trade with Indians for furs.
The Big Sky. From director Howard Hawks (Scarface, Bringing Up Baby, To Have and Have Not, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), this is a film I found in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, so I hoped it would live up to that designation.
Basically set in 1832, frontiersman and Indian trader Jim Deakins (Kirk Douglas) and Boone Caudill (Dewey Martin) are initially hostile to each other, but soon become friends and head for the Missouri River to find Boone's uncle Zeb Calloway (Oscar nominated Arthur Hunnicutt).
On the journey they encounter Poordevil (Hank Worden), another Blackfoot that Zeb knows, Teal Eye falls into the river and is rescued from rapids by Boone, but she is captured by Streak (Jim Davis) from a party of The Missouri Company, they try to set fire to the group's boat, but Frenchy wakes in time to stop severe damage.
I agree with the critics that Dougles is good but perhaps a little too suave and intense, and I can see Hunnicutt was nominated an Oscar, the black and white film definitely has great landscape scenes and is pretty well acted, my only problem with it was that it was a bit slow for the majority, only the action sequences saved it being from being boring, I'm not sure it's the sort of film I'd see again, but it's not a bad western adventure.
The movie, on the other hand, although long, is a rollicking adventure and the story of a friendship between two men, Martin and Douglas.
Along the way they face many perils, especially hostility from agents of the Missouri River Company, who see the expedition as a threat to their monopoly, and attacks from the Crow tribe, mortal enemies of the Blackfoot.The main characters are trapper Jim Deakins, his younger friend Boone Caudill, Boone's uncle, Zeb Calloway and Teal Eye, a pretty Blackfoot princess who has escaped after being kidnapped by an enemy tribe.
I hope a better print of this has survived somewhere.Dewey Martin was a weak co-lead as Boone.The heavies were underdeveloped, which made the film feel even longer than 3 hours.This could have been a top ten of all time movie if they had:1. |
tt3128900 | Miss Meadows | Miss Mary Meadows is a young woman who works as a substitute first-grade elementary school teacher who enjoys taking long walks in her suburban neighborhood, wearing traditional clothing and tap-dancing shoes. Unknown to everyone, she is a secret vigilante who kills local thugs who accost her or when she witnesses them committing crimes. She always carries a small semi-automatic pistol in her purse and speaks in a childlike, innocent manner. She lives by herself in a small house and talks occasionally with her mother over the telephone about what she did during the day.
Investigating the vigilante killings is a local sheriff. He soon meets and develops an attraction to Miss Meadows due to her old-fashioned clothing and style of speech. When he begins to suspect that the woman he finds himself drawn to may be the suspect he is looking for, the sheriff is torn over whether to arrest her or protect her.
When Miss Meadows meets an ex-convict named Skylar, who she learns served time for molesting young children, she begins to fear for her young students' safety. When Miss Meadows approaches and threatens to kill Skylar if he continues hanging around the school or around her kids, he begins stalking her.
It is eventually revealed that all of the telephone conversations that Miss Meadows has been having with her mother over the course of the film are imaginary. As a young girl, Mary Meadows witnessed her mother's murder in a drive-by shooting outside a local church after attending the wedding of a family friend. This traumatic incident left Miss Meadows so emotionally scarred that she withdrew into a fantasy world in which she imagined that her mother was still alive and caused her to go after and kill criminals who she sees as a threat to society.
The various criminals that Miss Meadows kills on-screen include a trucker who tries to abduct her at gunpoint in the opening scene, a young man who committed a mass shooting at a local diner, and the town's Catholic priest who Miss Meadows finds sexually molesting a young boy.
When Miss Meadows learns that she is pregnant after a one-time sexual encounter with the sheriff, she decides to accept his proposal to get married. On the day of the wedding, Skylar kidnaps Heather, one of Miss Meadows's students, from her house, forcing Miss Meadows to go to Skylar's house (wearing her wedding dress) to try to stop him, only to end up a captive herself. When she manages to free Heather and struggle with Skylar over her gun, the sheriff, passing by after leaving the church, sees Heather running from Skylar's house as she shouts for help. Meanwhile, Skylar takes Miss Meadows' gun from her purse, aims it at her and asks, "Do you really think you can save the world? Well, try saving your self first!" Just then, the sheriff arrives and fatally shoots Skylar in the head. Seeing Miss Meadows' gun still clutched in Skylar's hand, he notes "it has his prints now". He and Miss Meadows proceed back to the church.
One year later, Miss Meadows and the Sheriff are married; she still wears her tap shoes and he has taken up the accordion. Now parents to a baby daughter, they are content to be peculiar together. As Miss Meadows prepares to go out before dinner, the sheriff tells her "be careful"; she replies "I always am", leaves the house, and does one final little tap dance on the sidewalk. | romantic, comedy, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | Some say Holmes plays too young character for her actual age, some say the film isn't funny enough, when it should be a dark comedy and some complain the story is too predictable.
I would say she plays some sort of an everyday super hero, because she fearlessly helps and saves people in need, but she's is depicted without the clichés for a superhero character, and the film is weird enough, in a nice way, to make us think of this without putting it too obvious.
Scenography is also nice, but Katie Holmes in a elegant high waist skirt wearing white gloves and tap-dancing shoes, with cute hair strands and big eyes, this is something completely overwhelmingly cute and sure a reason to love at least a little the film.
Watch it only without prejudice, and you will enjoy Katie Holmes acting, and Miss Meadows' clothing and hairstyles..
Brilliantly directed and executed, Miss Meadows will share it's deserved place in cinema history as a film that stands out on it's own and delivers a message we should never forget.
The opening sequence of the film makes it clear that Miss Meadows (Holmes) is no ordinary school teacher cum vigilante, with victim number one clocked very early after the title sequence.
Holmes does a great job of making Miss Meadows seem the epitome of eccentricity, with, apparently, carefully created, precisely drawn and meticulously manicured manners, even at the point of the kill.Throughout the plot are moments of blissful dialogue intertwined with pauses, telling looks, and, it has to be said, the incongruous, but it does hang together if you stick with it.
The idea of a saccharine sweet, Mary Poppins-esque school teacher leading a double life as a gun-toting vigilante is a great starting off point for a subversive black comedy.
It's not funny enough to work as a black comedy, not interesting or dynamic enough to work as a straight character study/drama, not weird or brave enough to work as a David Lynchian suburban fable and not exciting, action-packed, or shocking enough to work as a cult/horror/fun/late-night/midnight madness type movie.
The result, despite the promising premise, is a very bland, vanilla, and ultimately pretty uninteresting movie.Katie Holmes is perfectly fine in the leading role and seems to pull off this kind of character very well.
The main character is never put in any interesting moral predicaments or forced to make any tough choices, and that's really an essential element in a story like this one.Like I said, I really liked the set up and concept of this movie and even the introduction of the film;s main character--but was ultimately disappointed with the bland and lackluster way they were handled..
Instead of emulating films such as Ms. 45 and Thriller: A Cruel Picture, Miss Meadows has more stylistic and thematic similarities with Heathers, sharing an idealized suburban fairytale aesthetic, with characters and situations which are intentionally exaggerated in order to transcend the reality and escape the logic of a thriller.
From the first seconds, director and screenwriter Karen Leigh Hopkins establishes this stylized atmosphere, portraying miss Meadows as an innocent girl/woman with clothes evoking the '50s, dancing tap while walking over the streets and talking to squirrels, birds and deers who accompany her.
Katie Holmes' performance evokes enough conviction and intensity in order for us to take a vigilante woman whose doubtful mentality doesn't cloud her pure intentions seriously (in this regard, I have to point out the fact that the comparison of Heathers is limited to the visual style and narrative tone, and not to the general quality of the film).
Miss Meadows takes a similar road, but it's more focused on the main character's twisted psychology, leaving the murders as peripheral details which are necessary to the story, but without exploiting violence as a simple bloody spectacle.
In conclusion, Miss Meadows isn't a great film, and some details of the screenplay feel kinda forced, but I found it quite interesting, and I recommend it mainly because of its solid performances and good emotional endorsement.
And besides, this film reminds us of Holmes' talent: her private life darkened her career for a long time, and I wish we keep seeing her in more interesting projects which take advantage of her as an actress, and not as a celebrity..
miss meadows captured that eeriness which I relish but then the raw underbelly of her pain is revealed and with her, writer director, Karen Leigh Hopkins has created one of the great and memorable characters of the screen.
Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is a nice prim substitute grade school teacher on the outside but she is something more underneath the facade.
this is your movie.Katie Holmes as Miss Meadows brings the characters sweetness, vulnerability, and cruelty to life.
and yes, there were a couple of rough patches where i thought the script sort of wandered off track, but then, i didn't write it, so it might well have been exactly what they intended and that one scene or two or an exchange of dialogue just didn't resonate with me.i completely understand this genre is not for everyone and the comedy goes right over the heads of many people--too many things seem to do so these days.i apologize for the wandering 'review', but i just think it deserves 2-3 stars more than the IMDb is showing as the average.
Why else would we watch a Katie Holmes movie?So it was with great pleasure last night, that my husband and I got to see the full film.
Starting off with a fun little scene that highlights some Disney princess qualities, humored by some twisted dark comedy, we are soon drawn into the secret little world of Miss Meadows, a primary school substitute teacher who moonlights as a small town vigilante happy to clean up the streets and look pretty doing it!There is enough decent scenes to keep you watching, although while I felt myself drifting off half way through, my husband was wide eyed and hooked.
Personally, I thought it would make an incredible short film.With its description you would imagine some great action and violence, almost like the female version of the Equalizer, but instead and quite obviously in the hands of a lady director, we get a toned down version with more dark humor on kills and a very artsy looking film with plenty of drama.Miss Meadows is not perfect by any means, but it is a fun film to watch and definitely worth a go...Enjoy!.
Obviously, my feelings are going against most of the reviewers here, but that's what films often do, work for some and not others.Katie Holmes portrays Mary, a psychopathic vigilante determined to rid the world of as many evil-doers as possible, and we find out towards the end of the movie what the trauma was to make her like this.
Of course, she's a substitute elementary school teacher and sings in the church choir, but if you are that evil-doer: look out you will be getting lots of lead from that revolver in her purse.James Badge Dale plays the local Sheriff, Mike, who finds out early on that she's the vigilante the department is looking for.
In summary, this film just never registered with me as being a dark black comedy, such as "Sightseers", which I saw last year and the lunacy in that movie appealed to me a lot more than this one..
The cover art is probably a bit misleading as it is more of a day in the life of Miss Meadows rather than a woman going out of her way to kill men type film.
Katie Holmes did a perfect job as Miss Meadows I think the casting was spot on.
Actress/writer/director/producer Karen Leigh Hopkins knows he way around kinky stories and she makes this little tale of a proper elementary school teacher who moonlights as a vigilante work on every level.
It is refreshing to see a little romance mixed with a little madness and Hopkins understands the technique of mixing childhood responses to adult behavior with adult responses to childhood trauma and make it work splendidly well.Tap dancing prim oh-so-correct in manners schoolteacher Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is not entirely what she appears.
Things get complicated, however, when Miss Meadows gets romantically entangled with the town sheriff (James Badge Dale – hopefully all his gross tattoos are makeup) and her steadfast moral compass is thrown off, begging the question: "Who is the real Miss Meadows and what is she hiding?" For Miss Meadows, bad behavior is simply unforgivable, as we hear from her 'conversations' with her mother (Jean Smart)
.Holmes is terrific, pulling off a role that could be unctuous or saccharine or simply not credible.
"Miss Meadows", well portrayed, and humorously so, by Katie Holmes, is straight out of (no, not Compton) that old school, sweet mannered, elementary school teacher mode.
A Modern Day Take with Off-Beat Style that Chooses its Words Cleverly, Succinct, Funny, and to the Point.Katie Holmes is a Wonderfully Bent Schizophrenic Vigilante, a Jekyll and Hyde Character with Hyde's Monster Motivated by Justice.Never Residing in Real-Life there are not so Subtle Hints that none of this is Happening in what could be Conceived as anything but an Expressionistic, Exaggerated Existence.
Even when the Titular Character meets Her Love Interest (James Badge Dale) the Local Law Enforcement, They address each other as Miss Meadows and Sheriff til the Very End. The Entire Beautifully Rendered Movie is Goofy like that and what makes "Miss Meadows" a Sleeper that is Destined for Cult Status is its Bona Fides with much More Going for it than just a "Girls With Guns" Appeal.Writer/Director Karen Leigh Hopkins has Crafted a Decidedly Female Rant with Feminine Machismo Charm..
I'm shocked by the overall low rating of this flick on IMDb..If your into cult classic dark comedies like Heathers this is a movie for you.
Miss meadows held my interest from start to finish with it's vigilante plot well tackling real issues with society and the justice system and still having some romance and character development.
.Katie Holmes flawless acting and a well written story will keep you enthralled throughout this film.Here's to hoping for more films like this featuring quirky vigilante types trying to right the corruption in the modern world..
It's about a lady called Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes), who lives the perfect life as a substitute teacher at an elementary school and spends most of her time caring for her garden.
The main character, Miss Meadows, was the most annoying thing about the film and the far fetched plot just made things worse.
Weird and not that great!Round-Up: Katie Holmes, 36, is mostly known for her marriage to Tom Cruise, than her actual acting.
Budget: $3million Worldwide Gross: N/AI recommend this movie to people who are into their drama/thrillers about a woman who is a school teacher by day and a vigilante killer whose seeking for justice on the side.
5 minutes into this movie and I wanted Miss Meadows to kill me next.
In trailer form this seemed like a role tailor-made for Katie Holmes (who also executive produces), but as time went on the magic wore off and she seemed too mature to be playing a person who is possibly just passing as someone much younger than she appears.
I never believed that Katie Holmes was as nice as her character was supposed to be and it always seemed like she was putting on a show rather than being a genuine person.
Still, for what little vigilante justice was doled out by the titular Miss Meadows, it wasn't too bad in that regard.
Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) could have had more bad guys to confront, that alone would have brought on many more challenges and situations for the main character.
The basic concept looks like it tries to combine Cynthis Rothrock movie characters with Mary Poppins and a little bit of Norman Bates, yet the story ends just as just another under developed effort at dark comedy.
I really enjoyed this little gem.it's a departure for Katie Holmes and she is more than up to the challenge.she is utterly convincing in her role of mild mannered teacher/vigilante.you could really sympathise with her character even if you feel you shouldn't.but she also has a lot to work with.the acting of her co stars is very good here.and I thought the writing was very good especially the dialogue.i also liked the look of the film,the use of colour.i found the film to be unpredictable and I didn't see the end(as subtle as it was) coming at all.when you add it all up,it's a very well done film.i give Miss Meadow an 8/10.
Did not expect Katie Holmes to do a good job like this..
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is a gentle mannered, affable young woman who lives on a quiet suburban American street, and minds her business as best she can.
But then she shakes her life up a bit by starting a relationship with the town sheriff, and when she falls pregnant, it unlocks a chain of events from her past that sets her on a collision course with a convicted child molester who's been sent to live in the area.Once in a while, there comes the odd off-beat film that no one quite knows what to do with or make of, and that seems to be the case with Miss Meadows, Karen Leigh Hopkins's first theatrical feature in over fifteen years.
I've always liked what little of Katie Holmes' work I've seen.
I really don't want to hate on Katie Holmes, but fact is, it was her performance that made many scenes of this movie unbearable.
James Badge Dale tried to save the day and actually did save some parts (like the hilarious dance scene), but not the whole movie.
I recommend this movie only for absolute Katie Holmes fans or at least people who are able to completely shut her out, which could become difficult because you know...
Katie Holme's as executive producer stars as a charming but oddly pert, proper, but with a secret that develops into almost fanciful character, one of the most unique in film history.
Katy Holmes looks the part and clearly gives her sincerest effort but with hardly a shred of character development and an overuse of incoherent dialogue, she simply wasn't given the tools needed to make the role shine.
Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is an elementary school teacher with an apparent heart of gold.
Then she starts a relationship with the town's sheriff (James Badge Dale) and her whole life gets turned upside down which leads her to face up to the past as the inevitability of the future looms ever nearer.Now I rather enjoyed this 'quirky' film, it has a sort of charm and is very stylish – especially Miss Meadows – she even has 'clothes on sex', but is has been criticised for being right wing.
Katie Holmes stars as Miss Meadows, who seems to bring the 1950's back with saddle shoes, tap dancing, classic cars, classic dress, & classic values.
Katie Holmes portrayed an school teacher vigilante who leaves viewers wanting more.
another thing that really caught my eye in this film was the development of Katie Holmes' character.
Katie Holmes was fantastic and pulled her character off like no other could.
(no offense to them) but I wish there was a bit more craft to what she does, perhaps in part 2 (fingers crossed for a sequel) Apparently she moved around a lot because she kills often, but in the movie it didn't seem like she was bringing enough experience to the table in terms of her character, KH herself is a great actress though.
Katie Holmes and James Badge Dale feel good together as they find love in a damaged world.
Liked It Enough To Buy It. God bless Katie Holmes and all the Miss Meadows out there.
Anyone who saw this movie and described it as dark comedy is probably one of the Goats and needs to sit down for tea with Miss Meadows.
"Miss Meadows" is a really strange movie.
In the first scene, Miss Meadows is skipping along in her ridiculous outfit, and a dirty old man talks to her as if he's trying to lure a child into his truck (with Katie looking over 40).
Yet, for a child molester, Skylar is far more interested in Miss Meadows than the kids.The entire movie is unbelievable, from beginning to end.
Maybe this stiff, unimaginative film was a perfect fit for a stiff, unimaginative actress like Katie Holmes.
So okay, 3 minutes into this movie, we have Miss Meadows, this strange woman in her mid 30s who skips along the street in a dress a five year old would wear.She tap dances and is so happy.
If it had just been Miss Meadows, I might have watched a bit more but it was the presence of the cop I found really annoying.If a movie hasn't grabbed me in the first 20 minutes it loses my attention.Goodbye!
Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is described as a "Mary Poppins vigilante." She is very polite and precise in her speech.
This is a quite different type of movie for Katie Holmes.
It opens with Katie Holmes as Miss Meadows walking and tap dancing along the sidewalk in her usual little-girl clothes when a rough- looking man pulls up in his pickup truck, opens the door, and makes lewd invitations.
The DVD also has a nice 5-minutes Q&A with Holmes about her role and the movie in general.SPOILERS: After the opening killing, and she and the Sheriff begin to be a couple, they end up in bed in a very humorous love-making scene, which seems like it might be her very first time. |
tt0089346 | Into the Night | Upon discovering that his wife is having an affair, depressed insomniac Ed Okin (Jeff Goldblum) drives to LAX on his friend Herb's (Dan Aykroyd) suggestion. There he is surprised by a beautiful jewel smuggler, Diana (Michelle Pfeiffer), who lands on his car and begs him to drive her away from four Iranians who are chasing her. She persuades him to drive her to various locations, and he becomes embroiled in her predicament. After becoming increasingly exasperated with her demands, he discovers that Diana has smuggled priceless emeralds from the Shah of Iran's treasury into the country, and is being pursued by various assorted assailants, including the aforementioned agents of a criminal Iranian expatriate and a British hitman (David Bowie).
The couple's caper gets increasingly out of hand, until Diana is eventually taken hostage by the thugs at the airport; here, Ed shares his ennui with the man holding a gun to Diana's head. The man shoots himself instead. Taken to a motel room by federal agents, they are given a fortune in cash from one of Diana's wealthy friends via a federal agent. Diana showers and Ed finally sleeps. He wakes up after a full night's rest to an empty hotel room, with most of the money gone. However, when he leaves the room, Diana is waiting for him... with the money, a smile, and an offer of a ride. | psychedelic, humor, murder | train | wikipedia | It is filled with laughs, some brilliant physical humor (who knew John Landis was a comic-action actor?), sudden surprises and a phenomenal cast.And, as a little teaser to make you rent the theatrical version, Michelle Pfeiffer's only known nude scene!
Probably his best role ever.The amazingly diverse cast includes Dan Aykroyd, David Bowie, Jim Henson, Paul Bartel, Carl Perkins, Bruce McGill (as Elvis!), Irene Papas, Vera Miles, Richard Farnsworth, Kathryn Harrold, Jake Steinfeld (Body By Jake) and even Clu Gulager!
From my second viewing of it I thought it was John Landis' best film, so when I got the DVD, I was hoping that it would be as good as I remembered it to be.
With the likes of Irene Papas, Paul Mazursky, Roger Vadim, Richard Farnsworth, John Landis, David Bowie, Kathryn Harrold, Clue Gulager, Dan Aykroyd, Vera Miles and Carl Perkins.
The ruthless drive for efficiency that makes Okin's aerospace company so demanding, the 'me' approach to relationships that results in Ed's wife's adulterous behaviour, the worship of fortune that dominates Diana's life and drives her so relentlessly - until Ed brings her something a little more worthwhile.It had the right look, the right feel and the right cast to make you smile and go along with the goodtimes and the in-jokes between peers of the movie establishment.
OK, it's no major classic, just some lightweight fun, but after almost 20 years (I'm writing this in 2004) I recall few other films that for me match this one for "Oh, that was a cool flick; I think I'll watch it again." If you missed this I highly recommend it, without reservation..
Pfeiffer has smuggled perfect emeralds into the country for a promised fee, except that everybody is now after her and willing to kill to get them.There are some great, quirky moments in this film, and one of my favorites occurs when Ed and Diana walk into the apartment of her brother (Bruce McGill) which is wall to wall Elvis.
One faction looking for the emeralds come off like the Middle Eastern version of the Stooges, particularly in a beach house scene where, trying to get out of a door, one of them keeps hitting himself in the face with it.The unique thing is that director John Landis has cast many of his fellow directors: Lawrence Kasdan, Jonathan Demme, Paul Mazurski, Amy Heckerling, David Cronenberg, Roger Vadim, Jonathan Lynn, Jack Arnold, Don Siegel, Andrew Marton, Richard Franklin, Colin Higgins, Jonathan Kaufer and Carl Gottlieb - that's a partial list.
He runs into feisty Pfeiffer who's running for her life and what follows is his most memorable night ever.While director Landis isn't always 100% successful at balancing the humor with explicit violence, Into the Night has enough memorable moments to fully compensate and make it a fun filled and suspenseful ride.
Goldblum and Pfeiffer play extremely well off each other and supporting actors are plenty and all very good; David Bowie especially memorable in a small cameo and those assassins are quite literally hilarious.It's rather nasty at times and some scenes kinda' leave you with a bad taste in your mouth, but overall it's a well written yarn that always keeps you on the edge of your seat..
This is a dark L.A. story, not a comedy, but I rank it as one of the best late-night movies ever made.Landis made the film he wanted to make and that's the first test of the director's skill.
In my mind this one of the best films ever, John Landis has already created one masterpiece (American Werewolf in London) and some other classics (Blues Brothers, Trading Places) but this single film brought together all the themes that he obsessed about in all his great films in the best way, and it did it without imposing his ideas on his viewers, most of his great films can be seen as straight forward comedies (or whatever other genre they belong to) without losing an iota of fun.
Regarding to the main actors, Michelle Pfeiffer plays her normal somewhat-seedy role and Jeff Goldblum's "Ed Okin" does so many stupid things that a person would simply never do in situations, that it gets ludicrous.All in all, a curiosity piece worth seeing but I am reluctant to recommend it.
I suppose the only reason people bother to watch this anymore is the presence of the young Michelle Pfeiffer and her very brief nude scene.Some film students might want to study this one as a lesson in how not to do it but the rest of us will pass, thankyou..
Ed Okin (Jeff Goldblum) is a middle class man with a boring job, a case of insomnia and, to top it all off, he just found out that his wife is cheating on him.This film is a good one simply because of the cast.
All the cameos are fun, if completely unnecessary.Despite this, and even with the great John Landis in charge, there really is not much going on, which makes the movie sort of forgettable.
But it carries very much the same tone as After Hours, so that should give you some indication as to what to expect.While I do watch a lot of movies on a weekly basis, with a lot of them being great, I can't remember the last time I was this surprised, enthralled and in love with a film experience.
It's kind of like a dark, surreal odyssey through 80's Hollywood in the span of about 2 nights, with so much happening and so much being thrown at you, all in a very unconventional way that you don't really know how to take it all in until it's over, and then it just kind of hits you all at once and you realized you just had one of the most interesting movie experiences you've ever had.I absolutely loved and adored every single aspect of Into the Night, right down to it's title font.
This was the first film John Landis directed after the Twilight Zone: The Movie tragedy, and if I'm not mistaken, he may have even been in the middle of court proceedings during this time.
Ed Okin (Goldblum) can't sleep.But insomnia isn't his only problem He also has a dull job and his wife is cheating on him.Then one night his life changes.He goes driving ending up in a parking garage of LA airport.Suddenly a beautiful woman called Diana (Pfeiffer) jumps into his car and four Iranians are chasing them.Ed's life takes an exciting turn.Perhaps even too exciting...John Landis' Into the Night from 1985 is a good film of action and comedy.Jeff Goldblum is excellent in the lead.Michelle Pfeiffer makes a perfect woman lead.Then there are many other known names in the movie.Dan Aykroyd plays Herb.Bruce McGill plays the Elvis crazed brother Charlie.Michelle's sister Dedee Pfeiffer plays Hooker.The music man Carl Perkins plays Mr.Williams.Another music man David Bowie plays Colin Morris.Richard Farmsworth plays Jack Caper.Vera Miles plays Joan Caper.Art Evans plays Jimmy.There are also several director cameos.Landis himself plays one of the SAVAK villains.David Cronenberg is Group Supervisor.Roger Vadim is Monsieur Melville.Don Siegel is Embarrassed Man.Lawrence Kasdan is Detective #2.Jonathan Demme is Federal Agent.Paul Mazursky is Bud Herman.Amy Heckerling is Ships Waitress.Jim Henson is Man on Phone.Several songs are heard by the legendary B.B. King.Into the Night offers many thrilling moments.A perfect movie for a sleepless night..
A lot of movies start with a nobody who gets swept up into a big adventure -- but generally (like in Star Wars and a million others) the nobody comes to love the adventure, and turns out to be made for that new world.Not so here.
Jeff Goldblum's character barely fits into his own world (he's in trouble at work, his wife may be looking around...), and when he falls into his adventure, he never gets his balance, and we're kept off balance with him, for two thrilling and intense hours.One of my all time favorites..
He finds himself at the airport one night, just in time to save the beautiful damsel in distress (Michelle Pfeiffer - who is just fantastic) jewel smuggler who is being chased by arab killers.
Although she has grown as an actress since then, I think she did her best stuff around this era, (Ladyhawke, Scarface).Besides Goldblum and Pfeiffer there are some really funny and unexpected supporting actors; Dan Akroyd as Ed's best friend, David Bowie as the lethal "frenchman", Carl Perkins as a casino worker, John Landis (himself) as one of the "arabs", and Bruce McGuill as Diana's brother.Ad to this a coasy environment (night time L.A.) and two excellent songs performed by B.B. King.
It's too bad the whole movie doesn't surround just one night.The only thing I don't like about the film is the ending.
And what can i say about John Landis, he was very believable as a Iranian Gangster, and his use of other directors as cameos was great and really made the film..
This movie was certainly light years ahead of Landis' other film of that year, the laugh less and dull "Spies Like Us." Anyway, I digress--the film is about a yuppie named Ed (Jeff Goldblum--who puts his deadpan style to great use here) bored with his life and job to the point of chronic insomnia.
Jeff Goldblum, always one of my favorite actors, portrays a wonderful insomniac (something that I can relate to right now.) The action is well-paced, and Landis does a great job putting something into every scene.
John Landis' casting of major directors in small roles doesn't for one second make this film-fiasco forgivable.A so-called "comedy-thriller", it's long,incoherent and very frustrating to watch..
full of in jokes and great cameos maybe one day like me you will discover this lost gem and perhaps Landis best film.
I mean you can play spot the director(always fun in a Landis film)and you get to see Jeff Goldblum being relatively normal.
A fun-filled light/dark comedy with strong performances by the leads: Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeifer; a solid performance by Irene Pappas; several surprising cameo performances by David Bowie, Roger Vadim, Dan Ackroyd, Carl Perkins, Clu Gullager, Bruce McGill, Vera Miles, Richard Farnsworth, Dedee Pfeifer and Jake Steinfeld (too many to mention); and a comedic performance by John Landis himself, as the clumsy,accident-prone member of the Savat.This film is always moving; the film never slows down.If you lived in L.A. in the eighties before the aerospace companies shut down and left town; if you remember when the Ayatollah took over Iran; if you ever ate at "Ships" in Hollywood after clubbing; if you remember late night movies sponsored by Cal Worthington and Pete Ellis Dodge; you will really enjoy this film.This was one of the first video tapes I ever bought; and it is still one I enjoy watching over and over..
I never saw The Hunger, so I don't know how he was in that movie.If given a choice to watch The Fly or Into The Night, I'll take this film every time..
You will probably be a little confused, you will definitely be a little amused, but really, any movie which has Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Pfeiffer, and David Bowie in it can't fail to be worthwhile on some level..
Goldblum and Pfeiffer are both great (and Pfeiffer has a rare nude scene) and there are plenty of directors in brief cameo roles that make it fun for film buffs (like me).
There are also some great actors in small roles (Vera Miles and Irene Papas stand out), And B.B. King wrote a song for the movie called "Into the Night" which perfectly captures the mood and tone.
Jeff Goldblum's character in 'Into The Night' suffers from insomnia, but if you do, just try sitting through this waste of time and talent..
Landis himself plays a supposedly funny bad guy and gives himself plenty of screen time, yet wastes great actors like Richard Farnsworth, Vera Miles, Clu Gulager and Irene Papas in thankless supporting roles.
Lively comedy-thriller from director John Landis, who has filled many of the supporting roles with his filmmaker friends (and given himself a plum part as well); nevertheless, his movie loses its bearings whenever it becomes too realistically violent, although leads Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer turn out to be an affable romantic match.
Certainly it has elements of domestic drama and comedy, melodrama, and sometimes detective and thriller, if you, like the movie's protagonist, ready to run "into the night."Perhaps, "Into the Night" includes all what a real escapist appreciates: a cold-blooded hero who does not want to be a hero (always detached and ironic intellectual Jeff Goldblum fits as he was born for this role), but finally decided to exchange his comfortable prison of day to dangers of freedom of night; beautiful and strange girl (Michelle Pfeiffer is truly beautiful in the prime of her beauty) - witty beauty who is living an easy life and at last acknowledged the existence of something more valuable than money; escape from prison of everyday life and compromises with your conscience into freedom and suspense of the night; fighting with challenges of destiny and overcoming your fear; lack of misanthropy; subtle humour, sometimes, however, turned into slapstick of classic comedies of the 1920th; music of B.B. King; retribution for the crimes of those who committed them, and a happy ending for those who do right.
Maybe Hollywood movie producers eat in on Sunday afternoons to spot the next big thing, or maybe UPN was preparing us for works in production, but this movie features Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeff Goldblum both just before their careers really took off.
Nor is it all that funny when members of an Iranian hit squad (featuring "Night"'s director John Landis) spot Goldblum while being fitted for suits and charge out into the street sans pants.
One night he goes out for a drive and he runs into a very young Michelle Pfeifer who's on the run from some international thugs (one of them played by the film's director John Landis).
INTO THE NIGHT (1985) *** Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Pfeiffer, David Bowie, Dan Aykroyd, Richard Farnsworth, Irene Pappas, Kathryn Harrold, Paul Mazursky, Carl Perkins, Clu Gulager, Bruce McGill.
Jeff Goldblum is fun as usual, and it was cute to see that so many directors made brief appearances in the film as well.
"Into the Night" unfolds into a string of events from a chance meeting of two people who compliment each other as companions, even if they have different personalities and come from completely different backgrounds.Ed Okin--a bored urbanite with a dead end job and nothing new going on with the day to day, apart from his cheating wife--goes out for a neighborly spin in his car in the middle of the night and finds trouble in all the right places with a blond named Diana on the run from crazy Iranians and other goons looking to get back precious jewels she has.
Some, like Paul Mazursky and Roger Vadim have key parts, and others like David Cronenberg, Don Siegel, Jonathan Demme, and the rest, are some of the famous faces within the context of the film.The best attitude to take with the film is just to go for a ride through Los Angeles at night with excellent company.Jeff Goldblum is perfect for Ed Okin.
The engaging story is funny and one attraction is to identify the cameo of directors and other personalities, such as David Cronenberg, John Landis, Don Siegel, Jonathan Demme, and Lawrence Kasdan working with names like Vera Miles, Irene Papas, David Bowie and Dan Aykroyd among others.
This is really the most important aspect of the film; the American quandary: we have everything materially, but know that something is missing, but are too shallow or self-absorbed or busy or whatever to figure out what it is.The acting: there are a lot of good cameos in this movie, and not just by directors.
See it to see how that moment works, I can't explain it verbally.The cameos: From Landis himself, to Jonathan Demme, Jim Henson, even Paul Mazursky and Roger Vadim (the guy who directed "Barbarella"), this movie is filled with famous people whose movies you've watched, yet you don't know what they look like.
Ed(Jeff Goldblum), an insomniac who just found out about his wife's extramarital affair, is greeted by a frightened woman,Diana(Michelle Pfeiffer, who is simply beautiful)running from Iranians who just killed her friend.
The film is riddled with famous Hollywood directors in cameo roles, but my favorite scene is where Goldblum's Ed has a problem finding a place to rest up against when he awaits Diana(whose in a trailer talking to a friend)constantly crashing through props that look real.
Jeff Goldblum is great as always and fun to watch, because he clearly doesn't quite register what's happening around him, or often doesn't care that much.The plot is engaging and doesn't rely all that much on humor, it's surprisingly downbeat and even bleakly violent at times, which fits the story, but makes for a weird tone.I all in all enjoyed "Into the Night", it's charming, sometimes funny, and the lead characters are great, and most of all, it's unique....
Upon discovering that his wife is having an affair, depressed insomniac Ed Okin (Jeff Goldblum) drives to the airport where he is surprised by a beautiful jewel smuggler, Diana (Michelle Pfeiffer), who lands on his car and begs him to drive her away from four Iranian secret police agents who are chasing her.
...as one of those films you go to see, knowing nothing about it, except that you like the stars: i.e., Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer.I was also wanting to get together with a friend I hadn't seen in a while.Does the fault lie in my expectations or in the impression that the ads led me to believe the film would be about.If it is a spoiler to expect to see a madcap comedy with two actors who are really good at madcap comedy, and get a very bleak, Brechtian story, then I am guilty.. |
tt0120632 | City of Angels | Wayne Rogers plays a determined but unethical private detective, Jake Axminster, who looks out for himself—and somewhat less aggressively for his clients—amid the corruption of Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1930s. He is aided in his investigative efforts by two friends: his ditzy blonde secretary, Marsha Finch (Elaine Joyce), who also runs a call-girl business on the side, and attorney Michael Brimm (Philip Sterling). Brimm is called upon frequently to defend Axminster from charges (mostly trumped-up) leveled against him by Lieutenant Murray Quint (Clifton James), a fat, cigar-chomping, and thoroughly crooked member of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Axminster drives a 1934 ragtop Studebaker and keeps his office in downtown L.A.’s historic Bradbury Building, phone number OXford-8704. (Brimm’s office is across the hall.) For his services, Axminster charges $25 a day plus expenses. Although Brimm describes him as “Mr. Play-It-Safe,” Axminster regularly places himself in danger by helping friends and annoying the police with his questions. His efforts frequently result in his being beaten up. So often does Quint order his thrashing, that Axminster has taken to having nude photographs shot of himself in order to prove later on how aggressive the cops were in their interrogations.
The detective drinks coffee addictively. When one client asks him whether his habit keeps him up, Axminster responds, “No, but it helps.” He appears to be constantly in debt, and he’s not above borrowing money from friends and even his bootblack, Lester (Timmie Rogers). Axminster “gripes in general about the cost of staying alive. ‘All the angels left this burg about 20 years ago,’ is his succinct summation of the 1930s ...” | tragedy, boring, sentimental | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0104093 | Detour | Piano player Al Roberts (Tom Neal) is drinking coffee at a roadside diner in Reno, hitchhiking east from California, when a fellow patron plays a song on the jukebox that reminds him of his former life in New York City. At the time, Al was bitter about squandering his talent working in a cheap nightclub. After his girlfriend Sue Harvey (Claudia Drake), the nightclub vocalist, leaves to seek fame in Hollywood, he decides to go to California and marry her. With little money, he is forced to hitchhike his way across the country.
In Arizona, bookie Charles Haskell, Jr. (Edmund MacDonald) gives Al a ride in his convertible and tells him that he's in luck: he's driving all the way from Florida to Los Angeles to place a bet on a horse. During the drive, he has Al pass him pills several times. That night, Al is driving while Haskell sleeps. When a rainstorm forces Al to pull over to put up the top, he is unable to rouse Haskell. Al opens the passenger-side door and Haskell falls out, striking his head on a rock. Al then realizes the bookie is dead. Fearful that the police will believe he killed Haskell, Al drags the body off the road, takes the dead man's money, clothes, and identification, and drives away.
After spending the night in a California motel, Al decides to drive to an urban area and ditch the car. At a gas station, he picks up another hitchhiker, Vera (Ann Savage). After some time, she suddenly asks him what he did with the real owner of the car. It turns out she had been picked up by Haskell in Louisiana; she scratched him and got out in Arizona after he tried to become too friendly. Al claims to be Haskell, but she calls his bluff and blackmails him by threatening to turn him in. She tells him that they should sell the car rather than abandon it.
In Hollywood, they rent an apartment, posing as Mr. and Mrs. Haskell to provide an address when they sell the car. However, Vera learns from a newspaper that Haskell's wealthy father is near death and looking for his son, who ran away as a youth after accidentally injuring his friend. Vera demands that Al impersonate Haskell as soon as the father dies, but Al balks at this notion, pointing out that he knows next to nothing about either man.
Back at the apartment, Vera gets drunk and they begin arguing. She threatens to call the police, running into the bedroom with the telephone and locking the door. She falls into a stupor on the bed with the telephone cord tangled around her neck. Al pulls on the cord in an effort to break it. When he finally breaks down the door, he sees that he has accidentally strangled her. He gives up ever seeing his girlfriend Sue again and returns to hitchhiking instead, imagining his probable future arrest by the police. | neo noir, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1687221 | Eu Não Quero Voltar Sozinho | Leonardo is a 15-year-old blind student with his one friend in class, Giovana, sitting next to him. Seated behind Leonardo is the new student Gabriel. After class Giovana invites Gabriel to walk home with herself and Leonardo; she customarily links arms with him for support even though his house is further from the school than hers. Later Giovana teases Leonardo about never confiding in her about romance and suggests he receive math tutoring from Gabriel.
Over time the three grow closer, walking home and playing games together. Leonardo becomes more self-conscious about appearance, asking questions about what he and Gabriel look like. Gabriel volunteers to take over escorting Leonardo so Giovana doesn't have to backtrack, though she possessively says that's not necessary. A school project requires same-sex pairs, leading Leonardo to work with Gabriel instead of Giovana. During a more serious conversation about blindness, Gabriel points out Giovana's attraction to Leonardo, but Leonardo says he does not reciprocate. When they arrive at his house, Leonardo changes shirts in front of Gabriel, who is stunned before removing his own sweatshirt. Gabriel asks Leonardo where the comfort room is to brush his teeth, but Gabriel was shock to see that when he left Leonardo was smelling his sweatshirt. Gabriel tells Leonardo he left his sweatshirt at Leonardo's house but must leave school early for a dentist's appointment. After the other students have left, Leonardo admits to Giovana he is in love with Gabriel.
Doubtful about the homosexual romance, Giovana does not provide a positive response before a phone call summons her to her grandmother's birthday, leaving Leonardo to walk home alone with a white cane. At home, when he hears someone come into his room, he chastises Giovana for leaving him and expresses his doubts about confessing his love for Gabriel. However, the visitor is actually Gabriel himself, who smiles to himself at this unintended confession before silently kissing him on the lips, leaving with his sweatshirt. Later, Giovana arrives while apologizing for taking so long. Leonardo is left confused and, after feeling around his room, discovers the sweatshirt is gone. He smiles at the realization that Gabriel was the one who kissed him. | dramatic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0050213 | The Brothers Rico | Eddie Rico (Richard Conte) is the owner of a prosperous laundry company in Bayshore, Florida who was the former accountant for a major crime syndicate years ago. He has given up his ties to the syndicate, and hopes to adopt a child with his wife, Alice. When Eddie receives a call asking to give a job to Wesson (William Phipps), a junior mobster, and Alice becomes worried that the syndicate will attempt to bring Eddie back into a life of crime. Eddie calms her down, but then he receives a letter from his mother saying that his two brothers, Johnny (James Darren) and Gino (Paul Picerni), have disappeared. On the way to work, Gino finds Eddie and asks for his help in leaving the country: Gino admits to being the gunman for a gang killing and Johnny was the driver. Gino now believes the syndicate is after him, and he was ordered to St. Louis later that day. Eddie, who does not believe that the syndicate is after them, tells Gino to go to St. Louis and gives him some money. When Eddie returns to work, he finds out that the syndicate boss, "Uncle" Sid Kubik (Larry Gates), has ordered him to Miami. Eddie leaves despite his wife's objections that he will miss an adoption interview.
Eddie meets Kubik in Miami, where Kubik apologizes for orders to hire Wesson and congratulates Eddie on his impending adoption. Kubik says the syndicate does not know where Johnny is, but they are concerned that because Johnny's new wife's brother is suspected of being a prosecution witness, Johnny will be persuaded to turn on the syndicate and testify against them in return for clemency. After insisting that he does not believe Johnny has not turned on them, Kubik tells Eddie to find Johnny and make him leave the country in order to protect his life. As Eddie leaves, Kubik goes into a different room where Gino is being beaten.
Eddie arrives in New York City and finds Johnny's brother-in-law, Peter Malaks (Lamont Johnson). When Eddie says that Johnny may be in a lot of trouble, Malaks tells Eddie he would rather have Johnny dead and does not approve of his sister getting involved with Johnny. Eddie then visits his mother (Argentina Brunetti) to ask where Johnny is, but she proclaims that even though she once took a bullet to protect Kubik's life, she no longer trusts Kubik. When Eddie tells her that Johnny's life is in danger, she prays in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary and tells Eddie that Johnny last wrote from El Camino, California.
In California, Eddie finds Johnny and his pregnant wife, Norah (Kathryn Crosby) hiding out on a farm. Johnny says he left the syndicate because he wants his son to grow up to be clean and not know a life of crime. Norah becomes excited at the prospect of Johnny being dragged back into the syndicate, and needs a doctor. Eddie is asked to leave, and returns to his hotel room where Mike Lamotta (Harry Bellaver), a local crime boss, is waiting for him. There, Eddie realizes that Kubik used him to locate Johnny, and intended for Johnny to be killed the whole time. Lamotta instructs Eddie to tell Johnny to meet mobsters waiting outside his home, but Eddie tells Johnny to go to the cops instead, and is knocked out by Lamotta's assistant, Gonzales (Rudy Bond). To save his wife and newborn son, Johnny goes to the mobsters and is killed.
As Eddie and Gonzales fly back to Florida, Eddie learns that Gino attempted to flee the country against orders and was killed. Eddie knocks out Gonzales while on a stopover in Phoenix, and returns to Florida to give Alice money. He goes to Malaks and offers to testify against the syndicate. When Eddie goes to say goodbye to his mother, Kubik is there and holds him at gunpoint. Eddie pulls out his own gun and kills both Kubik and his accomplice, but is wounded himself. Eddie eventually testifies against the syndicate and it is broken up, while he and Alice go to an orphanage hoping to adopt a child. | revenge, murder | train | wikipedia | Richard Conte stars in "The Brothers Rico," a 1957 noir with James Darren, Larry Gates, Kathryn Grant, and Dianne Foster.Conte is Eddie Rico, a former mob accountant, now in the laundry business in Florida and quite successful.
Then Eddie gets a call from his old boss, Kubik (Gates) who wants to see him on an urgent matter.
Considering his boss as "Uncle Sid," he goes to New York against his wife's (Foster) wishes.Eddie is approached by his brother Gino - he claims the mob wants him to go to St. Louis, and he's sure they plan to rub him out as he was part of a hit and the others who were involved are dead.
Kubik is grateful to their mother (Argentina Brunetti) who once stopped a bullet meant for him, so Eddie knows he will protect his brothers.When Eddie meets with Kubik, he learns that his brother Johnny is married and no one has heard from him.
However, his wife's (Grant) brother has been talking to the DA about a mob witness.
Kubik wants Eddie to find his brother and talk to him.
It was on Empire's list of 500 greatest movies, so I wanted to check it out.Richard Conte does a great job as Eddie, who trusts the wrong people.
This was his kind of role, playing the tough son of an immigrant, mixed up with the wrong people, but with a good heart.
Someone mentioned that the casting was ridiculous because there was a 26-year difference between Conte and Darren.
That was not unusual.Everyone is very good in this film, and as a point of interest, the woman playing Argentina Brunetti's mother was, in fact, her real-life mother.
Towards the end of the noir cycle director Phil Karlsen came up with a really good crime drama about three brothers all involved to a greater and lesser degree with organized crime.
The oldest, Richard Conte, was at one time the syndicate accountant.
His biggest problem now is that he and wife Dianne Foster are trying to adopt a child.But brothers Paul Picerni and James Darren are still very much involved and at the dirty end of it.
His brother-in-law Lamont Johnson's already been to the District Attorney.Conte has faith and trusts in the big boss Larry Gates who's been close to the whole family Rico, including their mother Argentina Brunetti who took a bullet meant for Gates way back when.
So when Gates tells him to find Darren, Conte takes it on face value.
The syndicate seems to be really well organized, from Little Italy in New York, to Phoenix Arizona, to Miami, Florida, they've got Conte's movements all tracked.
Karlson really builds the tension up as Conte seems to keep running into old acquaintances, but just keeps going on trust.Larry Gates who usually plays upright moral types on screen has that persona work for him as the syndicate boss who's just pulling the strings from coast to coast.
His is the best performance in the film, followed closely by Harry Bellaver an amiable underboss in Phoenix who's just following orders.Kathryn Grant is in this film as Darren's bride.
This year that The Brothers Rico came out, she became Mrs. Bing Crosby.
She registers well in her role as a pregnant bride in love.The Brothers Rico is a gripping noir film, not one for the paranoid minded among us..
The Brothers Rico is directed by Phil Karlson and adapted to screenplay by Lewis Meltzer, Ben Perry and Dalton Trumbo from a story written by Georges Simenon.
It stars Richard Conte, Dianne Foster, Kathryn Crosby, Larry Gates and James Darren.
Music is scored by George Duning and cinematography by Burnett Guffey.Retired from the mob and happy in his new found family life, Eddie Rico (Conte) is pulled back into the underworld when word comes that his two brothers, who are still working for the syndicate, are wanted men.Coming at the end of the film noir cycle, The Brothers Rico sits somewhere in between noir and pure crime drama.
Conte's character is a classic noir protagonist, a man who is unable to shake of his past and gets drawn into the dark underworld by family ties.
There's much talking and very little action for most of the running time, but the dialogue is strong, always imbuing the narrative with a sense of menace, background characters are always a threat and violence implied looms over proceedings.However, in spite of it being well written and acted with great skill by Conte, Gates and the support cast, it's a dull visual experience and crowned off by a ridiculous "aint life grand epilogue".
Conte's character provides the ticket to the noir universe, but ultimately this represents the changing of the guard, a winding down of true film noir.
From a viewpoint of the film being a crime drama that provides an observation of a crime syndicate as a real presence, Karlson's movie scores a more than safe 7/10.
The Brothers Rico (1957)With Richard Conte's role of a lifetime, and a harrowing mobster scene that presages the Godfather in its casual viciousness, this is one heck of a movie.
It sometimes lacks good old fashioned drama with the lighting and the camera-work, and some people might find Conte a bit reserved for the leading man under the gun, but the writing is really solid, the story well constructed, and the movie as a whole feels believable and tragic.At the core is a situation is Conte as Eddie Rico, formerly an accountant in a ruthless mob, now running a legit business in Florida and about to adopt a kid with his charming and playful wife.
But right in scene one he gets a call from an old mob crony.
Eddie's two brothers are still in the mob, and have been part of a hit, and there is an investigation closing in on them all unless Eddie can help get his brothers out of harms way.
He takes this to mean out of the country, but it becomes clear to everyone else, and eventually to Eddie, that they mean to kill at least one of the two brothers.So with the clock ticking over an adoption ready that very day, and with Conte flying all over the country in a desperate bid to sort this out, we see a growing menace in thug after thug, place after place, from Florida to New York, where Mama and grandmother live, to a ranch in Southern California where one brother is hiding with his pregnant wife.
What makes it hold to together especially is how sympathetic the brothers are as characters, and how evil the main mob man is even though he insists he loves the Ricos, and loves their mother like his own mother, and he wants only the best.In fact, the one long speech from this thug, played by Lamont Johnson, is a precursor to Brando's role in "The Godfather," with a chilling mixture of honorable love and threatening obligation and accountability.
I say not quite noir only in the sense that his films lack the over-the-top dialog and punchy lines of classic noir, and the filming is not as theatrical with angles, shadows, and dark night scenes.
Some of Karlson's films are, in fact, film noirs at the core, but late noirs, no longer dealing with the loner finding his footing in an alien America, but still with a man against the world, as Eddie Rico is here.
Mob going corporate is subject of crime flick from Karlson, Conte.
Richard Conte runs a commercial laundry and, with his new wife, is trying to adopt a child; after a tarnished youth, he's gone straight.
The younger males in his family, it so happens, have not, and a syndicate kingpin sends Conte off to smoke out his youngest brother, in hiding, supposedly to save his life; the young squirt is played by 50s recording heart-throb Bobby Darrin.
The Brothers Rico introduces us to an all-American, corporate, impersonal view of organized crime, ranging from New York's Mulberry Street to palm-fanned Florida to the mobbed-up sunbelt of Phoenix -- and to a world where the terms "family" has lost all of its many meanings.
Former gangland auditor is persuaded to locate missing brother before mob is compelled to kill him.For a crime drama, that lengthy opening scene is a surprise.
It's marital bliss all the way as Eddie (Conte) and wife Alice (Foster) cuddle up, providing a ton of promotional material for the censored 1950's.
But more importantly, all the lovey-dovey defines Eddie's truly reformed character, plus Alice as a wife you'd want to come back to.For a Karlson crime drama, however, the violence is oddly played down by a director who knew how to make the audience shudder.
Instead, paranoia mounts as Eddie sees suspicious characters wherever he goes in search of brother Johnny (Darren).
When Johnny is finally confronted by the mob, Karlson oddly passes over the potential of a centerpiece violent scene.
Also, note how abruptly the final shootout is handled, as if they're suddenly running out of film.That early scene between Eddie and Kubik (Gates) is a minor masterpiece of treachery that carries through the rest of the film.
Excellent too is Harry Bellaver's smooth-talking local chieftain, who keeps appealing to Eddie's sense of survival.As a whole, however, the movie is more a collection of good scenes rather than overall impact.
It's also being released to DVD as part of a film noir collection due out in November.
Being a big fan of James Darren, he was the biggest reason for my interest in this film but it's also a pretty good film.
Richard Conte is a good lead with Dianne Foster as his worried wife.
Kathryn Grant and James Darren would play a couple a year later in Gunman's Walk also directed by Karlson.
James Darren's two scenes as the youngest brother make you wish they had continued casting him in these types of roles, although I like the first two Gidget movies.
This is an absorbing drama that takes a bleak, realistic look at mob life.
Conte and Foster are fabulous as a married couple trying to distance themselves from his past as an accountant for the syndicate.
Conte appeared in a number of mob films, including "The Godfather." Curiously, Grant (who married Bing Crosby following this film) has a small role but is given equal billing with Conte and Foster..
An entertaining film noir as the genre was nearing its end.
Richard Conte plays Eddie Rico who worked for his uncle Kubik.
The film begins with an ominous phone call as Eddie is told he needs to take in a mob member who is hiding from the justice.
He is currently trying to adopt a child with his wife.Eddie is called out by Kubik to find their missing brother Johnny.
When Eddie runs into his brothers Gino and Johnny, he tells them to trust the mob and follow their instructions.
Eddie believes that fidelity is still a virtue among the mob bosses.
As a noir, it moves from Florida to New York to Phoenix and California, becoming one of the few national noirs (there is none I can think of right now).The film is shot in a minimalist fashion.
Richard Conte and his wife are very playful in the early scenes and risqué for the period as they engage playfully in the bathroom.
As a mob movie with an Italian background, it continues the early gangster movies but takes the angle of the people down the line who are at the mercy of those at the top.The Brothers Rico is worthwhile as an entertaining movie if you enjoy film-noir and tracing the developments of gangster films..
The synopsis mentions that the James Darren role was played by Bobby Darin.
But when you read a credit mistake like this of an actor in a pretty important role in a film and it goes uncorrected, then misinformation may be dispensed which may in turn distort the record.
Pretty good crime drama...with a weak/unbelievable/predictable ending.
Lo and behold, he finally gets a role that's a little different from his usual bad guy/scumbag roles.Eddie Rico runs and owns a laundry service in Florida and does really well for himself.
He and his wife can't have kids so they decide to adopt but something in the way of and old acquaintance needs a favor derails his plans.
His wife demands he doesn't do what they want but he has no choice...he's a former account for the mob.
His old friend from years back wouldn't steer him wrong.
Turns out his brothers were involved in a killing and their bosses think one of them is going to squeal so they disappear.
Eddie doesn't realize he's being used to find his brothers so his old connections can kill his brothers.I will say that right up until the end this is a pretty good little film.
The tension and watching Conte play this clueless ex mob guy railroad his brothers to their death is sad.
He's naive in this regard.Richard Conte has always played the scumbag roles but this one is a tad different.
He's an old mob accountant who really has no violent or bad guy tendencies.
The real down point of this film is the end.
Throughout you realize that this guy is not gonna get revenge through violence for them killing his brothers and he would turns states evidence instead.
It's a pretty transparent conclusion throughout but the real "yeah right" in this is turning states evidence and his life in the end resumes to normal.
This is part of the fantastic series put out by Columbia Pictures of "Film Noir Classics"- '50s B-movies from the studio's vault.
Like Nightfall, another film unearthed from Columbia's vaults, Brothers Rico has, for its time, startlingly visceral depictions of sadism and cruelty.
(The only thing akin in Hollywood A-films of the era would be those directed by Anthony Mann, but Mann's work offered depictions of the suffering of the violated, not so much of the perpetuation of suffering.) Both Brothers Rico and Nightfall offer as a condolence to the audience tacked on, artificial and utterly tone-deaf happy endings.
Despite odd casting, it's a very good noir movie..
Richard Conte plays an ex-gangster who's gone straight many years before the film begins.
Unfortunately, it turns out that the mob is looking for his brothers--and although they claim to want to get them out of the country for their own good, it sure looks as if they are just using him as bait.The casting of this film left a lot to be desired.
There was a 26 year difference in ages of Conte and Darren and they are supposed to be brothers!
For lovers of film noir, you won't be disappointed--though the movie is more cerebral and less violent than most examples in the genre.
***SPOILER ALERT*** Being the local Miami Mob's top book-keeper for some twenty years Eddie Rico, Richard Conte, decided to go legit and open up a laundry business in Bay Shore Florida.It's when things were going great for Eddie and his wife Alice, Dianne Foster, that a call came in from Miami to the Rico house from an old friend Miami Mafia under-boss Sid Kubic, Larry Gates.
Kubik having his stooge Phil,Paul Dubov, do the talking for him whats Eddie to finds his kid brother Johnny, James Darren, so he can have a heart-to-heart talk with him.
Kubik the big hearted and understanding guy that he is now want's Eddie to track his little brother down and get johnny to leave the country before his fellow mobsters have him iced!The word has been going around in mob circles, in both Miami and New York, that Johnny facing indictment for murder is ready to turn states evidence against his boss Kubik for a lighter sentence!
The reason that Kubik isn't at all interested in Eddie's other brother Gino is that, unknown to Eddie, he's already got him and is about to have his brains blown out!
Eddie who should have known better then to trust Kubik goes along with his plan to find and then get Johnny who's now married, with his wife Norah (Kathryn Grant) expecting any moment, out of the country only to lead Kubik, or his hit-men, straight to him!***SPOILER***A tale of brotherly love gone astray with Eddie Rico in an effort to save his brothers in fact ends up having them murdered with him being unknowingly used, by Kubik, to track them down by their killers!
Very effective confrontation between Moma Rico and Kubik at the end of the movie.
Eddie finally seeing the light in him having set his brothers up was on his way to the D.A's office to spill the beans, with his inside knowledge of Kubik's organization, on Kubik.
It's then that Kubik and his hoods showed up at Moma Rico's apartment to do a job,or hit,on Eddie.
As things turned out it was Moma, who once save Kubik's life by taking a bullet meant for him, not Eddie who was the one who put Kubik's life of crime and murder to a sudden and surprising end!.
94 minutes.SYNOPSIS: An ex-mobster turned successful businessman, Eddie Rico, is contacted by the syndicate to locate his younger brothers who have apparently double-crossed their gangland associates.
He feels obliged to search for his brothers, not only to protect their lives but of his family as well.
After this elaborate build-up, the climax is disappointingly weak and tame and Larry Gates - his is the one outstanding portrayal in this film, you can actually sense the evil behind his gloved voice - seems to have a much smaller role than he does in the shortened version.Extensive locations lensing is an asset, although Karlson does not make all that much out of them.
The interior sets are not impressive and other production credits are merely capable.Conte's age is showing and one is not surprised to learn that this film virtually marked the end of his screen career. |
tt0799993 | The Da Vinci Code | Louvre curator and Priory of Sion grand master Jacques Saunière is fatally shot one night at the museum by an albino Catholic monk named Silas, who is working on behalf of someone he knows only as the Teacher, who wishes to discover the location of the "keystone," an item crucial to the search for the Holy Grail. After Saunière's body is discovered in the pose of the Vitruvian Man, the police summon Harvard professor Robert Langdon, who is in town on business. Police captain Bezu Fache tells him that he was summoned to help the police decode the cryptic message Saunière left during the final minutes of his life. The message includes a Fibonacci sequence out of order. Langdon explains to Fache that Saunière was a leading authority on the subject of goddess artwork and that the pentacle Saunière drew on his chest in his own blood represents an allusion to the goddess and not devil worship, as Fache thinks.
Sophie Neveu, a police cryptographer, secretly explains to Langdon that she is Saunière's estranged granddaughter, and that Fache thinks Langdon is the murderer because the last line in her grandfather's message meant for Sophie said "P.S. Find Robert Langdon," which Fache had erased prior to Langdon's arrival. Neveu is troubled by memories of her grandfather's involvement in a secret pagan group. However, she understands that her grandfather intended Langdon to decipher the code, which leads them to a safe deposit box at the Paris branch of the Depository Bank of Zurich. Neveu and Langdon escape from the police and visit the bank. In the safe deposit box they find the keystone: a cryptex, a cylindrical, hand-held vault with five concentric, rotating dials labeled with letters. When these are lined up correctly, they unlock the device. If the cryptex is forced open, an enclosed vial of vinegar breaks and dissolves the message inside the cryptex, which was written on papyrus. The box containing the cryptex contains clues to its password.
Langdon and Neveu take the keystone to the home of Langdon's friend, Sir Leigh Teabing, an expert on the Holy Grail, the legend of which is heavily connected to the Priory. There, Teabing explains that the Grail is not a cup, but a tomb containing the bones of Mary Magdalene. The trio then flees the country on Teabing's private plane, on which they conclude that the proper combination of letters spell out Neveu's given name, Sofia. Opening the cryptex, they discover a smaller cryptex inside it, along with another riddle that ultimately leads the group to the tomb of Isaac Newton in Westminster Abbey.
During the flight to Britain, Neveu reveals the source of her estrangement from her grandfather ten years earlier. Arriving home unexpectedly from university, Neveu secretly witnesses a spring fertility rite conducted in the secret basement of her grandfather's country estate. From her hiding place, she is shocked to see her grandfather with a woman at the center of a ritual attended by men and women who are wearing masks and chanting praise to the goddess. She flees the house and breaks off all contact with Saunière. Langdon explains that what she witnessed was an ancient ceremony known as Hieros gamos or "sacred marriage."
By the time they arrive at Westminster Abbey, Teabing is revealed to be the Teacher for whom Silas is working. Teabing wishes to use the Holy Grail, which he believes is a series of documents establishing that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and bore children, in order to ruin the Vatican. He compels Langdon at gunpoint to solve the second cryptex's password, which Langdon realizes is "apple." Langdon secretly opens the cryptex and removes its contents before tossing the empty cryptex in the air. Teabing is arrested by Fache, who by now realizes that Langdon is innocent. Bishop Aringarosa, head of religious sect Opus Dei and Silas' mentor, realizing that Silas has been used to murder innocent people, rushes to help the police find him. When the police find Silas hiding in an Opus Dei Center, he assumes that they are there to kill him and he rushes out, accidentally shooting Bishop Aringarosa. Bishop Aringarosa survives but is informed that Silas was found dead later from a gunshot wound.
The final message inside the second keystone leads Neveu and Langdon to Rosslyn Chapel, whose docent turns out to be Neveu's long-lost brother, whom Neveu had been told died as a child in the car accident that killed her parents. The guardian of Rosslyn Chapel, Marie Chauvel Saint Clair, is Neveu's long-lost grandmother. It is revealed that Neveu and her brother are descendants of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. The Priory of Sion hid her identity to protect her from possible threats to her life.
The real meaning of the last message is that the Grail is buried beneath the small pyramid directly below the inverted glass pyramid of the Louvre. It also lies beneath the "Rose Line," an allusion to "Rosslyn." Langdon figures out this final piece to the puzzle; he follows the Rose Line to La Pyramide Inversée, where he kneels before the hidden sarcophagus of Mary Magdalene, as the Templar knights did before him. | cult | train | wikipedia | For a game about the Messiah, it is awful that the game-play must be set on God mode. I must be insane: This game is truly unplayable but I couldn't put it in the trash. Maybe it was about pride but I really done overtime to complete it.I dare anyone to play it without a walk through! It's impossible! The most basic actions are challenges and a lot of things fall apart: the fights, the mysteries, a lot of bugs.On the other side, the locations are beautiful and you really feel like you browse through Louvres, Westminster..A few good memories come back too: the need to write the map or clues, the chase with Silas firing (very hard!).Unfortunately, I can't compare it with the book (still to be read) or the movie (don't remember).In conclusion, if you succeed this game without help, you are indeed the son of God! |
tt0193019 | Blue's Big Musical Movie | Blue welcomes the viewer to the house where Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper are preparing to have a big music show until they hear snoring. Steve is still asleep, so Blue goes into the bedroom and helps Tickety Tock wake him up. When Steve wakes up, he needs help to get everything ready for the "You Can Be Anything You Wanna Be" show. Steve and the rest of his friends go into the kitchen to have breakfast. Periwinkle hears about a magic show as he heads off to practice his magic trick. Blue gives Steve a list of things to do. Steve makes up a plan about what Slippery Soap, Shovel and Pail, Mailbox, Tickety and Blue are going to sing about in the big music show. Tickety said Blue would be her duet and sing about being a classroom teacher.
Tickety loses her voice before the show, but she can ring her bells. The game Blue's Clues is played to decide who should be Blue's singing partner. Steve adds three clues to his list of things to do. But then Steve hears Sidetable Drawer singing. Sidetable tries to say something when Steve runs into the kitchen to help Mr. Salt find flour to make some chocolate chip cookies for the neighbors' snack. After helping him, Sidetable gives Steve the handy-dandy notebook.
Steve runs into the backyard, where Mailbox was putting up the posters to tell everyone about the show. Meanwhile, Steve finds the first clue on the handy-dandy notebook. After trying to figure out who should be Blue's singing partner, Steve realizes his clipboard is missing. Periwinkle shows his magic trick as he says the magic words: "Perry-pokus-okus-crokus". Then he heads off looking for Steve. Steve finds his list as Slippery tries to let him help find the hats. Sidetable is trying to ask Steve if she can sing in the show.
Slippery and Steve have a part that is perfect for Sidetable. She knows how sometimes she would hold all the hats on top of her table. Tickety, Pail, Mailbox, Slippery and Shovel are asking Steve what to do with all the stuff. Blue has an idea while helping Shovel and Pail make a doctor's costume. After putting things together, Steve and Blue help their friends make a house and put a curtain together to build the stage. When they are all finished, Steve checks their costumes and the stage. Then he walks back to the house, where Periwinkle is trying to show him his magic trick. Mr. Salt is in the kitchen trying to find the chocolate chips so he can make the cookies. | cult | train | wikipedia | Almost as good as the TV show it is based on.
My 2 year old LOVES Blue's Clues, and saw every episode while it was free on Amazon Prime over and over.
I'd rate that show 10 stars.
This movie, however, doesn't quite capture the show's level of excellence.
Probably because it's trying to stretch the exact same elements from 25 minutes into an hour plus long movie and you can feel the middle dragging.
Okay, first the good.
Almost all of the characters from the TV show (at the time this movie was made) are in this movie and it's fun to see so many of them together.
As always, Steve, our sole live actor, does a fantastic job!
As a unique twist, Steve gets a chance to find a clue (rather than the audience pointing them out to him).
The bad: The boring middle section.
In the middle, Steve gets a music lesson and I think it's something like 15 minutes of lesson.
My two year old got bored at this point EVERY TIME we watched this.
He'd wander off.
And it isn't the length of show because he'll watch episode after episode in a row if I let him.
It's just that the music lesson isn't engaging, either visually or any other way.
In the end, I've taken to skipping it for every showing.
That's a large chunk of this movie that's "wasted".
Overall, this isn't a bad movie.
For a 2 year old, I'd say it is probably one of the best things out there, actually!
But if you have to choose, I'd highly recommend buying the episodes over the movie..
It's a Winner for Us. I think this is great for kids.
My three-year old just loves it, and would watch it every day if I let her.A lot of children's movies are either obnoxiously repetitive, sappy or just plain irritating.
Blue's Clues isn't, and this movie is really fun.
I also like that the musical "lessons" go from very simple to somewhat more complex to keep children interested when they begin to learn the easier concepts.
Problems that the characters have are easy for children to relate to, such as shyness and frustration.
The music is easy to listen to, and in some cases, wonderfully catchy.A special appearance by Ray Charles as "G Clef" and his great friends "the notes" really gives it soul..
My 1 year old loves this.
I bought this for my daughter on DVD last year and she will now turn on the TV, grab the DVD remote herself and turn on the show if we leave it in.
She will sit or stand transfixed.
She becomes a Zombie.
I think there might be some kind of subliminal mind washing going on.
I find myself starting to zone out while watching it with her.
Other than that its a good show with repeating subjects that are good to teach children the fundamentals of life..
It's all about the Steve!.
***Yes, Blue's Big Musical Adventure is a movie about a CGI dog of an unnatural hue aimed at the Juicebox set.***Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about Steve Burns.
WHAT A GUY.
It doesn't seem like there'd be much at all to singing a bunch of cheerful, encouraging songs to toddlers, and waiting for them to yell out answers when you find a "clue." But, as the sole human of the house, Burns does all his work in front of a bluescreen (no pun intended.) Must get pretty lonely, don't you think?
If not for the neon fur and disproportionate features of Blue, I'd believe Steve was really talking to his cuddly costar - the man's that fantastic..
Ecxcellent Resource for Pre-School aged children!!!.
This is an excellent teaching aid for pre-school children.
We have a 3 year old and this is one of the films that she will get herself out of of the case and watch herself.
It has a number of skills it teaches as well as musical melodies.
She really likes this and everything that The Blues Clues Production puts out.
Excellent film, if you want your children to grow and learn and be ahead of the crowd of pre-school children.
Another plus...it dosen't push a particular value system on your children.
It is straight foward.
I personally find that refreshing, compared to all of the politically correct children's programming out there.
I reccomend this film for your child..
very creative way to stretch a half hour show to hour and 20 minutes.
Any movie that can hold my 4 year old's attention for the entire hour and 20 minutes has my approval.
I enjoyed it too.
I think that it works very well with the topics it tries to address, low self esteem, morality, ..etc.
plus it's fun too.
Funny and cute.
Great music!.
Ok, I'm 21, and my girlfriend just bought me this movie on DVD, and I loved it.
The movie is made for preschoolers, sure, but I don't see how anyone cannot just fall in love with adorable little Blue.
She's the cutest little pup around, and Steve is pretty cool himself.
The entire gang is here for this adventure, Blue, Steve, Salt and Pepper Shaker, Paprika, Magenta, Green, Side Table Drawer, Tickety Tock, Slippery Soap...almost all of them have major roles in this movie, and they all add their own little nuances.
The music is really cool, with Ray Charles doing a bit when Blue scadoos into sheet music, and Steve learns how to make music.
The persuasions, a group I've never heard of till now do music in the same scene as the notes on the sheet music.
The whole idea of the movie is that the gang is going to have a music show in the backyard.
They make costumes, snacks, build the stage, and everything else.
It's fun to watch over and over, and when you learn all the music, it's kinda nifty to sing along.
Just like the series, the movie incorporates learning into the story, each scene getting a bit more challenging than the last.
If you're a Blue fan, you have to get this movie, and if you think you might like it, do the same, it's a great movie that is well written and thoroughly enjoyable..
Pokemon 2?.
Hmm..any chance for another Pokemon?
Don't think so, this show is made for 3-8, you miss out on that whole 9-12 crowd which is the main child population who goes to see movies.
Still think it will do well though.
Thank goodness this show has more to it than the Care Bears though, parents took me to that.
Almost walked out they were so bored.
Blue is amusing and cute..
it is a must see movie for all ages if you are looking for a good looking movie than this work of art is the movie for you than i hope you enjoy this wonderful movie i like this movie and i hope your kids enjoy it to i think it is a perfect family film i never thought this movie would of been this good i was impressed with this wonderful movie i think this movie it is a one of a kind movie that will make you say the mail is here the mail is mail this is a must see movie it is a funny funny film i hope you like it as much as i did i need to let you know that this movie is the bomb i never saw a movie this funny before it is a work of art your mind will be blown away i love thuis wonfderful movie and i hope you enjoy it to you have to watch this wonderful movie it is a hoot i never thought i would like this movie but i really thought that this movie should be out in theaters and be Sold out let's make this a big hit everyone go watch this wonderful movie i think this is one of the coolest kids movies ever created by far better than any other Blue's clues movies |
tt0051435 | The Brothers Karamazov | Book One: A Nice Little Family
The opening of the novel introduces the Karamazov family and relates the story of their distant and recent past. The details of Fyodor's two marriages as well as his indifference to the upbringing of his three children is chronicled. The narrator also establishes the widely varying personalities of the three brothers and the circumstances that have led to their return to Fyodor's town. The first book concludes by describing the mysterious religious order of Elders to which Alyosha has become devoted.
Book Two: An Inappropriate Gathering
Book Two begins as the Karamazov family arrives at the local monastery so that the Elder Zosima can act as a mediator between Dmitri and his father Fyodor in their dispute over Dmitri's inheritance. It was the father's idea apparently as a joke to have the meeting take place in such a holy place in the presence of the famous Elder. Dmitri arrives late and the gathering soon degenerates and only exacerbates the feud between Dmitri and Fyodor. This book also contains a scene in which the Elder Zosima consoles a woman mourning the death of her three-year-old son. The poor woman's grief parallels Dostoyevsky's own tragedy at the loss of his young son Alyosha.
Book Three: Sensualists
The third book provides more details of the love triangle that has erupted between Fyodor, his son Dmitri, and Grushenka. Dmitri's personality is explored in the conversation between him and Alyosha as Dmitri hides near his father's home to see if Grushenka will arrive. Later that evening, Dmitri bursts into his father's house and assaults him while threatening to come back and kill him in the future. This book also introduces Smerdyakov and his origins, as well as the story of his mother, Reeking Lizaveta. At the conclusion of this book, Alyosha is witness to Grushenka's bitter humiliation of Dmitri's betrothed Katerina, resulting in terrible embarrassment and scandal for this proud woman.
Book Four: Lacerations/Strains
This section introduces a side story which resurfaces in more detail later in the novel. It begins with Alyosha observing a group of schoolboys throwing rocks at one of their sickly peers named Ilyusha. When Alyosha admonishes the boys and tries to help, Ilyusha bites Alyosha's finger. It is later learned that Ilyusha's father, a former staff-captain named Snegiryov, was assaulted by Dmitri, who dragged him by the beard out of a bar. Alyosha soon learns of the further hardships present in the Snegiryov household and offers the former staff captain money as an apology for his brother and to help Snegiryov's ailing wife and children. After initially accepting the money with joy, Snegiryov throws the money back at Alyosha out of pride and runs back into his home.
Book Five: Pro and Contra
Here, the rationalist and nihilistic ideology that permeated Russia at this time is defended and espoused passionately by Ivan Karamazov while meeting his brother Alyosha at a restaurant. In the chapter titled "Rebellion", Ivan proclaims that he rejects the world that God has created because it is built on a foundation of suffering. In perhaps the most famous chapter in the novel, "The Grand Inquisitor", Ivan narrates to Alyosha his imagined poem that describes a leader from the Spanish Inquisition and his encounter with Jesus, Who has made His return to earth. Here, Jesus is rejected by the Inquisitor who puts Him in jail and then says,
Why hast Thou come now to hinder us? For Thou hast come to hinder us, and Thou knowest that... We are working not with Thee but with him [Satan]... We took from him what Thou didst reject with scorn, that last gift he offered Thee, showing Thee all the kingdoms of the earth. We took from him Rome and the sword of Caesar, and proclaimed ourselves sole rulers of the earth... We shall triumph and shall be Caesars, and then we shall plan the universal happiness of man.
The Grand Inquisitor says that Jesus should not have given humans the "burden" of free will. At the end of all these arguments, Jesus silently steps forward and kisses the old man on his lips. The Grand Inquisitor, stunned and moved, tells Him he must never come there again, and lets Him out. Alyosha, after hearing this story, goes to Ivan and kisses him softly, with an unexplainable emotion, on the lips. Ivan shouts with delight, because Alyosha's gesture is taken directly from his poem. The brothers then part.
Book Six: The Russian Monk
The sixth book relates the life and history of the Elder Zosima as he lies near death in his cell. Zosima explains he found his faith in his rebellious youth, in the middle of a duel, consequently deciding to become a monk. Zosima preaches people must forgive others by acknowledging their own sins and guilt before others. He explains that no sin is isolated, making everyone responsible for their neighbor's sins. Zosima represents a philosophy that responds to Ivan's, which had challenged God's creation in the previous book.
Book Seven: Alyosha
The book begins immediately following the death of Zosima. It is a commonly held perception in the town, and the monastery as well, that true holy men's bodies are incorrupt, i.e., they do not succumb to putrefaction. Thus, the expectation concerning the Elder Zosima is that his deceased body will not decompose. It comes as a great shock to the entire town that Zosima's body not only decays, but begins the process almost immediately following his death. Within the first day, the smell of Zosima's body is already unbearable. For many this calls into question their previous respect and admiration for Zosima. Alyosha is particularly devastated by the sullying of Zosima's name due to nothing more than the corruption of his dead body. One of Alyosha's companions in the monastery named Rakitin uses Alyosha's vulnerability to set up a meeting between him and Grushenka. However, instead of Alyosha becoming corrupted, he is able to earn fresh faith and hope from Grushenka, while Grushenka's troubled mind begins the path of spiritual redemption through his influence: they become close friends. The book ends with the spiritual regeneration of Alyosha as he embraces, kisses the earth outside the monastery (echoing, perhaps, Zosima's last earthly act before his death) and cries convulsively until finally going back out into the world, as Zosima instructed, renewed.
Book Eight: Mitya
This section deals primarily with Dmitri's wild and distraught pursuit of money so he can run away with Grushenka. Dmitri owes money to his fiancée Katerina and will believe himself to be a thief if he does not find the money to pay her back before embarking on his quest for Grushenka. This mad dash for money takes Dmitri from Grushenka's benefactor to a neighboring town on a fabricated promise of a business deal. All the while Dmitri is petrified that Grushenka may go to his father Fyodor and marry him because he already has the monetary means to satisfy her. When Dmitri returns from his failed dealing in the neighboring town, he escorts Grushenka to her benefactor's home, but quickly discovers she deceived him and left early. Furious, he runs to his father's home with a brass pestle in his hand, and spies on him from the window. He takes the pestle from his pocket. Then, there is a discontinuity in the action, and Dmitri is suddenly running away off his father's property, knocking the servant Gregory in the head with the pestle with seemingly fatal results.
Dmitri is next seen in a daze on the street, covered in blood, with a pile of money in his hand. He soon learns that Grushenka's former betrothed has returned and taken her to a lodge near where Dmitri just was. Upon learning this, Dmitri loads a cart full of food and wine and pays for a huge orgy to finally confront Grushenka in the presence of her old flame, intending all the while to kill himself at dawn. The "first and rightful lover", however, is a boorish Pole who cheats the party at a game of cards. When his deception is revealed, he flees, and Grushenka soon reveals to Dmitri that she really is in love with him. The party rages on, and just as Dmitri and Grushenka are making plans to marry, the police enter the lodge and inform Dmitri that he is under arrest for the murder of his father.
Book Nine: The Preliminary Investigation
Book Nine introduces the details of Fyodor's murder and describes the interrogation of Dmitri as he is questioned for the crime he maintains he did not commit. The alleged motive for the crime is robbery. Dmitri was known to have been completely destitute earlier that evening, but is suddenly seen on the street with thousands of rubles shortly after his father's murder. Meanwhile, the three thousand rubles that Fyodor Karamazov had set aside for Grushenka has disappeared. Dmitri explains that the money he spent that evening came from three thousand rubles Katerina gave him to send to her sister. He spent half that at his first meeting with Grushenka—another drunken orgy—and sewed up the rest in a cloth, intending to give it back to Katerina in the name of honor, he says. The lawyers are not convinced by this. All of the evidence points against Dmitri; the only other person in the house at the time of the murder was Smerdyakov, who was incapacitated due to an epileptic seizure he apparently suffered the day before. As a result of the overwhelming evidence against him, Dmitri is formally charged with the patricide and taken away to prison to await trial.
Book Ten: Boys
Boys continues the story of the schoolboys and Ilyusha last referred to in Book Four. The book begins with the introduction of the young boy Kolya Krasotkin. Kolya is a brilliant boy who proclaims his atheism, socialism, and beliefs in the ideas of Europe. He seems destined to follow in the spiritual footsteps of Ivan Karamazov; Dostoyevsky uses Kolya's beliefs especially in a conversation with Alyosha to poke fun at his Westernizer critics by putting their beliefs in what appears to be a young boy who doesn't exactly know what he is talking about. Kolya is bored with life and constantly torments his mother by putting himself in danger. As part of a prank Kolya lies between railroad tracks as a train passes over and becomes something of a legend for the feat. All the other boys look up to Kolya, especially Ilyusha. Since the narrative left Ilyusha in Book Four, his illness has progressively worsened and the doctor states that he will not recover. Kolya and Ilyusha had a falling out over Ilyusha's maltreatment of a dog: Ilyusha had fed it bread in which there was a pin on Smerdyakov's suggestion. But thanks to Alyosha's intervention the other schoolboys have gradually reconciled with Ilyusha, and Kolya soon joins them at his bedside. It is here that Kolya first meets Alyosha and begins to reassess his nihilist beliefs.
Book Eleven: Brother Ivan Fyodorovich
Book Eleven chronicles Ivan Karamazov's destructive influence on those around him and his descent into madness. It is in this book that Ivan meets three times with Smerdyakov, the final meeting culminating in Smerdyakov's dramatic confession that he had faked the fit, murdered Fyodor Karamazov, and stolen the money, which he presents to Ivan. Smerdyakov expresses disbelief at Ivan's professed ignorance and surprise. Smerdyakov claims that Ivan was complicit in the murder by telling Smerdyakov when he would be leaving Fyodor's house, and more importantly by instilling in Smerdyakov the belief that in a world without God "everything is permitted." The book ends with Ivan having a hallucination in which he is visited by the devil, who torments Ivan by mocking his beliefs. Alyosha finds Ivan raving and informs him that Smerdyakov killed himself shortly after their final meeting.
Book Twelve: A Judicial Error
This book details the trial of Dmitri Karamazov for the murder of his father Fyodor. The courtroom drama is sharply satirized by Dostoyevsky. The men in the crowd are presented as resentful and spiteful, and the women are irrationally drawn to the romanticism of Dmitri's love triangle with Katerina and Grushenka. Ivan's madness takes its final hold over him and he is carried away from the courtroom after recounting his final meeting with Smerdyakov and the aforementioned confession. The turning point in the trial is Katerina's damning testimony against Dmitri. Impassioned by Ivan's illness which she believes is a result of her assumed love for Dmitri, she produces a letter drunkenly written by Dmitri saying that he would kill Fyodor. The section concludes with the impassioned closing remarks of the prosecutor and the defense, and the verdict that Dmitri is guilty.
Epilogue
The final section opens with discussion of a plan developed for Dmitri's escape from his sentence of twenty years of hard labor in Siberia. The plan is never fully described, but it seems to involve Ivan and Katerina bribing some guards. Alyosha approves, first, because Dmitri is not emotionally ready to submit to such a harsh sentence, secondly, because he is innocent, and, third, because no guards or officers would suffer for aiding the escape. Dmitri and Grushenka plan to escape to America and work the land there for several years, and then to return to Russia under assumed American names, because they both cannot imagine living without Russia. Dmitri begs for Katerina to visit him in the hospital, where he is recovering from an illness before he is due to be taken away. When she does, Dmitri apologizes for having hurt her; she in turn apologizes for bringing up the implicating letter during the trial. They agree to love each other for that one moment, and say they will love each other forever, even though both now love other people. The novel concludes at Ilyusha's funeral, where Ilyusha's schoolboy friends listen to Alyosha's "Speech by the Stone". Alyosha promises to remember Kolya, Ilyusha, and all the boys and keep them close in his heart, even though he will have to leave them and may not see them again until many years have passed. He implores them to love each other and to always remember Ilyusha, and to keep his memory alive in their hearts, and to remember this moment at the stone when they were all together and they all loved each other. Alyosha then recounts the Christian promise that they will all be united one day after the Resurrection. In tears, the twelve boys promise Alyosha that they will keep each other in their memories forever, join hands, and return to the Snegiryov household for the funeral dinner, chanting, "Hurrah for Karamazov!" | murder | train | wikipedia | The brothers themselves (Yul Brynner, Richard Basehart, Albert Salmi and William Shatner) turn in variable performances.
And, though I love the book and think it may be the world's great novel, I prefer the ending of the movie!
If you want to know what the book is about but a thick novel is daunting, this film tells you everything you need to know..
As happens so often with film adaptations of great novels,we have a screenplay that will focus on the events of a novel,rather than on the underlying philosophical tenets and theories that seem to be involved.Perhaps it is inevitable that this be the case.The Karamazovs are,in actuality,the fragmented aspects of the author'spersonality;a.)brutishness;b.)impulsiveness;c.)intellect;d.)spirituality;e.) depravity.(To wit;Feodor;Dimitri;Ivan;Alexis;Smerdyakov).And the real hero of the novel is Alexis.We are witnessing his growth and development as a hero against the sordid story of his family and the murder of their lustful,wicked father.It is development,particularly regarding the testing of his faith in the hard and often callous world,that marks the real journey of the story.This is minimalized in the film.I guess that this probably wouldn't have sold in 50s America.The adaptation ,given my observations,is really quite impressive.We can't fault any of the production values,efforts,and activities.And,with one exception,the cast is excellent.My one fault in this respect is with Lee J.Cobb.This outstanding character actor is much too young,virile,and attractive to portray accurately the character the author intended.Feodor Karamazov is supposed to be about 65,a physical wreck,sinister,and depraved.His physically debauched condition is intended to mirror his moral corruption.And,yet,given these attributes,he in nevertheless fascinating to women.(At least,certain kinds of women.I shudder to think what their agendas are if they find an old villain like this attractive.They must be as needy as all get-out,and viewing him through a fantasy veil that keeps out all accurate perceptions.)In my opinion,the late Donald Pleasence would have been a much more realistic choice for the part.Otherwise,given my criticism,this is a highly enjoyable film..
The optimum method for bringing a major literary work to the screen is the mini series, (though the television adaptation of Dostoyevski's "Crime and Punishment" was not to my liking.) There's no possible way a novel of the length and complexity such as "Brothers Karamazov" can be done justice to by the cinema, even given 145 minutes.This 1959 Hollywood version deserves full marks for summarizing and depicting the plot faithfully, but since so much of the essence of the book is missing one cannot help feeling the pointlessness of the entire exercise.Director Richard Brooks manages to sustain the emotion intensity of the piece, keeping the proceedings on an intimate scale, (David Lean no doubt would have blown it up to epic proportions).
The cast are largely satisfactory with Yul Brynner is at his charismatic best as Dmitri and Claire Bloom is spot on as Katya.
Iridescent Maria Schell is far too genteel for the earthy Grushenka, a part Marilyn Monroe somewhat misguidedly felt she was born to play, according to Hollywood lore.
Cobb tends towards hamming it up and an almost unrecognizably young William Shatner is a pleasant surprise as the mystically inclined Alexi.While there is some enjoyment to be gained from this movie, one can only wholeheartedly offer the recommendation read the book..
Cobb) is a wealthy tyrannical father to four grown sons and has the mistress Grushenka (Maria Schell).
The oldest Dmitri (Yul Brynner) is an officer who always fights with his father over 25k rubles left by his mother and engaged to the rich Katya (Claire Bloom) who wants to repay Dmitri for bailing out her father.
The Menottis of the first film and the Devereauxs of the second were definitely inspired by The Brothers Karamazov.The feelings for the father are the only thing that unite these four distinctly different brothers.
He's getting good competition from son Yul Brynner and it arouses some jealousy even though Brynner is engaged to a nice girl in Claire Bloom who also has a father giving both of them a run at that game.
In fact Inger Stevens and Cobb have a complicated scheme to get Brynner under their thumb through his gambling debts so he's forced to marry Bloom and start living respectively.The other brothers are unique individuals themselves.
All of the sons suffer from a lack of a strong father figure.The climax is when Cobb is murdered and Brynner is arrested for the crime.
An amalgam character of all of them would be a well adjusted man.The Brothers Karamazov got one Oscar nomination, Lee J.
Papa Karamazov is certainly the kind of role that one cannot possibly overact in and Cobb feasts on enough scenery for three films.
He lost the Oscar sweepstakes to another patriarchal portrayal that which Burl Ives did in The Big Country.After over 50 years The Brothers Karamazov holds up very well, it's a good film and a good introduction to the works of Doestoyevsky.
His four grown sons are Dimitri(Yul Brynner), an attractive, wealthy officer who is betrothed to rich Katya (Claire Bloom), the monk is named Alexi(William Shatner), a writer named Ivan (Richard Basehart) and the bastard (Albert Salmi).
Dimitri falls in love with a beautiful woman named Grishenka(Maria Schell), but she's the father's lover.
Then emerge the tensions , drama and tragedy when brothers and father struggle with their desires for the same women.One of the most interesting films based on the novels by the fascinating Russian writer Feodor Dostoevsky - Crime and punishment-.
Nice performances by all star cast , especially by Richard Bashehart, William Shatner and Lee J.
The Richard Brooks films that have the greatest impact are realized during the 50s and 60s as ¨Cat on a hot tin roof, Something of value, Elmer Gantry, Sweet bird of youth, In cold blood, Lord Jim and the Professionals¨ and of course ¨The brothers Karamazov¨ ..
Therefore, I put off seeing this film, even though most of my friends and family gushed about it whenever I watched anything with Yul Brynner on it (Anastasia, Ten Commandments).
The Brothers Karamazov was the 2nd film we watched.
But I loved it.As a fan of both Classic films and literary classics (I haven't read Brothers Karamazov, but I have read several other classics, and thoroughly enjoyed them), I know that the first is almost always 180º apart from the latter.
Brynner is at his most vulnerable here, and the actors portraying his brothers all did top-notch jobs (such a good job, in fact, that I was able to watch William Shatner -Captain Kirk to anyone remotely Trekkie- without even chuckling), as well as the leading ladies.
It's impossible to make a film based on such a book as the "Brothers Karamzov" by F.M. Dostojevsky.Richard Brooks is a great director, but that film is on a very low level.The worst part of the film was the ending.
--> NO!!!The others characters playing in a good performance as we have to expect it from such great actors ...
I think that there are not many actors who can play this part in a better way.But as I said in the beginning: This book is unadaptable.
But I just keep the opinion that this book can't be adapted.So - 3 points:A point for the great director Richard Brooks A point for a superb performance of Yul BrynnerFinally: A point for one of the greatest writers of all time: Dostojevsky.
The Brothers Karamazov has quickly become one of my favourite books, with its riveting story, interesting and thought-provoking themes and some of the most brilliant characterisation of any book (how many pieces of literature have characters this multi-dimensional?) I've ever read.
Most of the casting came off surprisingly well, but there were reservations about Maria Schell, despite her alluring appearance and her impressively played early scenes she was generally too genteel for Grushenka, a role that was in need of more earthiness and peasant-like.However, The Brothers Karamazov looks great, with lavish colour photography and an evocative re-creation of the opulent but also gritty 19th-century Russia period.
It's scored with a stirring yet also understated richness by Bronislau Kaper, and does benefit from controlled direction by Richard Brooks and a literate script that really provokes though and, even when condensed with the essence and the religious and philosophical themes missing, makes an effort to keep to Dostoevsky's tone of writing and giving the film substance.
It is not an easy job adapting a nearly 800 page book into a two-and-a-half hour film, and while not completely successful due, to feeling sometimes like highlights being present but not always to their full potential and major characters being significantly reduced (Alexei, Zosima) at the expense at focusing primarily on Dmitri, it does so laudably.
It is still mostly riveting and there wasn't much trouble following the story, with the major events depicted and structured relatively faithfully, and there is enough atmosphere, suspense, emotion and mystery to give the story some flavour.From the acting front, the film comes off surprisingly successfully considering that initially there were a couple of actors that seemed unlikely casting (i.e. William Shatner).
Richard Basehart brings many layers and nuances to Ivan, Claire Bloom is spot-on as Katya and Albert Salmi is effectively insidious as Smerdyakov.
William Shatner does suffer from a greatly reduced (in terms of how he's written) character, but surprisingly this is Shatner at his most subdued and moving, most of the time in his acting for personal tastes he's the opposite.All in all, pales in comparison to the masterpiece that is the book but it is a brave attempt.
Taking it on its own merits, which is a fairer way to judge, The Brothers Karamazov has short-comings but is a solid film overall.
In this nice and richly filmed adaptation of the great Russian Novelist,Fyodor Dostoyevsky,we get as good a rendering as Hollywood permits,given the time restraints.Lengthy works of certain novelists have to be tapered and trimmed to be watchable and affordable for a studio.One reason Proust's Remembrance of Things Past,will never be filmed,at least without true scope.Nevertheless The Brothers Karamazov is presented with a gloriously generous combination of set,costumes and individual performances that make this film a pleasant and very waychable experience.
With many Hollywood notables present,Yul Brynner being the main focus of contention among his families hierachy,competing with other siblings and mainly his strong-willed and lecherous father,who believes has cheated him out of his fair share of inheritance.So,around and around we go,as to who gets and who deserves what.Since his character is overly concerned with money and paying off previous debts,he becomes obsessed with what should be rightfully his ,from within his apparent wealthy and contented family.
Cobb plays the overly predisposed and unforgiving father ,who is more than willing to sell his one son short and also teach a lesson,at same time.In fact,he is also obsessed to achieve this calling in life.
Maria Schell plays a love interest who both steals the heart of both son and father and is seemingly content to play the field,being both her job{she mingles with guests at inn},and also her fancy,of sorts.She uses her trademark Angelic big grin-smile way too much,but it pays off in end.She didn't make many movies,as she and her brother Maximilian,tended to be very fussy about parts they would play.She does,however smile that big Maria german smile with an afforded proudness.
What's really nice about this film is the production value and its effect upon the big screen.The abstract and intensified use of color and lighting are almost perfect.The smoke-filled rooms and intricate makeup of the inside of rooms are both comforting and reassuring to the senses,knowing what bleak and cold lay outside their doors.With an almost gypsy atmosphere of drinking and gayiety,mandolin and prussian dance being played upon with fervor and flight,we are taken into the world of another time and place both distant and yet welcoming.Whether or not the snow flakes are real,the sets on real turf,or the story as true to greatness as Fyodor would have it is secondary.The important thing is ,that here lies a movie that tells a great story with good characters,and mood of surroundings,that both complement and make real enought the gist of overall intent.The main themes of love,honor and obedience,betrayal and surrender are all addressed with an application of care and concern to original story .The Bothered and bewitched elements are for viewer and yours truly to contemplate.since I have I duly credit this movie a 4 out of 5 star or 8/10 for really nice filming of fatherly love gone south for the winter.Dig Daddio's..
I thought prob like most, oh no what is Shatchtner doing here, this is a classic Russian novel type thing, and Big Shatz well, his oriented out of what?
Doctor Zhivago, in comparison, is a turgid, sentimental nostalgia-fest.Yul Brynner owns this movie about 3 and a half brothers bullied and manipulated by their father - Lee J Cobb, who not only chews the scenery, he has it with vodka chasers.
Maria Schell's grin starts to make your own face ache, but at least she's a real character, as is Claire Bloom, who turns out to be the real b*tch.More gypsies!
Even the angelic-looking 1958 William Shatner, as the brother with spiritual leanings, manages to avoid rolling his eyes too much.A film to watch with plenty of booze to hand..
The Brothers Karamazov is a beautiful film with a solid script taking the most important parts of Dostoevsky's novel from the page to the screen.
Maria Schell & & Yul Vrynner are the most appealing, followed by Richard Basehart.
Cobb is a rather annoying character (although generally I like Lee J.
Admirable effort to squeeze one of the greatest novels of all time into a film..
The admirable effort to squeeze one of the greatest novels of all time into a film has resulted in a controversial masterpiece of intensity, and Dostoievsky would have liked it.
Yul Brunner as Dimitri, Claire Bloom as Katia, Richard Baseheart as Ivan, William Shatner as Alyosha and Albert Salmi as a perfectly loathsome Smerdyakov are all perfect in their performances leaving nothing out, the music is perfectly fitted into the constantly changing and dramatic moods of ever increasing tension, but the greatest credit goes to the writer/director Richard Brooks, who has succeeded with the impossible, to give one of the most complex and polyphonic novels a digestible cinematic form.
I saw this film some 40 years ago and have never been able to forget the performances of Maria Schell and Lee J.
It is very interesting to compare this film version with the Russian complete screen adaptation of 2008, which will be reviewed later.
I was reading The Brothers Karamazov when this movie came on TCM.
It looks like we are in backwoods 19th century Russia, but, at the same time, it is hardly impressive.Lee Cobb makes a caricature in the book into a real person.
Maria Schell plays a character who is supposed to have an infectious smile, but she smiles so much in the movie that it seems like a psychiatric condition.
Without the book's long back stories the characters have no depth in this movie and their motivations can be bewildering..
Richard Brooks was a talented and versatile director, well-versed especially in adapting literary works, concerning this I loved his movies based on Tennessee Williams' works and the movie adaptation of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" but this time he totally missed the point about the story.
On the other hand I can understand why they didn't include that kind of passages in the movie, due to their verbosity I think, however The Brothers Karamazov is a verbose novel, it's an inescapable aspect which makes this novel sublime, The Brothers Karamazov is mainly a philosophical and psychological work, let it be clear, it'a a lot of things, it's a crime story, it's a love story, it's a legal thriller, but all that is absolutely marginal compared to the depth and the authenticity of the characters, it's an amazing study of human nature, well this authenticity and this depth were totally lost in the movie; the characters turn out to be stereotyped and melodramatic, except the father played by Lee J.
Richard Basehart, who played Ivan, was definitely too old for the role, Ivan is 24 years old whereas Basehart was 44 when the movie was filmed, he looked clearly older than Yul Brynner who was supposed to be the elder brother, even if the actual age of the actors is not so important it's necessary to keep a consistency with the original characters in my opinion.
In short I consider this adaptation a sort of "The Brothers Karamazov" for dummies, in the sense that it was totally deprived of its "cerebral" content, what remains of this monumental masterpiece is the umpteenth Hollywood's melodrama with the classic "and lived happily ever after" ending (which was totally overturned compared to the book's) in Douglas Sirk style.
I was not expecting to like this movie...I usually don't care for movies that are 2 1/2 hours long and are based on a classic Russian novel.
William Shatner (in his earliest starring role) is fun to watch because every so often one can see Captain Kirk in him.
The story of greed, living life to its fullest, deception, and shame drives the story along at a good pace.The film probably does not follow the book closely (as most Hollywood production tend to change things around), however, this film stands alone as a powerful movie, regardless of how little it followed the book..
The first time I saw this film, I hadn't even read the book, which I've since read many times and tend to think is one of the world's greatest novels.
He is impersonated, with no pretensions whatever, by a young actor named William Shatner, who, it is safe to guess, will have no truck with the teen-age trade.To sum up: It may not be perfect Dostoveski, but as a film - a definite must.. |
tt0172052 | Sabrina, the Animated Series | Sabrina Fairchild is the young daughter of the Larrabee family's chauffeur, Thomas, and has been in love with David Larrabee all her life. David is a playboy, constantly falling in love, yet he has never noticed Sabrina, much to her dismay.
Sabrina travels to Paris for a fashion internship at Vogue (rather than a culinary course as in the original film) and returns as an attractive, sophisticated woman. David, after initially not recognizing her, is quickly drawn to her despite being newly engaged to Elizabeth Tyson, a doctor.
David's workaholic older brother Linus fears that David's imminent wedding to the very suitable Elizabeth might be endangered. If the wedding were to be canceled, so would a lucrative merger with the bride's family business, Tyson Electronics, run by her father Patrick. This could cost the Larrabee Corporation, run by Linus and his mother Maude, in the neighborhood of a billion dollars.
Linus tries to redirect Sabrina's affections to himself and it works. Sabrina falls in love with him, even though she quotes others as calling Linus "the world's only living heart donor" and someone who "thinks that morals are paintings on walls and scruples are money in Russia."
In the process, Linus also falls in love with her. Unwilling to admit his feelings, Linus confesses his scheme to Sabrina at the last minute and sends her back to Paris. Before she gets on the plane to Paris, her father informs her that during the years of driving the father of David and Linus, he listened. When Mr. Larrabee sold, he sold and when Mr. Larrabee bought, he bought. Sabrina jokingly says "So you are telling me that you have a million dollars?" Her father says no, he has two and a quarter million dollars and that her mother would want her to have it.
Meanwhile, Linus realizes his true feelings for Sabrina, and is induced to follow her to Paris by chiding from his mother and an unexpectedly adult and responsible David, who steps into his shoes at the Larrabee Corporation. Linus arrives in Paris and reunites with Sabrina, revealing his love to her and kissing her. | paranormal, psychedelic | train | wikipedia | I've never understood why this show is so widely disliked..
As a devoted rec.arts.animation reader, I don't believe I've ever read a single positive comment about "Sabrina: The Animated Series".
Although being 21 and watching a series about a junior high schooler with magic powers is a bit embarassing to admit, "Sabrina" is one of the few animated series I watch regularly and the only series that doesn't center around action/adventure.
Despite a tremendous number of episodes that have been written -- 65 episodes as I write this, and presumably still more are in production -- the show is and consistent in quality and avoids being overly repetitive, despite somewhat frequent recycling of plots.
It's one of just a few cartoons that has made me laugh out loud.
Although the animation is a little on the simple side, the style reflects the light, fun energy of the writing.
I would hardly consider it to be the best animated series currently on the air, but I find "Sabrina" to be quite entertaining.
It clearly seems to be geared towards upper elementary/early junior high students.
Younger children probably won't find it very appealing, but aside from the junior set, "Sabrina" comes recommended..
A Cute And Good Series.
"Sabrina The Animated Series" really wasn't that bad.
I was always a fan of "Sabrina The Teenage Witch" and I was excited when this show premiered.
I watched it the first day it aired and found the series to be really cute.
I liked the fact that Sabrina was 12, the same age as me at the time.
I also liked how Aunt Hilda and Zelda were younger.
They were cooler.
Salem was hysterical like how he was in the sitcom.My favorite episodes were"Send in the Clones", "WorkingWitches", "Witch Switch "and "Brina Baby".
These episodes were great.
My favorite characters were Salem and Harvey(he was so cute)!I liked this series and was glad that it wasn't exactly like the sitcom.
Otherwise it would have been really boring having two shows EXACTLY THE SAME!
"Sabrina The Animated Series" deserves 9/10 stars!.
Good Show.
Sabrina the Animated Series is a good show even though it strays from the Sabrina, The Teenage Witch sitcom & comic.
The characters are different in the cartoon.
Sabrina is much younger.
Zelda & Hilda are also much younger & hipper than the sitcom.
Salem is the best & Salem is still as funny as he is in the sitcom.The voice are also different.
Emily Hart is the voice of Sabrina.
Melissa Joan Hart does the voices of Zelda & Hilda.
Nick Bakay does the voice of Salem (Nick Bakay does the voice of Salem on Sabrina, The Teenage Witch).The show is different but it is also good.
My favorite episode is the Driver ED episode.
IMO, the reason why people don't like this show is because people expected it to be just Sabrina, The Teenage Witch..
It's not that bad..
I actually watched this show when I was little and really enjoyed it.
It was one of my favorite shows.
Everyone who hates it, hates it just because it isn't the same as the sitcom.
Well, it isn't based on the sitcom; it's based on the comic.
Plus, what point was there of having exactly the same show, only animated?
Of course it had to be different.
Also, it was meant for a younger demographic, so of course it was going to be sugar coated and the characters were going to be younger.
I feel that instead of comparing the two, just focus on the actual show you are reviewing.
I know the show isn't perfect.
I know that the storyline was repeated, but most cartoons(even classics like Scooby Doo) did the same thing.
I know the animation isn't top notch, but not many animated TV shows at the time were.
I personally was never bothered by the animation.
Trust me, there are worse examples of animation.
I would judge the animation in this show to be about average.
I know it was educational, but I don't see the harm in that.
What's so bad about educational shows?
If a kid could be entertained and educated, I don't see what's wrong with that.
I know the characters are bland and stereotypical.
But in the end, it is a fun show to watch for kids.
I loved this show as a kid.
I watched it every Saturday morning.
I even watch it every now and then for nostalgia reasons.
While I can see why people can dislike this show, I don't see any reason to HATE it.
It's an okay show that I personally enjoyed and still enjoy watching..
A cute version of the series....
I've seen that some people complained about the 'reality' of the show as compared to the series, but you really can't compare them.
This version shows a younger Sabrina (voiced by Melissa Joan Hart's sister), 2 younger/sexier versions of her aunts (both voiced by Melissa Joan Hart), and an Uncle Quigley.
Of course Salem is there, but now he's more hip and can use his magic powers.
In this version, we see a younger more carefree Sabrina, in early highschool, which is geared towards a younger Disney audience.
Even the 'villain' has changed.
Where 'real' Sabrina fights with Libby, 'cartoon' Sabrina tussles with Gem Stone (wealthy, snobby, obnoxious).
This animated series is hysterical...
Salem is just as funny as the series, Sabrina gets into an all new kind of trouble, and the younger aunts are sexier and also getting into trouble.
Uncle Quigley adds to the fun by trying to control the unruly witches as well.
Also included, for the benefit of the younger audience, is Sabrina's friend Chloe who also knows that shes a witch...
I mean, HEY, what little girl can keep a secret ?!
LOL.
It's Cute.
I like the show.
It's kinda cute.
Kids love it, and I think that is the most important thing.
Sure the animation isn't all that great, but it a very colorful show, and very creative.
I know, at least, my daughter loves it.
It is not based on the live action tv series.
It is based on the actual comic book.
Considering the fact that the tv show is NOTHING like the comic, I like the cartoon much better.I know this is short but the main reason I wrote it was to say that I really like this show and to point out the irony of a person calling the characters imbeciles while being unable to spell it.
Inferior prequel show but not that bad.
The original 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' show was a favourite as a child and, despite a couple of issues with the college seasons, still is a lot of immensely likable fun with memorable characters and its fair share of wit, charm and magic.'Sabrina: The Animated Series' is a prequel show, with the characters as their younger selves, but animated in alternative to live-action and in sitcom format like 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'.
Of the two shows, to me there is no doubt as to which is the better one but there are other near-widely disliked shows like 'Trollz, 'Bratz' and the worst of Cartoon Network ('Johnny Test', 'Problem Solverz' and 'Uncle Grandpa') and Nickelodeon ('Chalkzone', 'Fanboy and Chum Chum' and 'Breadwinners') that deserve that distinction far more.Yes, 'Sabrina: The Animated Series' could have been better.
'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' does have much more wit and magic, while the stories and writing could have done with more variety and imagination (there's magic here but rarely done in an extraordinary way), tending to be somewhat on the basic, safe and formulaic side.Likewise, some of the side characters could have been developed more than just typical archetypes, particularly bland and slightly dumb Harvey and even worse Gem who is an obnoxious brat and snob, both done to overkill effect.
Some of the character designs lack finesse a little.However, 'Sabrina: The Animated Series' mostly looks bright and colourful while having some nice detail.
It's not the most refined of animation, but there are a huge amount of films and shows that are animated far worse.
The music is dynamic and catchy, not as generic sounding as it could have been.Despite the lack of originality and variety, and not being as witty and magical as before, the writing has fun, charm and heart with some nice humour and amiability, with the stories being neat, cohesive and lively in pace.
It also does a much better job than 'Trollz' and 'Bratz' at incorporating values, even though familiar they make their mark without beating the viewer around the head and are easy to identify with, and relevant everyday topics, also familiar but done with a lot more upbeat positivity and in a way that is cute without being sugar-coated.While not all the characters work, others do and what clichés/archetypes there are are actually done in an honest and positive way, where one won't question or be offended by what the episodes are trying to say, no dubious messaging here.
Sabrina has her faults, which stops her from being a too perfect character, but is a likable enough lead character and a far healthier role model than any of the characters from 'Bratz' for example.
Of the other characters, the best is Salem, the funniest, wisest, most endearing and most interesting, with cool Aunt Zelda and amusing Uncle Quigley close behind.
The voice acting is pretty good, Emily Hart does as good a job as her sister Melissa while the best voiced character overall is Salem.Overall, nowhere near as good as 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' but to me it's better than given credit for.
6/10 Bethany Cox. Stick with the sitcom instead of this poorly animated junk!!!.
If you love the TV sitcom, you will hate the series!!The animation is pathetic!It is the same animation as Disney's "One Hundred and One Dalmations"(another movie turned into a dialy cartoon series.
But if you have to watch fine, be warned!It is candy coated and very stupid!!But if you like their style that they animated it in !!Watch it !!I have only watch it once or twice after work and do not rate it as one of my favorite animated TV series, Even "Beast War: Transformers" is better animated than stuff!!My advice to anyone even thinking about watching this to stick with the sitcim instead,(at least they are real people !)So remember,animated series do not watch!!The sitcom watch it !!!.
Could it get worse?.
I strongly disliked this cartoon.
I would see it once or twice in the mornings, where I caught tons of errors between the cartoon and the base movie and television series.
The animation is smooth, but the plot is much worse than the weekly show's.
It was almost as bad as its build-up made it seem.
Basically, this is not recommended, and in many fortunate places, is no longer aired..
Absolutely Ridiculous!.
I watched this cartoon one time when I was babysitting my niece and nephew.
And I must say it's the worst new cartoon that's out now.
The sitcom with Melissa Joan Hart is popular with the kids, but compared to this cartoon prequel I'd say I prefer the sitcom!
The animation is cheap, the characters are shallow.Also seeing these characters go through what teenagers would normally go through is what also turned me off about this cartoon, and in this show, they're supposed to be pre-teens!
And pre-teens don't even act like teenagers yet!
Hasn't that 'teen-girl with powers' plot been used enough?
Also, the characters this show has: we have a rich-girl rival who's mean to Sabrina, apparently for no good reason.
And we have Harvey acting like some surfer dude, and he too has a best friend!
Coincedence?My niece and nephew didn't like this cartoon either, they like the sitcom, though.
They decided to stick with Pokemon!
After that, I have never watched this cartoon again.
A big disapointing excuse for children's entertainment..
All spit at what's possibly the worst show ever.
This s**t is possibly the worst show I've ever seen.
There is the title character Sabrina, the teenage witch from what was the then-popular ABC TV show "Sabrina the Teenage Witch".
However, the Sabrina from this show is completely different from the Sabrina that everybody loved at the time (cartoon Sabrina seems younger than the "...Teenage Witch" Sabrina [in fact, Melissa Joan Hart's little sister plays the title role in this show, while Melissa plays Aunts Hilda and Zelda]).
All the people that came from the actual show are older compared to the people from the cartoon.
Hilda and Zelda are adults compared to the teenage hippies the Aunts are in the cartoon.
There's no Uncle Quigly, Pi (who's an annoying moron who is obsessed with the supernatural and believes that there are aliens), or Jem (who's a mean, spoiled brat who rubs it in at everybody's faces) in the actual show.
I don't like the voices for Pi or Jem (they're too dark).
The animation and writing sucks (Hey!
Whaddya expect from DiC, of whom I heard ruined "Sailor Moon" when it came to America).
That show, in my opinion, was the point when the actual "Sabrina" series became obscure.
I even stopped watching "Sabrina" as it was on its last legs.
Good thing the show is gone, but I don't like the reason why (because of Disney's controversial "65-episode-limit" where every show from Disney, regardless of whether it sucks or it's popular, gets off the air after exactly 65 episodes [enough episodes for a show to be internationally syndicated]).
I give this show no stars.
In the immortal words of S.H. Panda from South Park: "That makes me a saaaaaaad panda".
This show's a joke..
I hate this show so much!
It's so stupid, and inaccurate!
Why is Sabrina in Junior High in this cartoon, and her aunts are witches dressed a hippies?!
Her aunts are adults on the sitcom, but they looked like they came out of the 60's or something in this cartoon!
Plus a lot of the characters on this show aren't even on the sitcom either!
All in all, this show is utter crap, and I for one, am glad it got canned!.
"just adore me for now" i don't think so.
This little show is obviously some stupid little prequel/spin off of the original series.Compared to the live action series this show is utter crap.
The live action show had intelligent jokes and story lines.
While the animated series is basically a toned down bittersweet version for younger viewers to digest but i think maybe kids deteste this crap.The storyline in every episode is basically just Sabrina has some stupid and pointless dillemma and she uses magic to fix it.
Thats basiclly the idea every episode.
The most bizarre episode was when Sabrina uses magic to become Gem and Gem to become Sabrina.
So then Gem becomes a witch and hypnotizes harvery to become her slave.
This then leads to a bizarre yet rather interesting scene were Gem says "just adore me for now" and harvey get down on his hands and knees and starts kissing her feet like shes a god.
(which is quite right since he's her mind control slave) But this stupid spin-off is not worth the time or the effort. |
tt0166120 | El Che | === Part 1: The Argentine ===
In Havana 1964, Che Guevara is interviewed by Lisa Howard who asks him if reform throughout Latin America might not blunt the "message of the Cuban Revolution."
In 1955, at a gathering in Mexico City, Guevara first meets Fidel Castro. He listens to Castro’s plans and signs on as a member of the July 26th Movement.
There is a return to 1964 for Guevara’s address before the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, where he makes an impassioned speech against American imperialism, and defends the executions his regime has committed, declaring "this is a battle to the death."
March 1957. Guevara deals with debilitating bouts of asthma as his group of revolutionaries meet up with Castro’s. Together, they attack an army barracks in the Sierra Maestra on May 28, 1957.
On October 15, 1958, the guerrillas approach the town of Las Villas. The Battle of Santa Clara is depicted with Guevara demonstrating his tactical skill as the guerrillas engage in street-to-street fighting and derail a train carrying Cuban soldiers and armaments. Near the film‘s end, they are victorious. With the Cuban Revolution now over, Guevara heads to Havana, remarking "we won the war, the revolution starts now."
=== Part 2: Guerrilla ===
The second part begins on November 3, 1966 with Guevara arriving in Bolivia disguised as a middle-aged representative of the Organization of American States hailing from Uruguay, who subsequently drives into the mountains to meet his men. The film is organized by the number of days that he was in the country. On Day 26, there is solidarity among Guevara's men despite his status as foreigner. By Day 67, Guevara has been set up for betrayal. He tries to recruit some peasants only to be mistaken for a cocaine smuggler. On Day 100, there is a shortage of food and Guevara exercises discipline to resolve conflicts between his Cuban and Bolivian followers.
By Day 113, some of the guerrillas have deserted and the Bolivian Army has discovered their base camp. Much to Che's disappointment Tamara "Tania" Bunke, Guevara's revolutionary contact, has botched elaborate preparations and given away their identity. On Day 141, the guerrillas capture Bolivian soldiers that refuse to join the revolution and are free to return to their villages. CIA advisers arrive to supervise anti-insurgent activity and training. On Day 169, Guevara's visiting friend, the French intellectual Régis Debray, is captured at Muyupampa by the Bolivian Army, which launches an aerial attack on Day 219.
Guevara grows sick and by Day 280 can barely breathe as a result of his acute asthma. On Day 302, the Bolivian Army kills Tania Bunke, Juan Acuña Ñunez, and several others in Che's forces in an ambush as they attempt to cross the Vado del Yeso after a local informant tells the Bolivian troops about the movements of the rebels. By Day 340, Guevara is trapped by the Bolivian Army in the Yuro Ravine near the village of La Higuera. Che is wounded and captured. The next day, a helicopter lands and a Cuban American CIA agent Félix Rodríguez emerges. The Bolivian high command are then phoned and give approval for Guevara's execution. He is shot on 9 October 1967, and his corpse lashed to a helicopter's landing skids and flown out.
In a final flashback scene, Guevara is aboard the Granma in 1956, looking out over the ocean. He sees the Castro brothers alone at the bow of the ship; Fidel is talking and Raúl is taking notes. Guevara hands a peeled orange to one of his comrades and returns his gaze to the lone brothers before the scene fades to black. | murder | train | wikipedia | Fascinating documentary on Guevara. There are some remarkable scenes of Guevara's youth in Argentina, as well as much footage of the early days in Cuba, circa 1955-59. The interviews with those who knew him are fascinating, particularly the ones with one of his old comrades in arms.I'll bet that Castro breathed an immense sigh of relief when he heard that Che had died in Bolivia; here was a galvanic, talented yet completely reckless and undisciplined man finally out of his (Castro's) hair. Che had been playing the charming Trotsky to Fidel's Lenin for too long.. An Informative Portrait of the Enigmatic Revolutionary. I was surprised to see just two other brief comments about this informative documentary, a moving tribute to an enigmatic individual, Ernesto "Che" Guevara de la Serna. The point of view expressed is pointedly leftist and pro-Guevara, and the handsome, smiling, charismatic revolutionary is romanticized without apology. Accepting this perspective, one can better appreciate the strengths of the film. Eschewing the safe, presumably rewarding life of a doctor, Guevara opted instead to become a writer, philosopher, and revolutionary, hoping to overturn the poverty, hunger, and political repression that as an intelligent and idealistic young man, he witnessed all over South America, where the corrupt elite through authoritarian control routinely enslaved and oppressed their fellows in order to secure their own comforts and pursuit of luxury. Aside from Guevara's legendary participation in the Cuban Revolution that ensconced Fidel Castro firmly in power, he apparently played a notable role in such important historical events as the Cuban Missile Crisis of October, 1962, where he allegedly hoped for Cuban control of the missiles in order to launch a few of them at American cities. I hadn't realized that Guevara was born into an upper middle-class, Argentine family, nor that he was a lifelong asthmatic who became a medical student and a doctor, which played a significant role in his development. His background appears to be at odds with his reputed casual attitude toward personal hygiene. An important aspect of his personality, I think, is that he seemed driven to seek personal freedom, which was exemplified by his motorcycle journey through South America. I would surmise that this trait caused him ultimately to reject any routine or situation that hemmed him in, however promising and productive it may have been, including the typically interesting but conventional life of a doctor, the responsibilities imposed by his marriages and children, and even his role as a powerful government minister once Castro's band of revolutionaries became the established authority in Cuba. It probably also included his failed efforts to instigate revolution in the Congo and in Bolivia. In my opinion, the film might have explored more thoroughly what prompted Che's transformation from committed idealist to ruthless revolutionary and then powerful government bureaucrat. We see the medical student, the young adventurer, the political ideologue, the mountain guerrilla, and then a new character emerges that seems to have thoroughly eclipsed the old one -- the stern government minister who oversees the trials and summary executions of hundreds of Cubans from the Batista regime, and in the aftermath of the bloody purge, easily slips into the role of Fidel's right hand man. Elsewhere, it has been alleged that this change did not come overnight and that he also showed little mercy toward enemy combatants and supposed "informants and traitors" while fighting in the Sierra Maestra. Nevertheless, the difference in appearance between the severely barbered Castro and Guevara as a young lawyer and a young medical student, respectively, and their wildly whiskered appearance as guerrillas and political leaders, is interesting and also prompts speculation as to its specific genesis, other than the obvious effects of roughing it in primitive conditions. I noted in Castro's young, clean-shaven face something of the self-rationalizing, bullying aspect that becomes more evident in time, even when obscured by his beard. Che is more the handsome, intelligent, good-humored idealist who has not fully taken the measure of his compatriot, Fidel, while Castro appears more pragmatic, selfish, and calculating, an ambitious individual determined to retain control of the developing situation, come what may. This may help to explain Guevara's apparent early success as a political leader, followed all too soon by his effective banishment from the levers of power and his return to the bush as a recommitted revolutionary, a development that soon led to his untimely end.After his brief round of globe-trotting diplomacy capped by his public criticism of encroaching Soviet influence in Cuba, then his failure to foment revolution in central Africa, other sources confirm that the Russians (under Breshnev) wanted Che stymied and neutralized and instructed their clients in Bolivia not to aid him. Meanwhile, the Americans (under LBJ) directed the CIA and the Green Berets to train a hand-picked Bolivian brigade to hunt him down and destroy his rag-tag guerrilla force. Apparently, Fidel did little to help him, despite later denials of a developing rift, and may have secretly hoped he would be killed. The issue of Guevara's capture and subsequent execution are adequately covered but not explored in detail, and the footage of his body on display is instructive. Although such subject matter is more often gruesome and off-putting, in this film there is little of it except in this instance, where its inclusion is important to the story. One bears witness to the uniformed reactionaries who through the chain of command quickly carried out his death sentence, and the way they so easily excused themselves from what they had done, while something about Guevara, himself, eerily emerges as the photographer dispassionately examined his corpse from several angles. Clearly, he was dead, but he looked almost alive, like Christ following his crucifixion. One well may wonder if these pictures contributed to the local legend (in central Bolivia, where he was killed) that he was some sort of modern day, Latin American Christ. This footage is backed by the lilting lament of pan pipes and is the film's most poignant moment. The narrator then mentions that his body was mutilated and somehow disposed of. Other sources state that his hands were amputated, ostensibly for purposes of identification, as if his finger prints would be inadequate, and that his body was buried near a remote air strip. In the late nineties, his remains were recovered and transferred to a memorial at Santa Clara, Cuba, the city he liberated from Batista, prompting the old dictator to flee the island.. This is a fiction. This is a fiction, all three reviews so far refer to the title El Che, Ernesto Guevara, enquête sur un homme de légende (1997), which is a documentary.
This is a fictional movie about the life of Che in Bolivia, since arriving there up until his death. It's not a great movie, but it's watchable.. Good documented. Good documented film about Chegevara (this is not a fiction !). Don't scare if you don't know the story of Cuba, everything is (good) narrated. Only a few critics: - the way Chegevara was seen from outside (especially in Europe) is not really explained (excepted how he as seen by French communists) - nothing about the famous picture of him - the end of El Che (in Chili) in too long and not very (historically) interesting |
tt0433771 | Aloha, Scooby-Doo! | The gang travels to Hawaii on a free trip from a surfing company called "Goha Aloha". The company wants Daphne to design some new swimwear for them. The gang also goes there to see the Big Kahuna of Hanahuna Surfing Contest. However, the contest used to only be open for the natives and not for mainlanders, but now the mayor has made it open for everybody. Many locals are angry because of this, especially Manu Tuiama, a beefcake local surfer, and his friend, Little Jim. Just a few days before the contest, the demons of the evil Wiki-Tiki spirit attacked the village and kidnapped Snookie, Manu's beautiful girlfriend. This drives away most of the tourists and surfers, and the locals believe the spirit is angry that the surfing contest is open to anybody, and also that a new resort, Coconut Beach Condominiums, is being built on supposedly sacred ground by local real estate agent Ruben Laluna. When the gang meets Jared Moon, a representative from the Goha Aloha-company in Hanahuna, he's selling tiki charms that are supposed to ward off evil demons. The mayor refuses to postpone the contest, even after the Tiki demons attack again at a feast.
The gang wants to get to the bottom of the mystery, and go to Auntie Mahina, a local shawoman who lives deep in the jungle. On the way there, Manu seemingly gets kidnapped by the Wiki-Tiki. Auntie Mahina tells them the Wiki-Tiki is angry at the mainlanders; the surfing contest is hinted by her to be a Hawaiian ritual and that the winner has to be of Hawaiian descent. She says they need to go to the cave where the monster lives to get rid of it, or Snookie and Manu will be sacrificed in the volcano. She also gives Fred a necklace which should keep the monster away. The necklace is filled with an extract from a sacred root called bola gawana, which she claims that the ancients used to repel away evil spirits. The gang goes to the cave, and get chased by bats and the little demons, until they lose them and find Snookie, who tries to lead them out before getting recaptured by the Wiki-Tiki.
The gang then find themselves in a snake pit cave, but are able to get out of it because of music by Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. Then they find that the Wiki-Tiki is not really an evil spirit after all. They find the demons are just robots and the cave they are in is inside the volcano on the island. They also see the surfboard the Wiki-Tiki is using is a Goha Aloha-brand surfboard. Back at the island, it is only one day until the contest, and the locals are really scared something bad will happen. Little Jim blames the mayor for Snookie and Manu's disappearances, and says that whatever happens during the contest will be her fault as well.
The following day, Daphne enters the contest in hopes of capturing the Wiki-Tiki, whom they are sure will show up. Sure enough, it comes and scares the surfers and chases Shaggy and Scooby, until it was washed up by a wave. The gang unmasks the Wiki-Tiki, and find it to be Manu, who wanted to scare off both the locals and the tourists so he and Snookie (whose real name is revealed to be Pamela Waeawa) could buy up all (or at least most) of the real estate on the island and then sell it back to the original owners at a big profit. Velma also says that Snookie's an expert in rocket science and robotics, and created the "demons". Scooby wins the contest for the way he and Shaggy surfed while battling Manu. Manu expresses his shock and anger at losing the surfing contest to a dog as he and Snookie are arrested and taken to jail.
Later that night, the gang plus the mayor, Little Jim, Jared Moon, Ruben Laluna and Auntie Mahina enjoy a big luau at the hotel the gang was staying at—during which Laluna informs them that the property bought up by Manu and Snookie will be returned to the original owners and Jared Moon tells Daphne that the Goha Aloha-company loved her designs and wants to buy them (he also gives her a free tiki charm). After Auntie Mahina thanks the gang for what they did, the mini-tikis come to the party and advance—but, instead of attacking people, they start dancing. It's revealed that Scooby has the remote control for them and he's the one making them dance. Everyone laughs while Scooby says his catchphrase before saying "Aloha!". | psychedelic, horror | train | wikipedia | funny flick.
This was humorous, entertaining, and refreshingly new in its Scooby tradition.
The names are interesting, the mystery keeps you going, and the only complaint I had was that it was relatively easy to figure out.There were a lot of elements to the story and it is well drawn.
It is a good pick if you like the newer stories, and the voices are well done as well as the graphics and sound.
The kids and I laughed over the names, "Tikki Hikki Wikki" and had a great time with this one!
Like many other scooby stories, it was sort of educational for the kids on old mythology as well.We recommend this one!.
quite good, but could have been much better.
Aloha, Scooby Doo plays in Hawaii and is about a surf competition.
This sets the setting for a beautiful environment for the story to take place.
All in all the story is a bit too simple and does hardly build up any suspense.
This movie gives away a lot by telling you the bad guy right from the start.
The usual run and hide game, which is typical for the series, again takes in a prominent role in this movie.
On the technical side, the face expressions could have been drawn a bit more carefully to show more emotions.
Beside these weaknesses, Scooby makes the audience laugh once in a while, especially when he and Shaggy are trapped in bad situations.
Not the best movie ever, but a light "Scooby Snack" to pass some time..
One of the best of the new movies.
This movie really had no let downs for me.
The setting is stunning and down with great animation.
I would recommend this movie based just on that.
The plot is fairly good as well.
It takes a while to figure out who did the crime.
There are some good laughs along the way as well.
I can't say anything bad about the characters, they all seemed to live up to expectation.
I thought scooby could have been a little more involved though.
As I mentioned briefly before, the animation was done very well.
At points everything looked 3D rather than cartoon.
The opening and closing songs were pretty good as well.
All in all, scooby doo fans cannot miss this one, it;s definitely one of the best out of the movies that have been produced within the last decade..
Not at all bad..
If I had to use a phrase to sum up this movie, I would have to use better than expected.
Aloha Scooby Doo was not at all bad, flawed yes, but entertaining.
The animation I thought was beautiful, with wonderful exotic backgrounds and some sinister looking ones too.
I thought it was very funny, especially Shaggy, voiced by the one and only Casey Kasem, who just brings a sense of vitality to the character, and it is always a delight to see.
The other voice talents are also great, Adam West even makes an appearance.
The music is lovely here, quite atmospheric.
The characters are very likable, and I must say the WikiKiki is quite something, in a scary sort of way.
I also liked the fact that Daphne's hair actually came useful for once, to point the gang north.
However, the story is fairly predictable, and sometimes unevenly paced.
And I did find the character of Molly a bit annoying.
Overall, not a bad movie, as a matter of fact I really did like it, and I give it an 8/10.
Bethany Cox. Ride that wave, Scooby-Doo....
"Aloha, Scooby-Doo!" was a movie that my 7 year old son was quite thrilled to get to sit down and watch, so I sat down with his to watch it as well, because I have grown up with watching Scooby-Doo cartoons.
And every now and then do manage to put out some Scooby-Doo cartoon that is quite enjoyable.I must admit that the storyline here in "Aloha, Scooby-Doo!" wasn't the most interesting of stories told in a Scooby-Doo mystery.
And it didn't really help that I find that whole surfer lifestyle and attitude to be ridiculous, so it was a struggle to sit through this particular animated movie.
But I stuck with it and watched it with my son.The animation style in "Aloha, Scooby-Doo!" was good, as it is actually always is in these Hanna-Barbera productions.
And if you are familiar with Scooby-Doo and the gang, then you know what you are getting here, for better or worse.And the voice acting was also good, again as it always is.
And it is always a blast to have Frank Welker and Casey Kasem do voice work.
I was surprised to find out that Tia Tia Carrere and Adam West also voiced characters in this particular Scooby-Doo story."Aloha, Scooby-Doo!" wasn't a particularly outstanding or memorable foray into the beloved universe of Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Wilma and Daphne.
However, it just didn't appeal to me, given the surfer setting of the story.
But at least you know what you are getting here, and the movie does deliver on such expectations.This was a mediocre Scooby-Doo adventure for me, and as such then I am settling on a 5 out of 10 star rating..
Falls Flat..
Daphne gets a great opportunity in Hawaii.
Unfortunately for her and the gang, that opportunity might be thwarted by Tiki demons.
I'll watch anything Scooby related.
I'm a kid at heart, and I've always loved Scooby Doo. The villains are always predictable, but it's Scooby, so I'm able to put it aside.
Sadly, this movie is pretty average for Scooby's standards.
Maybe it was the Hawaii setting, or perhaps it was that it lacks the entertainment and laughs that I'm used to.
The Tiki's aren't very threatening.
Watching the Tiki on a big surfboard wasn't very suspenseful, nor was it that entertaining.
Even the gags aren't that great in this one.
Scooby and Shaggy's antics usually save it, but not this time.
Some Scooby fans may feel differently, but I didn't care for it.5.2/10.
An Honest Review.
It didn't fall as flat as Cyber Chase, or Aliens, but after Loch Ness, well, it didn't even reach the bar.Still, it had enough little jokes and hidden gags for adults to get a chuckle, especially the Gilligan thing.But ultimately it seemed to try too hard to rob Lilo and Stitch of the Hawaiian culture without really paying it the same respect that Walt did.Its worth a watch, but not something you should buy.
Rent it..
I liked this a lot!.
Since Warners revamped the Scooby-Doo franchise in 1998, feature length mysteries have been inconsistent.
The first few had real monsters, with no rubber masks, but far too many disgustingly PC mommies in America complained and the Brothers Warner folded and went back to the "guy in a suit to scare away the locals" stories.
A shame.What a surprise then that Scooby's latest adventure is actually quite good, despite its PC shortcomings.
This time around the Mystery Inc. gang are in Hawaii, catching some rays and relaxation.
Typically, this is the exact moment the local volcano starts brewing over and a big monster called the Wiki-Tiki rears its ugly head, scaring away all of the surfers from the Hunahana resort and kidnapping a local babe.
If you are incredibly sad, like me, you will realise this is too much like the 1970 episode, A Tiki Scare Is No Fair.The usual long list of suspects includes a sleazy real estate agent, an ambitious mayor and an eccentric holiday rep (Adam West).
And just as soon as their mystery-solving begins, the real culprit is immediately noticeable.
It's a poorly written whodunit, but what saves it are crazy set pieces and a varied atmosphere, which keep the mystery interesting, if obvious.
Or, at least, obvious to a 24-year-old.
It may well come as a surprise to an eight-year-old.Locations, such as the beach, the deep jungle, the catacombs and Auntie Mahina's cabin, are beautifully animated.
The best thing about the modern Scooby is that production values are a zillion times what the original 1969 series was.
Aloha, Scooby-Doo looks incredibly slick and the eye-popping colour schemes would keep you interested no matter how poor the mystery was.One could accuse the film of being slightly xenophobic and somewhat stereotypical in regards to its Hawaiian setting.
But it's no worse than the unrealistic Scotland seen in last year's Scooby-Doo And The Loch Ness Monster.I was also surprised at how little of it actually relies on Scooby (voiced by Frank Welker, who also does Fred).
He barely gets a chance to do his thang.
Most of the laughs come from the rest of the gang.
But, as it is, Aloha, Scooby-Doo is still loads of fun and proves that while the story quality of modern Scoobys remains inconsistent, the animation just gets better and better..
Very fun and very enjoyable.
I have to say that when I think of Scooby-Doo I think of laughs, entertainment, enjoyment, and the past few Scooby-Doo cartoon didn't quiet click right as Scooby-Doo and the legend of the vampire was boring and not very good, Scooby-Doo and the monster of Mexico was just OK, and Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness monster was an improvement, they just didn't compare to the previous Scooby-Doo cartoons.
But this one was great, it had non-stop laughs, good twists and turns, while it had an almost predictable ending it couldn't change how good this mystery was.While on a vacation in Hawaii Scooby and the gang go to catch the big kahuna of Hanahuna surfing contest, but before they even get there they find out that the small village is being terrorized by the legendary Wikki Tikki along with his tiny slaves that help scare the people in the town away.
They find out that one of the villagers has been kidnapped by the Wikki Tikki and the gang have no other choice but to solve the mystery.
Throughout the whole mystery the gang is met with constant laughs, great twists and turns, I couldn't stop smiling through the whole cartoon.
While this Scooby-Doo has a very predictable ending it doesn't take anything away from how great this cartoon actually is.The plot and setting returns once again to the original Scooby-Doo where there is a mastermind behind the whole mystery and the by the end they find out the villain is just a man in a mask.
This is always something I've enjoyed about these Scooby-Doo cartoons while in the cartoons where the monster were real are still very good I always find the original way is much better as it gives the old feeling back.The storyline this cartoon follows is great, it gives us all a barrel of laughs and a great mystery to watch.
Although it has a predictable ending it is still something you will want to watch over and over again.This has to be the best all star voice cast I've ever seen in a Scooby-Doo cartoon so far it has so many great and famous actors such as: Frank Welker as Scooby-Doo and Fred, Mindy Cohn as Velma, Grey Delisle as Daphne, Casey Kasem as Shaggy, Tia Carrere as Snookie, Mario Lopez as Manu Tuiama, Teri Garr as Mayor Molly Quinn and they even have Adam West as Jared Moon.
This all star voice cast does an excellent job great job at the character they are playing.By the time the cartoon was over nothing could take the smile off my face and it was defiantly one of the best Scooby-Doo cartoons I have seen in a while and it is guaranteed to bring smiles to the faces of all the people that watch it no matter what age.
So make sure you rent or buy Aloha, Scooby-Doo because you will want to watch it over and over again, and forget about the predictable ending and just sit back and enjoy.Overall score: ******** out of ********** **** out of *****.
Fun!.
Fun!.
Fun!.
I wasn't expecting much since I disliked the Mexico story and the lame vampire, Loch Ness was better but no Zombie Island.
This is a change.
Taking the viewer and the gang to a completely different venue.
By no means, a great addition to the Scooby-Doo legend but certainly a few steps above that new TV show, What's New Scooby-Doo.The set-up of the volcano and the pigmyes was a tad over the top but "Hey" it's a cartoon.
It kept me guessing.
I was pleased to hear Teri Garr's voice.
I know she has MS and this can't possibly bring her much money but just knowing that she's fighting the fight (and with my favorite cartoon character) makes me very happy.
She's wonderful.Adam West, as the sham artist -- that was funny.
That was so perfect.
Nice to have Frank and Casey back.
And who doesn't love Mindy Cohen.Rent it |
tt0038622 | Humoresque | In New York City, a performance by noted violinist Paul Boray (John Garfield) is cancelled. At his apartment, Boray is at rock bottom emotionally. His manager Frederic Bauer (Richard Gaines) is angry with him for misunderstanding what a performing career would be like, and for thinking that music is no longer part of his life. To the more sympathetic Sid Jeffers (Oscar Levant), Boray says he has always wanted to do the right thing, but has always been "on the outside, looking in," and cannot "get back to that happy kid" he once was.
In the past, young Paul (Bobby Blake) is choosing a birthday present in a suburban New York Variety store run by Jeffers (Harlan Briggs). He rejects as childish the suggestions of his father "Papa" Rudy (J. Carrol Naish), a grocery store owner, but settles on a violin, which his father rejects as unsuitable; his price limit is $1.50. Esther, his mother (Ruth Nelson), sympathetic at this stage, buys the $8 violin for the boy.
A transition from his faltering first steps to being a gifted young violinist follows. On 15 October 1930, he overhears his father Rudy's dismissal of his chances, and the frustration of his brother Phil (Tom D'Andrea) in finding a job. He resolves to go out on his own and not be dependent on his family. He finds a job with locally broadcast orchestra in which Sid Jeffers is the pianist.
At a party, Paul meets the hostess Helen Wright (Joan Crawford), a patroness in a loveless marriage with an ineffectual aging husband Victor (Paul Cavanagh), her third. Helen is a self-centered, adulterous woman who uses men as sexual playthings and is initially baffled by the strong-willed and independent Boray. After being rude to him at the party, she sends a golden cigarette case to his home the next day. "Papa" Boray is impressed, but Paul's mother is now suspicious.
Helen seems at first interested in his talent rather than Boray as a person, though Boray is quick to press her on the second issue. He gains a manager, Bauer, from her connections, and is now in love with her. On the beach, near the Wrights' Long Island home, he reaches out to Helen after a swim, but she runs away; later in the evening she falls off a horse and he kisses her, but Helen does not want to be touched and wishes to be left alone by Paul.
After a shot of ocean waves, everything is different. Helen warns him he might be sorry love was ever invented, but admits she cannot fight him any longer, and is in love with him. Waiting at home, Esther (Ruth Nelson), his mother, is not fooled by his denials, and points out a missed date with Gina Romney (Joan Chandler), also a musician and his long-time sweetheart. Esther had earlier overheard Victor's putdown of Paul as a "savage" after a concert.
After a tour across America that takes several months, he has lunch with Gina. Sid arrives with Helen, who is immediately jealous. After a scene in Teddy's Bar, in which Helen smashes her drink ("What Is This Thing Called Love?" is performed by Peg La Centra in the background), she is angry with Paul at being neglected. Paul points out her married status, but Helen urges him to let her become more involved in his career.
At his new apartment containing numerous photographs of Helen, he confesses his love for her to his mother. Disquieted by rumors he has heard, Victor asks his wife for a divorce. He is suspicious of her real intentions, but Helen admits this is first time she has known real love.
At a rehearsal, Paul is passed a note from Helen claiming good news. She asks to see him immediately, but he crumples the note and continues with the rehearsal of the Carmen Fantasie (adapted for the film by Franz Waxman from Bizet's Carmen). At Teddy's Bar, Helen becomes increasingly drunk, and is unable to tolerate the house pianist performing "Embraceable You". Paul arrives to take her home. This time, it is Helen who is cool; she repeatedly does not really hear his stated wish to marry her.
Helen listens to Boray play his transcription of Wagner's Liebestod on the radio. Recalling her husband's words, Helen realizes her dissolute past can only taint his future, and then walks to her death in the nearby ocean; in her jaded mind, this is the only logical resolution to their problems. Paul, distraught, is comforted by the loyal Jeffers.
Returning to the opening scene, Paul asks Jeffers to tell Bauer not to worry. He is not running away. | melodrama | train | wikipedia | The truth in John Garfield's face rises everything several notches but, perhaps, the biggest surprise from a 2007's standpoint, is Joan Crawford's performance.
In "Humoresque," for example, watch the part where Paul (John Garfield) is delivering his major violin performance, while his wealthy, possessive patron, Helen (Joan Crawford), sits in her expensive box (his mother and "girlfriend" are in the cheaper seats) in a sensuous, almost orgasmic state as she watches him.
In about the mid-point between these two movies, in 1950, Kirk Douglas was Rick Martin in "Young Man With a Horn," based largely of the meteoric, talented career of the great trumpet player, Bix Biederbecke, whose life ended at age 28 - but who was so talented he is well-remembered nearly 75 years later; Harry James' playing in this film is comparable to Stern's and Cavallero's in the other two, and Lauren Bacall and Doris Day are there as Kirk's love interests, the naughty girl and good girl, respectively.
That sentiment sums up the frustration and disappointment of Joan Crawford about her love for and obsession with violin virtuoso John Garfield in an excellent film blessed with great acting and beautiful music.
It's a good drama starring Joan Crawford who gives here one of her finest performances as Helen Wright, a cynical and selfish society woman who set her sight at a young talented violinist Paul Boray (John Garfield), offers help in making his carrier and later becomes concerned with his love, almost an obsession with his work - music, that comes to the point of neglecting (as she thinks) their relationship and herself personally - "I'm tired of playing the second fiddle!" Significant part of the film has to do with New York, that is "all full with all kinds of animals, and not all of them are born here" as says the most cynical character in the film Sid Jeffers played by Oscar Levant.
Wittiness of the script is probably the most important ingredient of "Humoresque" (besides Joan Crawford's performance) which turns it into a good classic film that stands repeated viewing.
...was what Borzage's silent version terribly lacked .When the musician plays "humoresque" this music piece which shows that you can laugh at life ,but with a tear behind it ,we would like to hear the sound of his violin !With Jean Negulesco's movie,there's not such a problem;music is everywhere and is throughly enjoyable:my favorite moment is the artist's sensational rendition of Georges Bizet's "Carmen" .
John Garfield -who never made,to my knowledge ,a single mediocre movie - and his violin make the film a winner.For the story is ,all things considered ,rather conventional.Joan Crawford's character ,the average viewer has already seen it a hundred times or more and it takes all the actress's talent to make it endearing.Like Borzage's more obscure version (1920) ,it's based on a Fannie Hurst novel.But the screenplays are so different Negulesco's work is hardly a remake;whereas Borzage devoted almost half of his movie to the hero's childhood in the ghetto ,where he meets the love of his life (Gina who is almost reduced to a walk on in the talkie),only five minutes are given over (as a flashback) to the boy's birthday present.Gone are the mother's prayers -here the mother is a lucid person,not so nice,ready for everything to save her boy's career- which made everything possible.But the biggest difference is the presence of Helen Wright,totally absent in the first version.In a way,she stands in for WW1:after all,this is a war the hero is waging ,not only to gain critical acclaim but also to fight against a doomed passion.Try to see the two films one after the other..
During the Great Depression, Paul overhears a conversation of his father and his older brother about his dedication to the violin and seeks out his best friend Sidney Jeffers (Oscar Levant) asking for a job.Sid introduces Paul to the wealthy Helen Wright (Joan Crawford) and her husband Victor Wright (Paul Cavanagh) in a party.
But Helen is jealous of the love of Paul for his violin and her insecurity ends in a tragedy."Humoresque" is a timeless romance for cinema and music lovers.
When Helen gives a note in the theater to Paul, he is playing Carmen of Bizet and she feels like Don José and learns that she would never have the exclusive love of Paul since he is in love with his violin (and music).
This "Humoresque" boasts a great cast, beautiful music, melodrama, and gorgeous violin playing by Isaac Stern.John Garfield stars as struggling violinist Paul Boray who finally gets his big break with the help of a socialite, Helen Wright (Crawford), when his pianist friend (Oscar Levant) brings him to a party at her home.
Helen Wright is one of Joan Crawford's best performances, too.The film is not without some problems, but you can't fault the incredible music played by Isaac Stern, including the title piece by Dvorak, and music of Sarasate, Lalo and Bizet's Carmen as magnificently adapted by Franz Waxman.
Even if you haven't, it is pretty borderline over the top - what saves it is Helen's anguish.Paul Boray is a perfect role for the talents of John Garfield, a wonderful actor, though for my money he had a limited range.
A socialite who tragically falls for a violinist, John Garfield, who has led a hardscrabble life, and is at odds with her way of life.As a patroness of the arts, Mrs. Wright (Crawford) an unhappily married, wealthy woman, busies herself with promoting artists, and helping them to acquire notoriety and orchestral experience.Some of the early scenes where we see Garfild living with his parents in a "hotbox above a grocery store" show the audience the starkness of the depression, and sheer difficulty of survival.
Joan Crawford was midway through filming 'Humoresque' when she won her Oscar for 'Mildred Pierce'.
Along with 'Possessed', I think these three are her finest performances--and the films themselves aren't bad either!Here she is a sophisticated patron of the arts who falls hard for John Garfield, as a high-strung violinist.
Garfield and Crawford make a good team--though personally I liked his teaming with Lana Turner better in 'The Postman Always Rings Twice'.Oscar Levant supplies some cynical comedy relief with dry humor.
Joan Crawford, (Helen Wright) plays the role of a very rich woman who is married and loves to entertain all kinds of actors, and musicians and she happens to meet a violin player named Paul Boray,(John Garfield).
Otherwise I enjoyed Oscar Levant for his smart mouth throughout the film, John Garfield for looking genuine when playing the violin, and the acting by a young Robert Blake.
Garfield's playing is well known as having been provided, very beautifully, by the great Isaac Stern.Just off the top of my head, two other movies about classical music from Warner are the extremely charming "My Love Came Back" and the fabulous "Deception." To me, that is, along with "All About Eve," one of Bette Davis's absolute best movies.
And within more recent times, the "Hollenius" Cello Concerto by Korngold is being played by symphony orchestras as part of their regular fare.This movie is a must for anyone with an interest in Joan Crawford, John Garfield, or music in the movies.
Well directed, beautiful cinematography, wonderful music (of course--hard to believe that's not Garfield's hand playing the violin), but best of all is the acting.
Such is the case with Humoresque, whose two powerful presences, John Garfield and Joan Crawford control the story with most able supporting help, most notably that of Oscar Levant, a pianist with a sharp tongue and a heart of gold.The essence of a dark, suffering love that is the inevitable consequence of Garfield and Crawford's affair is portrayed remarkably, stunningly, on 2 occasions by cinematographer Ernest Haller's hazy close-up of Crawford's character, Helen Wright, listening to Garfield's character Paul Boray play his violin, and drawing every sinew of romanticism from the music that permeates the scenes and the film.
Her love is nebulous, existing somewhere between longing and self-loathing, the only kind of love that she can achieve, for she is a calculating and willing cohort in her seduction of and betrayal by Boray, whose musical nectar she thrives upon, who long before their meeting had sold his soul to the underworld to become a musician, who simultaneously weakens and strengthens Wright, who sees through her pretentiousness, whose power she fears and depends on.In the film's finale we witness a remarkable duet that Negulesco has arranged, as the two lovers, first Garfield, then Crawford, connected only by a telephone wire, deliver their farewell orations.
Crawford's character begs Garfield's understanding and forgiveness, saying the words that she needs to hear herself say, proclaiming her self-centered love for a man whose only love is his violin, finally acknowledging that she can no longer demand that he place their relationship above the career that her money and influence engendered.
Photography by Ernest Haller, music by Franz Waxman (with assistance from Isaac Stern, who also did many of the close-ups of the violin playing), and direction by Jean Negulesco, who made a number of subtle, highly refined films.John Garfield plays his brooding part with proper broodingness, if not exactly psychological depth.
It's appropriate, overall, and a kind of second fiddle to Joan Crawford, who plays her part from every angle, a great performance.
Right on.The plot will strike some people as old fashioned--a classical violinist played by Garfield, Paul Boray, comes from a lower working class family in New York and conquers the music world.
"Humoresque" is Joan Crawford's and John Garfield's best movie.
Joan Crawford, as his devotee/lover was a good casting choice, although at times she over-did the assertiveness of the character when she first met Paul.
Humoresque (1946) *** 1/2 (out of 4)Paul Boray (John Garfield) dreams of being able to play his violin for a living but he just doesn't have the right connections to make it.
This changes when he meets a rich married woman (Joan Crawford) who takes a liking to his talent but soon the two fall in love as Paul's career takes off.
She made a lot of fine films in the '40s Above Suspicion (1943), Mildred Pierce - which won Joan Crawford a very much deserved Oscar - (1945), Possessed (1947) and Humoresque.
She's incredibly beautiful in this.Humoresque is about a little boy, Paul Boray (played by usual tough-guy John Garfield), who grows up in the slums.
As he grows older, he becomes a very accomplished violinist but has no connections, that is, until he meets unhappily married, unsatisfied socialite Helen Wright (Joan Crawford, magnificent at playing a woman without morals!) who is his ticket to the recognition he deserves.
Helen says she is purely interested in his work and only his work, but of course sparks fly and they begin a rocky, dangerous affair.I have to admit that Humoresque is certainly not for those who dislike classical music, as there are very long scenes of simply Paul Boray playing the violin, and they seem almost claustrophobic one long shot, hardly any movement from the camera (however, this is because they needed a certain angle for John Garfield to look like he is playing.
Where was Joan Crawford's Oscar nomination as the hopelessly neurotic woman attracted to the likes of John Garfield in Humoresque?
For John Garfield's final Warner Brothers film, the brothers cast him in Humoresque in which he plays a violinist from the Lower East Side of New York.
Yet this is Ms. Crawford's movie; no other actress could have played her role more effectively.Second, the music.
In the mid 1940s, Hollywood suddenly got the classical music bug and a whole string of lush melodramas were made, among them Columbia's 'A Song to Remember' (a risible biopic of Chopin with Cornel Wilde and Merle Oberon that, in one famous scene, gave Liberace his entire act), MGM's 'Song of Love' (a biopic of Schumann with Robert Walker and Katherine Hepburn) and 'Carnegie Hall' (a film about the famous hall with a dumb plot, stuffed with cameos from the musical greats of the day which is its chief value now).The two best films of the cycle however,'Deception' and 'Humoresque' were made at Warner Brothers, almost simultaneously, and starring those arch rivals Bette Davis and Joan Crawford respectively.
Check out the moment at Helen Wright's party early in the film ["She's as complex as a Bach fugue"], where she meets Paul Boray for the first time ("Bad manners Mr Boray: the infallible sign of talent").After he insults her and launches into Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Flight of the Bumble Bee', she walks off in a temper, to the bar, to pour herself yet another brandy and as she holds the large brandy glass in her hand, Ernest Haller somehow allows us to see Boray directly through the glass with both Garfield and the glass in perfect focus.
He also films the musical sequences wonderfully well, ably convincing us that Garfield is really playing, borrowing the trick (from 'Deception' being shot on adjoining stages) of using two real musicians out of camera shot for the fingering and bowing and even Isaac Stern himself for close ups of the left hand.The music is superbly performed and recorded, and the repertoire is well chosen.
Joan Crawford and John Garfield star in their most shinning roles as actors.The plot and storyline is very difficult to make entertaining in this movie but these two professionals bring it to life.
Joan Crawford looks particularly hagged out in this film -- only a year after "Mildred Pierce" -- and I don't know what they were thinking with those glasses she wears throughout!
In director Jean Negulesco's 1946 film "Humoresque", John Garfield plays a violin virtuoso, and Joan Crawford, his neurotic high-society patroness.
High melodrama ensues until the relationship becomes a matter of life and death."Humoresque" was the first film I have seen that paired Crawford and Garfield (I believe they have done three) and I did not feel any kind of chemistry between the two characters.
It was best said by a partygoer in one scene, "I don't believe you play the violin, you look more like a boxer." Joan Chandler, however, was refreshing in her (ridiculously small) role as his girlfriend Gina; the only other film I've seen her in was "Rope" where she was somewhat obnoxious.It is also a good thing that I like classical music because there were plenty of long scenes featuring violin and piano performances.
If this were meant to be a significant plot device that would be one thing; but there was no background for the behavior.Probably one of the most bothersome things worth mentioning about the film was actually one of the actors, Oscar Levant, who plays Paul's best friend Sid. He was just plain obnoxious.
Isaac Stern's music, Oscar Levant's wit, and Joan Crawford's lower lip raise this an order of magnitude above just another story of doomed love.
Jean Negulesco's "Humoresque" (1946) ranks as one of Joan Crawford's top three films; the other two probably being Mildred Pierce and Possessed.
The movie is worth the time for every single scene where Oscar Levant was in, especially when he was playing the piano.
Garfield is dynamite and while the violin-playing camera-trickery becomes too obvious every time he picks up his instrument, there's no denying the intensity of concentration, sweat glowing on his furrowed brow, as he gives himself to the music which he prizes above all else, including the love of Crawford.
Looking the most exquisite here since her MGM days, Joan Crawford doesn't make her entrance until 32 minuets into the film, dramatically entering into the life of promising life John Garfield, and like Norman Maine did with Esther Blodgett in "A Star is Born", aids him to success for a damning price.
Garfield trades in his boxing gloves for a fiddle and in some stunning musical sequences, makes love to his violin violently with a passion fit for a Golden Boy.Both invest much emotion in to their dangerous characters, brought together in spite of the odds and doomed from the start, whether it will be his overbearing mother (an excellent Ruth Nelson), his cynical piano player pal (the very droll Oscar Levant) or her possibly impotent husband (Paul Cavanagh), their own personal failings or her many neurosis, this is a doomed affair that can only end in a manner that only Fanny Hurst could envision.The music plays an extremely important role here, the actors expressing their turmoil through close-ups occurring over the dramatic classical music.
Joan Crawford is Helen, the nearsighted socialite in an open marriage who lusts after Paul's artistic fruits.The movie opens with a flashback: a young John Garfield has a choice between a violin and a baseball bat...
Anyway, it's a good movie overall, and John Garfield gave a great performance..
Garfield and Crawford really do a great job in this one but the one who steals the show is Oscar Levant.
His piano playing is really quite stunning (he was actually a classical trained pianist before he was an actor).A really good film with great performances all around but just a little dry.
Whatever, Odets turns in a great script here and Crawford and Garfield play the bejeezus out of it with handy support from Ruth Nelson and Oscar Levant.
Joan Crawford plays a self-obsessed, half-drunk socialite who ruins the lives of every husband she has had, and while wallowing in self-pity intends to ruin the life of our other main character -- John Garfield.
In the end it's the music that wins out with Paul leaving Helen all alone drowning in her sorrows in a sea of liquor tears and finally 15 to 20 foot high ocean tidal waves.Even though you wouldn't expect it John Garfield and Joan Crawford who was some six years older, and looked at least ten to her the very youthful-looking co-star in the movie John Garfield, really clicked in all their love scenes together. |
tt0068154 | Continuavano a chiamarlo Trinità | In the opening sequence, Bambino (Bud Spencer) is walking through the desert carrying his saddle and finds four escaped convicts, from whom he steals their beans and horses. This scene is followed by the opening credits and the title song, after which we see Trinity (Terence Hill) on his travois. He too comes across the convicts frying more beans, and also tricks them.
Trinity then continues to his family home and finds Bambino having a bath. Trinity smells so bad that he is told to bathe, too, before everyone starts lunch. When the four convicts show up and try to rob the family, the mother sneaks around from the back and ushers them out with a shotgun after they are relieved of their money.
That night, the father pretends to be dying and makes Trinity and Bambino promise to work together. As Bambino is teaching Trinity how to be a successful horse thief, they see a wagon with two tired mules and decide to rob the passengers. But all they find is a family with a sick baby (nicknamed "Little Windy" by Bambino) and a young girl who falls for Trinity. The family isn't moving because of a broken wheel, so Bambino lifts the wagon and Trinity changes the wheel, before giving the family some of the money they have stolen. As the film progresses they keep encountering the family, with much the same gags.
When Trinity and Bambino arrive in town, they head to the local saloon. Inside, Trinity, Bambino, and two cowboys play cards with a professional sharper named Wild Card Hendriks. Thanks to his superior skills, Trinity deals everybody a potentially winning hand. However, his cards are better, so he wins and is accused of being a cheat. When they square off, Trinity displays his extreme speed by drawing his gun a number of times, each time holstering it and then slapping Hendricks in the face, all before Wild Card can react. As he leaves, Wild Card tries to shoot Trinity from behind but is foiled once again.
Trinity and Bambino buy new suits with their winnings. Running into the family they helped earlier, they are overheard pretending to them to be federal agents, with Bambino as "The Captain" and Trinity "The Lieutenant". Then they go into a smart restaurant for dinner, consuming huge quantities of food with a notable lack of table manners. When they leave, they meet a man who, believing the story about their being federal agents, gives them four thousand dollars to "keep their eyes shut." The two brothers now travel to a town called San José where they start a bar brawl with some convicts they recognise. These they take to the local sheriff for the bounty. The sheriff informs Trinity and Bambino that everyone in San José works for the man who paid them the four thousand dollars and that they should avoid the local mission especially. Once there, Bambino pretends that he has come to confess, considerably shocking the prior.
That night they find that the man who paid them off also uses the mission for gun-running and to store stolen loot. The brothers trick the local monks into helping them beat the outlaws, while actually planning to take the loot for themselves. After a long fight, which the brothers and the monks naturally win, a group of Rangers shows up and arrests the outlaws. One of them thinks he recognizes Bambino as a wanted horse thief; to allay his suspicions, Trinity repeats that they are federal agents and gives the Ranger the stolen loot.
As they ride away squabbling, they see the pioneering family stuck fording the river (as they did once before) and the film ends with Trinity riding down to help them. | western, cult | train | wikipedia | It's entirely possible that the reviewer confused this picture with the previous Trinity outing, "They Call Me Trinity", which does not compare to the sequel whatsoever.
This film is the quintessential parody of the spaghetti western, with some of the dirtiest, filthiest ant-heroes ever depicted.
When this film was in its original theatrical run in the early 70's, it created a *huge* stir...young and old came unglued equally over the many "over-the-top" versions of the classic western scene.
The slapstick gags were spot on, and Terrence Hill moves from scene to scene with a rogue-ish charm that breathes life into the character of Trinity.
The two actors teamed in several films, but this would be their best work.The film is highly visual, and Trinity himself is an extremely humorous character with his use of many outlandish contraptions such as the lounge-chair saddle.The supporting cast also provide a good bit of the humor throughout.
Characters such as the family with the "windy" baby, and the one bad guy who loses his mind after receiving one of Bambino's massive head blows come to mind.
Scene after scene parodies many of the classic western clichés, from card games to gunfights, all including the trademark Trinity "twist".This film is definitely not academy award material whatsoever, but if you're looking for good slapstick fun with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor you won't be disappointed..
A great sequel to the film series.
Trinity and Bambino are back in another humors adventure.
This is spaghetti western at it's finest - or should I say funniest?
Well worth watching if you liked "They Call Me Trinity".I appreciate good comedy films and I will tell you the Trinity saga is well worth watching.
And this is coming from someone who does not like most western films.If you enjoyed the first two films in the Trinity series then you must see "My Name is Nobody" (the third film) because it is just as funny as the first two films.
Sequel in which Terence Hill and Bud Spencer team up again as the brave brothers.
This comedy/Western follow-up concerns about Terence Hill and Bud Spencer , two bandits half-brothers who attempt to rob a family but finish protecting them .
The formula about ¨They call me Trinity¨ deals to enhance the comics remarks of the western/parody sub-genre originated on the 1960s decade with directors as Burt Kennedy and Andrew McLagen and adding the references to Spaghetti Western model that was in real decadence .
The humor is continuous though sometimes grossed-out , laughters are based on physical differences and diverse personalities regarding both protagonists ; once upon terminated the Western formula is transfered to other genres as oriental adventures , policemen or action .
The film isn't always good , sometimes is fresh and diverting and on a couple of memorable occasions , it's frankly delicious .
This fun , sympathetic movie is crammed of fist-fights , punches , kicks , knocks-outs , overwhelming stunt-work and lots of humor .
Terence Hill plays as a rascal and likable gunslinger with fast-gun and Bud Spencer as a corpulent , grumpy and two-fisted hunk man but with good-heart , besides in the support cast appears the veteran Harry Carey Jr interpreting the daddy , he's regular of the maestro John Ford .
This delightful spoof of the Spaghetti Western with our unlikely heroes achieved enough smash-hit , as well as the original film .
And twenty and some years later was realized a third part : ¨The fight before Christmas¨ or ¨Troublemakers¨ but didn't obtain success and was a real flop .
The 'Trinity and Bambino' times had passed and the 'Fagioli Western' sub-genre had deceased .
I love Hill & Spencer and this is one of their easiest to find films.
it sucks) This movie is great because not only is it really funny, but the dudes (H.
Terence is hilarious, a goofy, smooth ladies man, kind of a pre-Chevy Chase/Mel Gibson type, and Bud Spencer is maybe even funnier, totally grumpy and rough, but with a good heart.
This is probably one of my favorite comedies ever, it's great for any occasion, and always gives a lot of laughs.
Hill and Spencer totally rule!
check out the barbarian brothers movie too for more good-natured, goofy buddy films..
I saw the Trinity movies in order and yes, the second one is better.
It is the great spaghetti western, complete with speeded up gunplay.
There are a lot of boring westerns out there, but believe me, this one is definitely worth it's salt.
This movie is about Trinity and Bambino who swear to their "dying" father that they will become sucessful outlaws.....its actually a very funny movie and you could probably buy for VERY cheap..
Slapstick Funny Movie!!!.
My dad had several of these Trinity movies when I was a kid.
Until I looked them up on IMDB, I didn't realize they were some of the infamous Spaghetti Westerns people talk about.
If you want to watch a funny slapstick western, pick up any of the Trinity films..
This movie, in its theatrical acception is one the best "Fagioli Western" I ever seen.
I know it, pratically line by line (like the Alexander's Army...:)), and is funny exact like the original.
The gags are still funny, except for one or two that better in the original but, after 33 years (i wrote this in 2005!!) they still works, also better than in some Hollywood craps...the real problem is in the Italian DVD (manifactured by Medusa, owned by the Italian prime minister...:(().
The first thing is there are a lot of missing scenes, including one "Leone-Morricone" trumphet one, that was in the original theatrical, that was quite more than 1 minute long!!!!
The other missing scenes are placed, with perfect video restoration and a "mysterious" bad audio, in the "Cut scenes" section of the DVD.
When the movie passes on TV the scenes are all at their places (is more than 3 minutes of unnecessary cuts!).
So my rate is 9,5/10 for the movie and 5/10 for the DVD.
Great Western Comedy.
I saw this film (as I've seen all Bud Spencer / Terence Hill films) synchronized in German, so I cannot really speak for other versions of the film, but as far as the German version goes, this is a really great film.
The voices suit the actors very well and the rough tone of the film fits very good into the story and the characters as well.
The story is also good and so are the numerous fighting scenes throughout the film.
I've been seeing this film every now and then for the past ten years of my life or so and I'm still not tired of it, just like I'm not tired yet of many other Spencer / Hill films, for instance Lo chiamavano Trinità
, to which this film is the sequel.
A review from someone who isn't really a fan of Westerns.
I don't know, maybe it's that I didn't grow up with them, the way others have, the fact that I'm not American, or a variety of factors, but I've never been much for the classic Westerns.
As with films regarding historic events, and films further back than a few decades, Westerns are something that I just don't make it a point to watch unless there's something special about it, someone talented at the helm or a major significance to that particular production.
Some of the situations, action and dialog are admittedly good in some of these films, though.
At one point in the film, an unusual and unexpected group dish out some physical violence.
One fight plays a lot like a football game.
I recommend this to fans of Westerns and comedies set in the Wild West.
This sequel to "They Call Me Trinity" is a slight improvement on the original; it has a couple of chuckles here and there (like Maltin says, the "restaurant scene" is the funniest) and a LARGE-scale final showdown between the "good guys" (including some monks) and the "bad guys", but still nothing to write home about.
Hill and Spencer had obviously perfected their screen personas by that point, but it's a pity nobody sat down to write them a real script; the story in "Trinity Is Still My Name!" meanders and tires before long.
I would like to say, however, that it may be the best-dubbed movie ever; no awkward synchronization problems are present, and those who did the voices were obviously enjoying their work.
Sometimes the actors drop things and pick them up before continuing the scene.
There are some very good scenes, the homecoming dinner for example.
The movie tires out before the end and the story is not as interesting.
Trinity & Bambino!!!.
Since 1976 when I saw the first Trinity, they becomes my favorite on Spaguetti western, a couple of the brothers totally opposite each other on their behavior, Bud is a crude and insensible crook try to steal even poor people, Trinity is a humorous guy who faces the life more easily, helping poor and weak people, trying to conceal to his brother is good nature as human being, those slapstick comedy driven to a humor approach, they were a massive success here in Brazil on those formulaic reverse characters, also has a bit nonsense on some scenes, they made history on cinema industry having a own trademak on eaten beans and those endless fights, sadly in Brazil those movies that came out on DVD all them without an ultimate restoration, just VHS transfer onto DVD!!Resume:First watch: 1993 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.
(aka: TRINITY IS STILL MY NAME) This sequel looks like it was done to capitalize on the outstanding European box-office success of THEY CALL ME TRINITY, only this time Joseph E.
Too bad they didn't get very far since the Hill/Spencer pictures have had only had marginal success here in the U.S., and this largely boring, drawn-out film doesn't help it out any.Trinity and Bambino swear to their dying father (Harry Carey Jr.) that they will become successful outlaws and take care of each other.
It all winds up falling flat in spite of a couple of funny scenes, especially the one where Trinity and Bambino are in a fancy French restaurant and don't know how to carry themselves.
And the scenes with the card sharks was mildly humorous as well.The opening title music sung by Gene Roman sounds like a fair Bobby Goldsboro-like early 70s pop song while the music cues sprinkled throughout the movie are pretty good.
Not sure if I'd want to buy the CD soundtrack of it but some others might.The film could have had a half hour whacked off of it and it wouldn't have dragged on for so long.
It looks like a lot of scenery is being chewed up here.
The DVD is also terrible, with a constant hum in the soundtrack and a poor print that looks like it should have been sent to that great scrap heap in the sky.A big step down from the previous film.4 out of 10.
Comedy Western Without Laughs.
I didn't see They Call Me Trinity, but this sequel is really unfunny at all.
The trinity trilogy would play at least once every summer at the $1 (!) movies.
parents in my hometown would use it as a child-watching service in the '80s.the trilogy was great!
the opening scene with the gun and boots dragging in the dust is my personal meme for all the spaghetti (w/cheese) westerns.
and the gun/slap scene is the hallmark of the trilogy.i enjoyed the hokey group battle action scenes as a kid, but not sure i could watch this as an adult w/out the nostalgia kick.
Better Than the First Trinity!.
Better Than the First Trinity!.
Rarely do sequels with twice as much material and a bigger budget top their predecessors,but E.B. Clutcher's "Trinity Is STILL My Name" surpasses his surprise hit "They Call Me Trinity." Terence Hill reprises his role as the smelly, unwashed, sharp-shooter who prefers to travel on a travois behind his horse.
Returning with Hill is beefy Bud Spencer.
The first "Trinity" thumbed its nose at all the western conventions and was hilariously funny.
The scene when Trinity and Bambino dine in the elegant hotel dining room is fabulous..
Everything that was good about the first TRINITY is better here.
Quite honestly, after seeing the first film in this series (THEY CALL ME TRINITY), I was a little underwhelmed, perhaps sold out by my own high hopes.
That pic was the breakthrough buddy-comedy-western smash that made Hill and Spencer into superstars.
I enjoyed it, liked its meandering pace and whimsical attitude, but was not blown away.Now, after having seen the follow-up, I get it.
The story plays out slowly but steadily, with proper amounts of both slapstick and action, not to mention some damn fine slapstick action.Spencer's Bambino is introduced first, duping a group of crooks out of their freshly cooked beans in hysterical fashion.
Not long after the thugs have regrouped from the incident, along comes Hill's Trinity to do the same exact thing!
These two gags set the tone for things: The two protagonists are never cocky or cruel in getting their way; rather they use their charm, and occasionally, Spencer's beefy fists if necessary.The boys head back home in time to hear their father's deathbed wish, that they work together to find their way in the world, rather than constantly bickering.
Much attention is paid to intricate gags (several involving food); there are numerous well-staged and complex fistfights; even a running bit with a flatulent baby that would have seemed right at home in a JC flick.Terence Hill's Trinity is a happy-go-lucky layabout that is too lazy to even ride his own horse (he prefers to be dragged slowly behind on a makeshift cot).
Trinity is handsome, charming, funny
a great character to be sure.
Hill is capable of doing intense (e.g., VIVA DJANGO), so his embodiment of Trinity speaks as much to his acting chops as it does his personal charisma.
As for big Bud Spencer, as Bambino he is the sour to Trinity's sweet.
You get the feeling Bambino begins each fight with a big resigned sigh, as if he'd really rather be elsewhere.
The two actors had appeared together in films several times before this series, but it was the Trinity and Bambino personas that really clicked with audiences of the day.So if you are curious about the fuss over TRINITY, I'd just as soon recommend that you skip right to TRINITY IS STILL MY NAME to get the full gist of Spencer and Hill at their best.
A family comic western.
Making full use of their on-screen chemistry, actor-duo Terence Hill & Bud Spencer, coming full circle in this Italian produced comic-western gem directed by Enzo Barboni (E.B. Clucher) in 1971 and released to be a massive smash hit with over twelve million moviegoers attending in Summer 1972 in West Germany alone.The story-lines' sequences are fairly simple arrange and connect to a common mainstream audience with two unlikely brothers, Trinitá and Bambino, seeking in each scene the advantage over their opponents to ultimately win a fortune at a poker game, spend it and start the whole process again by riding off into the desert by the end.Filmed entirely in Italy on sound stage in Rome and exteriors shot on location in the Italian region of Abruzzo in order to stand in for the U.S. Middle west, "Trinity II" has pace and rhythm to the picture.
There are no major shoot-outs or violent torture scenes in a sheriff's prison for example.Nevertheless the spectator has the chance to enter into a ride full of enjoyable moments, which never miss its mark by being just entertainment benefited by a legendary acting duo.
The Hill/Spencer connection, which started out with another western in 1967 called "God forgives...
I don't" directed by Guiseppe Colizzi in a rather hard-boiled fashion as "Django" (1966) by Sergio Corbucci or Sergio Leone's "For A Few Dollars more" (1965); a picture could not stand up against its predecessor classics.The first collaboration of Terrence Hill and Bud Spenceer of 1967 had not have the commercial outcome as the director and producers wished for.
This sequel to "They Call Me Trinity" has both "Bambino" (Bud Spencer) and his younger brother "Trinity" (Terence Hill) meeting once again but this time at their parent's house in the middle of nowhere.
Now, rather than say too much and risk spoiling this movie for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a fairly amusing sequel for the most part.
I especially thought that the scene in the fancy restaurant was hilarious.
Be that as it may, there were a few dry spots here and there and because of that I don't believe this movie is quite as good as the original.
But it's still worth a view for those who enjoy action-packed comedies or Spaghetti-Westerns as a whole.
That said, I would recommend that a person watch the first movie prior to this one if only to acquire a little continuity.
In any case I rate this movie as slightly above average..
I have seen this movie and the other one.
Trinity is my name and i find that this one is worse then the first one.
I have sat through them number of times and it still drives me to turn it off 5 minutes into the movie.
I like Terence Hill movies and i like Bud Spencer but this movie just drove me up the wall.
If it had a different story line or at least more of a plot and more comedy it might have been funner and worth the 5 dollars i spent buying all the movies. |
tt0396991 | LazyTown | The series focuses on eight-year-old Stephanie, the newest resident of the LazyTown community. She has moved to LazyTown to live with her uncle, Mayor Meanswell, and is surprised to learn that all of her neighbors lead inactive lifestyles. With the help of an above-average superhero named Sportacus, she helps teach the other residents how to partake in more athletic pastimes. Her attempts are often nearly thwarted by Robbie Rotten, who prefers to lead a sluggish life and is agitated by the sudden boom of physical activity. On a regular basis, Robbie devises ill-judged schemes to make LazyTown lazy once again. However, his plans are never foolproof and always end with him losing.
Each of the children that Stephanie befriends embodies negative characteristics. Ziggy, who is kindhearted and wants to be a superhero when he grows up, has an unbalanced diet void of fruits and vegetables. Trixie is a troublemaker with little respect for rules and other people. Pixel is an inventor who displays anti-social behavior and spends too much time on his computer. Stingy has a self-centered attitude and is possessive of nearly everything in town. As the series progresses, the characters become less lazy in favor of a healthier way of living.
The program features a predominantly Europop soundtrack. Each episode features at least one original song and concludes with a different performance of "Bing Bang," which is sung by Stephanie. Many tracks are reworked versions of songs from the Icelandic plays. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | I've watched this show with her, and it's got a wonderful message, is upbeat, the star (Scheving) Sportacus is real easy on a mother's eyes (he can come teach me how to exercise any time!), and the villain, Robbie Rotten, is a master of melodramatic mugging.I love dance music, and the show has a very modern soundtrack.
I listen to a dance station on FM, and every time my daughter gets in the car, she starts yelling, "LazyTown!" She makes me do the dance at the end with her every time.As far as children's shows go, from a Mom point of view, this one gets 10 stars.
I mean lets face it, we see a million kid shows try to tackle sharing, and manners, but one that talks about getting to bed early to have more energy and that candy only give you energy for a little while, and they teach this in a fun way.
Sportacus not only gets kids up and moving/exercising, but also teaches them good lessons.
It's fun, exciting, sweet, hilarious and it teaches children to get up and exercise and play along with the show.My nephew loves Sportacus and I do too, because he's a very positive role model for kids.
He muscular, a great athlete and he flips constantly, plus when he fights Robbie Rotten there's no violence, just a lot of comedy that kids will love.There's the perfect mixture of bright colors, puppets, comedy, drama, and great characters for boys and girls to enjoy.
Robbie Rotten is hilarious, Stephanie is adorable, the puppets are cute, and Sportacus is very cool, not to mention the music is a lot of fun to listen to.You can watch this with your kids without wanting to vomit, so watch this with all of your children because its one great time, I'm a fan..
I would like to give credit to Magnús Scheving for his wonderful work that he's doing for the children, not only of Iceland, but also for the rest of the world.
I can't think of a better role model on children's television.For those that aren't able to sit through an episode and would like to bad mouth the show, are you the one that is supposed to be watching it?
this show, is actually pretty good from my point of view...i don't know if its just me and my sister that see this, but Robbie rotten is like Jim Carrey playing the Grinch...thats what i 1st thought when i saw him my sister thought the exact same thing...we're actually 17 and 19 years of age and we love watching this show, it is a good teaching for children about how to go out and play!!
I think that the main character Sportacus is a good example for children, hes fun and energetic.
If you want your kids to watch quality anime, you've come to the right place.
Lazy Town is a weirdly garish and colorful show that promotes kids getting out to play and run outside.
It also encourages kids at home to imitate their moves while watching, so it's got a hint of a workout video about it.At first glance it appears strange to US audiences, or at least my kids, but a search of IMDb showed the stars are Icelandic celebrities, and the show has been produce over there for 10 years.
Anyone who reads adult themes or anything otherwise "creepy" needs to pull their head out of the sand and realize that, although saying "kids should turn off the t.v." is good in principle, kids more than likely WON'T turn off the t.v. I'd rather have my nephews and (someday my own) kids watching LazyTown instead of sitting there unmotivated by what they see.
Blue's Clues is educational and my kids loved it but Lazy Town is fun, energetic AND educational.
Unlike these pandering smuts like Toopy and Binoo which says: "I LUV EATING TREES", LazyTown shows their own way of teaching via actions, and they also have clever wordplay, like Sports Candy, also known as fruit.
The creator, writer and star, Magnus Scheving, felt that there wasn't much sports role models around the world, so he decided to turn himself into the ever lovely sports hero, Sportacus.
in front of the tube.But Lazy Town is NOT within those 60 minutes.Lazy Town has a ten from both my wife and me because it makes something WE didn't think possible: both our kids are ACTUALLY jumping and running and doing push-ups DURING the show.Our girl who is 5, wants to dance and jump like "Stephanie" (and she MUST be a gymnast her self!) and our not-even-2-year-old...
The puppets AND people are animated and so fun to watch.I haven't seen anything this fantastic since Bear in the Big Blue House.
Can't wait until some new episodes come out.If you haven't taken the time to watch Lazy Town it's a MUST SEE, so much that I was compelled to register and make this comment..
This is a nice little show that somehow takes something so simple (like having to brush your teeth) and makes it fun to watch for the 15 minute segment.
Great story, fun sets, good songs, and good acting from all involved (yes the puppets too!) I very much like Robbie Rotten and imagine the actor enjoys playing him so animated.
You will like this show, and I'm sure I'll buy it when it comes out on DVD because my 5 year old loves to watch it again and again!.
At any rate, the choreography is great, and the humans are interesting to watch: the gymnastics of 'Sportacus' and the Julianna Rose Mauriello ('Stephanie') is a superb child actress..
We all know the songs and my daughter sings and dances all the time to it, and always wants sports candy.Magnus is great as Sportacus (and Mom's, he is very easy on the eye ;) ) Julianna Rose Mauriello is a doll as Stephanie, and Stefán Karl Stefánsson makes the funniest most over the top bad guy I have seen in ages If you have children I cant recommend this enough, Go Sportacus Go!!!.
well its a refreshing change to get something good out of Iceland,(apart from James Bond sets and Magnus Magnerson), hopefully this will eradicate the memory of Bjork..A good kids TV program teaching values and getting them to go out and play, with Sporticus and his 'sports candy'- (mainly apples) and Robbie Rotten trying to foil things and return Lazytown back to LAZYtown..But Stephanie arrives and livens things up.Good all round fun & you cant help it and join in at the end Expect a Christmas single and album.It consists of two human actors/actresses Sporticus and Stephanie and four LaTeX kids and two LaTeX adults.
Sportacus spends his days helping the kids understand that eating right and good nutrition are great things to live by..
i also think it has an excellent message for children about working out and eating healthy, because we all know kids don't always want to eat right.
My youngest watches this every single day and tries to emulate Sportacus's and Stephanie's every good habit.
My kids sing and dance along with Stephanie and Sportacus and even pretend to be the characters later in the day.The best part is the way they not just tell but show kids how important good nutrition is.
My older son even enjoys watching it with us and he's 10 years old.Sportacus is such and excellent role model for children, always encouraging children to get up and move, and about eating "Sports Candy" (fruits and veggies)to be able to play sports and exercise.
He is always introducing and/or teaching children how to play different sports and exercises, which I think is so important to the health of todays children.Robbie Rotten is so funny, he's forever trying to thwart Sportacus's efforts at exercising and sports, getting the children involved, but Sportacus always prevails and it is always a riot how Sportacus always triumphs without violence.This show is a great mixture of good, fun music, energy, values......basically everything that is good for children of any age.
The primary characters are live actors: Sporticus, Stephanie, Robbie Rotten - whereas the secondary ones are muppet-ish.The hero is always being a good influence, and teaching good things (helping, sharing, good nutrition, exercise, et.
I'm a teenager right now, but I occasionally watch Nick/Nick Jr. I think "LazyTown" is a great show for the little ones.
Now, I know that Lazy Town is intended to be a program for young children to start developing good habits like brushing their teeth, getting enough sleep and eating fruit (or "Sports Candy" as they refer to it on the show), but there's a whole lot more going on here that makes it entertaining fare for anyone who wants to give it a look.The program's theme song explains the premise, just as many of the classic sitcoms did.
He has a magic crystal on his chest that flashes when someone is town is in trouble and is always ready to either help or have fun, whichever is needed.There are a lot of wonderful things about this show, from the topsy turvy curvy styled world the characters inhabit (including a really brilliant set design and green screen technique to make the puppets and humans interact seamlessly) to the personalities of each castmemeber, it's cute and clowny and funny and great for anyone who gets the concepts to view.It's a program gentle enough for very young children and fun and active enough for pre-teens to watch, and there's a lot for parents to like here as well.There are some lessons about life here, but there's enough entertainment that it doesn't feel like it's some sort of lecture.
The songs performed are actually pretty fun to listen to, something that isn't always true for kids' shows with music.
Lazytown was definitely one of the shows I watched the most as a kid.
Lazytown is the best cartoon for children of ages 5-9 years old.
The Mix of human and puppet actors with the wonderfully colourful CG sets is great and works extremely well.Sportacus (aka Magnús Scheving - the creator and star) is fantastic and his wholesomeness is very appealing to a parent.
LazyTown is designed to give kids the power to go play, move, dance, sing, make new choices and feel really good about it.
In the show, Stephanie (an optimistic 8-year-old with bright-pink hair) comes to LazyTown and meets its zany mix of townspeople, including the world's laziest super-villain, Robbie Rotten.
Fortunately for Stephanie, LazyTown is also watched over by Sportacus, an athletic, super-fit super-hero who runs, jumps, and flips his way across LazyTown while helping the inhabitants battle Robbie's latest lazy schemes.
The other kids of LazyTown are curious, playful, and like Stephanie, actively engaged in figuring out their world.
Ziggy likes candy just a little too much; Stingy just can't seem to share; Pixel is glued to video games; Trixie finds it difficult to follow rules; and Stephanie has trouble navigating between making a healthy choice or opting for the easy way out.
The look, the mannerisms, the intentional over the top acting all make me think of Bruce Campbell as I watch along.It is pretty amusing in its own right (I keep trying to figure out if they are dubbing the English), but it is more entertaining with the Bruce Campbell visual..
It's just a mighty-good show.Ahh, but if we get to talk of Sportacus, I could never end..Looking at the Lazytown.com pictures, it also seems they have fun on the set too!
Including my 81 year old grandma!To conclude, watch Lazytown, get up off your couch and just have fun.
Best thing though it doesn't talk down to parents or kids like some shows do.
Finally there are children shows, like Lazytown and the Wiggles, that get kids off the couch.
As a diabetic I struggle with the consequences of inactive and passive television viewing as a child, and I hope this show stays on to work its magic on children all over America so our children learn healthy choices and maintain active lifestyles throughout their lives (and so my child and I can have more quality time together).Maybe it's a sign because my daughter likes the show so much that she wants to be Stephanie for Halloween this year, now I have to find the right color yarn for THAT pink hair!!!.
Even though it is obviously influenced by the Grinch and it's European roots with the techno type music, my 3 1/2 year old daughter and I love this new show and find ourselves dancing to each song!
My sick modernized and urbanized mind would think of real nasty things to trigger against the goofy Lazy Town residents and this so-called villain goes as far as some simply outrageous kidstuff that makes him himself look like a complete idiot.If somebody tries to dig up sexual innuendoes here, then this somebody is spoilt and mutilated by today's sex-pop Madonna/Britney/Gaga (un)culture, being unable to accept that a much better world still exists.
I love this programme.Robbie Rotton, the bad guy, is a fantastic rendition of a sinister Jim Carrey character, Sporticus, the good guy that gets his energy from Sports Fruit (or fruit) is a great role model for kids, and the characters in the rest of the show, especially Stingy, who has me in fits whenever he commandeers the other kids' stuff and states "Mine!", are well presented and a good likeness to what real kids can be like.
My 3 boys can spot that in a second and are turned off by the Dora-type shows that treat children like they're all so inattentive that yelling at them is the only way to communicate.Our entire family watches this show when it's on, and it's inspired my kids to run around pretending to be Sportacus, Stephanie or whomever suits their fancy that day.
Shows like LazyTown (my kid's current favorite), Dora, Barney, etc.
For those parents who want to be totally satisfied with their kids shows, they can let them watch the wholesome shows on Cartoon Network like Family Guy. You make the choice.I'll stick with LazyTown, thank you..
I have a two year old who loves this show, but what is that song Stephanie sings....ding dong wabble wabble something.
Over all I think it is a good kids show, my Daughter loves to dance when they are singing.
She is only 18 months and she love the bright colors and we talk about the games they play and for us the show is on in the morning the only time we watch TV So it give me ideas of things we can do when she gets a bit older..
It has a great message of encouraging kids to get up and be active.I must give props to Sportacus.
The villain (who's names escapes me) is the ultimate "Grinch" character...the one who tries to foil the plans of Sportacus and Stephanie to make the citizens of Lazytown happy and healthy.All in all, a fantastic show for kids.
There is nothing wrong with a child that enjoys eating candy, there is nothing wrong with a child who likes to sit down and play a computer game.It is bad enough so many adults obsess about the shape their body is in, and how much they weigh, do we really need to imprint these negative ways of thinking on our little children?.
The favorite characters are Stephanie and Sportacus ( of course):) How can you not like the show?
It teaches kids what are good ways and things and bad, its better than a lot of cartoons on TV now.
As a parent I prefer to know what the kids are watching and this is one thing that is allowed all the time.
Sportacus is my sons role model, but he doesn't follow as closely as my girl does.Even I love watching Lazytown and I am way over child or even teenage :).
The upbeat music makes children want to dance, sing and get up and play.
Sportacus shows kids how to eat properly, even introducing Sports Candy: apples and other naturally sweet fruits, good for energy.
I have a 3 year old who, even though she just started watching this show a few weeks ago, gets up and dances whenever the music comes on, and as far as I'm concerned that is better than talking to a map or backpack while sitting on the couch.
Any adult who has an issue with Lazytown should watch 5 minutes of Spongebob and be thankful that there are still good shows like Lazytown out there that attract kids without crude humor.
My kids love Lazy Town.
I personally find the puppets a little creepy, but the Stephanie, Sportacus and Robbie Rotten make up for that.I must admit...I Love Sportacus.
One of the other commenters on here said: "A prepubescent girl going camping alone with a grown man not related to her and sleeping in the same tent...I'm ashamed to say that we live in a day and age where we have to nit pick children's shows and think bad thoughts about this kind of thing, but it is what it is, and it's not right." All I have to say is that's it's a good thing that this parent isn't aware of the internet following which has sprung up around this show.
I think LazyTown is a great show for children.
Even though I truly look forward to watching LazyTown every day,(Robbie Rotten is my favorite) I know other people find it odd.
Stephanie i love your singing and dancing (your SO good) and i think you are really good at acting Keep it up I love your show (Even though no one knows i watch it hahahaha).. |
tt1224366 | Afterschool | While doing a film project at a private school, internet-video obsessed teenager Robert (Ezra Miller) catches two twins dying due to drugs contaminated with rat poison. Confused, Robert does not call for help but rather simply walks over to the girls and sits on the floor with them, pulling one into his lap as she dies. This scene, caught on security camera and by another student on a cell phone, is repeatedly shown, but always from the same angle: with Robert's back to the viewer. The viewer cannot see her death but only hear her cries slowly subside. This is all caught on a video camera Robert was using for a school project. The girls die. An atmosphere of paranoia and unease sets in among students and teachers, Robert being affected as well. The school claims that the drugs were bought outside the school and enforces a new, much harsher, drug policy wherein bags are searched and students are expelled. Robert and another student, Amy (Addison Timlin), are assigned to make a memorial video. The school is not happy with the result and has it re-edited, to make a smoother version.
While making the video, Robert and Amy begin a romantic relationship, wherein they both have sex for the first time in a wooded area. However, it is later hinted that their roommate may be involved romantically, as well. He fights with his roommate, who sold the drugs to the twins, and shouts that he killed the girls. The school questions him about this accusation, and is relieved that Robert says it was not substantiated. Robert is asked to take a leave of absence from the school. Toward the end of the film, we are finally shown the scene of the girls' deaths from the front and see Robert pressing his hand over her mouth and nose, smothering her. Later, Robert is shown at the school nurse, taking a daily dose of pills, showing that Robert is now on medication. The film ends as an unseen person with a cell phone videos him while he looks at two pictures of the deceased twins. | bleak, violence, suspenseful, psychological, flashback | train | wikipedia | The film is slow-paced, which one could argue is a way for Campos to build further isolation from the main character, yet fails to depict anything interesting in its entire running time.The characters are all cardboard-thin, save for the protagonist whose loneliness and eccentricity is apparent yet inaccessible.
If Campos can take his skills of plot-structuring and possibly add more dialog to further reveal other aspects of his characters, then I strongly believe he has the potential to make an excellent film, but I just found this one to be an inaccessible drag..
Campos, who was a scholarship student at an exclusive international school himself and then went to study film at NYU, has been rejected from many festivals, but Cannes has led him to the NYFF.
(See the interview "Filmstock: Antonio Campos 'After School'" on PlumTV.) 'Afterschool,' which speaks of a boy and girl in a fancy East Coas prep school video club, of the boy's roommate, and the death of twin Alpha Girl classmates, is a film of and about the YouTube generation.
It begins with Rob (Ezra Miller) watching an online porn site called "Nasty Cum Holes" (or something like that) in which a man, unseen, is talking dirty to a young prostitute.
While ostensibly making a sort of promotional video for the school he is shooting a hallway and stairway and all of a sudden two twin girls, the most admired in the school as it happens, appear overdosing.
(Campos' admiration for Frederick Wiseman's 'High School' led him to pay homage with the character's name.) A lot of 'Afterschool' is seen either as a video camera (or even a cell phone camera) see it, or as Rob sees it.
A wave of repression follows the incident--perhaps evoking the aftermath of 9/11, which Campos interchanged with the girls' death to get kids' reaction shots.Campos likes moments that make us and himself uncomfortable, starting with the opening porn video, but continuing with Rob's experience and the world seen through his eyes.
(Campos made a short film in which a young girl sells her virginity on eBay and loses it for real on camera to an older man.) Rob's safety is continually compromised and his emotions are uncertain.
Rob is a cleancut, even beautiful, boy, but he is almost clinically shut down--not an unusual state for a male teenager, maybe even more likely in a privileged setting like a New England prep school.Rob and Amy are assigned the task of making a 'memorial film' about the dead twins.
Afterschool is a movie about a boarding school in United States and how rotten is the environment there.
The comments of the director about the hypocrisy of the school teachers and the faulty communication between students and their parents are discreet but effective in a filming manner.
I can certainly see why some people wouldn't like this movie; the pacing is slow to the point that people raised on "Cloverfield" (which I happened to enjoy) and the like will probably be slitting their wrists.
But, having attended a school like the one in the movie, I can tell you that the level of realism is startlingly accurate; each character could easily be someone who I knew in high school.If you enjoy restrained directing and acting, this is an absolute must see.
It is one of the few movies that almost makes you forget there is a camera involved; it is like your own private lens into the world.
First I stopped after half an hour of watching admittedly realistic, if over-familiar and desultory, dialog, and trying to stay interested in people I only half-saw, or saw from a distance, or from the back of their heads, all going through what looked very much like what innumerable prep school students go through regularly.
I think this is a great film that takes a serious and realistic look at high school life.
They adapt voyeuristic tastes and view the troubles of others instead of deal with their own, whether through watching cell phone videos of student fights on YouTube or making such spying videos of their own.
The acting does get a bit dull at times and tedious to follow along with, and the quiet audio and super-steady camera shots may start to drag on one's patience.
I don't mean the remarkably inept product of the protagonist, seen in this film, I mean this film.Truly wretched camera work and editing, a total failure in character development, and a lack of plot that must have been intentional are only the beginning.
There was some decent acting (though the special-features interview with the lead actor achieved more audience attachment in 3 minutes than the entire film did), but the direction was amazingly inept.
Truly, Ewe Boll films are better.You'll see totally pointless scenes tossed in at random (some guy throwing a ball against a wall, irrelevant to anything else in the movie, is only one such), a total failure on the part of the school faculty that I thought was intended to parody itself, but was apparently meant to be taken seriously, and total opacity from all of the characters - you see them doing things, but why they're doing them, or why they do anything, remains a mystery.
Having liked Ezra Miller in City Island, and having liked seemingly similar festival films, I figured I'd enjoy Afterschool.
I'm not sure if he was trying to be really different than all the other dark teen angst films, if he honestly believes there's a big enough audience for a film like Afterschool, or if he just didn't care if it was a viable movie.What makes this movie so painfully bad isn't the story, subject matter, or acting.
Anyway, in Afterschool, Miller is a nobody kid at a prep school who accidentally videotapes two popular girls die overdosing on tainted cocaine.
As the school goes into damage control trying to shake out all the drugs, Miller starts to act erratically believing he is under surveillance.
Surveillance, public image and acts of watching are huge themes in movie.
Apparently a lot of people don't care for the slow pace of the story and static camera scenes.
It's pace leaves you wondering who is retarded.It is about two bored uninspired, possibly demented high-school underclass students making a documentary.
It's an interesting movie, with great acting, especially Ezra Miller, but at same time is really slow, with steering and editing problems and a confusing ending.
Robert's isolation from the world is what really makes the movie interesting.
Kids today devour video toxic waste unguided and with no way to digest the daily dose of random clips that are void of any meaning or purpose, but are still irresistibly taboo.With its overstimulated emotional shut down and pathetic sentiment throughout, the film is confusing and has no cohesive story, all by design.
"Afterschool" is a dark, quirky and semi-interesting film about an isolated prep-school teen named Rob who witnesses fatal drug overdoses of preppie female twins while working on an audio/visual school club project.
Writer-Director Antonio Campos did develop an intriguing narrative on teenage angst, trauma, and insecurity; however, the immensely slow pace was more of an afterschool exercise of futility.
Director Campos has created characters we don't care about and puts them in situations so dull and even far fetched if you managed to keep your eyes opened till the very end you've accomplished a lot.
Depressing, boring, and manipulative the director here is trying to make you feel like you're watching something of merit in terms of art.
AFTERSCHOOL is certainly not the kind of movie which would appeal to most people, yet this film very aptly portrays "the unease of a troubled state of mind".
The slow shots where things were cut off were really annoying, and I didn't enjoy watching a boy masturbate for no apparent reason for the movie.
And it was all videotaped by another student, Robert (Ezra Miller), who was using his camera for a school project.
The story, actually, begins with him - a typical teenager, just a little more lonely than the usual barely talking to his roommate and constantly spending his days on the internet watching porn or school fight videos.
The movie's concern is in seeing how Robert will react with this tragedy while continuing with his project (now a memorial tribute for the dead girls), classes and involvement with his classmates.
Good actors here and elsewhere but since the director is trying an almost documentary kind of film their performances get in the way.
It's right for the movie but that at no point cannot take the pleasure of the viewing.Director Antonio Campos uses of static images that represent the voyeurish act of seeing things very distantly, rejecting close-ups and movements.
It's the vision of the kid of sees everything from a distance, the girls he can't reach present on the net videos, and also the ones he couldn't save because he was in a state of shock (we're fooled into this until a certain moment).
That's what the director tries to convey (it could be) but to me it was lazy filmmaking hacking from masters like Haneke and Van Sant, trying to be a higher (and updated) variation of "Benny's Video" with "Elephant".
I liked "Afterschool" because when it wasn't trying to be pretentious (and it is) it offered valid criticisms about adults negligence while dealing with kids and it's an intelligent and psychological radiography on today's youth and all of its problems.
Extremely manipulative and quite deceiving towards its final moments but gotta admit Mr. Campos managed to build tension in all scenes even the ones you give less importance like when the headmaster complains about Robert's expressionless video.Some people look at this as a critique of the America post 9/11, and there's plenty of sustainable elements to confirm such view.
As noted by many, Afterschool is one in a bunch of teen death films, but that doesn't necessarily make it unoriginal or plot less.
Many mention Van Sant's Elephant (2003), - personally I thought of Michael Haneke many times, especially his Benny's Video (1992), which is thematically similar and also must have been a visual inspiration for Afterschool.
I generously give 7 stars to Afterschool, because I am a huge Ezra Miller-fan, but be advised:This movie is very nearly impossible to love..
"I think I may not be a good person." - Robert Antonio Campos directs "Afterschool", an ambitious film which owes a little bit too much to the works of Haneke, Kubrick and Dumont.The plot: at a private boarding school, an alienated teenager (Robert) watches as two older girls die due to the ingestion of drugs contaminated with rat poison.
The camera itself was present simply because Robert was shooting a school project, which he later abandons in favour for making a video memorial of the girls who died.
One in which children receive pills from a school nurse, and another in which Robert is in a library being spied on by an invisible camera.The film uses a variety of distancing effects, none of which resonate.
Forget the fact that the film has only one visually interesting sequence – a brilliant opening in which Robert sits in darkness, his head framed by the glow of a computer screen as he watches pornography – and focus instead on the ideas being addressed.Robert, who is addicted to the internet and obsessed with images, is concerned about whether or not he is a "good person".
As everyone from Freud to Lacan shows, desire and the death-drive are intertwined; in an attempt to satiate desire, the self seeks to transcend the flesh and move toward pain and then outright annihilation (of the Self or Other).What the film thus does is link this "search for the Real" with, not only the fact that everything and everyone is now an unreal image, our 21stC world a participatory data-bank of pixel-like fragments to be consumed, digitised and digested, but the realisation that the equivalency of all things under the gaze of New Media leads only to the derrealization of a world which can now only be transcended (ie felt) through Kubrickean ultra-violence.Many have dismissed Robert as a psycho.
Robert rapes, has sex, indulges in violence and engages in all manners of "dark" things by proxy (using the internet and film), and yet during the death of the "twin" girls (another Kubrickean allusion) he is the only person who steps out of the camera and into the real, where he touches their dying bodies.
When he makes a movie which seeks to investigate the lives of the "twins", reconciling their outward angelic beauty and their need for drugs, their "unified image" and their "fragmented reality", he is thinking about, considering, and questioning his own ethical stance in relation to things.Significantly, the film ends with Robert in a library.
But this moment of uplift is undercut by the film's final image, in which Robert is spied on by an invisible mobile phone camera.
The plot of the film has an internet addicted teen at a prep school who is so disconnected with the world that the only thing real is what he sees in the You Tube clips or through his video recorder accidentally record the drug overdose of two of the girls in the school.
Long dull shots framed off kilter so as to cut off peoples heads combine together to reveal a story about teen life that is so artificial that you'd have to have limited exposure to either children or the films about them to truly be shocked at revelations.
When the overdose occurs, I'm not sure how long into the film, a good distance, I was bored so my sense of time was all screwed up, I figured that the film would pick up.
Critics who have been comparing Campos to Kubrick and Van Sant must owe him a favor.This film was not the worst movie I have ever seen,it just could of been so much better.
Some positives about this film were how they showed the curiosity of teenagers and sex, how Campos took a modern direction with twisted teens in today's society and technology, and how awkward it can be to live with a roommate you hate.Ill finish off with saying this: If you find yourself halfway through this movie and you are not enjoying it, do yourself a favor and turn it off...you won't miss anything..
The director tries to get cute with the camera and it just doesn't work - you spend most of the movie just trying to figure out who is saying what.
(I've seen movies with innovative camera work - this is not one of them.) The plot is murky...there's no resolution to the story.
SPOILER: you think the main character maybe killed one of the girls by suffocating her with a hand over her mouth, but you can't really be sure.
SPOILER: if you pay attention to the dialog, you could even think his roommate may have killed them both inadvertently by trying to "drug" them for ulterior motives (early in the film, the main character suggests to his roommate - the drug dealer - that he could drug them; further support for this theory is: since his roommate was selling drugs all over the school...how come the 2 girls are the only ones who died?
'Sorry - but I really dislike a movie where you basically know less about what happened in it AFTER you've watched it.I also have to agree with the reviewers here who said the memorial video created by the main character was NOT insightful and honest, but just inappropriate and plain stupid (now that I think about it - it was a lot like the movie it's a part of).Finally, I just want to point out an error in another review here, where the reviewer refers to a scene with students lining up and taking pills by saying "...all the students are now given daily doses of pills..." suggesting that the students were all given drugs daily as a reaction to the drug overdose deaths.In the first place, had the reviewer paid a bit more attention: there is an almost identical scene earlier in the movie - well BEFORE the girls die.Secondly, it's a common practice in most boarding schools that students are not allowed to keep and take their own prescription drugs...they have to go to the school clinic at the proper times to receive them.This prevents abuse and/or selling of prescription drugs, while helping to lower school liability in case a student is not taking their prescribed drugs when they're supposed to.
That's what that scene (and the earlier similar scene) was about - NOT a repressive school system forcing students to take drugs for their own good!I guess I can't blame that reviewer for missing that - this movie is very easy to misunderstand.
All of this appears in the first few minutes of the movie when the Ezra Miller character is surfing videos on the internet mostly graphic violence including real clips of murder and then lands on some porn showing a young woman being intentionally and extensively humiliated and then choked in what is obviously a more than she bargained for aspect of the clip which ends with the actual sex act.
Antonio Campos delivers a slow and hypnotically paced film that keeps it's audience on edge with just a few disturbing scenes that leave the viewer to speculate rather than to spell it all out.
The film deals with Robert, a school kid who's camera pics up the death of two school girls, and the events around the deaths.
There is hope in the chaos that the film puts forth and some good natured characters all dealing with guilt surrounding the death of the two girls.
AFTERSCHOOL is a raw movie, and not in a good way.
Perhaps this movie could be taken as a "morning after" pill; an antidote to the over-sexed, all-powerful Van Wilders and Stiflers of the Wild Bunch school of campus film-making. |
tt0117104 | Mrs. Winterbourne | In flashbacks, Connie Doyle's (Ricki Lake) early life gives an idea of her mindset. At 18, she meets womanizer Steve DeCunzo (Loren Dean), moves in with him and winds up pregnant. He kicks her out, denying responsibility. A destitute Connie, trying to find a shelter, gets inadvertently swept aboard a train at Grand Central Terminal. With no ticket and no money, Connie is rescued by Hugh Winterbourne (Brendan Fraser) and taken to his private compartment. She meets his wife, Patricia, who is also pregnant. When the train crashes, Connie is mistaken for Patricia because she is wearing Patricia's wedding band, which has the couple's names engraved on the inside. In the hospital, no longer pregnant, she learns Patricia and Hugh both died in the crash.
Seeing the wrong name on the wristband on a child, Connie thinks the hospital has messed up until she sees the wedding band still on her finger. She tries to explain but is prevented from doing so by nurses, who believe she is just hysterical. She meets Hugh's mother, Grace (Shirley MacLaine), who has a bad heart. With nowhere else to go, Connie believes it is best for her and her baby to accept the offer to go to Grace's home. Connie there meets Bill (also played by Fraser), Hugh's identical twin brother. When the initial shock wears off, she nervously begins her new life. This world is very different, and she finds it difficult to adjust.
Bill, a bit wary of Connie, questions her identity, believing she is after the family's money. He investigates, learning her real identity. They walk around Boston and begin to bond. Bill prepares to expose Connie when he learns that Grace plans to change her will to include Connie and baby Hughie. He changes his mind when Connie becomes upset and begs Grace not to include her and Hughie in the will. Connie's protests make Grace want to include them even more. A drunk Paco, the family's chauffeur, demands that Bill and Connie dance a tango. They do so and end up sharing several kisses.
Connie bonds with Grace. Feeling guilty for taking advantage of Grace's kindness, she decides to leave with Hughie. Bill attempts to convince her to stay, proposing to her. He tells her think about it overnight. Connie decides to run away anyway. Paco follows her to the train station, tells her about his own shady past, and makes her realize she and the baby are just as valuable to Grace as Grace is to them.
Connie returns home to find Grace has had a heart attack because of her absence. She decides to let things go and marry Bill as Patricia Winterbourne. Steve discovers Connie's good fortune and tries to blackmail her. In the confusion that ensues, Steve is shot. Bill and Connie flee the scene, and think each one is the one who shot Steve. It is then that Bill reveals that he knows Connie's true identity, and that he loves her anyway. Both believe they are home free, until their wedding day. When the priest tells Bill and Connie that Grace is confessing to the murder, both of them hurry to her side and confess to the murder themselves.
Shocked, the police tell them they already have the murderer in custody, and it is not any of them, it was the woman Steve started seeing after dumping Connie. Like Connie, Steve had gotten her pregnant and abandoned her. The police only came to question about the check Connie had written out to Steve. Connie confesses the whole story to Grace, who says she'll get over it, adding that she'd like more grandchildren. The wedding goes ahead as planned, and Bill presents Connie with a wedding ring with their names engraved on the inside, just like the real Patricia's ring. | romantic | train | wikipedia | 'Mrs. Winterbourne' is a highly improbable take on the Cinderella "rags to riches" story about 18 year-old Connie Doyle (Ricki Lake), who finds herself enceinte, unmarried, and homeless.
There she shares a compartment with a young married couple, Hugh and Patricia Winterbourne (Susan Haskell and Brendan Fraser), who are also expecting a little bundle of joy.
Connie decides to carry on the charade (it's almost ironic that her her name is Connie, since she's "conning" everyone) even after coming face to face with her coddling "mother-in-law" (Shirley MacLaine) and Hugh's twin brother, the cold and unfriendly Bill Winterbourne (also Brendan Fraser).For a fluff film like this, the cast is surprisingly good.
Why either talented actor would want to participate in a film like this is a mystery to me, but maybe it's for the best.
But I have a difficult time understanding why Ricki Lake was cast as Connie.
She has a tendency to overact in many scenes, she doesn't make a convincing 18 year-old at all (she was 28 when cast), and her transition from sharp-tongued teenager to polite young socialite bride-to-be is too fast and unbelievable.Overall, 'Mrs. Winterbourne' is a good film for a boring Friday night.
But as soon as Ricki Lakegets on the train, this movie starts to get watchable, and as soonas she moves in with the Winterbournes, it starts to get honestlyfunny.Brendan Fraser is really a great actor, isn't he?
But, by a twist of fate, Connie is mistaken for Patricia and finds herself and her new baby in a private hospital, as befitting the wife of a member of the rich Winterbourne family.
She meets her new mother-in-law (Shirley MacLaine) and her "husband's" twin brother, Bill (Brendan Fraser) and goes home to a posh, Boston mansion, complete with servants.
Don't get me wrong, I love Ricki Lake, and I don't think she was bad here, she just wasn't given anything to do, and we were never given any reason why Frasier should experience such a dramatic sea-change.
Ricki Lake, God bless her, was, in a word, miscast; without the strength of Fraser and Maclaine, this movie is a two, at best a three.
Still, for a movie that had so much potential (if not for the sometimes unbelievable -yet entertaining- storyline, then definitely for the two aforementioned lead actors) that was lost beneath the looming shadow that is Lake, I'd watch it again.
Excruciating, impossible comedy, an adaptation of Cornell Woolrich's story "I Married a Dead Man", concerns homeless, pregnant, incredibly naive young woman (Ricki Lake, three years after debuting as a TV chat-show hostess) coming in contact with a wealthy Bostonian family who believe she's an in-law of theirs.
The wonderful cast includes Brendan Fraser, Shirley MacLaine and an unbilled Paula Prentiss, but not even their lively efforts can make this script easy to swallow.
A wonderfully colorful role that the actor fitted in the best way possible.Not the tightest story you'll ever find, nor the most credible, but the movie has heart and old fashioned romance.
The central problem of this movie is that Ricki Lake simply isn't a strong enough actress to carry a lead role.
The plot is implausible but there are some excellent performances and memorable scenes.Brendan Fraser is gorgeous (as always) and there were many entertaining moments where he shines in his dual roles as identical twin brothers.
Shirley MacLaine is excellent as an incorrigible matriarch and Miguel Sandoval hilarious as the devoted butler.Ricki Lake plays Connie, the title character, who is mistakenly identified as Mrs. Winterbourne after an accident.
The family have their own fears and pains but Connie and the Winterbourne's manage to be positive influences on each other allowing healing, growth and romance.Of course I've seen it all before but this movie is definitely worth a look if feel good comedy romances are your thing..
Well, I finally caught it the other day on HBO Signature and it was so awful, I felt like calling my friends and thanking them for saving me the price of a movie ticket!Shirley MacLaine was wonderful, but when isn't she?
Shirley McLaine is, as always, wonderful to watch and just as delightful is Brendan Fraser..
I don't really want to reveal any of the plot, because it unfolds so beautifully if you have no idea what's coming.Barbara Stanwyck starred in the original in 1950, entitled No Man of Her Own, and while the black-and-white version is also very entertaining, I like the remake a little better.
In this version, Ricki Lake, Brendan Fraser, and Shirley MacLaine are the leads, and they play off each other very well.Mrs. Winterbourne is a romance, a thriller, a mystery, and an all-around cute flick from the 90s.
Ricki Lake was pretty good in the lead role as Connie Doyle, I don't think that she's a bad actress and I don't think at all that she gave a poor performance here.
Like I said, I think one of the movies main problems is the underwhelming writing that can come up sometimes, but I think another problem with Mrs. Winterbourne is Brendan Fraser.
Now I don't mean to hate on Brendan Fraser, and I think he has given some good acting performances in other films, but to be honest, I just didn't think he was a good fit in this movie.
Mrs Winterbourne had great potential and could have been up there with films such as While You Were Sleeping (excellent cast).
Shirley MacLaine does her best and is the star of the film but Brendan Fraser, who despite being handsome and watchable, over acts.
Poor Ricki Lake is out of her depth here and brings the movie down to an "average" film.
Ricki Lake's acting was very good and believable (even though the times are modern, they're ARE SOME innocent young women still out there!).
I don't know how to tango but this scene is sooooooo romantic that I think I need to learn!I have to agree however with the comments from "Wherever-in Arizona" about how quickly Bill's (Brendan Frasier) character changes personality so quickly from this dry, cool and questioning guy to a fun-loving passionate guy.
Ricki Lane (as Connie Doyle) successfully plays the role of a woman who is trapped between what she thinks is good for her child and her conscience.
Shirley Maclaine (as Grace Winterbourne) portrays a rich lady who's hungry to see a grandchild that she forgets to protect her wealth just so she could leave these to a grandson (and daughter-in-law) she believed she has.
Let's not forget Miguel Sandoval who, as Paco, was a very charming and convincing butler.While the storyline needs more polishing to be believable, this film managed perfectly to entertain me, leaving me to forget intellectualizing on it.
Thus, I spent the entire time enjoying the movie.If there is any film that amuses and entertains (and makes one believe that there still is such a thing as "romance"), this is it!.
From the over-bearing, but well meaning Mother (Shirley MacLaine) and the delicious Brendan Fraser, to the funny and lovable Paco - this film had me laughing and clutching my cushion till the end.
Shirley MacLaine carries a lot of the movie - but we all know she can act.
Pay close attention - if you miss a scene, now that we have DVD, you will find yourself going back to figure out what you missed.It won't be on many peoples all time favorite movie list, but through all of the subterfuge many of the characters are involved in, plus a lot of smiles and laughter, make it a good DVD for girls to rent for a Saturday night when they don't have a date.
The third version of William Irish's absorbing psychological thriller "I married a dead man",after Leisen's "no man of her own" (1950),starring Barbara Stanwyck, which I have not seen but would like to,Robin Davis's 1982 "j'ai épousé une ombre" starring Natalie Baye.That French attempt,although it did a lot of francs (no euros at the time),was a disappointment,because the heroine ,without her terrible guilty feeling,was devoid of interest, and because the scenarists felt compelled to secure a ridiculous happy end which the novel had not.William Irish's world is noir,desperate ,some of his short novels to rival the best of Poe.What about Richard Benjamin's work?It's an insult to the great writer who once gave Hitchcock "rear window" .You simply cannot turn an Irish tragic heroine into a Pygmalion/my fair lady character .Connie was not a crude vulgar woman,she was a frail girl who said to us at the beginning of the book-which like Benjamin's film is a long flashback- "We've lost;that's all I know,we've lost".Oddly the part of the father has been ruled out,probably to make room for MacLaine who gets here the lion's share .The director does not know what he wants to do,a comedy or a thriller ,and the movie suffers accordingly.Best performance:Baby Hughie.Since I wrote my comment I had the opportunity to see "no man of her own";It's the best by far!.
I don't understand why anyone thought it would be a good idea to take a classic noir thriller like Cornell Woolrich's "I Married a Dead Man" and turn it into a romantic comedy.
Thanks for that should go to Brendan Fraser, Shirley MacLaine, and Miguel Sandoval, for their well-executed performances.
I just finished watching this movie on TV and couldn't understand why anyone would bother releasing this film to theater other than to cash in on some reputable names of actors that obviously made poor decisions, furthermore why anyone would bother spending more than pocket lint to be subjected to such pathetic dribble.For starters, if this character found herself in such a sit com like situation as she did, why didn't she just tell the truth instead of dragging things out until the inevitable, tedious and way too predictable end.Brendan Fraser is a capable actor and what can I say about Shirley MacLaine.
Once again I see that without good writers, even great actors, (MacLaine) wished they had called in sick or checked into rehab instead of appearing this achingly painful rehash of twenty different crappy movies already made.And, please, giving a makeover to Rikki Lake is like spraying Febreze on dog crap.
I imagined it as a romantic comedy of sorts, and yet from the very beginning it was really quite heavy, dealing as it did with young Connie (Rikki Lake) being homeless, then meeting up with a sleazebag and then being tossed out by him when he gets her pregnant.
Then mistaken identity turns into deliberate deceit on Connie's part (although I understand it wasn't malicious.) Once she gets taken in by the Winterbourne's after the train wreck that kills their son and his wife (whom the family has never met, and whom Connie is mistaken for) the only character who really made sense to me was Bill (Brendan Fraser), who seemed appropriately suspicious of her given the circumstances.
Shirley MacLaine (as the matriarch of the Winterbourne clan) was probably the best part of the movie and provided much of the comedy, and the closing scenes (as everyone tries to protect Connie/Patricia) was quite touching, as was the point that the Winterbournes became the family she never had.
But overall I would say it's a fun romantic comedy.This movie is about a woman named Connie who is pregnant and penniless.
A movie not worth mentioning, if Shirley MacLaine were not acting in it..
Connie Doyle (played by Ricki Lake) is abandoned on the streets by her former lover as she tells him that she is pregnant and does not want an abortion.
Months later, in an advanced stage of her pregnancy and on the way to a shelter for the homeless, she enters the wrong train and gets involved into a chain of coincidences that finally leads to the end that, when the train crashes in an accident, she is mistaken for Mrs. Patricia Winterbourne, another pregnant woman, who loses her life under the shattered heap of steel.
Thus, when Connie wakes up at the hospital, she finds herself in a different world, as the member of a wealthy family and with a little son who is enthusiastically welcomed by his supposed grandmother.The main part of the plot that follows this exposition is what should be romantic comedy, from the time on when Connie meets Hugh Winterbourne's brother Bill.
At least this explains why Bill's part is played by a good-looking Brendan Fraser, while for Connie's part an actress with a more average look and figure was chosen.
But it is hard for me to believe that the female perspective would turn this movie into anything worth mentioning, if it were not simply because Brendan Fraser appears on the screen.
The only genuine reason for watching the movie could be the fact that Shirley MacLaine plays Grace Winterbourne, Connie's supposed mother in law.
It's a charming movie with a decent soundtrack and pretty good acting (with an admitted exception of Ricki Lake).
What a knock out this movie could have been if the screen writers would have kept to Woolrich's original 1930's epic, instead of pulling the viewer back and forth between heart warming nostalgia and blaring modernism.Ricki Lake's performance was admirable, though I did feel she was miscast.
Fraser, as always was wonderful, Shirley MacLaine was priceless, but it was Miguel Sandoval (as the quirky Cuban Butler) who almost stole the show.All in all, I did like this movie.
And though no one would ever accuse this movie of being intellectual or at times rational, Mrs. Winterbourne is a must see for all die hard romantics...for it will leave you with a smile..
This is a wonderful movie starring two of my most favorite stars, Ricki Lake and Brendan Fraser, as well as a famed actress, Shirley MacLaine.
Now Connie assumes the role of Patricia Winterbourne and eventually, Hugh's brother Bill finds out who she really is but doesn't say anything.
I saw this movie mainly to see Shirley MacLaine (that and I heard it was supposed to be really funny) and let me say that I liked it, but I was sort of dissappointed.
Connie Doyle is thrown out by her boyfriend when she becomes pregnant, and she ends up on a train with the Winterbournes, a wealthy young couple on their way to Boston.
Complications arise, but everything works out in the end.Shirley MacLaine is quite winning at Grace Winterbourne, and Miguel Sandoval steals most of his scenes.
"Mrs. Winterbourne" is the kind of movie I almost hate myself for liking.
But if Brendan Fraser is involved, I'm willing to take that plunge.Ricki Lake is the heroine as the pregnant Connie Doyle, who is fleeing her typically no-good dirtbag boyfriend Steve.
She realizes she's considered the wife of Huey, a young man who was very wealthy but on the outs with his family.With baby in tow, Connie arrives at the Winterbourne estate and meets Mrs. Winterbourne (McLaine) and her dead "husband's" brother Bill (Fraser), who smells a rat from the beginning.
I love this movie Saw it years ago and many times afterwards whenever it came out on TV Even hired it several times The story is simple and sweet WARNING MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD If you haven't seen the movie rather watch first A abused girl (read exploited girl) Connie by a rat of a man who gets her pregnant then dumps her She's assisted by a homeless man who directs her to a home for unmarried mothers She is "crowd" forced onto a train where she meets Hugh Winterborne who is coming home after marrying a woman called Patricia Hugh assists her and introduces her to Patricia The two bond and Patricia lets Connie put her wedding ring on Unfortunately the train is derailed and both Patricia and Hugh are killed and Connie lands up in hospital and gives birth When she awakens she discovers that she has been mistaken for Patrica Winterborne She is frantic and wants out but the fates don't blow the way she wants it to and she lands up farther and farther in a deception that she cannot get out of without hurting her "mother in Law" who has taken totally to her new "grandson" The movie is sweet and very down to earth Loved all four of the main characters Ricki Lake (Connie) Brendon Fraiser as both the deceased brother and the two brothers, Shirley McLain as the new grandmother and Paco as the chauffeur All four deliver a good performance and each in their own way is well cast I loved the movie and as soon as I can find a copy it will definitely be added to my prized DVD Collection.
It is however her two redoubtable co-stars, Brendan Fraser and Shirley Maclaine who steal the show and are obviously on screen at almost all of the movie's best moments.
Mrs. Winterbourne (1996): Dir: Richard Benjamin / Cast: Ricki Lake, Shirley MacLaine, Brendan Fraser, Loren Dean, Jane Krakowski: Intriguing romantic comedy that has its charm before surrendering to stupid situations that derail any richness it had.
Shirley MacLaine is a compelling actress but as Mrs. Winterbourne she is just a presence playing a type who will save the day.
I believe that those who are most vocally panning "Mrs. Winterbourne" are doing so because they simply don't like the genre of light-hearted romantic comedy.
Of COURSE Brendan Fraser has women swooning over his Hugh/Bill Winterbourne.
Also, I am forced to agree that Ricki Lake does NOT look like a character who just turned 18 years old.
Did Shirley MacLain read the script before she signed up?Ricki Lake comes off as a tubby little tomboy; as a leading lady in a feature film she makes a great talk-show host.
Yes, often something naughty would come out.With that said, Shirley MacLaine and Brendan Fraser are charming, warm and human. |
tt0274944 | Teen Devian | Teen Deviaan starts off to commentary by Ameen Sayani, as the camera moves through Calcutta's streets, the pretty Nanda (Nanda) finds herself, as she sees it, being followed. The man, Dev Dutt Anand (Dev Anand) has been sitting in the bus beside her, and has bought a ticket for Dalhousie (after she’s bought one) and has now even followed her into the boarding house where she lives. At this point, Nanda loses her temper and yells at Dev, threatening to call the police. Instead, her shouting attracts the attention of the boarding house’s owners, Mr Pinto (Harindranath Chattopadhyay) and his wife (Ruby Myers). Mr. and Mrs. Pinto assure Nanda that she’s misunderstood, this Dev being their new lodger. Nanda is sheepish and embarrassed. But Dev forgives her readily with a remark quite apparently aimed at her, though he’s in his room and she’s in hers, watching each other only through a gap.
Within a couple of days, they’re good friends. In fact, Nanda is pretty much in love with Dev. He flirts with her, is sweet to him, even goes off on a day trip into the countryside with her.
Meanwhile, Dev starts working at Merry Musical Stores. His boss, I.S. Johar (I S Johar) flies off the handle when Dev turns up late on the very first day. But one day, I.S. Johar happens to come across a poem that Dev’s written and is so impressed that he quickly forgives Dev and all his shortcomings and prays that Dev’s poems will soon get published. Hopefully some of Dev’s subsequent fame will rub off onto Merry Musical Stores too.
One evening, Dev’s sitting on a bench in a park when a passing car goes hurtling through a puddle, and Dev is liberally splashed. He calls out to the driver Kalpana (Kalpana) that something’s fallen off her car. Curious, she reverses, then gets out of the car to have a look around. This giving Dev an opportunity to have his revenge for the drenching he received. He’s been fiddling with a hosepipe all this while, and now turns it on her, leaving her wet and furious.Even worse, when she gets into her car and tries to start it, it won’t start. Soon, a bunch of stragglers gather around. Instead of helping her, they spend all their time ogling her and passing comments. Finally, Dev takes pity on her and offers to attend to her car; the engine kicks in immediately, and Dev takes it upon himself to drive her to back home. She makes it quite clear that she doesn’t want his help, but Dev insists, and leaves her with no option but to agree. By the time he reaches her house – having draped his coat over her wet and shivering shoulders – this mysterious lady is rather more kindly disposed towards Dev, though she doesn’t show it. However, when he’s gone and she’s changing her wet clothes, she looks fondly down at his coat and sees his notebook of poems sticking out of the pocket. She has a look through it.
Next day, I.S. Johar has a piece of very good news to share with Dev his book of poems has been accepted by a publisher and the first proof copies have arrived. I.S. Johar sends out copies to some of Merry Musical Stores’ clients. One of these is the wealthy and influential socialite Radharani ‘Simi’ (Simi Garewal). Simi receives a copy of Dev’s book of poems and is completely bowled over by them. Dev happens to come to her home to deliver a piano and tune it for her while she’s reading his book, and Dev owns up to being the poet. Then, a couple of days later, a lady resurfaces in Dev’s life: the unknown woman to whom he had lent his coat. It turns out that this woman is Kalpana (Kalpana), and she’s a famous actress. Her life is a whirl of men trying to flatter her, making promises of laying their hearts at her feet, and so on. Dev’s failure to even recognize her has endeared him to her. She likes his candour, and the fact that he treats her as a friend, not as an idol. She even buys him a new coat, which she hands over to him in the car, insisting that he should wear it in exchange for his old coat. And that isn’t the only time they meet. One day, Kalpana wheedles Dev into accompanying her for a shoot in the countryside. They have a minor mishap along the way, the car goes into a ditch, and Dev and Kalpana spend an interesting day getting to know the locals. Few days later, Simi had an invitation to a party at her home. Dev is reluctant to go, but I.S. Johar persuades him. Simi is vastly influential; she knows everybody worth knowing. She can give his writing career the boost it needs. Dev must go and so he does. He is an instant success. And he manages to convince both Simi and Kalpana that he is singing for her. At party Dev gets drunk so much that Simi has to drop him to his boarding house. Nanda notices Dev and helps him upstairs to his apartment. Next morning, Nanda gets angry with Dev about his drunken act the earlier night. Dev apologizes and takes Nanda to the countryside where Nanda proposes Dev to marry her. Dev asks her to wait till the right time comes. One evening genteel Simi who is eager to spend money on Dev, to further enhance his career convinces Dev to participate in a Mushaira at Srinagar which is to be aired on All India Radio. After a few days they reach Srinagar to participate in the mushaira where Dev performs perfectly. Later at night when both of them are sitting in Shikara at Dal Lake, Simi asks Dev to come to Gulmarg. There she proposes Dev to marry her but Dev asks her to give 4 to 7 days to answer. On returning from Gulmarg, at the hotel in Srinager, Dev finds Kalpana with sadness in her eyes, which he correctly guesses to be loneliness. Kalpana admits it to him, that, she has seen the superficiality of the life that surrounds her, and she longs for someone to truly understand her, as a person, not just a beautiful face. Even here, Dev asks her to give 4 to 7 days to answer. Returning from Srinagar, Dev is in a lot of confusion about the three ladies, Teen Devian, and knowing well that he cannot marry three women in his country, a tortured and uncertain Dev finally makes his mind and decides to go with Nanda as his life-partner. | romantic | train | wikipedia | Is it possible to fall in love with three women simultaneoulsy?.
I think it was way back in 1987 that we had our exams and my friend and I saw in the papers that one of the theatres was playing 'teen deviyan'.
We decided to go just for the heck of it without hoping anything great.
But we were in for a pleasant surprise.
The movie was made in 1965 but even by today's standards, the plot was absolutely modern and way ahead of its times.
The music was wonderful and Dev Anand as a city bred looked and acted his best.
I still remember that elated feeling when we came out of the theatre after the movie was over.
Whoever thought of this story of one man falling for three very different girls at the same time?
No he is not three timing or fooling them but he genuinely likes all three of them for different reasons.
One is homely, one is an actress and the third is a 'high society' girl who can also help Dev in his career as a poet.
The question is which one is the 'One' for him.
What makes the matter worse is that all three of them like him too.
When things come to an impasse, a hypnotist takes him in and in his hypnotized state he dreams of his future with each one of them and reaches the right decision.This dream of his which is the only colored part in an otherwise black-n-white movie is the crux of the film but surprisingly is edited out from most of the versions available today.
If you want to watch this movie make sure that this part is intact.
In case you watch this movie without this part and get confused, don't worry because you just watched an incomplete movie..
The story has a deeper meaning than apparent.
For all intents and purposes, 'Teen Devian' might seem like just another lightweight Bollywood musical.
To some extent, this might even be true, especially because the producers had to be sure that the film succeeded with the masses.
But somewhere behind the scenes, either Sadashiv Brahmam (who had the 'idea' for this story) or Amerjeet (who directed the film) decided that there would be a twist to the usual formula, and succeeded perhaps beyond even their own expectations.This is not simply about a handsome man flirting with 3 women, undecided on whom to choose as his life's partner.
Dev Anand's character was really in love with each of the 3 women at various times, and they with him, despite being aware of the other two.
Dev Anand's relationship with Simi and Kalpana is particularly interesting - in that each of the women comes to depend on him heavily.
There are quite a lot of suggestive teasers in the stars' body language that lend themselves to imagination depending on the viewer's maturity.
The theme is surprisingly adult and after all that it was ashame that the ending was tame, obviously designed to please the masses and deflect criticism..
Great Film.
Teen Deviyaan is a great film.
A very breezy entertainer and a very modern film for its time in the 1960s.
The Music and songs are terrific though the lyrics of Majrooh are meaningless at places.
Dev Anand is a tremendous star and as usual does great justice to his role.
Kalpana is sexy and Nanda is OK.
Simi too is just about OK.
The film has terrific dialogue by Vrajendra Gaur who wrote most of Dev Anand's films like Mahal, Duniya, Warrant, Jaali Note, Manzil, etc.etc.It is a story of Dev getting attracted to three females - the mod Kalpana, Simi and the homely Nanda.
He eventually opts for Nanda.
The story is about OK but its been narrated in a gripping way and the dialogue and Songs and the great Dev Anand are the highlight of the film.
A must watch film for all Dev Anand fans..
Superb movie, a must see.
I saw Teen Devian in 1993 telecasted in Doordarshan on a Friday night, and could scarcely believe that such a remarkable film was ever made in Bollywood.
It was mind blowing a film with a "modern" storyline, superb music, three lovely ladies and my fave superstar Dev Anand.In this unusual storyline, Dev falls in love with three women the simple Nanda, the ravishing Kalpana and the sophisticated Simi.
They too are enamored with him and want to marry him.
This puts Dev in a dilemma (which is the crux of the storyline)- whom to marry?.
He consults a hypnotist who asks Dev to gaze into a crystal ball.
Dev finds the answer and marries Nanda.
Beautifully directed (most probably by Dev saheb himself & not by Amarjeet the official director) the B&W classic has evergreen music some of SD Burman's (helped generously by RD Burman) best compositions.
"Uff kitni thadni hai yeh ruth" is the probably the most sexiest song ever composed in Hindi films.
Credit should also be given to Majrooh Sultanpuri for penning the memorable lyrics Teen Devian is a breezy musical which completely suited the style of Dev Anand and he did full justice to the role.
Unfortunately Teen Devian has never received the recognition & popularity it richly deserves.A must see for any Hindi film buff, I will rate the eternal favourite 9.5 out of 10..
A film seems to be ahead of its time in contemporary India..
One of the best romantic classic,teen deviyaan is a film which is all about selecting among equals your most soft emotion,love.This is a simple story of a middle class man who came into limelight by his poetic talent and charming personality.
He is attracted towards three women and vice versa, one a Hindi movie star, the second a rich lady and the third who lives in his neighborhood.The situation put him in confusion as he has to decide one of them as his life partner.He asked for few days from all of them.Ultimately he goes to a astrologer and asked him who he loves most.His confusion is no more and he came to know the lady living in his neighborhood who really cares for him and loves him is his true love.Devanand played the lead character and has fully justified his contemporary romantic image. |
tt0290655 | Hey Cinderella! | The story follows Cinderella (Belinda Montgomery): a beautiful girl who is forced to do all the chores by her wicked stepmother and two stepsisters with only her dog Rufus to help her.
At the palace, King Goshposh (performed by Jim Henson) is bored and wishes to throw a party so that he may be given presents. As an excuse, he decides that his son Prince Arthur Charming (Robin Ward), ought to wed and use the ball as a means to find a suitable princess bride. Arthur does not like this arrangement and while gardening explains to his friend Kermit the Frog (also performed by Jim Henson) that every girl who knows him is a snob. His only hope to find an unsnobbish girl is to find a girl who does not recognize him as the prince.
Shortly after, Cinderella meets Arthur in the gardens as she is fulfilling a task given to her by her stepmother (to muddy her shoes, dirty the kitchen floor, and then scrub the floor). Seeing that Cinderella does not recognize him as prince, he introduces himself as Arthur the gardener and secures an invitation for her by convincing his father to invite every person in the land to the ball rather than just the princesses (the king agrees, as it will get him more presents). Because the ball is a masquerade, Arthur and Cinderella decide to each wear a geranium as a means of recognizing the other.
The night of the ball, the stepfamily leave with a gift of old socks for the king. Cinderella is only allowed to attend if she finishes her chores, and finds a suitable dress, carriage, and coachman for the ball before the last minute (an impossible task, as she is told this at the last minute). When Cinderella dreams of attending the dance as well, her fairy godmother appears (who had been seen prior, attempting to turn a pumpkin into a coach as a magic trick). In a rare instance of her magic working, the fairy godmother provides Cinderella with a beautiful dress and glass slippers. She convinces Kermit to drive the carriage (though he refuses to turn human for it). It is pulled by his monster friend Splurge after he accidentally scares away all the horses. The fairy godmother warns Cinderella to be home by twelve and attends the ball as well, to make sure the deadline is met. Unfortunately, the King decided to give all guests a geranium to wear so Arthur and Cinderella are unable to recognize each other. When they dance, Cinderella knows Arthur only as "Prince Charming" and he knows her only as a mysterious maiden. At the stroke of midnight, the fairy godmother and Cinderella run from the palace leaving behind only one glass slipper which Arthur accidentally steps on and smashes.
Determined to force Arthur to marry the "mysterious maiden", the king first hires all his horses and men (a reference to Humpty Dumpty) to put the slipper back together and - when that is unsuccessful—look in all the unlikely places for the other one. Cinderella learns of this plan and though she realizes that she is the maiden they are searching for, she wishes to marry Arthur the gardener and not the prince. She convinces Rufus to bury the slipper, only for the prince to arrive and for Cinderella to realize that he and the gardener are the same person. She tries to explain that she's the mysterious princess, yet no one believes her. Finally, the fairy godmother appears, but in an attempt to turn Cinderella's rags back into the ball gown, Cinderella vanishes. In the meantime, Kermit and Splurge return the slipper. After a number of times, Cinderella appears in ball regalia, and she and the prince are finally married (with Kermit commenting that he could have solved the mystery much sooner, had he only been asked).
Afterwards, Kermit receives a personal invitation regarding the wedding of Arthur and his new bride. Sitting by a well and reading it, it includes he must bring a present for King Goshposh. After reading it, he remarks "How's that for a Happily ever after?" before jumping backwards into the well. | fantasy | train | wikipedia | A beautiful rendition of the classic fairy tale!. CINDERELLA is beautifully retold in this enchanting piece of entertainment: HEY CINDERELLA! I have no doubts this has to be one of Jim Henson's best specials ever. LABYRINTH (1986) was also a sensation. Belinda Montgomery is especially joyful as the youthful Cinderella. I really loved the fairy godmother. Kermit, Splurge and the rest of the cast were equally adorable. The Muppets are one of the key things in making a good rendition of a fairy tale e.g. THE FROG PRINCE starring Kermit the Frog.. unique idea. I saw this movie as a child and think it is probably the most unique version of Cinderella I've ever seen! It is absolutely magical and real. I wish I could come across it again, it's sad, romantic, funny- everything a little girl could want. The genius behind the writing is that it isn't your typical fairy tale story where everything comes together once the prince finds his princess but takes a more unique approach to the most beloved story of all time. The ideas behind Cinderella's rag to riches transformation was magic of its own. And the fanciful approach with the muppets made the movie great for families. Jim Henson did it right when he made this one!. Another winner for The Muppets.. Leave it to The Muppets to take a fairy tale classic, make it their own & come up with a winning TV movie. Belinda Montgomery & Robin Ward are perfectly cast as Cinderella & Prince Charming AKA Arthur. Their wide eyed expressions & fun performances give the muppets stiff competition. Of course everyone comes out on top, but like 'The Muppets Frog Prince' this TV film shows Kermit acting differently from his later day persona. This Kermit is less square (I hope I don't get in trouble for that comment) & more sarcastic, although anything works for Kermit, but he's hilarious here.Its a shame The Muppets didn't take on more fairy tale classics. With a winning combination like this, they couldn't lose. Great family fun.. Loved it growing up but production values spoil it badly.. When I was growing up I saw this movie every Christmas for a decade or more and loved it every time.I'm not 100% certain that I'd still enjoy it as an adult, but I did as a teen and my parents and uncles and aunts did so I'm guessing it can stand the test of growing up.The most amazing thing about this little movie is that, for all that it featured muppets in many of the key roles, and for all that the story was full of sarcasm and humor and misadventure, the whole thing has a much more human and realistic feel than any other version I've come across.******** Not a plot spoiler but could be considered a joke spoiler **************When Kermit gripes about Cinderella not wanting to kiss him because of species prejudice ... When Cinderella flees the ball and the prince steps on and crushes the glass slipper ... When Cinderella, in her grief, has the footman bury the 2nd shoe, the last vestige of her time at the ball, in the certain knowledge that he's too scatterbrained to find it again...They all seem so much more down to Earth and real than Disney's twinkly fairy story.I think I would very much enjoy seeing this again.****************** Aaaarggh **************************How could I have been so wrong! Yes, as written it's quite a good parody. Yes the muppets' parts are actually quite good.But NO! The human acting is terrible. The sets are cheap, flimsy, and badly painted. The production values make it look like it was filmed on a broken shoestring budget. My memory has this at a 9. My disappointment gives it a 3, one for the plot, 1 for the jokes, 1 for the muppets, Nothing for anything else. This is ONE film that could NOT be damaged by a remake. |
tt0099700 | Gremlins 2: The New Batch | After the death of his owner Mr. Wing, the mogwai Gizmo becomes the guinea pig of scientists at Clamp Enterprises, a state-of-the-art office building in Manhattan, run by eccentric billionaire Daniel Clamp. At the mercy of the chief researcher Dr. Catheter, Gizmo is rescued by his friend Billy Peltzer and his fiancee Kate, both of whom work for the company. Clamp befriends Billy upon being impressed by his skills in concept design, also sparking the interest of Billy's superior Marla Bloodstone. Gizmo is left in the office, where water spills on his head and spawns new mogwai, including Mohawk, who then has Gizmo locked in the vents. They eat after midnight, turning into gremlins.
After Gizmo finds a way out of the vent, Mohawk tortures him while the other gremlins cause the fire sprinklers to go off and spawn a gremlin army that throws the building into chaos. Billy attempts to lure the gremlins into the lobby, where sunlight will kill them; after Billy briefs Clamp on gremlin knowledge, Clamp exits through a secret tunnel to cover the front of the building in a giant sheet to trick the creatures. The gremlins devour serums in the lab; one becomes the intelligent Brain Gremlin, who plans to use a "genetic sunblock" serum to immunize them to sunlight. One gremlin turns into a female, while a third becomes pure electricity and is trapped in Clamp's answering machine by Billy. All the while "Grandpa Fred" watches the chaos on camera with help from a Japanese tourist named Mr. Katsuji.
Murray Futterman, Billy's neighbor from Kingston Falls who is visiting New York City, encounters a bat-hybrid gremlin and covers it with cement, effectively turning it into a gargoyle. Murray realizes that he is not crazy and that he has to help; when Clamp escapes the building using a secret route, Murray uses it to sneak inside to aid Billy. Billy and the chief of security Forster team up, but Forster is stalked and trapped by the female gremlin. Mohawk finishes torturing Gizmo and devours a spider serum, transforming into a monstrous half-gremlin half-spider hybrid. He attacks Kate and Marla, but Gizmo confronts Mohawk and kills him with an ignited bottle of white-out. Outside, a rainstorm frustrates Clamp's plan as the gremlins gather in the building's foyer, singing "New York, New York".
Billy formulates a plan to kill the Gremlin army: Mr. Futterman sprays the army with water while Billy releases the electric gremlin, electrocuting them. Clamp charges in with the police and press, but sees the battle is over; he is so thrilled by the end result that he gives Billy, Kate, Fred, and Marla promotions and hires Mr. Katsuji as a cameraman. Billy and Kate then return home with Gizmo. | cult, horror, satire | train | wikipedia | What I hadn't bargained for was the sharpness of the writing and the satirical structure that director Dante laid out for audiences to watch.Focusing very much on the then modern obsessions like tearing things down to build state of the art monstrous complexes, or the need for a better world; be it the laboratory testings for better life forms, or machines to run our lives; Gremlins 2 plays out as a sort of morality tale that sees the creatures themselves as byproducts of the human condition.
This film is often looked back on as not only the lesser of the two Gremlins flicks but not a very good movie in general.
In fact, I think many people disliked this film because of its total irreverence compared to the first; it didn't try to be scary for a second and Rick Baker's creature effects turned out goofier than Chris Walas's original creature designs.
I pity kids nowadays who don't have the attention span to soak up little moments like that.Dante takes everything that was great about Gremlins and cranks it all the way up to a zillion.
The movie even attempts to begin as a Looney Tunes cartoon.Gizmo, now back with Mr. Wing, escapes the curiosity shop after the old man dies and is found by a scientist working at Splice of Life, a laboratory located in the Clamp Premiere Regency Trade Centre and Retail Concourse (a big skyscraper in Manhattan).
The following day the Clamp building, and all of the tenants (from the Archery Channel to the movie print itself, leading to an amusing cameo from Hulk Hogan) are besieged by a horde of gremlins intent on mass destruction and good times at any cost.One can accuse the film of having no story beyond giving the Gremlins a lively backdrop for their wild antics, but when you're having so much fun isn't that what matters most?
John Glover is brilliant as the easily excitable Daniel Clamp, a Donald Trump-like property magnate who has more money and power than he knows what do with.It's amazing that a third Gremlins movie was never made.
For movie buffs, it's especially fun with all the references to other films in here.However, it should be pointed out that there are still plenty of scenes where the gremlins are nasty and attack people, so the film is still horror-like in that respect.
He winds up just being too silly.Phoebe Cates and Zach Galligan reprise their roles as the cute, small-town, wholesome (despite not being married, however) couple who live together who, of course, know all about these gremlins.It was nice to see Jackie Joseph (of the original "Little Shop Of Horrors") again as well as some other well-known characters such as Christopher Lee, Robert Prosky, Dick Miller and Keye Luke.
The collaboration between Goldsmith and Dante isn't unlike that of Hitchcock and Herrmann or Spielberg and Williams.The film abounds with dark jollity and watching it you can tell that the filmmakers had a fun time making the picture.
gremlins 2 is not a horror movie like the original kind of was, but it's funnier, and more entertaining than the original in my opinion.
"Gremlins 2: The New Batch" is the 1990 sequel to the 1984 box office hit "Gremlins" which is one of my all-time favorite movies.
Plus, it got a little tiresome to watch the gremlins do some of the exact same things that they did the first time around like drinking, smoking, etc.
Most of the references are obscure (such as Dick Miller killing a gremlin in the same manner as his character Walter Paisley from "A Bucket of Blood"), but that's what makes the film viewable again and again.Those who loved the first may dislike the second, but those who disliked the first may like the second.
It might be one of the appearances by Lee I enjoy the most.If you mixed the original "Gremlins" with "Muppets Take Manhattan" (or maybe "The Great Muppet Caper"), it would be almost like this.
This time their target is a high-tech corporate skyscraper run by a Trump-like suit."Gremlins 2: The New Batch" tries hard enough, and it's certainly original and creative.
The Gremlin Gizmo has been captured and given to the corporation's genetics unit and, as a result, it gets accidentally exposed to water again and multiplies, sending a new batch of mischievous, hideous and dangerous little monsters lose on the entire building and its unsuspecting staff.
It doesn't have the character development, unique flavor and suspense as the original movie, instead, it's just a wild crazy-fest of gremlins and overzealous humans trying to deal with all the chaos.
Especially since they manage to combine comedy and horror in a most satisfying manner, but most importantly because of the Mogwai and the gremlins themselves.If you enjoyed the 1984 "Gremlins" movie, then you will definitely also like the "Gremlins 2: The New Batch" from 1990.This is a direct continuation of the first movie in a way, and the writers managed to come up with a story angle that supports the transition between the first and second movie quite well.In "Gremlins 2: The New Batch" Billy (played by Zach Galligan) and Kate (played by Phoebe Cates) have moved to New York and are working for the Clamp company and work in an advanced skyscraper.
When Gizmo finds his way to Billy, and is accidentally exposed to water, New York is in for a repeat of the incident that happened at Kingston Falls.One might think, at a glance, that I have already seen this in the first movie.
Alright then: this movie rocks so hard that Gizmo has mo choice but to do his little bop-dance to it while the twin scientists bop their heads and Christopher Lee does his best glowering of his career (and this man could glower a statue into submission!) This is Joe Dante and his collaborators going into a throw-all-the-kitchen-sinks-at-the-wall approach, and Gremlins 2: the New Batch is even more of a love letter to B movies and Loony Tunes than the first one; like the Evil Dead movies, the sequel finds its auteurs (lets not forget Spielberg too, and this time Rick Baker does fx work) not really wanting to make a sequel (the studio demanded a follow-up to the #4 box-office hit of 1984), but with final cut at his disposal, under Spielberg's supervision, Dante does a delirious cartoon of a live-action movie.
Only one scene, when the new 'Stripe' gremlin leaps out of the board in the control room, is actually scary, but no matter.This is a movie to laugh your ass off to, and as a child you find yourself laughing at things but as an adult the jokes come harder, faster, and you get more of them.
While Hulk Hogan may be a little dated, hearing a line like the Casablanca joke (making Clamp a lo of Trump and also a lot of Ted Turner), or the Brainy Gremlin voiced by Tony Randall make mention of Susan Sontag, or the references to the musical Dames and what exactly the movie is that the gremlins sneak into the theater that breaks the 4th wall of the whole movie itself (naked volleyball!) makes this a real treat and a half.
And I do think that it may be one of the greatest under-appreciated sequels ever made.Several years after the events of the original, Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) and his girlfriend Kate (Phoebe Cates) have re-located to New York City and are both working for Clamp Enterprises, a company run by eccentric and amusingly naive millionaire Daniel Clamp.
But all is not well- an accident causes a new batch of Gremlins to emerge, and it's up to Billy, Kate, Gizmo, Clamp and the visiting Futtermans (Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph) to save the day once again.Director Dante, along with screenwriter Charles S.
To find that here, it's rather surprising and i think that this was this political consciousness that took aback the audience.Beyond this, the Gremlins are really well done (and CGI can take lesson) and the fun is explosive: the monsters attack their studio, their own film and the previous one, Daffy brings chaos (and great ideas for long, boring, meetings or courses...).Well, the script is full of great ideas and Dante reunites all the good cast from the first movie and Goldsmith is back as well with a great score!
I like how this film tends to be more about the Gremlins.A fun time, a great sequel.
Gizmo gets accidentally wet and gives birth to a new batch of mischievous green meanies are on the loose.Directed by Joe Dante (The Howling, Innerscape, Matinée) made a loose, wild, wacky and out of control sequel to the original.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch is not a great movie and a very big disappointment compared to the original.Gizmo isn't that main,the main characters as the new Gremlins,who are causing trouble around a big building for half of the movie.The original is displayed in a sort of old fashioned neighborhood,this movie is completely different,its an a very futuristic place.Once the Gremlins turn into the monsters the whole plot just gets abandoned and its just gag after gag,at once stage they have to stop the whole movie and Hulk Hogan has to put the movie back on,what where they thinking,you can tell it wasn't written by Chris Columbus.The Gremlins have returned,Gizmo is found by a building where his old owner Billy is now working,and scientists give him water and multiply him.Then the other Gremlins are experimented on and one is able to talk,once again they are fed after midnight,and take total control of the building.Its up to Billy and Gizmo to save the day..
Billy and his newlywed wife work together in the building, he's a shy and obedient executive and she's a competent hostess who tries to fit in New York and people's rude manners.The heroes are given more depth and character than in the first film but so are the Gremlins who're not just a generic group of monsters.
It's a pity that such a scene-stealing character blooms very late in the film, he's one of the things we remember and one of the aspects that subtly hints the sequel's satirical intent.Indeed, "Gremlins 2" is not like any sequel.
"Gremlins 2" is undeniably original, and had better intentions than many more successful sequels, it was also served by a nice supporting cast, many prestigious cameos, from the Looney Tunes to Hulk Hogan, from Christopher Lee to Leonard Matlin, but its self-referential approach must have disrupted a majority of teenage fans who probably didn't get all the references to classic films like "The Wizard of Oz" or "Marathon Man".
I mentioned that the first movie also suffered from a kind of schizophrenia as it was trying to be a horror-B movie and a 'family' Christmas story, but those were twists in the formats while "Gremlins 2" tries to be two different things tone-wise, and it didn't quite succeed although it had some great potential.Three years later, another movie would suffer the same fate, and would be a box-office flop due to a similar misunderstanding, "Last Action Hero".
Gremlins 2 continues the story of Gizmo, the cute little toy like creature from the original.
Gremlins' two main characters Billy and Kate (Gallagan and Cates) return and are working in same building (Clamp office tower).
Gremlins 2 is a good sequel to the enjoyable first film.
Although the Gremlins look a little different they still have their same "devilish" attitude's along with a few new gremlins.This movie is fun and creative and I really enjoyed watching it, even though it is slightly "lighter" then the first film.
They make a mess of things and do all those things that you wished you could do at your parents house when you were a kid.Don't watch Gremlins 2 expecting a good plot-just watch and enjoy the entertaining chaos that ensues and to see the cute Gizmo with his funny little face.
The first is the better film, but Gremlins 2: The New Batch is the better movie.The first real appearance of the Mogwai, Gizmo, sees him jiving to Fats Domino in a delightfully showoffish scene that only exists to brag about how much more advanced the special effects are.
This film is a great sequel to the original gremlins movie.
As much as i love Gremlins '84 my favourite of the two is Gremlins 2:The New Batch (1990) i just dig the whole new surroundings such as the big New York City high tech building that all the trouble happens in & the new look each GREMLIN has & that the legendary DICK MILLER is back in a bigger part & the FX are even greater this time & the whole atmosphere is fun & wacky but still with scares & only the BRILLIANT JOE DANTE can mix it up this good & make it great!!!
He was actually friends with Joe Dante and was one of the few people who didn't like the original movie.
But, sure enough, Gizmo gets wet and before you know it the Clamp building is crawling with gremlins.Sequel to Gremlins doesn't have as much charming devilry as the first film.
Don't worry if you haven't seen the first film because it doesn't matter too much - it does spend a long time getting up to speed before the chaos is unleashed.Having moved away from small-town Kingston Falls, young couple Billy (Zach Galligan) and Kate (Phoebe Cates) move to New York and both find jobs working for media mogul Daniel Clamp (John Glover) - Billy as an architect and Kate as a tour guide for Clamp's enormous skyscraper.
Can Billy and Kate save the day along with their old neighbour Murray (Dick Miller) before the gremlins escape the building and create chaos in the Big Apple?While nowhere near as dark as the first film, "Gremlins 2: The New Batch" is considerably more inventive as the different types of gremlin seem to number in the hundreds.
1984's Gremlins is a renounced cult classic of a film, having fans the world over and after a six year break director Joe Dante returned to the series, making a much more comic and surreal sequel.After the events of the first film Billy (Zach Galligan) and Kate (Phoebe Cates) have moved to New York City, working for Clamp Enterprises, Billy as a concept artist and Kate as a tour guide.
Since it was so popular, Joe Dante decides to make a sequel six years later at 1990 known as "Gremlins 2: The New Batch".The story continues a few years later after the incident where Billy and Kate move to New York by working for Daniel Clamp.
It also has some efficient direction from Joe Dante and the music from Jerry Goldsmith is the epitome of magnificence.Overall, Gremlins 2: The New Batch isn't nearly as excellent as the original, but it is an underrated sequel that it's a shame that this failed at the box office.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a fun and enjoyable film that has less of the scary moments the first offered but it does have a lot more humour and light hearted jokes.It must be said that Gremlins 2 IS a self-satire movie and intentionally makes fun of its self and the original.Now don't expect what you got from the original, II is a different beast but still thoroughly enjoyable but doesn't quite have what the original does, but what sequel does?
This time round, the bulk of the action takes place in a high-rise New York skyscraper, run by media mogul Daniel Clamp (a thinly-veiled pastiche on Donald Trump) an impersonal and overly-automated working environment which it's genuinely fun to see the gremlins have their wicked way with.
It comes recommended, especially for anyone who wishes that the rest of the original 'Gremlins' movie could've been more like that wonderful tavern sequence.Grade: A-.
Joe Dante returns along with Galigan, Miller, and Kates, and basically made a movie that had no point other than to poke fun at its predecessor and let the Gremlins out for more playtime.
Gizmo, the cuddly protagonist that accidently spawns the malicious monsters makes you melt every time his big eyes fill the screen, and the gremlins themselves are having too much fun being naughty to be taken seriously, especially when they start destroying a lab and mutating into new species.
I can remember seeing this film when it first came out 12 years ago, and while as a 10 year old i loved it, it wasn't until i was older that i realized how many jokes and gags went over my head in 1990, that i found hilarious many years later.This movie, although enjoyed by kids, is really meant for adults who loved the first one.Gremlins 2 - The New Batch, is a must rent, and will probably join my DVD collection when it is released later this year (August 20th, I believe).
I saw this film in 1990 and at that time I had not seen the first part yet so perhaps I did not have the expectations that some of fans of original had.I think the jokes are hilarious, the special effects are amazing and many performances are outstanding, especially John Glover is great as media tycoon Clamp (I love the 'Clamp' logo by the way...).
Out of all the movies I have seen, I would have to say that the 'Brain' Gremlin is my favourite character of all-time.
Not an 'event' movie like most sequels aspire to be, but well worth your time and better than 90% of the other "comedies" out there..
It works so well because it completely breaks the rules - spoofing itself, even referring to the original, and having the Gremlins eat the film itself.
All in all, great acting, and some brilliant comedic moments, "Gremlins 2-The New Batch" is a refreshing sequel, that is well worth a look.Overall rating : 8 out of 10.. |
tt2076897 | My Brother the Devil | Mo (Fady Elsayed) and Rashid "Rash" (James Floyd) are teenage brothers of Egyptian descent living with their parents in Hackney. Elder brother Rash is fiercely protective of Mo, giving him a TV when he does well and encouraging him to stay in school. However Mo begins to want to emulate Rash who works as a low level drug dealer, and is able to use money from his job to pay for small luxuries to make their lives more comfortable.
Mo is robbed by rival gang members while trying to do a drop-off for his brother. In retaliation he calls Rash and his friends when he spots the gang members at the corner store near where he lives. The fight between Rash's gang and his rival Demon's gang quickly grows violent and after Demon's dog is stabbed Demon retaliates by stabbing and killing Izzi, Rash's best friend.
Rash acquires a gun and plans to shoot Demon in retaliation. He finds Demon at a tattoo parlour but is unable to complete the task after seeing that Demon's little brother is there, wearing the shoes he lifted from Mo. Rash begins to dream of getting out of the gang the way Izzi was planning on doing before he was murdered. He grows close to Sayyid, a French photographer who had been helping Izzi to get legal employment. After he tells Sayyid that he wants to leave the gang Sayyid offers him a job as a photography assistant working with him.
Mo begins to grow jealous of Rash and Sayyid's increasing closeness and the respect that Rash has for him. When he is offered the opportunity to join Rash's gang as a dealer he takes it. In the meantime Sayyid kisses Rashid while they are playing around. Initially repulsed at the idea of kissing another man, Rash tries to go back to his old lifestyle. However he finds himself changed and ends up going back to Sayyid and starting a relationship with him. Mo, growing suspicious that Rash is not in fact working, goes to Sayyid's home to spy and sees the two men undressed and realizes what is going on. Angry at his brother, Mo continues to deal drugs and become further entrenched in Rash's old gang. Eventually Rash finds Mo's money and drugs. He confronts his former friends telling them that he will kill Demon in exchange for them allowing Mo to walk away from the drug business and his family to stay safe and unharmed. Upset that Rash has isolated him from his "family" Mo ends up telling Rash's former girlfriend Vanessa that Rash is gay. She spreads it around the neighbourhood and Rash's former friends give him the address of a house belonging to Demon which is actually a set up so they can kill Rash. However Rash manages to escape from the house.
The day after Rash's escape some of his friends go to Mo and tell him that Rash was hurt killing Demon and is hiding out at Sayyid's place. Mo goes with them but becomes suspicious when he sees plastic gloves, the kind that the gang uses for killings, hanging out of one of the men's pockets. Mo leads his friend to the apartment adjacent to Sayyid's. His friend pulls a gun on the woman who answers the door, and when she screams Rash and Sayyid come running out of his building. Mo ends up taking a bullet for Rash as his former friend gets in the car and runs away.
At the hospital Rash is approached by his parents who tell him that Mo will be okay and ask him to forget about Sayyid and come home. Rash refuses.
Sometime later when Mo has been released from the hospital he is approached by Rash outside the building where he lives. He and Rash have a brief conversation and he tells Rash that the family is fine and he doesn't need to return. After they hug Rash walks off towards his new life. | revenge, murder, violence | train | wikipedia | Without giving any of those twists away, this is basically a film about two brothers and how their relationship changes as the younger one who has always looked up to the elder grows disenchanted with him, while trying to define himself as a man (which he isn't quite yet).
The film represents a realistic portrayal of inner-city London gangs and the performances of the lead actors are excellent.
In particular, the performance of James Floyd, who has a powerful and engaging on-screen presence deserves praise.Don't be fooled into thinking this is just another low budget London gangs film.
James Floyd and Fady Elsayed rivet your attention as older and younger brothers, UK-born of Egyptian parents, who have hopes and, therefore, frustrations living in council-houses London.
As with so many young, poor males in that milieu, the only immediate path to some kind of decent income is in the gang activities commonplace in their part of town.And yet this movie avoids every clichéd turn of plot suggested by the familiar premises of the story.
This movie will hold your attention and its characters your sympathy from the opening scene to the last blackout.I'd also mention that a lot of the movie is in closeup so it helps that James Floyd is very easy to look at.
See this film and watch out for everyone involved.P.S. I cannot believe Fady Elsayed who played the younger brother hasn't acted before.
This really is an outstanding film, with beautifully crafted visuals, strong script, and excellent cast performances led by James Floyd and Fady Elsayed.
A worthy winner of the Best Cinematography prize at Sundance 2012 where I saw the premiere screening.It deals in a real and sensitive manner with some fascinating personal issues, and without giving any of the story away it keeps the watcher engaged to the very end.
Delivering an alternately striking and ominous vision of gangland London, My Brother the Devil, the directorial debut from British- Egyptian director Sally El Hosaini, is an excellent film.
Abstaining from all-encompassing grimness and moroseness in favour of character- driven showcases of potency, it's rewarding, gripping and the best film of this young year.The story is made up of familiar parts – ones we've seen in other gang- centric entities from HBO's The Wire to City of God – but El Hosaini's vision is one of complexity, nuance and moreover is a film that approaches those tropes with distinction.
The intermittently bleak aesthetic of London meets the violent, drug-peddling gangs of the projects and more specifically the Arab ethnicities caught in the mix.At the center of these struggles are two brothers, Rashid (James Floyd) who goes simply by Rash and Mo (first time actor Fady Elsayed).
19-year- old Rash runs with the gang known as DMG (drugs-money-guns) using it chiefly as a means to support his poor family, but for the shy Mo his brother's involvement and standing makes him an idol and ultimately a beacon towards a more prosperous future.
Rash, however, wants his brother as far away from the life as possible and when a violent incident occurs for which be blames himself, he looks to re-examine his life in more ways than one – a decision that seeks to drive a wedge between the siblings.There is a further level of complexity to My Brother the Devil that I won't reveal here but it serves both to expertly deepen the character of Rash and examine the nature of his gang affiliates in a fascinating way.
I don't mean that in a way that the outcome is obvious but rather it's something that is consummately organic and, ultimately, harrowing for the characters involved.There are many stars in My Brother the Devil and leading them all is El Hosaini, whose grasp on riveting filmmaking, despite her relative amateur status, is nothing short of astounding.
In fact, the scenes where brutality is avoided prove to be just as intense as their gruesome counterparts.Also nothing short of remarkable are the two leads, particularly the more experienced James Floyd who, while powerfully written by El Hosaini, brings to life the character of Rash and the struggles he faces with the world around him and internally as well.
His decisions, while angering at times, feel natural given the situation and his character's age and lead the way for a satisfying, if racking, catharsis for those concerned.The faults to be found in My Brother the Devil are scattered and infrequent and thankfully do little to undermine the greater vision on display.
Lastly, there could have been more screen time delegated to further shaping the character of Sayyid (Saïd Taghmaoui) and his past ties to gang life and his growing connection and impact on Rash.But as a greater entity the film is a triumph of independent filmmaking and pegs El Hosaini as a talent to watch with avid anticipation.
A coming-of-age journey with bold, memorable characters and vision and style to spare, My Brother the Devil is periodically slick, always captivating and authentic in ways uncommon to most explorations of violence and loyalty..
MY BROTHER THE DEVIL has quite a lot of quality for a low budget, shot-on-the-streets type of British youth film.
It tells the story of a couple of Arab kids growing up on the mean streets of Hackney, where they must intermingle with drug gangs and adult life in a bid to make something of their lives - or merely survive.Unfortunately for me, I've seen all this sort of thing before in the likes of Noel Clarke's KIDULTHOOD and ADULTHOOD, plus the wave of films along the same line that have been made over the past decade, and MY BROTHER THE DEVIL doesn't really have much more to say on the subject, other than to make a point of how ridiculous, violent, and difficult it all is.
Director Sally El Hosaini elicits some strong performances from her young, unknown cast members, and the film is certainly watchable from beginning to end.
The character development(and changes) catches you off guard....in a good way.It is advertised as two brothers on the streets of London, but it is really a coming-of-age story about how environment/people influence what we are and what we do.
Of course in film, as big brother and experienced actor James Floyd is quoted on IMDb, the director and editor can make or break an actor's performance.
So maybe Fady sucked 95% of the time, who knows, but what is in the film was just fine by me.As someone else pointed out here, the younger brother's turnaround at the end of film isn't really explained.
I suspect there was a scene or two filmed that they decided didn't work or was too obvious or something.Another commenter here with some real life exposure to this sort of culture thought the low life stuff is a lot worse in real life.
The two young brothers are authentic and believable like all the other major and minor characters.
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday MorningRashid (James Floyd) is caught up with street gangs in inner city London, and runs in to a feud with another rival gang when his younger brother Mo (Fady Elsayed) is robbed by them while running an errand for Rashid's crew.
Meanwhile, young Mo is forced to face some harsh rites of passage choices of his own.Just when it seemed like it had been a while, Sally El Hosani comes along with a new gritty British urban drama to shake the genre back up a bit.
Little seen but critically hailed, it's lesser budget not holding it back at all, My Brother the Devil is an undeniably impressive but overlong and maybe even slightly over rated offering that is maybe guilty of over ambition in it's scope.Basing it's story at the centre of a bustling immigrant community in the sprawling metropolis of London, the film lifts the rafters on what has probably become a pretty typical, archetypal landscape setting for many parts of the capital, or even the country as a whole.
Rashid (James Floyd) and younger brother Mo (Fady Elsayed) are two young men of Egyptian descent growing up in Hackney.
Rash is a small time drug dealer and falls foul of a local gang which leads to retaliatory violence.Mo idolises his older brother, but Rash wants him to get on with his studies knowing the dangers of gang culture.Rash becomes a photographic assistant to Sayyid (Said Taghmaoui) a French-Arab photographer who is helping Rash to get out from his predicament.
Sally El-Hossani's low-key film 'My Brother the Devil' tells the story of a family of petty gangsters in contemporary London, and of the difficulties of escaping expectations and obligations.
It's hard to say why I didn't like this movie, but the plotting is a bit messy, and I found it very hard to identify with the characters, ordinary young men vying to make their way in the world.
Sometimes hype and award wins does not merit what you are expecting.James Floyd and Fady Elsayed star as brothers of Egyptian descent living in an crime-ridden housing estate in Hackney, London with their parents.
Floyd is the older brother who is heavily with the gangland culture of the estate and Elsayed is the younger brother fresh out of school and idolises him.A death of a friend in a gang fight makes old brother reconsider his gang life and looks for a way out while young brother wants a way in.This storyline appears promising but the film unfortunately goes nowhere with its bad acting and boring sub-plots.
You'd appreciate the story more and you'd find yourself glued to the screen whatever genre it is.My Brother The Devil follows the story of two brothers living in the beautifully shot yet dangerous communities in East London.
When Mo gets into trouble with a rival group in the community headed by "Demon", things start turning for the worst.Events intensify as Rashid witnesses the death of his best friend Izzi who was trying to live a normal life out of the gang.
He takes his brother's place in the gang and becomes more involved with its illegal activities.A lot of people are calling the movie out on this twist but if you look back at the scenes leading up to the film's midpoint, it was well-hinted.
It's about growing up and making decisions in your life about things you cannot change and taking action for your own betterment.At first, I thought it was going to be mostly about the younger brother following his brother around and learning more about life in this perspective.
As the danger of Rashid's old life tries to catch up with him, bonds are put to test leading up to the thrilling pre-final scenes of the film.The biggest asset of "My Brother" undoubtedly comes from the two main leads.
James Floyd is a force to be reckoned with as he exhibits immense versatility in playing the gang member brother of the duo.
It's like watching a whole different person acting in this film.
His chemistry with his friend Aisha (Letitia Wright) flows naturally and captures the sweet side to a character trying to measure up to his brother's name.Another strong point of the film is its cinematography, allowing a supposedly dangerous community appearing as liveable yet could pose an imminent threat to the character's lives anytime.
The film allows you to look into the fragile lives of the brothers despite the tough background they are in.
Mad props to writer/director Sally El Hosaini on this debut feature, deserving of its buzz and multiple awards in several festivals in 2012.My Brother The Devil is a tender coming-of-age film with brilliantly acted characters and an eye-catching visuals of the notorious gangland of East London.
My Brother The Devil can be described as an formulaic gritty, realistic crime drama seen in a multitude of films like Boyz In Da Hood, Kidulthood and La Haine to name a few.
Yet it does offer a shocking twist and tense atmosphere underlining the characters' realities which were dramatically absorbing.Until My Brother The Devil revealed its twist, it was a formulaic narrative.
My Brother The Devil used still images of gang-life in its opening scene whilst firmly establishing differences between Rashid and Mo, Brothers and main protagonists.
My Brother The Devil did well to establish atmosphere by placing characters (and consequently audiences) in violent situations.
Yet it is the shocking twist within My Brother The Devil whilst it felt questionable at first did fit into Rashid's and Mo's characterisation regarding gang-life's requirement of fierce masculinity.
Now, let's see if that is supposed to mean something positive or negative shall we?Our leads for this film are Rashid (played by James Floyd), the older brother part of a gang who is masking homosexual urges; his younger brother Mo (played by Fady Elsayed) who is a smart young man who likes to follow his brother like a puppy; Repo (played by Aymen Handouchi) who is one of the visible leaders of Rashid's gang; and then you have Sayyid (played by Said Taghmaoui) who starts off as the man to help Rashid get out the drug business, but ends up also being the man who brings Rashid one step closer to coming out.Which leads to me talking about the story.
Most of the tale takes place around British project buildings as we establish the difficult life of immigrants to the UK who give birth to children who, in the movie anyway, have difficulty going straight and end up finding themselves giving into the easy money made dealing drugs.
Mind you, I wouldn't say these are BAFTA worthy performances which upset you or make you cry, but everyone feels like they were written to be authentic and the actors assume their roles really well.But, with that said, I must admit there is a strong need for hard coded subtitles with this film.
Also, as much as I loved how the movie felt like a show's first few episodes mashed together, at the same time it can leave you a bit weary since it is rare for a film to be so long.
I feel, as good as the story way, there was still room to add more.Overall: RentalMy Brother, The Devil may not be an urban masterpiece, but it does bring the type of intrigue which makes you wish the movie was just a pilot for a show.
View on the film:Depressingly looking like it could have been filmed this year, writer/director Sally El Hosaini & cinematographer David Raedeker craft an intense, on the street reporting atmosphere, following each gang member stomping on their turf of rotting flats and side streets where huddled yoofs can pull out a knife to kill you in an instance.
Filmed on location in Hackney, London, Hosaini stylishly uses hand-held cameras to shove the viewer by the walls of the cramped family home, where Rash and Mo's emotions boil over.Bringing a feeling of brotherly love out of their troubled surroundings,James Floyd and Fady Elsayed give electrifying performances as Mo and Rash,with each of them pushing and pulling the other ones frustrations over the life of grime they are stuck in, whilst Saïd Taghmaoui nicely hits a note of calm as friend Sayyid.
While the look of the movie and the performances successfully aim for something new in the "urban" Drama genre,the screenplay by Hosaini spends the first half playing the usual notes of the brothers having to survive rubbing shoulders with the various thugs on the streets.
Mo and Rashid are Egyptian brothers who are adhering to stereotypes within east London,a very strict personality is needed in order to get along within the drug world.But due to the brothers being a little different than the others this has caused various social and economic issues within their daily lives,for example Mo being shy has allowed him to become more of a push over than his brother,and due to Rashid being bi sexual this has meant he is currently having a identity crisis.
My Brother the Devil is a tense, thought provoking drama, directed by British director Sally El Hosani.
Throughout the film we follow the lives of the two brothers Rash (James Floyd) and Mo (Fady Elsayed); as Hosani explores in depth the important issues faced within gang culture and Islamic beliefs.
The film is set Hackney- where Sally El Hosani was born, which as an audience we are able to see how deeply her connection relates to the real life events that occur within Hackney and London life.
Thought- provoking themes are revealed further through the way Hosani is able to capture and present the outlook of the LGBT community through gang life and the family's beliefs.
My Brother the Devil was a shocking and eye-opening view into the reality of life within London based gangs and the LGBT community.
Two brothers real enough to get involved in, in spite of drug gang environment and Hackney district.
The intriguing announcement text on the festival website attracted me, yet fearing a lot of violence or even murder, given the environment of drug dealing gangs in which it all takes place, plus the main characters having strict opinions in their religious beliefs.
My brother the Devil is the first independent film by British director Sally El Hosani and it explores the gritty reality of gang life and its abhorrent approaches on the LGBT community.
My brother the devil follows close blood brothers Mo (Fady Elsayed) and Rasch (James Floyd) and how their differences slowly drive them apart.
The shocking revelation that follows is that Mo would rather admit to his brother being a terrorist than homosexual, which speaks volumes in how this drama represents the views of LGBT's in gang culture and Islam.My brother the devil is shockingly poignant and an impressive first entry by documentary director Sally El Hosani which provides a hard hitting narrative on sensitive themes. |
tt0106079 | NYPD Blue | === Season 1 ===
John Kelly and Andy Sipowicz are detectives in the 15th squad. Sipowicz is the elder partner but is an alcoholic who drinks on the job as well as off-duty, and his behavior causes doubt that the partnership will last much longer. Kelly has a genuine affection for his partner but becomes increasingly exasperated by Sipowicz's behavior. In addition to his alcoholism, Sipowicz is a deeply negative, misogynist, homophobic bigot. In the pilot, Sipowicz is shot by a suspect he had attacked and humiliated earlier. This leads to his decision to sober up and save his job. While Sipowicz is recuperating, the squad's lieutenant, Arthur Fancy, teams Kelly with a young cop from Anti-Crime, James Martinez.
Kelly's personal life is as frenetic as his professional life. He is reluctantly going through a divorce from his wife, Laura, and is embarking on an affair with a uniformed cop, Janice Licalsi. To complicate matters further, Licalsi's police officer father is on the payroll of mob boss Angelo Marino. Licalsi, in an attempt to protect her father, has been ordered to do a "hit" on Kelly. Instead, Licalsi murders Marino, and the repercussions come back to haunt both her and Kelly.
Sipowicz, meanwhile, sobers up and begins a relationship with ADA Sylvia Costas. The other detective in the squad, Greg Medavoy, a married man, embarks on an affair with the squad's new administrative aide, Donna Abandando.
=== Season 2 ===
Licalsi is found guilty of the manslaughter of Marino and his driver, and is given a two-year sentence. Because of Kelly's involvement with Licalsi, and the widely held belief that he withheld evidence that could have given her a longer sentence, he is transferred out of the 15th and chooses to leave the department altogether. He is replaced by Bobby Simone, a widower whose previous job was that of driver for the Police Commissioner. This does not sit well with Sipowicz, but after learning that Simone took the assignment in order to be present for his wife, who was suffering from cancer, Sipowicz learns to accept his new partner and eventually builds a strong friendship with him. When Sipowicz's relationship with Sylvia leads to marriage, he asks Simone to be his best man.
After an affair with a journalist whom he suspects has used information that he disclosed to her after an intimate moment to boost her career, Simone begins a relationship with another new member of the squad, Diane Russell. Sipowicz, as a recovering alcoholic, recognizes from Russell's behavior that she also has a drinking problem. After much prompting, she begins attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). In another storyline, due to his low self-esteem and disbelief that a woman like Donna could love him, Medavoy's relationship with her breaks down, due in no small part to Donna's visiting sister.
=== Season 3 ===
At the beginning of the season Sylvia becomes pregnant with Andy's child. A baby boy, Theo, is born towards the end of the season. This is contrasted with the fate that awaits Sipowicz's older son, Andy Jr., who announces that he plans to join the police force in nearby Hackensack, New Jersey after being discharged from the Air Force due to an injury. Sipowicz is finally bonding with his long-estranged son when Andy Jr. is gunned down trying to help people in a bar holdup. This causes the elder Sipowicz to fall off the wagon. Simone kills Andy Jr.'s murderers in an act of self-defense while attempting to arrest them.
Bobby and Diane, who had placed their relationship on hold while she attended AA, resume seeing each other. Diane begins drinking again when her abusive father beats her mother. Her father is eventually killed, and her mother becomes the prime suspect.
James Martinez and new detective Adrienne Lesniak begin an affair, but Lesniak later breaks it off and tells Medavoy (Martinez's partner and the squad gossip) that she is gay, because her last relationship with a fellow cop ended disastrously. After James is shot, recovers, and returns to work, and he and Lesniak get to know each other, she admits that the story she told Medavoy was a lie. Martinez later breaks up with her due to her controlling and unpleasant behavior, and Lesniak eventually leaves the squad. Medavoy leaves his wife, recognizing that she is holding him back, but it is too late to save his relationship with Donna, who leaves to take a job with Apple in California.
=== Seasons 4–5 ===
During the next two seasons, there are a few minor cast changes: Donna is replaced by several PAA's, most notably by Gina Colon (played by Lourdes Benedicto), who eventually marries Martinez and is written out; and Det. Jill Kirkendall (played by Andrea Thompson) is partnered with Russell. Sipowicz's battle with prostate cancer and the up-and-down Simone/Russell relationship, which includes Russell's revelation that she had been sexually abused by her father, are prominent storylines. Also during this time, Franz won four Emmy Awards, and both Delaney and Clapp each won an Emmy for supporting roles.
=== Seasons 6–8 ===
Season 6 is a major turning point for the series, as Smits decided not to renew his contract and left the show. In episode 5, "Heart and Souls", just episodes after marrying Russell, Simone dies due to an enlarged heart and a subsequent infection caused by complications from a heart transplant. Smits was replaced by Rick Schroder, as Det. Danny Sorenson.
Two additional critical incidents occur during Season 6: the heroin overdose death of PAA Dolores Mayo (played by Lola Glaudini), and the death of Costas, who is accidentally gunned down by Mayo's distraught father at the courthouse trial of the suspect accused in Mayo's death. Costas's final words to Sipowicz, ("Take care of the baby.") lead to his initial withdrawal from the squad. Yet, his keen perceptiveness allows him to gain a confession from the accused suspect, who tried to buy his way out of trouble. Furthermore, Sipowicz reaches a level of understanding with PAA John Irvin (portrayed by Bill Brochtrup), whose homosexuality had been a stumbling block for Sipowicz in their interactions to that point.
The next two seasons see the continuation of Sipowicz's relationship with Sorenson (in whom Sipowicz sees a resemblance to his late son), along with more changes in the squad. Departing during this time were Kirkendall (due to her unknowing involvement in her ex-husband's dirty dealings), Martinez (following his Sergeant promotion), Fancy as squad leader (through a promotion to Captain), and Russell (for a leave of absence to grieve the loss of Simone). Arriving to replace them are: Det. Baldwin Jones (played by Henry Simmons), Det. Connie McDowell (played by Charlotte Ross), and Lt. Tony Rodriguez (played by Esai Morales). Also arriving in Season 8 was new full-time ADA Valerie Haywood (played by Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon).
At the end of Season 8, Sorenson is approached by the owners of a strip club to work for them providing information. Still reeling from Russell's abruptly ending their brief affair, he accepts the offer. After reporting to Lt. Rodriguez, Sorenson goes undercover but then turns up missing, after a stripper he was seeing turns up dead in his apartment (though not by his doing). The Sorenson character was written out at the start of Season 9, at Schroder's request; he wanted to spend more time with his family in Montana.
=== Seasons 9–12 ===
The fourth and final phase of the show took place over the final four seasons. In addition to the "Sorenson missing" storyline, Season 9 initially tied-in with the September 11 terrorist attacks. A suspect trades immunity for a robbery and shooting in exchange for information on a buried rug in Brooklyn that turns out to include Sorenson's dead body. Filling the void as partner for Sipowicz is newly promoted Det. John Clark, Jr., played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar. As with Simone and Sorenson, there is initial tension between Clark and Sipowicz, largely due to an old feud from years earlier involving Sipowicz and Clark's father, John Clark, Sr. (played in guest spots by Joe Spano). Season 9 also sees the introduction of Det. Rita Ortiz (played by Jacqueline Obradors). Sipowicz is awarded promotion to Detective First Grade for the same arrest (related to solving Sorenson's murder) that results in Clark, Jr. receiving his detective's shield; though Sipowicz had been recommended for First Grade at the same time as Simone for their work on a high-profile case several years earlier, the promotion had been withheld from Sipowicz because of negative incidents earlier in his career.
The remaining four years saw a continuing focus on Sipowicz as the main character, as had been the case since Simone's death. Another unlikely romance developed between Sipowicz and Connie McDowell. This came about due to her ability to stand up to Sipowicz's gruffness, and her tender relationship with Theo (played by Austin Majors). They eventually married, and after adopting McDowell's sister's baby daughter (following the sister's murder by her husband, Connie's brother-in-law), and had a child of their own, as well. The McDowell character would eventually become an off-screen character in the second half of the eleventh season and throughout the final season due to issues between Ross and show executives. Other departures and arrivals that occurred during this time: Rodriguez would be written out halfway through the eleventh season following a dispute with an IAB captain who shot him in a drunken rage; replacing him initially as head of the squad was Sgt. Eddie Gibson, played by former actual NYPD officer John F. O'Donohue, who had previously served in the squad both on night watch and briefly on the "day tour"; Haywood, after failing to convict Rodriguez's shooter, would appear in fewer episodes and then leave at the end of the eleventh season; Gibson would be replaced at the start of Season 12 by Lt. Thomas Bale, played by Currie Graham; and replacing McDowell was Det. Laura Murphy, played by Bonnie Somerville. The final few episodes involve the impending retirement of Det. Medavoy, and Sipowicz's promotion to Sergeant, and later assumption of command over the 15th. | murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1631323 | God of Love | Raymond Goodfellow rides on a country road on his motor scooter. His voice over explains, “You can’t control who you love. You can't control who loves you. You can't control where it happens, or when it happens, or why it happens. You can't control any of that stuff.”
The film flashes back to three months earlier to Ray’s time as a confident, self-centered lounge singer/dart thrower. Ray’s band consists of his friends Fozzie (guitar), Frank (stand-up bass) and the “love of his life” Kelly (drums). Before he joins the band onstage, Ray prays to God asking him for assistance in getting Kelly to love him. Despite Ray’s ongoing affection to her, she seems drawn to Fozzie who, claiming he's genuinely uninterested, is rejecting Kelly’s advances.
After Ray’s crowd pleasing performance, he is informed by the bartender that someone has left a package for him. The package contains “love darts.” The instructions for the darts explain that when someone is poked with love dart they are immediately attracted to the first person they see. This attraction lasts for 6 hours. At the end of the 6 hours if the love is meant to last it will, but if the love wasn't meant to be, it won’t.
Ray tells Fozzie about the darts and they both agree to have a test run. While the band walks home from a gig, Ray throws a love dart catching a prissy Jersey Girl named Angela. The first man she sees is Ray’s quiet, low-key bandmate Frank. Just as the instructions promised, Angela falls in love with Frank immediately. Ray and Fozzie follow the new couple around. After exactly six hours, Angela appears to still be in love with Frank and Ray declares the darts “effective.”
Ray enlists Fozzie’s help in creating the “most romantic six hours” ensuring that Kelly will remain in love with Ray after the love dart’s initial power ends. Fozzie is able to offer several tips, knowing a surprising amount about Kelly and the things that are important to her.
Ray goes to Kelly’s house and strikes her with a dart. As promised by the dart’s instructions, she immediately falls in love with him. They go on their date which goes perfectly. Towards the end of the six hours they kiss. When the six hours end, Kelly looks uncomfortable, thanks him for the evening, and leaves. It is clear that the love from the dart did not last.
Ray consoles himself by poking one woman after another until he has a whole flock of women (and one man) who are completely in love with him for six hours. During this time all he can do is talk about getting Kelly to fall in love with him again. He even contemplates convincing her that she has diabetes so she has to poke herself with the love darts over and over again.
The love darts wear off and he is alone again, ready to try his last dart on Kelly one more time. Walking home from another gig with his band, Ray prepares for his final throw at Kelly. Moments before throwing the dart he realizes that his loyal friend Fozzie is really in love with her and that she is really in love with him. Instead of striking Kelly with the dart, he hits Fozzie right as he looks up at Kelly. The two instantly fall in love with each other.
A wiser and less self-centered Ray returns to his apartment. He finds another mysterious box outside his apartment with a note that says “nice work.” He opens the box and finds Cupid’s bow and arrow.
The film flashes forward to three months in the future at the point the film began. The band continues but without Ray; Angela is the new singer. Frank & Angela and Fozzie & Kelly are still very much in love. Ray is many miles away driving on his motor scooter on the country road his bow and arrow tied to his back. He repeats “you can’t control who you love, or who loves you.” He ends by saying that love doesn’t make sense. He knows all this because “I am the God of Love.” | flashback | train | wikipedia | Excellent short film.
I was extremely pleased with this short comedy.
The film is incredibly well directed.
The dialogue is quite pleasant throughout the story and very well delivered, especially by its leading man/director.
The interesting thing about this film is that it is very well executed from all angles.
Comedies often fall victim to standard or boring cinematography.
"God of Love" however, is very well shot.
It easy to see the consideration give to each and every piece of imagery.I found myself reciting pieces of dialogue for weeks after seeing the film.
They also do a great job getting the viewer to join them on the wild ride that is the world they've set up in the film.
We don't feel the need to question whats happening (the out of the ordinary aspects), we as viewers just buy in and enjoy the ride.Its hard to imagine any reasonable way this film could be improved.
I strongly recommend it to anyone that enjoys watching movies.
Hard to picture a more enjoyable short film.
"God of Love" was a wonderful experience to sit through.
I don't often give movies tens, but in cases like this where I can't imagine a change that I could make that would improve it I happily give it all the points it deserves.
It's quick and clever dialog, unusual story and deft, casual acceptance of it from all the characters was excellent.
Ray was a character presented with complications, but without getting dark, heavy-handed or untrue to his original writing, he transitioned and grew all within the context of a fun and endearing comedy.
An impressive feat for which Matheny deserves as many awards as he picks up..
Luke Matheny might be the 'God of Short Films'!.
'GOD OF LOVE': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)This 18 minute black and white short film won the Academy Award last year (2010) for best Live Action Short.
It was written and directed by Luke Matheny.
Matheny stars in the film as well.
He shot the film on the Red One camera (very effectively) with director of photography Bobby Webster.
In the film Matheny plays an expert dart thrower and lounge singer named Raymond who's in love with a girl in his band named Kelly (Marian Brock).
Kelly has strong romantic feelings for Ray's best friend Fozzie (Christopher Hirsh) though, who won't go near her due to 'friend code'.
Ray prays before every show for God to show him a way to win over Kelly's affections.
His prayers are answered one day (or so he thinks) when someone drops off a box of darts with magical 'love potion' powers.
The trick is they only work for six hours so Ray must find a way to earn Kelly's 'true love' in that time.
The movie is quirky and charming and magically upbeat.
It doesn't play down it's true message though and skimp out for cheap and clichéd effect.
In that way the movie is especially strong.
The performances are all great (especially Matheny) and the dialogue sharp and witty.
The black and white is a nice effect and the cinematography is beautiful as well.
It's hard to rate a film so short, as with all short films (it's not even the running length of a half hour sitcom), but taking that into account I'd have to say it's one of the better live action shorts I've ever seen.
Very nicely done!Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rzBIHq5e3E.
Somebody tell me about the actual dart-throwing!.
So, somebody tell me, is Luke Matheny actually making all those incredible bulls's eyes with his dart-throwing??
It sure looks like it.
That's pretty amazing if he is!
The film is kind of like the guy's random talents all in a nutshell: jazz crooning, dart-throwing, Scrabble-playing...and I suppose he probably plays the accordion, too.
What a riot!Endearing film.
Has a relaxed, jazzy pace, the black-and-white works great, every actor has an interesting face no matter how minor, Sasha Gordon's score perfectly cues the impending schemes, the onset of love susceptibility, the low-key developments.
Matheny has a great eye and charming imagination.
And culture, thank heaven.Check out his earlier short, "Earano", which can be seen on NYU's website.
Somehow Matheny's work manages a kind of innocent idealism and decency that I thought was dead nowadays.
Looking forward to seeing his feature film(s)..
Maybe not profound but certainly the most enjoyable of this year's crop..
Well, I just got back from my yearly pilgrimage to see the nominees for the Best Live Action Academy Award.
Compared to other years, this is an interesting field, as I actually liked all the films and see there being no clear winner.
Usually I have at least a few of them I don't particularly like but this is a good crop...but there also is no clearly 'perfect' film as well.
So, in light of this, my predicting that "The Confession" will be the most likely of the films to win is not at all certain--as I see this as mostly a three film race but any of the five could easily win.While I certainly would acknowledge that "God of Love" is not exactly profound, it is very different from the other nominees this year.
While the other four films are all VERY dark in tone, "God of Love" is the opposite--a quirky little comedy that felt very refreshing when I saw it--it was a nice change of pace.
While I don't think it's technically the very best of these films, it is my favorite and it has a good chance of winning since it is so different--although slight.The film is striking for two big reasons.
First, it's filmed in black & white--an unusual but very artistic choice.
Second, the actors (particularly the lead) are very non-photogenic--not at all the typical sort of actors you'd see in films.
In many ways, though, it reminds me of some of Fellini's films, as he LOVED to but bizarre-looking people in movies and eschewed the typical 'pretty faces' you'd see in other movies.
I loved this and appreciated how such non-traditional folks were given a chance.The film is about a likable loser, Ray (Luke Matheny--who also wrote and directed this lovely film).
He is in love with one of his bandmates but she is only interested in his friend, Fozzie.
And, Fozzie has no interest in her!
So, in desperation Ray prays daily from help from God. And, since the film is a fantasy, the gods decide to help him--sending him a set of cupid-like darts through which he might be able to find the girl of his dreams.
The film goes many different directions and never exactly goes where I expected--and I loved this.
I also loved the film's quirky sense of humor, unusual style and plot as well as how incredibly artistic and well filmed the movie is--it's a real work of art.So will it win?
Tune in and see--I'll update this review when I find out the results.
I think that despite its slight nature it has a good shot, as the other films are all so similar that perhaps they'll fight each other for votes.
Also, the other two best films of the crop ("The Confession" and "Wish 143" are so similar in many other ways that I can't help but think that "God of Love" might manage to slip through with enough votes to take the prize.
Regardless, Matheny is immensely talented and I can't wait to see him in other projects--whether writing, acting or directing.
An adorable and easy to like movie.UPDATE: Wow, this never happens.
I actually picked this category correctly.
In a conversation I had with a friend who saw the films with me, I told him that although I thought "The Confession" was the best film that it and "Wish 143" were so similar in tone and style that "God of Love" would win.
Insanely enough, "God of Love" won and I think my prediction was correct--something that NEVER happens!.
A triumph, very smart, very funny.
"God of Love" is an English-language short film from 5 years ago.
It runs for almost 20 minutes, is black-and-white and I applaud Luke Matheny for what he did here in terms of writing, directing and acting.
I do not often completely agree with the Academy, but I believe they got it right when they handed him the Live Action Short Film Oscar.
Hilarious acceptance speech by the way.
Check it out.
Matheny has great recognition value due to his physical appearance and that elevated the film as well.
I am really glad to see his recent success with the television show "Maron".
I have not seen it (yet), but it sounds a bit like "Louie" to me.
I hope Matheny can step into full feature films at some point too.
I would certainly watch it.Now, about "God of Love": First of all, do not be misguided by the pretentious-sounding title.
This film is everything but pretentious.
It's simple, funny (very tongue-in-cheek) and creative and the title reference comes from the very last quote of the main character and it's not really meant seriously.
Also the choir at the end is really just for comedic purposes.
The story is as simply as effective.
A guy (Matheny) loves a girl.
She, however, loves his best friend.
And his best friend won't date her because it would be wrong to hurt his friend like that.
Quite a mess.
Then, Matheny's character one day finds a dart with which he can get people to fall in love with each other, sadly only for 6 hours.
After that, the two have to have made a real connection so that the love stays, even if the effect from the dart wears off.
He tries it on a friend and it works.
The two stay together.
Sadly, things do not go that well with himself and the girl of his dreams.
There were a handful hilarious references and scenes in here, like the diabetes part or the scene where all the girls are following our hero.
I very much enjoyed watching these 19 minutes.
Give it a chance, you will not regret it.
One last thing I forgot, there is also nice singing in here..
Funny but uneven in spots, the lead character is intentionally obnoxious.
This short won the Academy Award for Live Action Short.
There will be spoilers ahead: This short is about a band with an unusual twist.
The lead singer croons while he throws darts and does trick shots.
He's also part of a love triangle, where he's in love with the drummer, who in turn is in love with the guitarist, who is the singer's best friend.The singer, Goodfellow (interesting name, that) prays for help in winning the young lady's affections.
He would have done well to recall the old Chinese curse, "May you get everything you wish for".
Goodfellow gets a very special box of darts from the Olympus Foundation (one of the nice touches in this short.Goodfellow, oblivious as well as obnoxious, makes life interesting for quite a few people as he pursues what he wants regardless of the consequences, until he has an epiphany.The end of this short is beautiful and Goodfellow makes some very funny and on point observations during the voice-over at the end of the short.
This is available on DVD and Blu-Ray as part of a compilation of Oscar winning live action and animated shorts from Shorts International and the DVD is well worth buying.
Recommended..
God of Drivel.
A dopey jazz singer is in love with a female band member who doesn't return his affections.
God, or something else, provides him with magic love darts that make whoever they prick interested in the first person he or she sees for six hours.
Dopey singer tries to make his crush fall for him, but her affections always wear off.
Finally, he gives up and sets her up with a guy she likes.
Maybe love will find him one day?
I sure hope not.
The movie is needlessly shot in black and white and has very sexist overtones.
We aren't given any reason for this guy to get a girlfriend other than his desire for one.
A bland indie "comedy" is lurking in this concept.Not Recommended |
tt0204322 | Firecracker | The film opens with the body of a murder victim being exhumed from under a storage shed in 1950s small-town Wamego, Kansas. The story leading up to the murder is then told.
Handsome, sociopathic David (Mike Patton), the owner of a local garage, bullies his meek, sensitive piano-playing younger brother, the teenage Jimmy (Jak Kendall). Their religious, mentally unbalanced mother, Eleanor (Karen Black), attempts to ignore David's behavior; their withdrawn and ill father is about to be placed in a nursing home. When Jimmy shyly announces at the family dinner table that his piano teacher plans to include him in an upcoming recital, David belittles and beats him, ordering him to give up his "sissy" piano and work at the garage, earn money and be a real man. Jimmy finds temporary escape from his family dysfunction by visiting a traveling carnival that stops in Wamego each summer. He forms a platonic friendship with the premiere sideshow attraction, Sandra (also played by Karen Black), an aging but still glamorous lounge singer. Sandra is virtually a captive of the sadistic carnival owner Frank (also played by Mike Patton), who abuses her emotionally and physically. While Jimmy dreams of running away to play piano for the carnival, Sandra has the opposite dream — to escape the carnival and live a normal life.
Sandra had a past relationship with David, but when he approaches her again, she makes it clear that she is no longer interested in him and tells him that she won't let him "hurt her" again. David goes home and takes out his frustrations on Jimmy (in a scene where sexual abuse is strongly implied but not shown). It is later revealed that David got Sandra pregnant the previous summer, and when the pathologically jealous Frank found out, he cruelly terminated her pregnancy and mutilated her genitals to make her unattractive to other men. Unwilling to take no for an answer, David confronts Sandra at her trailer and discovers Jimmy hiding there. David flies into a rage, rapes Jimmy in front of Sandra, and storms out. Sandra consoles Jimmy, who goes home. The next day, the carnival leaves town, its departure coinciding with David's disappearance, which the female police chief Edith "Ed" Carlisle (Susan Traylor) begins to investigate. It begins to appear that a murder, presumably of David, took place at his family's home.
Meanwhile, the carnival is losing money and Frank's treatment of Sandra is becoming worse, including sending his gang of brutal henchmen to menace her sexually. She resolves to leave and the other carnival freaks bid her goodbye. Jimmy arrives planning to join the carnival, but Sandra, knowing that the carnival is also a dysfunctional environment and not the escape of which Jimmy dreams, sends him home. Frank refuses to let Sandra go and instead chains her up. When Frank comes to see her in her chains, the other freaks help Sandra overpower him, and she strangles him to death with her chains. The freaks hide Sandra from Frank's vengeful henchmen and give her money and a bus ticket to help her escape, but the henchmen capture her in a field and brutally kill her.
Back in Wamego, flashbacks show how David came home to find Eleanor comforting the traumatized Jimmy in a locked room. David broke down the door, dragged Jimmy downstairs and started abusing him. Eleanor, praying, took a pair of scissors from a drawer and stabbed David to death. Jimmy and Eleanor then buried the body under the shed. Pearl (Brooke Balderson), a local psychic girl, realizes the location of David's body and digs up his corpse, revealing a hand to Chief Ed. Eleanor, now clearly mentally ill, is taken away by attendants to a mental institution, while Jimmy cries. In an attempt to save his mother, Jimmy tearfully confesses to David's murder. The end titles of the film state that Jimmy was sentenced to life in prison and later released on parole, at which time Chief Ed, who had become a district judge, sealed the case so no record of it exists today. | neo noir, cruelty, murder, cult, flashback, psychedelic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1043820 | Storm Hawks | Storm Hawks is set in a fictional world called Atmos, a largely mountainous world consisting of scattered masses known as terras. Directly below the terras is the Wastelands, the most dangerous place on Atmos, with its infernal fires and wicked creatures. Because of the geography, travel is mostly dependent on flight. The technology of Atmos is based around energy-generating crystals, used to power the various devices in the series. Patrolling the skies of Atmos are the Squadrons, all led by a Sky Knight, groups of warriors who pilot motorcycle-like vehicles called Skimmers that can semi-transform into flying machines. These warriors are loosely managed by the Sky Knight Council.
In the backstory of the series, an evil ruler named Master Cyclonis and her servants, the Cyclonians, threatened Atmos. The original Storm Hawks led the Squadrons in a war against them, but were betrayed and defeated by one of their own (later known as The Dark Ace). Ten years later, the main characters of the series stumble upon the wreckage of the Storm Hawks' carrier, the Condor, and unofficially take on the Storm Hawks name in the hopes of becoming Sky Knights themselves, despite not being old enough to even legally fly the vehicle. Their youth defeats their ambition, however, as neither friend nor foe take them seriously because of it.
This changes when they are brought into conflict with a new Master Cyclonis, granddaughter of the previous one. Among her followers are the Dark Ace, the man who betrayed the original Storm Hawks and now serves Cyclonis as her right-hand man; Snipe, a mace-wielding strong man with a fondness for smashing things; and Snipe's sister, Ravess, an archer who always brings violin-playing henchmen into battle for theme music. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | A surprisingly good kids show.
I thought I was well past the age of watching these kinds of cartoons, but there's something about Storm Hawks that just isn't found in vast majority of kids shows these days.
The unique animation probably has something to do with it, it reminds me of an improved version of the new Spider-Man cartoon (which failed).
However, probably the biggest strength of the show has to be its cast of great original characters in this colorful and exciting world.
None of this would work without good stories though, and from the couple of episodes I've seen so far, this show has great writing that reminds me of Beast Wars and Reboot in its prime.
Surprisingly, I checked and a lot of the same people are involved!
Hopefully the word spreads because this show is great!.
Best show alongside Battle Force 5 to come from Canada.
Well since I haven't watched this show for a good but I can tell you this show is worth the watch.The animation is good.
The stories are very good and cleaver.
Plus its an example of a good show from Canada.
Unlike shows like Johnny Test and Supernoobs..
Absolute brilliance.
Of the vast amount of growing children's TV shows, most of which are total crap (although the new Chop Socky Chooks is pretty entertaining), there's really nothing to watch anymore.
But if you ever stumble upon a time when Storm Hawks is showing, prepare yourself.Storm Hawks sets itself in the vast world of Atmos, which is compromised of dozens of floating "continents" called Terras (Atmos = atmosphere, Terra = territory).
Each Terra is much different from the others, and each episodes is usual set on another Terra.
There's only been around one or two re-used Terras (Terra Neon, a massive amusement park), which brings a vast amount of variety among the 23 or so currently released episodes.I've seen every single episode of the show released thus far, and I must say I've never been so entertained by television.The show centers around the Storm Hawks squadron of Sky Knights, which was formerly defeated by the Cyclonian warrior Dark Ace. However, red spikey haired Aerrow comes to the rescue with his friends Junko, Finn, Piper, and his strange dog styled pet Radarr.
Together, they form the new Storm Hawks squadron.Each episodes centers around the Storm Hawks traveling to a Terra (or another location, like the dreaded Black Gorge or home of the Murk Raiders).
Usually, the Storm Hawks find a problem involving the Cyclonians or Murk Raiders or some other form of treachery.
Using Aerrows supreme flying skills combined with Finn's shot, Piper's intelligence, Junko's strength, and Stork's comedic brilliance (and ability to fly the Condor, the Storm Hawk's massive ship); the Storm Hawks overcome whatever treachery they find.Every episodes is filled with fantastic action involving battles in the air on everyone's planes.
You will be on the edge of your seat watching the epic battles unfold.
Let's not forget the humor.
This show doesn't use lame poop humor like Camp Lazlo or My Gym Partner's a Monkey, this show uses brilliant intelligent humor that's based around today's society.
Stork, our emo paranoid friend, makes you laugh almost every time he speaks.
Finn, commonplace idiot, brings out a few laughs.Every supporting character brings something new to the table, and every location is a different experience for the episodes.
Oh, let's not forget the different experiences.
Almost every episode is something new.
For instance, one episodes involves Aerrow and Radarr trying to escape a Cyclonian prison.
Mr. Moss, head of the prison, leads a hilarious but exciting chase after Aerrow and Radarr.
It's pure brilliance.Overall, Storm Hawks is animated television at its best.
If you watch any cartoons the rest of your life, watch this.
If you buy a DVD set for any television show, get this.
You will laugh, and you will be cheer.
Storm Hawks, prepare for battle..
Sky Knights battle in a fantastic world.
This show is set in a rather strange and fantastic world, where Sky Knights ride mechanical devices through the air and have air battles.
It centres on a group of young knights who all have unique and rather strange individual characteristics about them, and who each have their own style.
The characters of the show are strange, odd, and interesting, and certainly make for entertaining viewing.
The style and animation looks similar to that of Dragon Booster and both are set in strange universes.
But whereas Dragon Booster is set in a large city full of race tracks and guils of racers, tis show is set in the open air in an interesting place rather hard to describe.
Certainly quite entertaining..
Very Good.
The first time I saw the preview of this show, I had to see it.
There I was, flipping through channels, when I suddenly stopped and stared at something that I've never seen beforea kids show that actually looked pretty good!
The one element that intrigued me the most was the unique animation styleI've never seen anything like it before!
When I finally got to watch it, I was very pleased and, from what I've seen and heard, many others were too!
The humor is not just cheesy kids show humor (you know the type-filled with dumb puns and corny one-liners), it's actually funny.
I found myself laughing hysterically at the obsessive paranoia of Stork-the lanky green man/cat/monkey thing!
There's also fast action and slapstick comedy for the kids, as well as well-rounded characters and unique personalities for the critics to admire.
The impressive array of vocal talent adds a sense that you got your times worth watching this show.In fact, the only thing that I can say about this show that may put critics in a snitch is the fact that some of the episode plots are rather petty.
But come now, it's a kids show!
Give them a break!.
Great show but ended way too soon..
Storm hawks has everything, motorcycle planes, floating terras, humor and awesome character models & its a Canadian cartoon, at the time the show was as awesome as Clone Wars, hell i even bought some of the action figures doing the time.Is it great?, well if you where a kid in the early 2000s-mid 2000s-late 2000s well yes it is, at time i was like *wow that's so cool* yea i was 9 years old back in 2008.*Spoilers* Storm Hawks takes place on Atmos world with a thousand mountain top kingdoms, & the sky knights, their duty is to fight against the cyclonians.Overall great and still watchable to this day. |
tt4455690 | Working Girl | Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) is an Irish American working-class stockbroker's secretary from Staten Island with a bachelor's degree in Business from evening classes. She aspires to reach an executive position. Tricked by her boss (Oliver Platt) into a date with his lascivious colleague (Kevin Spacey), she gets into trouble by publicly insulting him and is reassigned as secretary to a new financial executive, Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver). Seemingly supportive, Katharine encourages Tess to share ideas. Tess suggests that a client, Trask Industries, should invest in radio to gain a foothold in media. Katharine listens to the idea and says she'll pass it through some people. Later, she says the idea wasn't well received. But when Katharine breaks her leg skiing in Europe, she asks Tess to house-sit. While at Katharine's place, Tess discovers some meeting notes where Katharine plans to pass off the merger idea as her own. At home, Tess finds her boyfriend (Alec Baldwin) in bed with another woman. Disillusioned, she returns to Katharine's apartment and begins her transformation.
Tess sets up a meeting with executive Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford), using her boss's name as an entrée. She wants to see Trainer the evening before the meeting at a party, which she will attend in a dress of Katharine's. Before the party, when Tess suffers a panic attack, her friend Cynthia (Joan Cusack) gives her a valium from Katharine's bathroom. At the party, Tess unknowingly meets Jack, who is fascinated by her. They have a couple of drinks, and the combined effect of valium and alcohol lead to her waking next morning in Jack's bed. She leaves before he wakes and, entering the meeting, realizes Jack Trainer is the man she had spent the night with. She feels the pitch goes badly. Back at her desk, she is mortified about the night before, but Jack comes in and says they are happy with Tess's idea. Days later, Tess and Jack gatecrash Trask's (Philip Bosco) daughter’s (Barbara Garrick) wedding and pitch their plan. Trask is interested, and a meeting is set up. Later, Tess and Jack end up in bed together. Tess wants to explain her true situation but keeps quiet after learning Jack has been in a relationship with Katharine, which he says is all but over.
Katharine comes home on the day of the meeting with Trask. Tess overhears Katharine asking Jack to confirm his love for her, but he avoids answering and hurries out. Tess also rushes off, leaving her appointment book, which Katharine reads. The meeting goes well until Katharine storms in, accusing Tess, a mere secretary, of having stolen her idea. Tess protests but leaves, apologizing. Days later, Tess clears out her desk and then bumps into Jack, Katharine, and Trask in front of the lobby elevators. Tess confronts Katharine and starts to tell everyone her side of the story. Katharine tries to lead the group away, but Jack says he believes Tess. When Trask hears a convincing tidbit, he hops off the closing elevator, leaving Katharine still in the lift. Trask gets on another elevator with Jack and Tess, where Tess then gives her elevator pitch to Trask, telling him the roundabout way in which she came up with the idea for the merger. When they get to their office floor, Trask confronts Katharine, asking her how she came up with the idea. She stumbles and balks and can't really explain where the idea came from. Katharine is fired on the spot for her fraud, and Trask offers Tess an "entry-level" job with his company.
Tess starts her new job, armed with a lunchbox prepared by Jack. Directed to an office, she sees a woman on the phone, assumes she is her new boss, and seats herself in the typing pool. The woman (Amy Aquino) reveals that she is, in fact, Tess’s secretary and that Tess is the new junior executive for whom she is working. Tess insists they work together as colleagues, showing she will be very different from Katharine. She then calls Cynthia from her office overlooking Manhattan to say she's landed her dream job. | adult comedy | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0058649 | The Third Secret | Prominent London psychoanalyst Dr. Leo Whitset is discovered injured from a gunshot wound in his home by his housekeeper, and as he lies dying he whispers, "Blame no one but me." These words lead the coroner to rule the death a suicide, a verdict questioned by one of Dr. Whitset's patients, Alex Stedman, a popular American news commentator for British television who has been in therapy since the deaths of his wife and daughter. The dead man's fourteen-year-old daughter Catherine is certain he was murdered and enlists Alex's aid in finding the killer to preserve her father's reputation.
Catherine provides Alex with the names of three other patients. Sir Frederick Belline is a respected judge, Alfred Price-Gorham runs a prestigious art gallery with his assistant Miss Humphries, and Anne Tanner is a corporate secretary. As Alex investigates their backgrounds, he discovers each of the three, like himself, harbours a secret known only by the murdered man. Hoping to find more clues, Alex goes to the doctor's country home to search his files. There he learns Catherine was under her father's care, and when he confronts her she admits she killed the doctor when he threatened to send her to an institution to be treated for schizophrenia. While re-enacting the crime, Catherine stabs Alex and consequently is confined to a psychiatric hospital. Recovered from his wound, Alex visits her and promises to stay in touch. The Third Secret the doctor had hidden from himself was the seriousness of his daughter's illness, which made him delay committing her to a mental institution. | murder | train | wikipedia | A suspenseful Who Done It with compelling performances by Pamela Franklin and Stephen Boyd in challengingly complex roles.
I read somewhere that Stephen Boyd was so taken with the story and the character, he took a sizeable pay cut to play the role of Alex.
And Pamela Franklin, at the age of 14, is an incredible actress taking on a role that veterans would not have managed nearly as well.Great story - great film - great acting!.
I first saw this as a kid, in 1970, on tv, and thought the nightmare sequence at Diane Cilento's home to be one of the scariest scenes I'd ever seen on film.
After 29 years the impact is somewhat diluted, but overall the film holds together pretty well.
Take a look at the extraordinary Douglas Slocombe panavision cinematography, the driven performances of Franklin and Boyd - an underrated actor if there ever was one - the striking set pieces on the Thames riverbank.
A taut, brooding mystery, with Stephen Boyd well-cast in the lead..
A British psychologist has apparently committed suicide, but his teenage daughter is convinced it was murder and asks one of his patients (Stephen Boyd, as an expatriate American journalist) to investigate.
Somber, brooding, introspective tale, with Boyd well-cast in the lead; elegantly written (worthwhile just for the dialogue), and moodily shot in black and white.
Regrettably, the film is inaccurate in its portrayal of psychiatry; despite what the script says, people suffering from paranoid schizophrenia are no more likely to be murderers than anyone else, and people with schizophrenia cannot hide their illness as though they were undercover spies.
That small suspension of disbelief aside, the film ruminates on all sorts of interesting ideas that fit together like inlaid wood.The film is enhanced by an excellent cast, including Jack Hawkins, Richard Attenborough, and Diane Cilento as the three suspects, the now-legendary Judi Dench in her first credited role, and the much under-rated child actress, Pamela Franklin, as the psychologist's daughter.
In particular, though, Attenborough's performance as an awkward, insecure art dealer stands out as a remarkable contrast to his performance in another film of 1964--"Guns at Batasi," in which he plays a tough, almost indestructible British Army sergeant..
"The Third Secret", on the other hand, waits until almost the last scene to reveal the murderer, which makes it a much more satisfying mystery.But what sets "The Third Secret" apart is an exceptionally well-written script with some of the most intelligent dialogue to come down the pike in years.
Couple this with flawless performances from all concerned, and you have a picture worth at least a seven in our rating system.I can go no higher because this movie is a bit long-winded, with protracted scenes of very capable actors engaged in aforementioned dialogue to the point of tedium.
You will, however, enjoy the overall premise - that the death of a well-known psychiatrist was a murder and not a suicide.
Precocity often took her into territory it's now fashionable to call "inappropriate," such as the schoolgirl love interest she played with a randy old artist in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie." Though understated and implicit in "The Third Secret," her emotionally-troubled character's relationship with Stephen Boyd's character is in this same vein.
The movie is still a guilty pleasure, though you have to suspend a lot of disbelief to get back in that naive early-60s groove when sexuality was still portrayed indirectly through characters who were not exactly the Free Spirits that populated such films later in the decade.Look for a spooky cinematic trick toward the end of the film, when Stephen Boyd's character is just starting to unravel the big Secret.
Pamela makes a statement about how many patients her father had-- Stephen thinks he misheard her, and asks her to repeat what she said.
At the very least its understatement is a refreshing change from the noise-saturated frantic bombast of today's not-so-spooky films, with their mindless reliance on sensory overload and oh-so-special effects..
After a distinguished 15-year service for British cinema, director Charles Crichton (like several of his contemporaries) defected to TV at the start of the 1960s and only made the occasional feature film thereafter the most notable of which were this star-studded psychological thriller and his Oscar-nominated swan song, A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988).
Irish actor-turned-Hollywood star Stephen Boyd plays the lead, an expatriate American newsman, who is engaged by precocious teenager Pamela Franklin to delve further into the mystery surrounding the would-be suicide of her celebrity psychiatrist father.
She firmly believes that he was murdered by one of his very exclusive clientèle and pinpoints knighted Judge Jack Hawkins, mousy art dealer Richard Attenborough (who has a very young Judi Dench for his assistant) and insecure secretary Diane Cilento as the main suspects; a fourth was initially to have been played by Patricia Neal but her entire subplot was dropped prior to the film's release!
After some initial trepidation (he does not want it known that he was also being treated by the dead psychiatrist) and anguish (feeling betrayed by the psychiatrist for abandoning him, he demolishes the latter's office in front of his daughter's very eyes!), Boyd approaches the 3 ex-patients who, understandably, are unwilling, unable or just too distraught (Cilento herself commits suicide after realizing the real reason why Boyd had slept with her) to be of any real use to him in the investigation.
Consequently, when all available avenues seem to have led to a dead end, Boyd becomes cognizant of the possibility that the truth might be much closer to home than he at first suspected.
Indeed, Franklin seems inexplicably hostile to her guardians (Rachel Kempson and Alan Webb) and bonds with Boyd instead through a game of 'complete the quotation' scribbled on walls (which she used to play with her late father).
Joseph, the film is, perhaps necessarily given the subject, full of pretentious chat but is also cleverly decked out with a Freudian dream sequence and the afore-mentioned starry cameos
which, actually, makes Pamela Franklin's outstanding performance all the more remarkable an achievement.
Charles Crichron had already succeeded in the difficult task of having an adult and a child perform together :"the hunting" was one of the most moving British movies of the fifties as well as Dirk Bogarde's first important role .The Stephen -Messala-Boyd/Pamela Franklin pairing may seem strange first but this girl was really a wiz kid for she had already proved it in such works as Clayton's "the innocents" and "our mother's house" .Some kind of Jodie Foster of the sixties,she didn't make the career she deserved.A shrink has been murdered and his patients are all suspects;Boyd portrays one of them,investigating the others 'life and meeting his daughter (Franklin) ,a disturbed girl who writes strange lines on a wall and who seems to know things better left unsaid.Many scenes take place by the sea on a lugubrious beach children forgot a long time ago.Intriguing..
Just to elaborate on certain comments about Pamela Franklin; she was born in 1950, and 'The Third Secret' was made in 1964, which made her...
Her scenes with Boyd carry a sexual tension that film-makers and society in general were brave enough to confront at that time.
Although Charles Crichton was an Ealing man, his work here is more reminiscent of the Woodfall school of British realism, and light years away from his comedic timing in 'The Battle of the Sexes'.
It's hard to deny that the dialogue gets a bit stodgy at times - a pity, since the screenplay contains a great many sly clues to the solution which can get lost amidst the psycho-babble.
This was made at a time when much of the UK's cinema was in the hands of serious craftsmen and women - their films are exemplary lessons in thoughtful, considered cinema.
Stephen Boyd Best Performance.
This is an excellent movie featuring actor Stephen Boyd who once again exhibited his ability to perform well with a mediocre script.
The movie has a great story line and good suspense.
The actor made about 50 movies.The cast was superb and it tells the story of a psychiatrist and the few patients he had before he is murdered at the beginning of the movie.
The patients are all successful and relatively normal people that on the surface seem to fit into society, but definitely have neurotic tendencies with self-esteem issues at best.Boyd's character is that of a cynical American news reporter stationed in England where he mocks his own country-men on TV and his character is brilliant..
This is a far from perfect film and I am glad I stuck with it, as up until late in the movie I felt a little bored.
So, bear with the glacial pace and you'll most likely enjoy the film overall.A psychiatrist is found dying by his housekeeper.
However, his young daughter (Pamela Franklin) insists that he was murdered and enlists Stephen Boyd to help her investigate--though this aspect of the film was very hard to believe.
Through the course of the film, Boyd tracks down the doctor's patients until he ultimately discovers the perpetrator in a nice twist.
Worth seeing but certainly NOT a film to rush to see.A few notes.
In an interesting twist, he was so appreciated as an actor (and as a person) that he continued acting and his voice was dubbed in all these post-surgery films.
"The Third Secret" from 1964 is a British film starring Stephen Boyd, Pamela Franklin, and Diane Cilento as well as a few stars in small roles: Richard Attenborough, Jack Hawkins, Rachel Kempson, and Nigel Davenport.
Judi Dench has a small role -- she was just coming up the ladder.Boyd plays a television journalist, Alex Stedman, who also happens to be the patient of psychiatrist Leo Whitset.
Everyone assumes he means responsible for his own death though no one checks it out.Whitset's teenage daughter (Franklin) appeals to Boyd, stating that her father could not have killed himself.
Suicide was a direct contradiction of his work.Stedman is able to get a list of Whitset's patients and starts visiting them to discern which one of them could be the killer.
Whitset's daughter tells Alex that her father said there are three secrets everyone has: the one you won't tell anyone, the one you won't tell yourself, and one other.I thought the acting was very good all around, with Franklin's young voice a little too high-pitched for me -- I had the same problem listening to Deanna Durbin as a child - after awhile, it becomes annoying.
It was interesting, it is by no means a bad film or badly directed, but it was hard for me to get into for some reason.
His 14-year-old daughter, Catherine (Pamela Franklin), goes to a famous TV reporter named Alex (Stephen Boyd), claiming it was murder, and insists that the killer must have been one of his patients.Sleepy elevator music at the film's beginning tips you off that what we have here is not a suspense film.
With a British setting and British actors, we can correctly describe this film as a British drama.
The dialogue for Catherine is way too precocious for a 14-year-old girl.Still, the story's theme is deep.
At one point, Alex asks an associate of the dead doctor: "Would it be possible for a (paranoid schizophrenic) to murder (the doctor) and make it look like a suicide?" Heavy stuff.
Casting and acting are acceptable.Stuffy and lacking humor, "The Third Secret" is an actor's film; all the players get to show off their dramatic skills.
I spotted something that no-one else has mentioned, which is that when Catherine (Pamela Franklin) tells Alex (Stephen Boyd) several times that her father had FOUR patients, it's easy to lip-read that she was originally saying FIVE patients.
Having now read that there were scenes deleted before the film's release involving an additional patient played by Patricia Neal, the reason for the redubbing with a different number is now clear.
Pamela Franklin was an outstanding child actress and it's a great pity she retired from acting so soon..
Stephen Boyd is the main male lead and he does a difficult job well as we ponder the death of an eminent psychiatrist when his daughter insists that her father would not have killed himself.
Pamela Franklin plays the fourteen year old who begins to make Boyd even consider he might have killed the doctor before the film races to a rousing conclusion.
Quiet, considered, intelligent film making, little seen today.
It contains what may perhaps be the finest performance by American actor Stephen Boyd, appearing in this otherwise British film.
He had been a director for 44 years.) There are some very good lines in this film, and numerous odd and unusual touches.
Early in the film we are told that there are three kinds of secrets: the first are the ones we conceal from others, the second are the ones which we conceal from ourselves.
But as the action progresses and so much is revealed, Boyd guesses the third kind: 'The third secret is the truth.' This high-level approach means that this film is not the usual run of the mill mystery film.
The film starts with the murder of a prominent psychiatrist in his home.
The death is ruled a suicide at an inquest, but the psychiatrist's young daughter, aged 10, insists that he was murdered by a patient.
The four patients of whom we know at first are played by Stephen Boyd, a prominent broadcaster, Jack Hawkins, a famous judge (filmed at Lincolns Inn), Richard Attenborough as an art dealer, and Diane Cilento as a pathetic glamorous woman who lives alone in a bedsit and cannot bear to be touched by men.
Judi Dench plays a bit part but it is easy to miss her, as I must confess I did, despite seeing the film twice.
The young daughter is played by Pamela Franklin, at her most intense and compelling.
My wife and I knew Pamela and her husband Harvey Jason very well indeed long ago, when she was grown up, and were involved in a film project with them which did not come to fruition because of financial corruption on the part of a distributor, and my refusal as producer to collude in it.
I refer to these invisibles in this mystery film as 'the case of the vanishing talent'.
The leading roles are all brilliantly played, and rarely did Richard Attenborough excel to this degree.
Hawkins's performance of a man near to madness with anxiety is so impressive, and Diane Cilento never was such a waif in any other film, and is superb.
Pamela Franklin approaches Stephen Boyd and persuades him to investigate the murder, and gives him the names of three other patients, whom he meets and interrogates.
Pamela and Boyd keep breaking in, despite its having been sealed by the police and about to be put up for sale against her wishes by her aunt and uncle who have become her guardians.
Peter Copley, despite appearing only briefly, is excellent as the murdered man, and two superb oil portraits of him where made for the film, far better than the portraits one normally sees in films.
This film is highly recommended as a superior psychological mystery thriller..
It was not that Stephen Boyd was a second stringer performer.
His last movie was called "Graf Dracula", and he played the Count.But in 1964 he turned in what may have been his saddest, most poignant performance as "Alex Stedman".
He is one of several patients being treated by a psychiatrist named Dr. Whitset.
He does this because he discovers the Doctor had a daughter named Catherine (Pamela Franklin) who is apparently upset but not letting out her emotions.
He sees (among others) a high court justice ( Jack Hawkins); a woman's clothing dealer (Richard Attenborough); and Diane Cilento.
Being a Pamela Franklin fan, I just had to watch it.
I can't get the scene of Ms. Franklin trying to stab Steven Boyd with a pair of scissors out of my head!
Reminds me of the scene where she kills Dirk Bogard with a fire poker in "Our Mother's House." Pamela has done a lot of interesting film roles that are different from the norm.
A young girl asks a mental patient to solve the mystery of her psychiatrist father's murder..
Somehow, despite its somber black and white Zone 5 photography, The Third Secret seems romantic and not only because of the delicate vulnerability of the beautiful Catherine (portrayed by Franklin) and the caring gentlemanliness of Alex (Stephen Boyd) but also because of the tone and mood emanating from the locations and sets.It is a very quiet film with none of the scary music and jarring sound effects widely used in this genre.
But the seemingly calm voices of the main characters somehow carry you along towards a crescendo of excitement and terror.If you liked Pamela Franklin as a little girl in the Innocents, you'll like her even better as a teenager in this film.It seems obvious that the murderer of Catherine's father, the psychiatrist, was one of his patients.
Since he treated severely disturbed patients, most of them are likely suspects even Alex (Boyd).
A murder mystery that certainly holds your attention!.
Joseph Production, filmed in black-and-white CinemaScope at the Elstree Studios of Associated British Picture Corp.
Alex Stedman (Stephen Boyd) had been one of those few private patients.
Because it was felt the film ran too long, her role has been completely eliminated.COMMENT: "The Third Secret" is a long and rather talky affair, directed by Charles Crichton of all people, here to some extent abandoning his usual stiff and ruthlessly routine style.
Considering the ambiguous and somewhat illogical and unconvincing nature of their characters, the players do a good job, particularly young Pamela Franklin who gives a positively stunning performance (even if her part, like many of the others, could stand some trimming).
Production values are excellent.OTHER VIEWS: For once in his life, Charles Crichton has directed a picture creatively. |
tt0042035 | We Were Strangers | The story draws on events that occurred as part of the political violence that led to the overthrow of Cuban dictator Gerardo Machado y Morales in 1933. In 1932, a violent opposition group, the ABC (abecedarios), assassinated the President of the Cuban Senate Clemente Vazquez Bello. They had constructed a tunnel to reach the Vazquez family crypt in Havana's Colón Cemetery and planted an explosive device there, anticipating that Machado would attend the funeral. The plan failed when the family decided to bury Vazquez elsewhere.
The film is about a group of revolutionaries who plot to bring down their corrupt government. The title, chosen by the distributor Columbia Pictures in place of Rough Sketch, identifies how they come together with no prior associations, sharing only their political principles. China Valdez (Jennifer Jones) is a bank clerk who has a brother who distributes anti-government flyers. She watches as a government operative guns him down on the steps of the University of Havana. She vows to kill his assassin, Ariete. At her brother's funeral, Tony Fenner (John Garfield), an American confederate of her brother, tells her to join his anti-government underground group instead of taking revenge on her own. When he learns that China's house borders a cemetery, he devised a scheme to dig a tunnel from China's house to the cemetery, assassinate a senior government official whose family plot is in that cemetery, and then detonate a bomb during the man's funeral, killing the government officials among the mourners. His disparate group of tunnelers includes a dockworkers, a bicycle mechanic, and a graduate student. Much of the movie is devoted to the digging of the tunnel. The tunnelers struggle with the need to kill men who are less than entirely evil and to take the lives of innocent bystanders. Ramon goes mad thinking of these issues, wanders off and dies in a traffic accident. Ariete harasses China, jealous of her relationship with Fenner, who he has learned is actually Cuban by birth.
When the tunnel is ready, a prominent government minister is assassinated as planned. As a munitions expert prepares to set the bomb in place, they learn that the burial will take place elsewhere, not in the family tomb as expected. They make plans for Fenner, who by now is well known to Ariete, to leave Cuba. China will get the necessary funds from Fenner's account at her bank. Fenner rages about his failure, the disgrace of returning to the people who funded his trip with small donations, fleeing as he had as a boy with his father. Only in supporting him at this point does China declare her love for him. China obtains the funds but sends a fellow employee because she is being tailed by one of Ariete's men. But Fenner, unwilling to leave without her, comes to China's house. The film climaxes with a violent shoot-out sequence, followed by the outbreak of revolution and popular celebration. | avant garde, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0033532 | All That Money Can Buy | Farmer Jabez Stone, from the small town of Cross Corners, New Hampshire, is plagued with unending bad luck, causing him to finally swear "it's enough to make a man want to sell his soul to the devil!" Stone is visited the next day by a stranger, who later identifies himself as "Mr. Scratch," and makes such an offer in exchange for seven years of prosperity. Stone agrees.
After seven years, Mr. Scratch comes for Stone's soul. Stone bargains for an additional three years; after the additional three years passes, Mr. Scratch refuses any further extension. Wanting out of the deal, Stone convinces famous lawyer and orator Daniel Webster to accept his case.
At midnight of the appointed date, Mr. Scratch arrives and is greeted by Webster, presenting himself as Stone's attorney. Mr. Scratch tells Webster, "I shall call upon you, as a law-abiding citizen, to assist me in taking possession of my property," and so begins the argument. It goes poorly for Webster, since the signature and the contract are clear, and Mr. Scratch will not compromise.
In desperation Webster thunders, "Mr. Stone is an American citizen, and no American citizen may be forced into the service of a foreign prince. We fought England for that in '12 and we'll fight all hell for it again!" To this Mr. Scratch insists on his citizenship, citing his presence at the worst events of the US, concluding, "though I don't like to boast of it, my name is older in this country than yours."
Webster demands a trial as the right of every American. Mr. Scratch agrees after Webster says that he can select the judge and jury, "so long as it is an American judge and an American jury." A jury of the damned then enters, "with the fires of hell still upon them." They had all done evil, and had all played a part in the formation of the United States:
Walter Butler, a Loyalist
Simon Girty, a Loyalist
King Philip (Wampanoag chief Metacomet)
Governor Thomas Dale
Thomas Morton, a rival of the Plymouth Pilgrims
The pirate Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard
Reverend John Smeet
After five other unnamed jurors enter (Benedict Arnold being out "on other business"), the judge enters last – John Hathorne, the infamous and unrepentant executor of the Salem witch trials.
The trial is rigged against Webster. He is ready to rage, without care for himself or Stone, but he catches himself: he sees in the jurors' eyes that they want him to act thus. He calms himself, "for it was him they'd come for, not only Jabez Stone."
Webster starts to orate on simple and good things – "the freshness of a fine morning...the taste of food when you're hungry...the new day that's every day when you're a child" – and how "without freedom, they sickened." He speaks passionately of how wonderful it is to be human and to be an American. He admits the wrongs done in the course of American history but points out that something new and good had grown from them and that "everybody had played a part in it, even the traitors." Mankind "got tricked and trapped and bamboozled, but it was a great journey," something "no demon that was ever foaled" could ever understand.
The jury announces its verdict: "We find for the defendant, Jabez Stone." They admit, "Perhaps 'tis not strictly in accordance with the evidence, but even the damned may salute the eloquence of Mr. Webster." The judge and jury disappear with the break of dawn. Mr. Scratch congratulates Webster, and the contract is torn up.
Webster then grabs the stranger and twists his arm behind his back, "for he knew that once you bested anybody like Mr. Scratch in fair fight, his power on you was gone." Webster makes him agree "never to bother Jabez Stone nor his heirs or assigns nor any other New Hampshire man till doomsday!"
Mr. Scratch offers to tell Webster's fortune in his palm. He foretells Webster's failure to become President, the death of Webster's sons, and the backlash of his last speech, warning "Some will call you Ichabod" (as in John Greenleaf Whittier's poem in reaction to Webster's controversial Seventh of March Speech supporting the Compromise of 1850 that incorporated The Fugitive Slave Act). Scratch predicts actual events of Daniel Webster's life: he did have ambitions to become President, his sons died in war, and as a result of the Seventh of March Speech, many in the North considered Webster a traitor.
Webster takes the predictions in stride and asks only if the Union will prevail. Scratch reluctantly admits that although a war will be fought over the issue, the United States will remain united. Webster then laughs, "And with that he drew back his foot for a kick that would have stunned a horse. It was only the tip of his shoe that caught the stranger, but he went flying out of the door with his collecting box under his arm." It is said that the Devil never did come back to New Hampshire. The story then ends with Jabez Stone moving from New Hampshire to North Carolina, where he found a new wife and had three children, Samantha, Alex, and Alfie. | psychedelic, comedy, melodrama | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0203343 | Blood Dolls | Virgil Travis is a wealthy, soulless psychopath who lives in seclusion in his mansion home with his dwarf butler (Phil Fondacaro) and his murderous, clown make-up-wearing maniac right-hand man. Tortured and forcibly mutated as a child by a woman who put him through body transforming procedures, Virgil has an abnormally sized head. Basking in the suffering, degradation, pain, and death of others, Virgil has already killed, and kidnapped a female rock group that he keeps imprisoned in his basement to help satisfy his constant need for perverse amusement. Never satisfied, though, Virgil decides that he will once again try to fill the emptiness that exists within him, and so creates a trio of deformed, living dolls to systematically murder any and all people who have ever wronged him. What Virgil doesn't anticipate, though, is meeting his match and finding love, both of which come in the form of a woman who is even more evil and twisted than he is.
The film has 2 different endings:
After his new wife sees his deformed head, she is horrified, so the dolls attack her while Virgil has the house filled with poison gas. Ms. Fortune frees the rock group, who escape with the dolls.
Rather than be disgusted, she finds him attractive for his evil and intellect. She then says that together, the world is theirs for the taking.
=== Reference to Demonic Toys ===
In the film, there is a character by the name of Mr. Mascaro. He is a human version of the character Jack Attack, who is a character from Demonic Toys.
=== Reference to Head of the Family ===
Virgil Travis is the son of Myron Stackpool and from the yet-to-be-made Bride of the Head of the Family, Georgina. | comedy, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0084315 | Les maîtres du temps | A man named Claude is driving a six-wheeled, insect-like vehicle over the desert surface of Perdide very fast. He attempts to communicate with Jaffar, saying that "they attacked" and that "Annie is dead." After a crash that wrecks his vehicle, he lets his son Piel down from the wreckage; he cannot extricate himself. Piel is too young to comprehend the red and white, ovoid interstellar transceiver that Claude hands him. So Claude tells him that it is named "Mike" and will talk to him, and to do whatever Mike tells him to do, but first to run to a coral-like forest and stay within it. After Piel has reached the forest, the crashed vehicle explodes.
Jaffar is piloting a spacecraft, the Double Triangle 22. He plans to reach Perdide by being pulled along by the gravitational field of the Blue Comet. But he's several planetary systems away, and does not go directly to Perdide or the Blue Comet. Instead he heads for a planet where his friend Silbad resides, as Silbad has experience of living on Perdide. Jaffar's passengers, Prince Matton and his sister, Princess Belle, have been deposed from their planet; they bring with them a treasure the Prince took along to fund his restoration. Matton is not at all happy about being diverted and makes no attempt to hide his displeasure; throughout he is depicted as a lazy, arrogant and deceitful individual.
Each contacts Piel with the transceiver; when they meet Silbad, he sings Piel a song as well, as does the Princess. Whilst on Silbad's planet, they witness the metamorphosis of a water-lily like organism into dozens of empathic, sentient, primary coloured homunculi, two of whom, named Yula and Jad, stow away on Jaffar's spacecraft seeking adventure. Unknown to the Prince, Yula and Jad play with and then dispose of the treasure via the airlock.
When Matton speaks with Piel, he nearly convinces the trusting boy to drown himself in a lake, but is discovered by Belle, who stuns him with a pistol weapon and talks Piel to safety.
In order to rendezvous with the Blue Comet, Jaffar pilots his craft to the planet Gamma 10. Prince Matton escapes in a shuttlecraft to the surface of Gamma 10, which is inhabited by faceless, identical white male angels. They capture both Matton and Jaffar, who followed in a space lifeboat. The men will be thrown into the living, thinking amorphous being which controls the planet. Although they are unable to rescue Jaffar, Yula and Jad are able to forewarn him of the fate intended for the captives: they are to become one with the controlling being, dominated entirely by it, losing all sense of individuality in the process and becoming one of the angel-beings. They instruct Jaffar to resist being assimilated with all the hate and contempt he can muster. When Jaffar tells the Prince to do so as well, Matton leaps into the being and does so, not only destroying it and the building but causing the skin and wings of all the angels to peel away to reveal that they were originally scruffy spacemen reminiscent of pirates. Rescued from the surface of Gamma 10 by Yula and Jad, the freed captives are taken to the Double Triangle 22, where they are given food and drink, and the presence of their minds cause comical problems for Yula and Jad.
Thereby Jaffar acquires a crew of misfits on the journey to Perdide. Soon afterwards, a patrol cruiser of the Interplanetary Reform catches up with the Double Triangle 22, pursuing the fleeing royals and the treasure the now-deceased Prince stole. Jaffar considers that the 'pirates' from Gamma 10 should be able to hijack the Reform cruiser and take it for themselves. During the discussion of this plan, one of rescued beings from Gamma 10, Onyx the Digeed of Gnaz, is revealed to be able to change his shape to resemble any other object. Onyx will impersonate the missing treasure, allowing the escapees to access the Reformist ship.
Jaffar's vessel is boarded by massive numbers of troops, and as he presents his "captured" pirates and the "treasure" to the commander of the other vessel, none of the Double Triangle 22's crew is able to converse with Piel, who begins to wander without supervision, encountering amiable native lifeforms. Aboard Jaffar's ship there is congratulation as the docking tube between the two vessels retracts, and they speculate on how long it will take the pirates to take control of the military vessel. The military have overlooked the presence of Belle aboard ship, and in fact only seem interested in the treasure itself, rather than the fugitives.
Realising they have lost contact with Piel, the crew attempt to contact him, but this is now impossible: traveling with his native companion, Piel has lost his transceiver (and his companion) inside a cave filled with predatory hanging tentacles. He wanders, despondent, back to the lakeside, which takes him out of the forest his father had instructed him to stay within.
The Double Triangle 22 closes on her destination, but the planet is being transported through time by a bizarre race of aliens known only as the Masters of Time. Perdide and everything on it, including Piel, is sent back 60 years through time. The effect of time travel means that aboard the approaching Double Triangle 22, the starfield appears to go into flux, and the unprotected crew are knocked unconscious. They awake in a vast space-station, two halves of a bisected sphere the size of a planet, surrounded by a constantly rotating cube described by vast luminous edges. The crew have been treated for exposure to the time-travel area, but Silbad is dying. Yula and Jad, telepathically, reveal how Piel was attacked again by the creatures which killed his mother, losing part of his skull before a passing spacefarer came to his rescue. Silbad, when first describing Perdide to Jaffar and Belle, had revealed a metal plate on his head to repair the damage of this attack, but never demonstrated explicit knowledge of Piel, his parents' death, or time travel. It is now obvious to Jaffar and Belle that Silbad and Piel are one and the same person at different points in their life, which ends shortly thereafter as the unconscious old man dies. He is "buried" in space, and his funeral is observed by one of the Masters of Time; a tall luminous-green biped with a drooping, beak-like snout.
=== Differences from the Novel ===
The motion picture story is based on the novel L'Orphelin de Perdide (1958) by the French writer Stefan Wul.
In the original novel, the character of Piel was also named Claude, like his father. Laloux changed this to distinguish father and son. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0082679 | Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie | The film starts with a showing of the 1958 award winning cartoon Knighty Knight Bugs before going into its opening credits. This is followed up by Bugs narrating how Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies immediately replaced baggy-pants comedy before introducing us to "a warm-hearted humble little Introvert called Yosemite Sam".
=== Act 1: Satan's Waitin' ===
Yosemite Sam courts Granny with evil intentions for the $50,000,000 she has inherited, but Bugs overhears his scheming and thwarts Sam under the guise of another suitor and later Granny herself. In the end, Sam dies after being crushed by a safe that Bugs drops on him and lands in Hell. Satan offers to give Sam another chance in life provided he sends someone in his place. Sam agrees to this and, as a Roman guard captain, a Saudi Arabian, and in his usual cowboy guise, attempts to kill Bugs. His attempts are unsuccessful, but when Satan keeps offering him one more chance, Sam refuses, stating Satan should get the rabbit himself and decides to stay.
=== Act 2: The Unmentionables ===
Bugs Bunny explains about cops and robbers, as well as Gangster films. In Act 2, there will be three cartoons dedicated to the gangster character, Rocky.
Immediately after becoming a police detective (with the codename "Elegant Mess"), Bugs is captured by Rocky and his gang, who try to drown him. Bugs promptly escapes that and then infiltrates Rocky's birthday party that night, disguised as a showgirl. Rocky soon sees through Bugs' disguise and, accompanied by Mugsy, chases him into a cereal factory, where Bugs traps the pair on the cereal manufacturing machine. Afterwards, he brings Rocky to court, but thanks to some manipulations and obfuscating legalese by Rocky's sleazy and unethical lawyer at his trial, the mobster is free to go.
Bugs has problems finding Rocky's new hideout until word breaks out of farmer Porky Pig's golden egg, which was apparently laid by Daffy Duck. Upon reading of this news, Rocky and his men capture Daffy and demand him to lay a golden egg. He eventually does after Rocky shoots him in the head, and is then ordered to lay more to fill up their collection of egg cartons. Bugs and the police suddenly bust in and arrest Rocky's troop. But another law loophole sets Rocky free again.
Rocky then captures Tweety Bird and holds him for ransom, and Bugs appoints Sylvester to find Tweety and pins a badge on his chest leaving him yelping in pain. Sure enough, the pussycat finds Tweety in Rocky's hideout. After several failed attempts by Sylvester to get Tweety out of here, the police show up and surround Rocky's hideout. Sylvester ends up being hailed as a hero for having seemingly rescued Tweety, and Bugs brings Rocky to justice, but is forced to go to jail with him and Mugsy (who was likely arrested too) because he lost the keys to his handcuffs.
=== Act 3: The Oswalds ===
In the third and final act, Bugs introduces us to the Oswald Awards, an award ceremony created by Friz for cartoon characters. He then hosts the ceremony himself, announcing the nominees - the Wolf from Three Little Bops, Sylvester & Tweety, and himself. During Bugs' show, Daffy talks to an impressed Yosemite Sam, who then yells at him to shut up, which sends Daffy right into Granny's arms who glares at an angry Sam. After Sylvester and Tweety's show Clarence devours Tweety and Sylvester and Granny both grab Tweety back from him. During all this, Daffy Duck continually gripes about the fact that he has not been nominated. When Bugs wins the award, Daffy becomes furious and challenges Bugs to a talent showdown. Bugs seems to have the audience's favor, but Daffy eventually wins their applause by blowing himself up. Bugs gives the now-ghostly Daffy the award, with the duck responding, "It just goes to show you, you gotta kill yourself to win an Oswald in this town!"
=== "That's all Folks!" ===
There was no outro/send-off for this movie, because after the third and final act, Bugs Bunny, at first, does the "That's all Folks!" send-off, but then Porky tells Bugs that it was his line. Bugs then allows Porky to do the send off, but sadly, before he could do the chance, the Iris-Door was used in the opening credits of the movie, instantly closes on him, Porky just grumbles and says, "D-D-Dirty Guys" as the film fades out. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | EXCELLENT FOLLOWUP TO BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER MOVIE.
Friz Freleng's "Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie" is an excellent followup to Chuck Jones' "Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie" which itself was a surprisingly good feature.
This film follows the same formula as the 1979 film: classic shorts are combined with new bridging material to create a new feature.Freleng's film is even better than the Jones film.
The first part showcases Freleng's classic Yosemite Sam/Bugs Bunny shorts.
The story is that Sam makes a deal with the Devil to bring Bugs to hell.
Included here is Sam vs Bugs in Rome (with the classic scene where Sam crosses the lions pit on stilts and Bugs tosses tools to the lions)and the unbearably funny short where Bugs impersonates Granny to save her fortune from a lecherous Sam. This segment is so well edited and timed that it could work as an episode of a Bugs Bunny sitcom.Part Two showcases Freleng's Rocky shorts, the small gangster who Bugs tangles with.
Included here are four of Freleng's all time best shorts: Birds Anonymous (the best Tweety/Sylvester cartoon), Three Little Bops (in its' entirety), High Diving Hare and Show Biz Bugs, the definitive Bugs/Daffy showdown with a memorable finale.This is an enormously entertaining movie.
I personally wouldn't say that "The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie" was the best Looney Tunes compilation ever, but it's still pretty entertaining.
It starts with "Knighty Knight Bugs" (in which Bugs tries to steal the Singing Sword from black night Yosemite Sam), and then Bugs explains that the cartoon was directed by Friz Freleng, who directed this movie.
In fact, Friz got an Oscar, but Bugs only got a carrot.Then, we go the compilations: Yosemite Sam tries to kill Bugs but keeps getting sent to Hell (Satan is only too happy about this); Bugs becomes a cop and busts gangsters Rocky and Mugsy; and then, an Oscars-style awards ceremony at which the characters arrive in the most ostentatious limos imaginable.
Then again, the Looney Tunes cartoons often made fun of Hollywood - just look at "The Scarlet Pumpernickel" - so they might be poking fun at the pomp and opulence inherit in the numerous award ceremonies every year.Overall, I pretty much liked "TLLLBBM".
Still, I can't help but wonder why they stressed Friz Freleng's cartoons; they should have had at least something about Chuck Jones's works.All in all, pretty worthy..
Some good cartoons in here but there are much better ways to see them that this messy presentation.
In a three-act presentation, Bugs Bunny presents some old stories in a modern film.
Act I sees Yosemite Sam deep in Hell with Satan.
In act II we see crime waves at a new high and Elegant Mess (Bugs) trying to stop the activities of mobster Rocky.
In act III, the Oswald Awards (Warner Brothers gave up on trying to win an Oscar and thus made these instead) are presented to the actors who have made the most difference in the world of animation - an award that Daffy would give his beak to get.I love the Warner Brother cartoons a great deal and will use any excuse I can get to watch the cartoons if I'm around - whether it be a hangover cure or entertaining kids when babysitting, I'll generally give them a try and find them funny.
Of these cartoons, 4 or 5 are worth seeing, 1 or 2 are pretty poor and 2 are really great so, for my money, the film was just about worth watching.
I have seen most of these cartoons before and my reviews are up for them on their specifics pages so I won't review them aside from my last comment, however what spoils them is the modern touches.Most of the linking stuff is poor at best and doesn't really work.
The `stories' are pretty poor and it would have been much better just to do this as a sort of flashback film where the cartoons are just honestly presented rather than twisted.
The worst is the bit where Bugs throws a can up to shot it and ends up shooting Sam in the face - here they remove that and have him shot the can full of corks.
The new Looney Tunes show that is currently on Cartoon Network just does not compare to the classics.
Even now, although I'm in my 20's, I still enjoy watching this movie (along with Quackbusters) any time I get the urge to watch Looney Tunes.If you are a fan of throwback episodes of the Looney Tunes like Yosemite Sam/Bugs Bunny, Sylvester/Tweety or Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck, then I strongly suggest that you watch this movie if you haven't already.
I do like these compilation films a lot, my favourites being QuackBusters and Bugs Bunny/Road-runner Movie.
Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie is entertaining but it is rather uneven too, part of the reason why this is my least favourite of the Looney Tunes compilation films.I admit I quite liked Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie's story structure, which is done in the equivalent of three acts.
However, it served perfectly as a premise and in the context of this film, and the result is actually is an entertaining, well-timed and in general well-edited segment, if rather high on predictability.Act 2 focuses on Bugs and Rocky.
What lets it down, is that as an overall segment it is not as well-timed or edited.
Using an Oscar awards ceremony as the premise of the segment, it is quite a vicious but overall hilarious satire.
And also I think the best animation of the film is in this segment.The animation is mostly good, more in the cartoons featured than in the links, but there are some inconsistencies.
While the cartoons are beautifully animated mostly, there is one exception, and that's Devil's Feud Cake, it does look cheap compared to the rest and in all honesty despite having a cool idea and that it has Bugs and Sam in it it is one of the main reasons why I don't like that cartoon.The music however is absolutely wonderful, the writing funny and witty and the sight gags in general fresh and inventive.
The cartoons(Devil's Feud Cake excepted) range to good to outstanding, High Diving Hare and Birds Anomynous belonging in the outstanding category, while the characters are delightful.
7/10 Bethany Cox. Another classic Looney Tunes film!.
If you like the original Looney Tunes and animated films then I strongly recommend that you watch this movie today!.
The answer isn't so clear.Here we have some anarchic, action-packed, classic 5 minute long cartoons from the Golden Age of the studio...
All hacked up, and stuck into a peculiar three act storyline involving Yosemite Sam trying to avoid getting sent to Hell, Bugs Bunny as an FBI agent and an animation award ceremony.So, basically it's a clip show, with some newly added material...
The problem is, you can tell where the old stuff ends and the modern animation starts...
It isn't difficult, put it that way.It would help if the framing device for the old cartoons was better, as well...
In the end, you wish you were watching the classic shorts as a standalone product, instead of bothering with this diluted, overlong imitation.To calculate it up...
The original cartoons 8/10 Everything else 4/10 OVERALL 6/10 Great, now I can have me dinner....
Finally I got to see what I always wanted to see, the compilation of the best short films of Looney Tunes, the best jokes, best scenes, best characters, all the best.
Looking back at all of these Looney Tunes movies that were just compilations, I am starting to wonder if a full animated movie with all new material would have worked.
This film features roughly 14 minutes of new material.
It's divided into three parts, the best easily being the third.It features Bugs Bunny hosting an awards show.
They give us the Oscar winning "Knighty Knight Bugs" right from the get go as it was the only Bugs Bunny cartoon to win one.
It is odd how that isn't one of the more remembered "Looney Tunes" cartoons.
It showcases some classic moments for legendary animator Friz Freleng, while linking it all together with new material.Bugs kicks off the proceedings by introducing the short that won Freleng an Oscar, "Knighty Knight Bugs", in which the unflappable rabbit sets out to steal back the wondrous "Singing Sword" from the dastardly Black Knight (a.k.a. Yosemite Sam).From there the action is divided into three acts: "Satan's Waiting", in which great Bugs vs.
Sam was always my favorite Looney Tune character, and watching him stew and rant and persistently try to get back at Bugs is hilarious stuff."The Unmentionables" prominently features gangster character Rocky, as Bugs plays Eliot Ness parody Elegant Mess, crack Federal agent assigned to bring him down.
had had such success with gangster classics like "Little Caesar" and "The Public Enemy", so it was only natural for them to use the Looney Tunes to make fun of this particular genre.
This is fun stuff, but this viewers' least favorite segment of the movie.Finally, we get to a cracking conclusion, "The Oswald Awards", a spot on skewering of Hollywood awards shows.
There's some good material with Sylvester and Tweety, and viewers are treated to an especially amusing short, "The Three Little Bops", which offers up a catchy ditty / spin on the old Three Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf tale.It's still a treat to revisit these cartoon characters years later as an adult.
a knight named "Sir Osis of the Liver".Overall, a reasonably sharp and pretty funny collection of Looney Tunes insanity.Seven out of 10..
Excellent showcasing of a great animator's work..
The late and great Friz Freling was without a doubt one of Warner Brothers' best animation directors in the studio's history.
With a total of 5 Oscars and 2 Emmys under his belt (according to the film) while working for the Warners, he has created some of the most memorable animated shorts in film history, such as the Oscar-winning short "Knighty Knight Bugs" and the incredibly jazzy "Three Little Bops".
Since the success of Chuck Jones' "The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie" in 1978, it would only be fair if director Friz Freling had his own showcase film featuring some of his best work with the studio, thus the creation of "The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie" in 1981.As I mentioned before, this film is a showcase of Friz Freling's best work while working for Warner Brothers Pictures.
Because of this, the movie is split into three separate acts: "Satan's Waiting'", which focuses on Yosemite Sam's numerous failed attempts at catching/destroying Bugs, "The Unmentionables", which focuses primarily on shorts featuring the gangster Rocky, and finally "The Oswald Awards", which focuses on a fictional award ceremony specifically made for cartoon characters.
In-between the shorts are animated story arcs made for the movie that are also directed by Freling, which is always welcome.
However, a person who has viewed many a Looney Tunes short will notice that some of the shorts have been edited either for time constraints or to blend in with the current scenario, which I can understand.
Thankfully, all of these shorts in their complete form can be found on numerous Looney Tunes compilation DVDs and Blu-Rays.The main question is this, however, does this work in the movie's favor?
The answer is a definite yes, because this is the studio's own special way of saying "thanks" to one of their own for their dedication and hard work that got them to where they're at today as a motion picture studio that specializes in entertaining audiences of all ages, and since Looney Tunes shorts are viewed by both children and adults all over the globe, this would work extremely well as a family feature.
Anyone who is a dedicated fan of the Looney Tunes franchise will most likely enjoy this flick for what it is, and it is also a great addition for family movie nights..
Great cartoons, but a bad idea.
cartoons directed by Friz Freleng are mercilessly cut and spliced into a "movie" format and mixed with framing sequences animated in 1980-81.
The final sequence ("the Oswald Awards") makes the most sense, but overall this was just a bad idea.
The Looney Tunes Lose Their Magic in Feature-Length Form..
"The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie" is just a set of old cartoons from the post-World War II era that becomes linked by some new animation.
I've never seen a Looney Tunes movie better edited than this one.
The new footage in this film is worthless, but the first two acts are well enough edited to win an award for best editing.
I don't really like the new footage in Act I, but it doesn't take away the excitement of the good editing.
The second film for "The 80s Freling Compilations of Looney Tunes," I will start by saying that reviewing a part of this dusty trilogy that sports a bad idea and overall mixed results; The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie is kind of a hard film to review it.
I mean, most of the movie takes place in a ceremony were Looney Tunes characters are honored, or something.
I kind of forgot the plot, I haven't seen the film for a couple of years.Well, as much as I remember, it starts off with a 10 minute short, which ends with a brief narration by Bugs Bunny (the voice of Mel Blanc, of couse) which went by the lines of "..he got an Oscar, but as for me, I got a carrot."It then fades out to a flashy looking theater where the aforementioned ceremony is to be held.
All the Looney Tunes characters (well, almost all) walk out of their sleek, huge limos and walk around in pianist-esque tuxedos.Now with the film ceremony beginning, the old shorts start to reel.
The awards for the ceremony start.Yes it sounds like a troubled plot, right?
Man do I need to see it again, if only I could find my copy of it.Well, the old shorts are pretty good, and without a single doubt the best part of the film.
The editing is some of the best in the whole trilogy of these Friz Freling films, which still isn't saying much, as it always was good in these films.
And Freling manages to keep the spirit of the old shorts alive.So it is a film with plenty of good points but still includes a few points that kind of hurt the quality.
Taking away the Looney Tunes shorts however, and replace them with anything else, the film is nothing.
It really more focuses on showing competent Looney Tunes shorts than anything else, and that is why it would be nothing without them.Plot-5/10, Shorts-8/10, Idea-4/10, Editing-10/10, Directing-7/10, Humor-8/10, New bits-6/10.
This movie is for anyone wanting all kinds of your favorite Looney Tunes clips in one show all compacted together.
Anyone who isn't a Looney Tunes fan, or a big fan already this movie is for you !For being made in the early 80's it's a great film!
The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie.
It starts off with the really good Oscar winning Knighty Knight Bugs, and continues being a pretty good Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies compilation film.
The first sees Yosemite Sam facing Hell and the Devil, unless he can bring back someone to replace him, this is obviously Bugs Bunny.
The second part is a spoof of the Al Capone/Elliot Ness story called the Unmentionables starring Rocky and Mugsy gambling, trying to get a golden egg from Daffy Duck, and stealing the valuable Tweety Pie. The final part sees a spoof of the Oscar ceremony, called the Oswolds, with Bugs hosting and giving the awards to cartoons with The Three Little Pigs and Big Bad Wolf, Sylvester and Tweety himself.
Daffy Duck was number 30, Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies number 20 and Bugs Bunny number 10 on The 100 Greatest Cartoons.
This film is the equivalent to the Oscar nominations for the Looney Toones and it is nice to see who them are judge their work and the fun of seeing Daffy Duck trying desperately to win an award.
In other words it doesn't bother to give us expansions why these shorts are fun, we all know it ,the great part is when you these characters seating and watching themselves get hurt in more ways than one.
SO meta that I wander,if Deadpool has this flick in DVD!)!Secondary after we see for instance Sam try to kill Bugs Bunny in the scenes ,we see them after words in the theaters joke to each other that many think that are moral enemies, when they are just acting.
THis true even now thirty five years after the opening many fans still are convinced that the actors who try to kill each other on the screen act the same way in the real world, when just do normal stuff like, go to the market and sped time with their loved ones.Last but not least, apart from parodying the norm of Hollywood ,like Horror, crime and action clichés, the animosity between Duffy Duck and Bugs Bunny is funny as heel and we also see in what length are some people willing to go in order to win an award( What had to suffer poor DiCaprio with that Bear!!).
This time we focus on more of the Friz Freleng shorts.
It's just a compilation of shorts we all grew up with and not really a movie.Here they try more of a theme as opposed to the first one.
I love these cartoons, but I like to see something new and original when I see the word "movie" attached.I liked this movie a lot more than the BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER MOVIE but I still give it 4 out of 10 stars.Some highlights here include the infamous gangster, that was short in stature and based on gangsters from the 30's. |
tt0304676 | Scrapbook | Scrapbook begins with opening credits rolling while a kidnapped woman has a frantic discussion in the dark with an incoherent female voice. As the credits conclude, the door to the van opens and the woman discovers, to her horror, that the incoherent voice belonged to a disemboweled woman. A man reaches in and removes the disemboweled woman.
We then see a flashback about a child named Leonard. He looks in on his sister, who is half-naked and apparently aroused. She notices him, and takes him into her room, where she proceeds to molest him. A young man enters the room, and is disgusted with Leonard. He angrily pulls him downstairs, where he proceeds to rape the boy.
The film then cuts to the present, where Leonard has grown up into a young man and kidnapper of the females from the introduction. Clara is his latest victim. Leonard has her tied to a chair in a large, unkempt trailer home in the middle of nowhere. The walls and furniture are adorned with photos and body parts of his past victims. He reveals his scrapbook to Clara, in which he forced his past victims to document their horrific experiences at his hands. He then tells her that he plans for her to be his "last chapter", before he tries to have the book published, which he believes will lead to fame and fortune. Leonard then drags Clara into a room with the words "I'm winning" scrawled on the wall, presumably in blood. He then violently beats and rapes her, and then urinates on her.
Clara is beaten, raped, and abused in various ways throughout the movie, as she tries to find a way to escape. Finally Clara comes to realize that in order to survive she must manipulate him through what he writes in the Scrapbook. Slowly Leonard starts to give her food and clothes. Clara pretends that she wants to make love to Leonard and uses duct tape to tie his arms and legs to the cot. Thereafter, she stabs Leonard on the bottom of his feet with a knife and takes pictures of him in pain. She puts those pictures in the Scrapbook and the film ends with her walking away from the house. | violence, sadist, flashback | train | wikipedia | It's true: this movie is disturbing and will shock you with some scenes of depravity and torture that you've never seen before, but despite all that it's still just not very good.
Among my main complaints: - Some people extol the fact that the production quality was very low, giving it a grim "snuff" film look to the movie.
But seriously, I thought it just made every scene look that much worse because of the image quality, shaky camera movements, and muffled sounds.The acting, though pretty good at times (the female lead whose name I forget must've gone through hell to make this movie) is still suspect throughout much of the movie.
I know a movie with such a small budget can't be expected to have Hollywoood quality special effects, but seriously, a lot of the corpses and body parts looked like discarded parts from Halloween costumes.The premise of the movie was great but the execution was just bad.
Tommy Biondo, who "wrote" the "script", plays a serial killer who keeps a scrapbook of all the women he tortures and kills.
As a matter of fact, the only thing that's clear from this stupid movie is the filmmakers' desire to "make something really disturbing"; their miserable failure comes from the fact that without subtext, scenes of violence and torture are simply demoralizing, not to mention boring.
I'm not ordinarily the type to watch a movie and say, "If I were there, I'd do this...", but in this case we're talking about a dumb weepy girl who isn't even tied half the time, and through all the rape and debasement, never once a raised hand, never a kick, not even a cross word!
The only thought it provoked in me was "What an idiot I was for spending $25 on this horse-s__t." If you want to see a truly disturbing and thought-provoking horror film that has a point beyond the lovingly-detailed (and poorly rendered) torture of a severely stupid young woman, watch IN A GLASS CAGE, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE, or LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (that's right, even LAST HOUSE wasn't this bad).
Nor was I acquainted with the low-budget horror team headed by director Eric Stanze and the volume of straight-to-video films they've produced.
This movie is not below the level of an Ed Wood film like Shatter Dead, Nikos the Impaler or countless other backyard horror videos but it's also no where near the classic that the independent horror websites would have you believe..
The stream of digital-video vomit (it is a bit ungainly isn't it?) has a plot: a chunky little broad with a buzz-cut is kidnapped by a lunatic and imprisoned in his isolated house; the lunatic proceeds to torture the girl not only physically but, more importantly, mentally by subjecting her to his incoherent ramblings about his sad existence as a sexually-dysfunctional serial-killer.
Scrapbook's serial-killer is one of cult-horror-moviedom's silliest, a snaggle-toothed drunken loner who got beaten a lot as a child, and can now only become sexually aroused by doing unspeakable things to women who bear a physical resemblance to the tart who used to play with his winkie when he was a boy.
You don't watch a movie like Scrapbook, you fend it off until it's over, then go take a shower..
That review describes the film as "ferocious and highly accomplished", praises the actors' "impassioned, uncomfortably convincing performances", and claims that "Scrapbook is hardly your standard exercise in prurient sadism".As such, it is at odds with most of the reviews here, and I fear that on this occasion it's the contributors to IMDb who have got it right.
The existence of that eponymous scrapbook is irrelevant; she could have devised that strategy even without it, in addition to which I tend to agree with the reviewer here who points out that Ms Haack looks physically well able to take care of a neurotic clumsy beanpole like her captor at much earlier stages in the film.Other dramatic or psychological opportunities are missed or bungled.
Nothing good can be said of his writing, because there just doesn't seem to be any writing beyond "in this movie I get to rape a girl." There is some rubbish about the titular scrapbook, which just ends up a half-forgotten plot device for most of the film.Nothing good can be said of Biondo's acting, either; he delivers middle-school-level improv lines (which I'm sure he thinks are super-scary serial-killer lines) with all the menace of a rubber ducky.The so-called "violence" is at a Three Stooges level of laughability, with none of the charm.
He lightly pats his victims on the face, and despite said victim acting dutifully like they've been slapped by a bodybuilder, it is about as believable as third-rate WWE fights.The very fact that a slim, squeaky, bandy-armed man with the physical intimidation factor of a stalk of celery is supposed to be able to kidnap, beat up, and rape a woman who looks about three times as strong as him, and later beat a big strong farmer twice his size to death, defies any attempt at suspension of disbelief.
This man couldn't physically kidnap a sandwich.The poor actress suffers though badly-done rape scene after badly-done rape scene, a scene of non-simulated fellatio, and a scene of actually being urinated on, by a bad actor and worse writer who seems to be on a sad wish-fulfillment trip that has no business calling itself a horror film, or even any kind of film.If you're into horror, get another horror movie.
Its a little hard to write a review of a film like Scrapbook.
Tommy Biondo is somewhat less successful as Leonard, he nails the brutal and pathetic jerk sense of the character, but is generally too over the top to be much of a figure of fear or especially convincing as a killer, moreover the film itself does little to develop his character.
Lack of development is the greatest general problem with the film actually, there isn't anything going on outside of the situation at hand but neither character has any real depth and the most potentially interesting aspect of the film (that would be Leonard's penchant for keeping records via a scrapbook of his victims last thoughts and a few taped in souvenirs) is brought up and more or less let down, becoming important only in the climax.
The film does somewhat overcome the mentioned problems through sheer force of meanness though, Clara really goes through hell with humiliating nudity, some rough simulated rape shenanigans and a standout scene performed for real.
After having seen some of these particular tapes and also being a devout (and long-time) crime scene photo, video- and audio recording aficionado, I can tell you that Scrapbook is simply an embarrassingly-amateurish attempt at something the director/writer apparently thinks he understands but clearly does not.
Cold, brutal and unflinching this is a chilling look into the mind and life of a psychopath.Much like HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER this film is a study of a diseased mind.
At every turn this film makes a point of showing the true haneous nature of these acts and the kind of mind that perpetrates them.
The final act of violence in the movie should have been a lot more brutal also.If there had of been a decent budget, and a decent amount of time, this film would have been in the league of irreversible.
I'm into extreme cinema,but "Scrapbook" totally shocked me.It's so disturbing and hard to watch that sometimes I really had the urge to stop the tape.However I managed to watch the entire movie and this is not an easy thing to do.The plot isn't complicated:a young woman,Clara(Emily Haack)is abducted by Leonard(Tommy Biondo,who sadly died after the film was completed),a brutal serial killer who forces his victims to write about their ordeals in his scrapbook.After her abduction Clara is repeatedly raped,beaten and tortured-the violence seen in the movie is extremely brutal and disturbing.Some scenes like a really graphic bottle rape sequence are truly sickening.The acting is excellent-Tommy Biondo and Emily Haack are extremely convincing here.Very talented director Eric Stanze("Savage Harvest","Ice from the Sun")creates a totally overwhelming atmosphere of dread and fear.This guy is,along with Jim Van Bebber,one of the bravest American horror directors ever.Check out this ugly masterpiece,if you dare.All I can say is that if you want to see an extreme piece of gut wrenching horror and are not easily offended,"Scrapbook" is truly unforgettable.8 out of 10..
SCRAPBOOK is an over-the-top, viciously violent and twisted film about a girl named Clara who is kidnapped, raped, beaten, tortured, humiliated, etc..etc...
by Leonard - an obviously disturbed serial killer who makes his victims record their experiences and feelings in a - you guessed it - scrapbook.
The only reason SCRAPBOOK really succeeds at all is because of the vicious, mean-spirited nature of the production as a whole - It seems that Stanze has chosen to substitute shock value for substance, which works in some films (a lot of the "extreme" Asian horror films have been doing this successfully for years...)but SCRAPBOOK seems to take itself to seriously for me to excuse what I consider very weak performances.
I'm not a huge fan of any of the stuff that Stanze does that I've seen so far - I admire the guy for pushing the limits and doing low-budget, "extreme" underground films - I just don't feel he really pulls them off that well.
Check out ICE FROM THE SUN if you like SCRAPBOOK - another STANZE film that has plenty of faults, but plenty of gore as well.
It's easy to see why this case (assuming it did actually happen) was made into a film, as the potential for a harrowing tale is certainly there - and mostly that comes from the idea of a 'scrapbook' in which the killer forces his victims to write about their experiences in his 'care'.
Scrapbook appears to be one of the first of a 'new wave' of mostly direct to video nasty horror flicks, a sub-genre that has gone on to inspire such films as August Underground and Murder Set-Pieces.
But that doesn't stop her becoming the victim of several bouts of rape and torture.I've seen a lot of this sort of stuff, and I have to say that in comparison to a lot of similar films; Scrapbook isn't really all that nasty.
The sex scenes are vicious and sometimes hard to watch, and the film really gets going in the last fifteen minutes with a series of excruciating sequences.
The only other thing I have seen Emily Haack in was "I Spit On Your Corpse, I Piss On Your Grave"(which quite frankly sucked, and so does 9/10 of all the other I Spit On Your Grave rehashes), and though the material in this film was similar (extremely graphic violence and rape scenes), it was EXTREMELY well done.
Like I said, this isn't the usual kind of horror film that most people are prone to see.
This film has atmosphere in spades.My only complaint was that the early video footage of the sister had (deliberately?) poor sound quality and the penny didn't drop with me until after I'd finished watching the movie.The version I watched was the new 2005 US release and its extras include a short documentary on the making of "Scrapbook".
Okay...you are going to hate this film and here is why...there is a very low body count...there is no real chase scene or exciting action...it is obviously shot on video with no budget...But then again from most of the independent review I've been reading...you're probably missing the point...Here's why.
The Movie is brutal in that you have to get into the mind set of the victim...the problem with modern horror is that we have lost that..thank you House of 1000 Corpses...now people only want to be able to relate to the killers and cheer for them...Scrapbook is not about that...you might also have to be a little educated on the idea of Stockholm Syndrome...to understand the victims emphasizing with the killer and how the ending of the film comes about...it's not mention but it is assumed that most people have heard of Patty Hearst or have taken Pysch 101..but this too is a problem with independent horror is that it might expect too much from it's audience.
Scrap book is not your traditional horror film...it is also not an over the top Gore feast like the August underground Films...what it is is a Psychological investigation into a killer and his last victim...it's not bad...maybe over ambitious...and the being shot on video actually adds to this film as it makes the experience more real and takes away the fantastic element that the film quality adds...that can be unnerving for some people...and I think that is in part...a factor of Stanze's decision to go that way..
In Scrapbook, a low budget indie horror from director Eric Stanze, serial-killer Leonard (Tommy Biondo) blends polaroids, news cuttings and handwritten journals from his victims to produce a detailed account of his career as a killer: a scrapbook twelve years in the making and a labour of love which he hopes will one day make him famous.Leonard has only one more victim to document until his project is complete: Clara (Emily Haack), a chubby bird with a very bad haircut.
But Clara plans to survive her ordeal, and plays mind games with her captor, until, one day, she turns the tables on him and wreaks revenge.Now I've watched a fair amount of 'underground' horror in my time, and witnessed all sorts of celluloid depravity, but in my opinion Stanze's Scrapbook goes just that bit further than most in an effort to shock.
Haack, an 'actress' with obviously no shame, willingly degrades herself at every opportunity; exactly what makes someone want to perform such acts on film, I shall never know.I tried to view this film as an intense study of psychotic behaviour (ala Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), but Biondi's Leonard is so OTT, he is hard to take seriously.
Most serial killer in films take their victims behind closed doors and leave it to your imagination for these kind of scenes.
Its the best 'into the mind of a serial killer' film I've scene.
I dread to think what these people watch with their popcorn.I thought it was shocking, not just because it wasn't quite what I expected but also because you know that these things happen in real life..
To put it mildly, Scrapbook is a weak carbon copy of every rape/revenge film (guy kidnaps girl and forces her to do bad things against her will) that's ever been made only with way less talent behind it.
For a much better low budget film, give the controversial Live Feed a chance.UPDATE: Since yesterday when I posted this review Scrapbook has mysteriously gotten another 5 "10" votes.
Now you see what I mean?Shot entirely on digital (they were right, ANYONE can make a movie these days), and with bad lighting, this is certainly no pleasure to watch, and despite its extreme nature, the characters are badly written and very clichéd, like the sensitive side to the kidnapper, I laughed inside at the stupidity of it!
A serial killer abducts this poor girl, takes her to a decrepit house on a farm and subjects her to various forms of torture, all along ranting about his scrapbook full of mementos from previous victims and their descriptions of what they went through.
You must know the plot by now, killer kidnaps woman to complete his scrapbook of murder, rape and mayhem.
It's obvious most people hate this movie, but it's undeniable that having a serial killer keeping a scrapbook with his victims' photos and thoughts written inside is a good idea.
But, Scrapbook isn't an entire failure, it gives off a dirty, gritty feel that I really disliked (which is a good thing), a couple scenes of hope for the victim, and like I said above, a good idea for a serial killer movie.
I'm not saying I don't like to be shocked by disturbing images, I actually love watching disturbing movies.
My favorite scenes of the movie was when they were focusing on the whole scrapbook idea, which unfortunately came near the last half of the film and was used sporadically between scenes.
Scrapbook starts as a young woman named Clara (Emily Haack) is kidnapped by deranged loner Leonard (special effects man, production designer, executive producer & writer Tony Biondo), he takes her back to his isolated farmhouse where he keeps her locked up in a filthy room half naked.
Somehow Clara must find a way to escape Leonard or end up dead just like the others, nothing but incoherent writings in Leonard's scrapbook that he keeps to document his evil acts in order to make sense of them...Edited, executive produced & directed by Eric Stanze there are films that are so unrelentingly worthless that it makes you question just how low filmmakers can go, just how bad a film can possibly be & make you question whether you actually want to take a chance on another film ever again.
Scrapbook is a good case in point, it's a film that is so bad, so vile, so worthless & depressing to watch that I really do wonder what the makers of this crap were thinking.
I would struggle to describe Scrapbook as a film, it's a worthless 94 minutes of torture.
Emily Haack plays, Clara who is kidnapped by a serial killer Leonard (Tommy Biondo).
Scrapbook is most certainly a top notch serial killer flick, 7/10 (And the only reason it did not get a full 10 is because of the vile rape scenes) Unrated: Contains very strong sexual violence and Strong Language.
// From the very beginning of the film it's obvious it's a low budget movie. |
tt0217679 | Nekeddo burâddo: Megyaku | A scientist named Eiji has developed a new chemical called 'MySon' that can turn pain into pleasure. He decides to put three girls who attend the experiment held by Eiji's mother to the test. Meanwhile, Eiji has a crush on one of the girls, Rika. 'MySon' influences the girls gradually. The gluttonous woman wishes to have the best food in the world, but she ends up eating herself. The vain woman wishes to have the thinnest and most beautiful body in the world. However, noticing hairs and pores all over her body, she tries to mutilate herself. Rika does not seem to be influenced by 'MySon', but Eiji finds out that it has turned her into a homicidal sadist. and that she killed the other two girls. He impregnates her, but dies. She survives, and bears his son. In the final scene, she leaves on a motorcycle to spray MySon onto the general population.
The film's most controversial scene features the gluttonous woman first eating her labia, then her nipple, and finally her eyeball.
Eiji's mother is frequently visited by his father. Eventually, he pulls open her abdomen (which was cut open previously by Rika) and climbs inside. | avant garde, cruelty, murder, paranormal, cult, violence, flashback, insanity, psychedelic, satire, sadist | train | wikipedia | Eiji,a young scientist invents serum called Myson which transforms the pain into pleasure.His mother is conducting medical experiment on three young women.Eiji decides to mix his serum with the experimental product that his mother is working on.Soon the girls start to hurt and mutilate themselves with a strange pleasure at doing it.The three main female actresses are truly interesting characters-one is obsessed with eating and her obsession later results in incredibly graphic and shocking self-cannibalism scene,another is obsessed with her image.The third,Rika Mikami suffers from extreme form of insomnia-a condition brought by the trauma of her first period."Naked Blood" is a slow-moving film filled with moments of totally extreme gore.The scene where one of the girls slowly eats her own nipple and eye has to be seen to be believed!Still the film is pretty difficult to understand,so fans of mindless Hollywood's horror should avoid it.A must-see for fans of Japanese extreme cinema.10 out of 10!.
I watched this film thinking it would be another gore fest like the Guinea Pig series and in some ways it is.
The plot involves a teenage boy genius who has invented a mystery potion he names My Son. His mother is a scientist performing contraceptive experiments on three different women, he spikes a harmless contraceptive drug with My Son and films the results, along the way falling in love with one of the subjects.
Sato's extension of his earlier GENUINE RAPE is an incredible transgressive horror movie.A teenage boy sabotages his mother's anti-pregnancy experiments by spiking the test injections with his own endorphin called "Myson".Myson is his own concoction which turns pleasure into pain.The greater the pain,the greater the pleasure.Without wanting to spoil any surprises,i can warn the more weak hearted that there are some shocking scenes (a woman eats her own vagina lips with a knife and fork).But for viewers up to it,it's a fascinating,intelligent dissection of a movie that unwaveringly follows it's own premise no matter where it leads (like prime David Cronenberg for example).And it's a top notch exploitation classic.
What I thought was going to be a straight splatter fest turned into a rather psychological film that just happened to have some really disturbing elements to it.The storyline is not really what is in the forefront of the movie, more or less, it was the atmosphere and moodiness of the film (and of course the gore), but I will give a brief description anyway.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I finally sat down to watch the recent US release of this cult movie last night and found the film to be both intelligent and well-made.
In terms of violence, the bloodshed in "Naked Blood" is no worse than many other underground horror films.What "Naked Blood" delivers is a thoughtful, almost fly-on-the-wall, unfolding of events as a young doctor's son, Sadao Abe, creates an antidote to pain.
When he tampers with his mother's experiment by including his special pain-relieving fluid with her new contraceptive, things go very wrong, very fast.I knew details of most of the horrific scenes before I watched "Naked Blood" but the movie did contain a few surprises.
The effects work is excellent but the film succeeds because of its atmosphere and performances rather than elements of "gross out" horror.Even with its bizarre ending, I enjoyed "Naked Blood" and would recommend it to genre fans.7 out of 10..
NAKED BLOOD is one of those movies that go way too far, showing the viewer things they don't want to see with no apology whatsoever.
It soon becomes apparent that this drug is a nightmare - the victims can't stop butchering themselves.There are several clever subplots but the real outstanding thing about this film is the gore - it's right up there with the best of the 'Guinea Pig' series and quite unlike anything you've seen before.Highly recommended - if you call yourself a hardcore gorehound and are only used to Italian and US splatter, give this one a go - you'll be very surprised..
I love gore movies, and with all the praise Naked Blood had been getting, well, I just had to check it out.
Pity to say, I was disappointed.Hisayasu Sato is, of course, one of the biggest names in extreme Japanese cinema, responsible for movies such as Lolita: Vibrator Torture and Rape: For Real.
Naked Blood is a step away from these mainly sex-driven movies, and even tries for some sort of plot.
Kid scientist invents new painkiller, tests it on three girls who then start to experience pain as pleasure.
Whether that's because of the fact that you couldn't stand the gore, found the story immensely complicated, or, like me, found it a moderately enjoyable waste of a good 76 minutes, I don't know, but wtf it shall be.Leaves me to say that the old Super8 film Eiji's mother is watching is strangely intriguing, and possibly the highlight of this movie.
It is sur-real and over the top.It is a dream-like movie.Hisayasu Sato added a real story to this one, well a start and a end of a story, just not a beginning and a finish..but who cares?Do people watch these for the story or the shock value?
This is a movie for gore fans and those that like "weird but inoffensive." Not really worth looking for unless you are a collector..
A teen scientist spikes the medicine his mother is testing on young woman and the result is gruesome death, for the drug turns pain into the highest pleasure and it doesn't take a clever mind what happens next.This is a slow movie that takes a while to get going.
Even though the effects are not the best at times this is a profoundly disturbing film with several images that will haunt you long after the film.Despite the gore, there appears to be a point about medicine and research and pain and pleasure, but the slowness and the grossness over whelm the film.
but they are all talking "shiztz" this film is very slow.It starts off with some guy who makes a concoction to feel no pain he calls it "my son" there is some gory scenes but i found them kind of weak.
The only thing it really has going for it is the massive amount of blood/gore it has, although most times the special effects are lacking.
"Naked Blood" tells the story of a young budding scientist named Eiji, who invents a serum called Myson to target pain with endorphins.
His mother, also a scientist, is testing a new contraceptive on three girls, and Eiji slips Myson into the contraceptive, which results in some unforeseen consequences...As Eiji observes his three guinea pigs, we learn more about the women.
When she discovers that pain causes extreme pleasure; her jewellery becomes her new body piercing kit, the importance of vanity gone out the window.The other girl talks about food a lot, and seems to think about it even more.
Eiji takes a shine to the third girl, who is rather reclusive and has a few "quirks." She suffers from extreme insomnia, and has some sort of electronic equipment hooked up to a cactus, which she claims that she "feels at one with." Through this device, she is able to experience dream-like images.
She also has enhanced hearing, and can apparently hear plants and animals talk.Eiji's drug appears to have no effect on the cactus chick, but a neat little twist reveals that her symptoms materialise in a different way.
The plot begins to unravel, and sink into weird dream-like imagery; I'm still trying to figure out the ending.Naked Blood is certainly a different and strong entry into J-splatter, that should definitely be seen by more people.
Very bizarre film about a girl talking to her cactus through a virtual reality headset and killing people after being given a drug.
However, if you just want a bizarre movie that takes itself way too seriously, then this is definitely something to watch.
If Takashi Miike, director of extreme horrors Audition and Ichi the Killer, were to collaborate with Canadian body-shock auteur David Cronenberg, the result might look something like Hisayasu Sato's Naked Blood, a downright weird film with some very nasty scenes of explicit gore.Sadao Abe plays Eiji, a geeky 17 year old student genius who believes that he has discovered the answer to eternal happiness: his drug Myson, which triggers a massive increase in endorphin production when pain is experienced.
In order to see if Myson works, he injects it into a trial contraceptive that his mother, a scientist, is about to test on three pretty volunteers.Whilst Eiji waits for Myson to take effect, he follows the girls around with a video camera, recording them as part of his experiment.
Eiji explains that he is the son of the scientist who has been treating her; this seems like a good enough reason to Rika for the lad's strange behaviour, and the two become friends.Then the film goes totally freaky, and not much else makes sense (unless you happen to be an advanced film student studying the history and psychology of Japanese Horror Cinemawhich I'm not!).Rika reveals to Eiji that she is an insomniac who communicates with a cactus via a pair of headsets that can put you into a waking dream state; the other two girls begin to mutilate themselves in order to experience pleasure; we learn that Eiji's father believed he had found the answer to eternal life, and disappeared one day by walking into the sea; and Eiji discovers that Rika isn't quite the angel that she at first seemed to be.Sato directs his film at a very leisurely pace, and and those looking for a non-stop splatter-fest will no doubt be disappointed by a film that shares much more in common with avant-garde and transgressive cinema than out-and-out gore flicks.Don't switch off if you are a gore-hound, however: after a fair amount of chit chat and general weirdness, those seeking the juicy stuff will have their patience rewarded by some bloody realistic and truly nauseating effects, including really icky body-modification and scenes of self-cannibalisation.
The make-up here is very realistic and unsettling; try not to wince as one girl repeatedly pushes a spike through her forearm, and the other hungry lass cuts off her 'beef curtains' for starters (without any horse-radish sauce), gouges out her eyeball for her main course, and removes her nipple with a knife for afters.There then follows some more strange stuff featuring Eiji's mother, who has her stomach opened up like a kit-bag by Rika, the return of Eiji's father (who crawls headfirst into Eiji's mother's gaping abdominal wound, closing it up neatly behind him!), some cyber-sex, more blood-letting, and a suitably bizarre ending which see Rika riding a motorbike towards the horizon, spraying a liquid (presumably Myson) into the air as she goes.A hard film to rate, since I didn't really understand what I was watching a lot of the time.
However, given that it was never boring, and the impressive gore was well worth the wait, I think a 7/10 seems fair.*The other film to feature deep-fat-fried fingers was the excellent splatter epic The Machine Girl..
Some very extreme/disturbing gore scenes, but it's also a bit boring and hard to follow.
Her Son slips some of his drug into his Mother's experiment to test it out, and then watches especially one of the patients to see what happens.
His invention allows the test subjects to experience pleasure when they should be feeling pain.A woman saws off her vaginal lips and eats them; she then gouges her eye out with a fork and eats it; she also removes her nipple and eats that, too.
The special prosthetic effects are effective, but the over-the-top sound effects render them cheesy (unfortunately).There are other displays of grotesque gore including pens, hooks and needles pushed through flesh, but this is not a horror film in the classic sense; it is quite slow moving and almost academic in its detail.Sato's direction is concise and clear.
But what Japanese horror/fantasy film is EASY to understand?The young genius has developed a drug which turns pain into orgasm like pleasure.
But one point I reached in Naked Blood is how shallow people tend to be, and only thing they care of is consuming and pleasure which can be reached for examle through eating or dressing fashionably and thus achieving satisfaction and being "happy." This shows its horrific face when the Myson starts to affect..So this is definitely not a brainless splatter, but it is also incredibly hard to see through and find its core.
The effects are among the most realistic I've ever witnessed and I still can't say, how they made the infamous *spoiler coming* scene where one of the girls slowly gouges her own eye out with a fork and then eats it slowly with all the jelly and "stuff" visible with great pleasure.
This may be too much even for the hardcore horror fans, who don't see nothing but the gore in films.Totally unmatchable experience in this kind of cinema.
Very Interesting (And Quite Good) Japanese "Extreme" Gore Film.
Despite the hard-core gore scenes that many people talk about in this film, NAKED BLOOD is a surprisingly intelligent entry in the Japanese "extreme gore" genre.Eiji is a young science prodigy who develops a drug he calls MY SON, that stimulates endorphins in the body so that pain is diminished, and in some cases can even become pleasurable.
Eiji's mother is also a scientist who is experimenting with contraceptive drugs on three young women.
The drug slowly begins to have profound effects on the first two women...The one obsessed with food begins to experience pleasure from eating her own body parts, including her finger, labia, nipple and eyeball (all in extremely graphic and awesome detail)...The appearance lady becomes obsessed with piercing herself (also in graphic detail, but not quite as cool as the eat-herself-lady)...and at first, the insomniac doesn't appear to have any real symptoms.
The graphic gore scenes are very rough, but honestly make up only a fraction of the film's running time.
That might work for those who believe in Mugen Afterlife (i.e. transition to nothingness after death, metaphorically embodied in a story in which there is no implied ever after, but rather, a dissolving of the entire framework and the characters that comprise it), but for the average domestic / Western / non-nihilist person, we'd like to know that the characters lived happily (or even sadly, or painfully, or tragically) ever after....So, overall, 7 / 10: Solid B movie, but, too weird (both plot-wise and in content) for most people..
If one inflicts pain to themselves(..or others in Rika's case)it is an addictive pleasure that grows.Eiji's mother, Yuki(Masumi Nakao)is experimenting with a new drug on three voluntary test subjects hoping to develop a method of combating a potential pregnancy(..her desire is to tackle overpopulation on the earth).
She has a theory regarding the cactus and it's therapeutic effects on the one who "melds" with it.Strange experience; the gore-scenes are incredibly repulsive and explicit.
Shot directly on video, Sato's Naked Blood is one of the most interesting examples of the Japanese Ero-guro genre, which attempts to combine sexual themes with body horror, a combination not really unusual in Japanese horror, but taken here to radical extremes.Anyone who has seen a Sato movie (Muscle, The Bedroom) knows what a personal filmmaker Sato is, even when working in so-called genre film-making.
The plot details have been outlined by other posters, so I won't do a synopsis, but frankly the gore, sadism and violence in this film is certainly intense and highly evocative of the manga of artists like Jun Hayami and Hideshi Hino.The essential premise of the video revolves around a drug that transmutes pain into pleasure.
Entire rows of people left the cinema in wave after wave, six or seven people at a time.For those of you who found this movie 'boring' or not 'realistic' I would recommend you stop watching horror films altogether and start reading books like the heavily illustrated 'Russian Atrocites During World War 2', AP photos of the Liberian civil war or maybe the police recovery footage of the corpses under John Wayne Gacy's house, because obviously there's no hope for you in fiction.
As a huge fan of horror films, especially J-horror and also gore i thought Nekeddo burâddo sounded pretty good.
I researched the plot, read reviews, and even looked at some photos to make sure it seemed like a good gory and scary movie to watch before downloading it.
I appreciate the way it was supposed to be; shocking and a few scenes (the strange cannibalism and own mother kissing?)certainly were, i just think they went a little bit far and not even in a horrifying way, they made it to unconvincing which made it more believable to be a comedy rather than a horror in my opinion.
Before watching this movie I read many of the reviews that are here on IMDb. According to the majority of the reviews I read many people saw this is as a gore film with "intelligence".
The beginning of the film started out promising with a what seemed to a pretty straight forward story but as soon as things began to get interesting it veered off course and made absolutely no sense.
Yeah....like that!A young scientist prodigy Eiji (Sadao Abe) is working on his latest experiment, a formula aptly named "MYSON" designed to relieve pain.
Girl #3 (Vain Girl) She loves designer clothes, looking her best at all times and of course looking at herself in the mirror.Our young Eiji follows his test subjects from a far, watching from building tops or a few blocks away, carefully observing their responses and effects to the "MYSON" cocktail.I thought this was a horror film with a great FX Director...where is all the good stuff at?
Not the best characterization and plot development, however, If shock is what you like; you must see this film, it was for me! |
tt2788526 | Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising | Not long after Megatron's demise and the restoration of Cybertron, the Autobots celebrate as Optimus Prime promotes Bumblebee to warrior class. The festivities end, however, when Optimus sets out on a journey to find the AllSpark, the source of new life on Cybertron, and takes Wheeljack with him to find it so that new Transformers can come into being. Ultra Magnus is left in charge in Prime's absence to hunt down the missing Shockwave and Starscream with the other Autobots. Meanwhile, on Earth, at the bottom of the ocean, Megatron's consciousness is reawakened by Unicron, who seeks to destroy his arch-enemy Primus, the very core of Cybertron, and requires Megatron's body to do so. Unicron reformats Megatron's lifeless husk into a perfected body with new upgrades, before heading to Cybertron. In the meantime, Ultra Magnus and Smokescreen continue to search for the fugitive Decepticons in the Sea of Rust, but are soon attacked by the Predacons Skylynx and Darksteel. After a brutal fight, Magnus is severely damaged and Smokescreen is barely able to save his life and make it through an emergency space bridge with him. The damage is so critical that the Autobots are forced to call in Ratchet from Earth for assistance while the Autobots deduce that the two new Predacons must be creations of Shockwave. Meanwhile, Shockwave and Starscream are revealed to have restarted "Project: Predacon" and plan to create an army with Skylynx and Darksteel being their first creations.
Set on finding answers, Bumblebee leads Smokescreen, Bulkhead and Arcee to track Predaking, who has taken refuge near the grave site of hundreds of ancient Predacon bones, and ask his help in finding his two new brothers. However, Predaking refuses, having not forgiven the Autobots for destroying his brethren on Earth. Bumblebee, after asking the inprisoned Knock Out for any ideas on locating the fugitives, he leads the Autobots to Megatron's old fortress Darkmount located in the Decepticon capital called Kaon to find answers, but they are soon confronted by Unicron in Megatron's body. The Autobots believe Megatron returned before Unicron corrects them. Unicron battles the Autobots, who are outmatched and are forced to the lower levels where Bulkhead, Arcee, and Smokescreen almost fall into a smelting pit. However, time bought by Bumblebee allows the Autobots to escape through a Ground Bridge portal. Unicron, enraged by his failure in his weak form, decides that he needs a greater weapon.
Meanwhile, in the Theta Scorpii asteroid belt, Optimus and Wheeljack arrive in Ultra Magnus's ship where the AllSpark - which itself is pure energy stored in a container of Alpha Trion's creation - is adrift. Optimus heads out to find it, but is soon troubled with a plasma storm. Despite Wheeljack's insistence to turn back, Optimus keeps going and eventually retrieves it, though their ship is damaged by an asteroid, and they set course of Cybertron. Meanwhile, the Autobots try to contact Optimus from the former Decepticon flagship Nemesis, but the asteroid damage destroyed their transmitter, making the contact only one way. With Optimus not available and Ultra Magnus wounded in action, Bumblebee assumes temporary leadership of the Autobots.
Elsewhere, Predaking starts investigating and finds the area where the two Predacons fought Magnus and Smokescreen, realizing that the Autobots were telling the truth and begins searching for Skylynx and Darksteel, but is found by Unicron. Megatron within, who seeks to have his body back, deceives Unicron into talking to him, withholding Predaking's betrayal to him. Predaking, believing Unicron to be Megatron, immediately attacks him, but Unicron turns the tables and quickly beats him down before reading his mind and finding the bone yard. Unicron then puts Megatron under eternal suffering for his deception. Meanwhile, Shockwave, Darksteel, Skylynx, and Starscream find the Predacon bone yard, but are soon confronted by Unicron, who they assume is Megatron until he clarifies who he is once more. Darksteel and Skylynx charges at Unicron for conflict, but he easily defeats them. Unicron then uses the power of Dark Energon to resurrect the Predacons into undead Terrorcons. They end up scaring Starscream away before attacking Shockwave, who holds them off before being overpowered. Meanwhile, the Autobots detect Megatron's signal through Unicron, and also detect the Terrorcons, which are headed for the Well of All Sparks, the most direct route to Primus himself.
Bumblebee decides to lead a counterattack with Bulkhead, Smokescreen, and Arcee on the Nemesis, while Ratchet stays back at Kaon with Ultra Magnus. However, Starscream sneaks aboard the ship, and frees Knock Out and the few captive Vehicon troops, and tries to retake the ship, intending to use it to flee Cybertron. As Bulkhead and Arcee kill the Vehicon troops, Starscream is about to neutralize Bumblebee using the Immobilizer, only to be betrayed and ironically, knocked out by Knock Out, who once again tries to join the Autobots and is accepted this time. Meanwhile, Predaking arrives at the bone yard where he finds Skylynx and Darksteel, who reveal the remains of their fallen brethren are resurrected by Unicron. Predaking orders them to help him reclaim the remains, but they refused, resulting in a brawl with Predaking as the winner. Not long after, the brutally mangled and scarred Shockwave arrives and suggests that they help the Autobots instead, who then leaves to parts unknown.
At the Well of All Sparks, Unicron's undead army arrives, but the Nemesis confronts and attacks them, and the Predacons soon join them. After a brief firefight, the Nemesis is shot down just above the Well, which gives an imprisoned Starscream a chance to escape. As Unicron charges their way, the Predacons join the Autobots in an alliance. Predaking, Skylynx and Darksteel attempt to fight off the Terrorcons using their fire-breath, only to be forced into the Well with them. At that point, Optimus and Wheeljack return, but Unicron shoots the ship down, although both survive, with the wounded Wheeljack getting rushed by Bulkhead and Arcee to help him. Optimus briefly engages Unicron, and tries to snap Megatron out of his possession, but to no avail. Unicron eventually gets the upper hand and prepares to kill Optimus. However, Bumblebee uses the Polarity Gauntlet to stop him while Optimus attends to the AllSpark. Bumblebee eventually loses his strength as Unicron overpowers him, before following Optimus and shooting him down. Unicron is about to destroy the Allspark, only to find the container empty when opening it. Realizing too late that it was a trap, Unicron is rendered helpless as his Anti-Spark is pulled into the device, sealing him inside it forever. With the link to Unicron severed, all of the Terrorcons are destroyed, and Megatron regains control of his body. However, as Starscream returns and tries to talk him into re-igniting the war, Megatron reveals that his time under Unicron's control has soured him towards tyranny, and so he no longer wishes to be a Decepticon. When Starscream presses the issue, Megatron angrily disbands the Decepticons altogether, and flies off to start a new life. Starscream then flies back to Darkmount to take control of the Decepticons once again by reviving the cause in his name, only to be confronted by the Predacons, intent on getting revenge for their abuse (his, Darksteel's and Skylynx's fates are revealed in the sequel series, Transformers: Robots in Disguise).
In the aftermath, Optimus reveals to the Autobots that he emptied the AllSpark into the Matrix within him, but can no longer be separated from either, requiring him to sacrifice himself to completely restore Cybertron. The Autobots try to dissuade him, but Optimus states that the Matrix cannot be restored again, and that the age of Primes is over, but recognizes each Autobot - even Knock Out - as a Prime in their own right before taking off into the core as the Autobots watch. As Optimus plunges into Primus, millions of sparks of all the deceased and unborn Transformers emerge from the Well, including Prime's own spark. The film's final moments mirror Optimus' last words, as he states that his sacrifice will mark a new beginning rather than the end to anything - "simply put, another transformation". | good versus evil | train | wikipedia | This film is action packed and very interesting.. Bumblebee (Will Friedle-Voice) and his friends have to save their home once again from Megatron (Frank Welker-Voice) who has been trying to take over their world for some time now. While trying to save his world, Bumblebee encounters some obstacles and problems along the way and needs his friends to help him through these challenging times. Will they be able to save the world?The animation in "Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Predacons Rising" is outstanding with a variety of colors, big characters and lots of detail. There is a little confusion in the beginning of this film but by the middle, everything is making sense and it makes for a good storyline with lots of action. I like the characters' names because they are very unusual and they are not something I would hear every day. My favorite character is Bumblebee because he knows when to take charge when nobody else wants to, knows how to get down to business when others are afraid, and knows who to look up to that gives him wisdom and guidance. The transitions of the transformations goes very smoothly and you can really see them transforming into their shapes, objects or other things/creatures. Other voice talent actors are Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) and Steve Blum (Starscream / Darksteel) who do a great job with their voice acting capabilities. They really portray their emotions through their voice, going from happy to sad to angry and back to happy again. It is all so believable and convincing.One great message in "Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Predacons Rising" is that you should always keep trying, no matter what and never give up. It may get hard sometimes and you feel like you want to quit, but keep trying!I recommend this film for ages 7 to 15 and people who love The Transformers. There are some violent, intense scenes with robots fighting each, but they are really not too scary to look at. I give this film 4 out of 5 stars because it is a little confusing in beginning and I sometimes cannot understand what a few of the voice characters are saying.Reviewed by Brianna Hope B. For more youth film reviews, go to kidsfirst dot org. A great ending to a great series. 'Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising' is the final chapter in the Transformers Prime series, and it is a very satisfying conclusion. This movie includes no humans which makes it more enjoyable as we explore the Transformers home planet and see the restoration of it. The story takes place after season 3 of the shows finale and brings back all the excellent voice actors of the show and takes them on a new journey and a new story that makes Transformers refreshing and new. This movie ignores all the plot holes left with the show to be it's own individual thing. The conclusion is very satisfying and ends the show very well. Good music by Brian Tyler but nothing unique to the soundtrack at this point. Excellent story-telling, excellent voice acting, fans of the show will love it, and if you haven't seen the show you can still enjoy it but it won't be the same. Highly recommend this perfect conclusion to a great series.. The film that is more than meets the eye. Talking as a long time fan of the Transformers I have to say it took some time to get use to Transformers Prime but the series improve so much that it made it a worthy show to have the name Transformers.So it only seem fit to give it a motion picture and let me tell you this film is very much more than meets the eye.Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising which is a mouthful to say by the way since the third season was called "Beast Hunters".But the film features a well cast group of actors to voice our favorite Autobots Decepticons and Predacons.This cast has Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Steve Blum, Jeffrey Combs, Sumalee Montano, Peter Mensah, Will Friedle, Kevin Michael Richardson, Michael Ironside, Nolan North Daran Norris and many more.This amazing cast brings the characters we know and love to life with strong voice performances. And when you listen to their performances you can tell they brought their A game to the table.Also the film feature such excellent effects and artwork watching this film is like watching art. The crew behind the animation brought their top game to the table because every scene in this film is a work of art some of the best C G I animation ever done.The story is also very powerful and clearly gives you a feel that the writers wanted to pleased the Transformers Fans and thankfully it does.Everything about this film is more than meets the eye and I am happy to be a fan of the Transformers.Overall Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising serves as the series finale to Transformers Prime and it send it off on a high note and it will always be worthy of the name Transformers.If you are a long time fan like me you will love it even the new fans will still respect the legend.I give Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising an 8 out of 10Autobots Transform and Roll out! Decepticons Attack!. Transformers prime fans won't be disappointed. After finishing Transformers I had no idea this movie even existed. I watched this movie when I was going on a school trip however because of the network I lost connection to it after when there were about 35 minutes remaining of the film. But luckily when the school trip was over and I arrived back home I picked up where I left and finished it. However, if you haven't watched TFP I would recommend you to watch it so you would have an idea of what the movie is about. I found it weird that Knockout becomes an Autobot at then end of the movie and the idea of it is making me curious if he will betray them later on or not. But it was nice hearing John Noble as Unicron again from the first season. |
tt0039023 | They Made Me a Killer | Tom Durling quits his job and drives across country after his brother is killed in an accident. He gives an attractive girl a ride and he's forced at gun point to be the driver in a bank robbery. During the crime, Steve Reynolds, another innocent man is involved and killed in the escape. After a high-speed chase, the car crashes and Durling is knocked unconscious while the bandits get away. The police arrest Durling but refuse to believe that he wasn't one of the robbers.
Durling escapes the police then later teams with Reynolds' sister in an attempt to prove his innocence. The trail leads to a small roadside diner where the two end up finding the gang hiding out in the building's basement. They go undercover, she as a waitress and Durling joining the gang. In the end, they trick the criminals into confessing their crimes. Durling's reputation is saved, and the criminals, led by a Ma Barker-type mom, get shot up. | murder | train | wikipedia | Forgotten Noir Is Memorable.
Satisfying noir B-feature that does everything it needs to do in little more than an hour.
The screenwriter billed here as Geoffrey Homes (Daniel Mainwaring) was the screenwriter and original novelist of Build My Gallows High/Out of the Past, and also wrote The Big Steal and Baby Face Nelson among others.
The dialogue is clipped and menacing ("We'll bump him on the way," one of the heavies says casually) and the often claustrophobic spaces are used to good effect.
Robert Lowery, who played Batman in the 1948 movie serial, has the right air of the doomed noir hero initially caught between the hard-bitten gangster's moll and femme fatale, Betty, (portrayed perfectly by Lola Lane,) and the innocent and beautiful schoolteacher, June (Barbara Britton), who eventually decides to help him prove his innocence after he is unwittingly embroiled in a bank robbery which leaves two dead.
The cast is uniformly good, and the tension never lets up.
The DVD I saw was in very poor condition; I hope someone will set about restoring this film to its full glory.
As Lem Dobbs said on the commentary to Double Indemnity: "There's no such thing as a bad film noir." This low-budget gem proves him right..
Post War Crime Programmer.
Traveling from Chicago to California, Tom Durling (Robert Lowery) finds himself framed for robbery and murder when he is duped into driving the getaway car for a bank heist.
After an auto crash leaves Durling holding the bag with the legal authorities, he quickly escapes after being arrested and sets out to prove his innocence with the help of the slain bank teller's sister (Barbara Britton).They Made Me a Killer was another of the low budget film fare from Pine-Thomas Productions which at the time was the B movie arm of Paramount Pictures.
Pine-Thomas was known for making movies fast, cheap and profitable.
At a compact 64 minute run-time, there isn't much in the way of character development.
It's more a quick-fire series of events.
Given it's slapdash nature you have to suspend some degree of belief and just enjoy the ride.
Even though succinct, the script is really pretty clever and lively.
'Killer' doesn't quite have the same level of mood and ambiance as a movie like 'Detour', a movie of similar style and budget.
This is largely due to the rapid pace.
There really aren't any wasted or meandering scenes as Durling with single purpose tracks down those who set him up.The cast plays it all pretty well and Lowery does a nice job as the framed-up scapegoat.
While not likely to find it's way to many must see lists, 'They Made Me a Killer' is one of the better of the old cheapie crime flicks.6 out of 10*.
Her lingo gives her away.
Robert Lowery who did a few of those Pine-Thomas B films for Paramount stars in this one and he's played for a fool by Lola Lane and tricked into being the getaway driver in a bank robbery.
A cop is killed and a bank employee who Lane was romancing to get some inside information on the bank is also killed.When the cops catch up with Lowery he's in one big jackpot but manages to escape police custody rather cleverly I thought and he teams up with Barbara Britton who is the sister of the dead bank employee.
They have to find the gang in order to prove their innocence.Lowery is always a good hero in these films, he never quite made it to the A ranks as a star.
One to watch out for is Elizabeth Risdon who plays a Ma Barker type who is the real mastermind.As for the gang, fortunately Lola Lane uses jargon from her job which Lowery recognizes and is able to trace them.
Good thing he recognized her slang or he and Britton would still be looking.They Made Me A Killer is a nicely done action/noir type film..
Reaching for Noir.
The plot's pretty conventional, but with an unusual wrinkle .
An innocent guy is trapped into helping bank robbers execute a robbery, and now the cops are chasing him.
As the pursuit goes on, he joins the robbers in their hiding spot.
Now the question is which way will he go.
Will he join the crooks or work with a girl friend to clear himself.Hard to believe veteran leading man Lowery could work up such energy for a programmer considering he'd done about a hundred of them.
In fact it's his energy and the glowing freshness of Barbara Britton that carry the film.
Then too, Lowery's character, Durling, is none too moral, meaning he's really tempted to join the bad guys once he's on the lam.
And that amounts to a good, human touch from outstanding scripter Dan Mainwaring.
It also helps that director Thomas keeps things moving, though the corner shoot-out and the hospital escape appear awkwardly done.
Add to the mix a fine supporting cast, especially spider woman Lane and housemother Risdon.
But please tell me, where did wardrobe get that fur-collared overcoat that's about to swallow Lane's head and then maybe the world!Looks like this is one of those 40's B's that was reaching for noir while remaining within the crime story genre.
Anyway, the minor touches manage to lift results to the slightly-better- than-average category.(In passing—I'd long thought the name Byron Barr in cast lists referred to an early Gig Young, the former being his real name, the latter his stage name.
However, in researching this film, I discover there was in fact a second actor named Byron Barr who kept his original name, and he's the one in this movie.
Of course, Gig Young remains the much better known of the two.).
Tom Durling (Robert Lowery) is tricked into becoming the getaway driver for a bank robbery.
His car crashes and he is left unconscious while the gang flees.
He is arrested but escapes and teams up with June (Barbara Britton) in order to prove his innocence and track down the gang responsible....This film has 'B' movie written all over it.
It takes you on a journey.
It does it quickly and effectively with no dwelling on circumstance.
It's one scene after another.
The result is that you watch and then the film finishes.
There is no feeling of any sort whatsoever once the film has finished.
It's fast paced with a hilarious moment at the beginning of the film when Tom makes his escape from the hospital.
Just watch how he treats poor Steve (Byron Barr) who is at death's door in a hospital bed.
He has just tried to prove to the police that he has a good relationship with this man.
It's priceless!
The film isn't great quality and it's hard to see on occasion because of the lighting.
It passes the time but nothing more..
neat little thriller.
Surprising neat little indy action thriller from the Pine-Thomas unit that holds up pretty well.
Man on the move (Lowery) gets tricked into participating in a crime.
He's arrested and then escapes, determined to clear his name and that of another innocent party.
Britton is the girl who believes him and tries to help.
The writing (Daniel Mainwaring of Out of the Past) is perfectly fine if not exactly Chandleresque; the sets are cheesy but completely appropriate to the story.
The acting is fine.
The director moves it right along.
I was surprised how well it holds up.
Watch for later Academy Award winner Gig Young using his name Byron Barr appearing briefly as an innocent bystander who gets shot.
Low budget but no apologies needed..
Low Rent Noir Programmer.
THEY MADE ME A KILLER 1946A low rent programmer put out by Pine-Thomas and released through Paramount Pictures.
This low rent noir drama was made by the "Dollar Bills", William Thomas and William Pine.
The two Bills were known to be tight with a buck as they churned out low-budget fare for the bottom of the double feature.
They were so good at this that they ended up in charge of the b-film unit at Paramount studios.Robert Lowery, Barbara Britton and Lola Lane headline this quickie.
Lowery is a mechanic from Chicago who decides to move to L.A. He loads up his car and heads for the big sunshine.
His money however runs out and he needs to sell his car for some ready cash.
He stops at a town to see what he can get for his heap.
Lowery is soon approached by Lola Lane with an offer to buy his car.
But they need to wait till the next day because her boyfriend has the money.
Lowery agrees and they all meet the next morning outside the local bank.
The deal though is not the one Lowery was hoping for.
Lane's boyfriend, and his brother, Ed MacDonald and James Bush are really bank hold-up men.
Lowery has been tricked into being the getaway driver for a bank robbery.
Two men, a cop and a bank employee are shot with the Policeman being killed.
The bank employee is taken to hospital in serious shape.
Needless to say Lowery ends up in Police custody while Lane and the other two make good their getaway.
Nobody believes a word of his story about being forced into the crime.
Lowery is sure the bank employee can clear him.
But of course the man dies before he can do this.
Lowery manages to get in a couple of quick punches and hotfoot it into the night.
The rest of the tale involves Lowery getting hooked up with the dead bank worker's sister, Barbara Britton.
He convinces her to help clear his name as well as find her brother's killers.
The clues lead them to a roadside diner ran by Elizabeth Risdon.
Risdon just happens to be the mother of the two men Lowery and Britton are looking for.
There are a few exchanges of flying fists and lead needed before everything is put right.Not great, but, by no means is it a waste of time.
It moves right along with only a 64 minute runtime.
The director was William Thomas.
By directing their own productions, Pine and Thomas increased their bottom line.
The d of p was long time b-film and television man, Fred Jackman.
Jackman worked in the industry from 1935 till 1981.What is really of note here, is the writers, Geoffrey Homes (Daniel Mainwaring) and Winston Miller.
Mainwaring is well known to film noir fans for doing the story or screenplays to, THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS, THE BIG STEAL, THE LAWLESS, THE TALL TARGET, ROADBLOCK, PHENIX CITY STORY, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, THE GUNRUNNERS and of course, OUT OF THE PAST.
Winston Miller worked on the westerns, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, STATION WEST, RELENTLESS, Carson CITY, RUN FOR COVER and BOUNTY HUNTER..
An enjoyable B, but nothing all that special.
This is a pretty decent film even though it is clearly a B-movie--and with a B-movie cast.
Now the term 'B-movie' is not necessarily bad one, but it refers to a lower budget second film from a double-feature.
These films were made mostly in the 1930s and 40s and were often made by small-time production companies such as PRC or Monogram, but were also often made by more prestigious studios like Columbia and even MGM.
While they have a relatively poor reputation with some, they did fill a niche--and many of them (such as the Val Lewton films or Charlie Chan films) were seen as pretty respectable fair.
In general, they had lesser-known actors, had scripts that were often a bit rough and a running time of about an hour.
I personally love a good B...and admire how many of them managed to provide some dandy entertainment for a very reasonable cost.
As for "They Made Me a Killer", it certainly is one of the better Bs--mostly because the plot is rather original.The film begins with a guy leaving his home town of Chicago.
On the way out west, he tries to sell his car but ends up getting into a ton of trouble.
Instead of buying his car, a gang of thieves pretends to be interested...and pull off a bank heist with him in the car being forced to drive at gunpoint.
He ends up being the one that is captured and the police don't believe that he was innocent.
So how will the guy avoid a life behind bars?!
As I said, the idea is pretty original.
In addition, the acting is very good--not flashy, but quite competent and believable.
Overall, I was quite entertained but not bowled over.
I think occasionally the dialog could have been better--perhaps more film noir or at least a bit grittier.
Still, at only a shade more than one hour, the movie gets right to the action and doesn't let up until its nifty, though a bit predictable, conclusion.
Well worth seeing if you are a B-fan..
Cheap, fast-paced B-crime thriller.
THEY MADE ME A KILLER is a cheap and fast-paced B-picture from Paramount.
Robert Lowery stars in the classic wronged man role as a guy who gets accused of robbery and murder by the cops and who must fight to clear his name with the aid of a young woman.With a running time clocking in at just over an hour this is a brisk little thing and if the staging isn't very convincing then at least it holds the attention throughout.
You know the score with these pictures: the bad guys are bad and wooden, the cops rude and stupid, the hero and heroine flawless and put-upon.
There's some low rent action and a few plot twists, but it's generally much as you'd expect..
The only thing I want from this town is to get out of it.
***SPOILERS*** Story of a man Chicago native Tom Durling, Robert Lowery,looking to forget the past in his brother getting killed in a car accident only to find his future far worse in getting involved in a bank robbery in Santa Marta California.
It's there that he's forced to be the getaway driver where two persons were killed in the process.
Unknown to Durling the hot chick he picked up hitch hiking Betty Ford, Lola Lane, was involved with the bank robbers whom he was to be involved with.
With the only witness bank teller Steve Reynolds, Byron Barr, to prove his innocence killed in the bank shoot out Durling now faces robbery and murder charges that can land him in the infamous San Quentin gas chamber.It's the late Steve Reynolds sister kindergarten school teacher June, Barbara Britton, who after being canned from her job, just because her brother was murdered in a bank shootout?, who sands by Durling's side in believing in his innocence and help him make his escape from the law in trying to track down those who framed him and murdered her brother Steve.
Being the cold blooded killers that they are brothers Jack & Frank Conley, Edmund McDoland & James Bush, keep Durling alive after he crashed their hideout just because of his driving and mechanic expertise that they need for their getaway from the police.
As it turns out Durling is more then willing to be in with the two bank robbers and killers not all that interested to bring them to justice and clearing his name from the crime that they committed.
But more then willing to get his hands on the 100 G's they ripped off and keep it for himself.
Meanwhile June has gotten at job as a waitress at the place where the three, the Conley brothers and Durling, are hiding out in Ma Conley's Diner.
It's in fact Ma, Elisabeth Risdon, who the brains behind her sons crimes is only using the place as a front from the police.***SPOILERS*** With both Durling and June's cover blown the final minutes of the movie has a wild shootout between the crooks Durling and police who come, in now knowing that he's an innocent man, to his aid.
With Durling now a free and innocent man he can now go on with his life getting a job as a soda jerk at the now under new management, him, Ma's Diner and be free to marry June.
That as soon as her earns enough money pumping soda and flipping hamburgers to buy her a wedding ring for their upcoming marriage next June or whenever he pops the question. |
tt1172060 | It's Alive | Lenore Harker leaves college to have a baby with her architect boyfriend, Frank. After discovering the baby has doubled in size in just a month, doctors extract the baby by Caesarian section. After the doctor cuts the umbilical cord, the newborn baby Daniel goes on a rampage and kills the surgical team in the operating room. He afterwards crawls onto his mother's belly and falls asleep. Lenore and Daniel are found on the operating table, the room covered in blood. Lenore has no memory of what happened.
After questioning by the police, Lenore is allowed to take Daniel home. Authorities arrange for a psychologist to help her regain her memory of the delivery. Soon, Daniel bites Lenore when she feeds him, revealing his taste for blood.
Daniel begins to attack small animals and progresses to killing adult humans. Lenore refuses to accept that her baby is a cannibalistic killer. Frank comes home from work to find Lenore sitting in the baby's room, but Daniel is not in his crib. The electricity goes off. Frank goes to check the fuse and at the same time searches for Daniel in the basement. Then he finds himself locked in. Daniel kills Marco, the police officer who came with Sergeant Perkins. Perkins finds Frank in the basement. As Perkins and Frank search for Daniel, Daniel suddenly drops down on Perkins and kills him. Frank captures Daniel with a rubbish can, but cannot bring himself to kill him. Daniel leaps out of the rubbish can and attacks Frank when he lifts the lid off the rubbish can.
Lenore finds Frank injured, and she brings Daniel into the burning house. Frank and his brother, Chris watch helplessly as the house burns with Lenore and Daniel inside. | murder | train | wikipedia | I do not hate many remakes because they stain the memory of "classic" (or semi-classic) movies.In fact, I am absolutely open to receive them with all the possible objectivity, and I think I could recognize their hits in the minority of cases something good came from them (like for example, The Thing and Dawn of the Dead).But what definitely upsets me from many remakes is the arrogance to think they can improve an old film with the mere thing of "modernize" it, when generally the value from the original film resides on the historical context it was made, portraying the sensibility and style from a time.A clear example is the cult film It's Alive, written and directed by the underrated Larry Cohen in 1974, which had a naughty style which found suspense and human drama in premises which border on the ridiculous.That also applies to other Cohen's films, such as The Stuff, Q and God Told Me To, which ended up being much more entertaining and interesting than I expected.What I mostly liked from It's Alive is that it endorsed its bizarre story with interesting ideas about paternity, scientific responsibility and the then emergent field of the induced fertility.Now, the atrocious remake of that film tries to "update" those ideas, but without a pinch of the ingenuity and talent Cohen showed in the original film.It's Alive does not fulfill at all with its purpose of creating horror, suspense or even interest.90% of this movie is set on a remote house, something which severely limits the wingspan from the story, and instead of the suburban horror from the original film, we have a simple "slasher" formula, with the disposable characters escaping from the murderer by the dark corridors and basements from the house.And even though the murderer is a baby, that circumstance is never used to try something more innovating or at least shocking.Another big problem is the pathetic performances.Nobody shows even the slightest energy or conviction.And as for direction, Josef Rusnak belongs to the school of filmmakers who simply film the scenes from the screenplay, and they then chronologically edit them...but who do not have a single idea on how to tell a story, or how to work with the actors.I do not have much more to say.It's Alive (2008) is an execrable "horror" movie, and one of those films which truly damage the genre.Instead of watching this atrocity, I recommend you to see the very entertaining original film..
In this tedious and lifeless remake of Larry Cohen's 1974 campy horror classic pregnant Lenore delivers the baby.During the birth all the doctors and nurses in the operating room are viciously killed by the baby.It seems that her child is thirsty for human and animal blood.This "It's Alive" remake is downright silly and absurd.The film fails to generate even the smallest amount of tension.The killings are mediocre and the CGI effects are cheesy and unconvincing.However I enjoyed the performance of Bijou Philips,because her character has just enough depth to convey at least some of the conflicting emotions between a protective mother and someone frightened for their life.4 out of 10.Watch "Grace" or "Baby Blues" instead..
The pregnant college student Lenore Harker (Bijou Phillips) leaves the college before the end of the semester to move to the isolated house in Larkspur of her boyfriend, the architect Frank Davis (James Murray).
The baby's father is never around and when he is, never seems to have a clue that this kid is a little monster.The entire New Mexico police force consisted of 2 cops, both of which made Inspector Clouseau look like Sherlock Holmes.
As a matter of fact these police were wearing generic uniforms with no insignia etc.The acting was OK up until the mommy (played by Bijou Philips)started to think she was actually in a film that may get some notice and began to ham it up to the point of it being embarrassing.I think that everyone associated with the remake of this camp classic should've watched the movie "Grace" if they wanted to see a terrifying movie about a demon child.
Larry Cohen's original 1974 schlock-fest had gallons of artificial blood, a campy story and one very bad looking baby puppet.
Larry Cohen, writer/director of the original as well as numerous other cult classics, co-wrote the script of this inferior remake, strangely enough.
So Bijou Phillips, who needs to pick a new, less ridiculous name, spend the whole movie ignoring the fact that her baby is evil incarnate and even enabling it from time to time.
I wasn't sure what was going on with this film until recently I received a screener of the remake at work.
It has flaws, including a CGI killer baby this time...but overall, this film is actually a lot of fun.
! just another pointless remake , tho the old film wasn't even that good but when I saw this I was like WTF is this sh!t and here is why:1- acting sucks 2- directing even worse and don't get me start about the effects 3- I was ROFL when I saw the babes face it was a bad version of child's play 4- the script & the storyline is just ...
err I cant even describe itman really don't bother buying it on DVD the film just SUCK Hollywood is really going down nowadays they keep re-making old films no new story- lines terrible actors especially in horror flicks and its really sad because we will not get the chance to see another (The Exorcist) or (Rosemary's Baby) those are the real horror films and if you haven't seen them yet then I must say u know nothing about horror film :/Hollywood PLEASE STOP MAKING STUPID FILMS AND STOP REMAKING.
I found "It's Alive" to be an effective and rather gory tale of a woman who gives birth to a monster of a baby that has an appetite for flesh and blood.I'll admit that I have not seen the 1974 original movie that goes by the same name and was directed by Larry Cohen.Instead, a friend and I watched this remake and we both agree that this was a good horror film.The death scenes of the movie are fast-paced and violent, the baby is a satanic monster, and the mother knows about the baby but refuses to tell anyone.What more could you people want?
I was not in any way disappointed by this movie.It's no contender for a best picture nomination, but it's good entertainment that only some people don't claim it to be.If I had a problem with the movie, it would be the ending.I thought the ending of "The Stepfather" was bad, but this one was something else.But I am giving a recommendation for "It's Alive" and I hope that the reviews that come in after mine are mostly positive.7.5/10.
This remake of Larry Cohen's cult '70s horror is utterly awful from start to finish, director Josef Rusnak unable to make the (admittedly silly) premise of a killer baby convincing or scary in any way.
Every scene will have you squirming in your seat, not out of fear, but out of sheer embarrassment for the actors who signed up for this terrible film.Bijou Phillips plays grad student Lenore Harker, who drops out of school after the traumatic birth of her son Daniel (the entire medical team being slaughtered while performing a C-section).
Various people meet messy fates at the claws and jaws of the vicious mite, with some dreadful CGI effects and lots of blood, but the concept and execution is so weak that it's impossible to care.The best thing that happens in the whole film is the burning to the ground of the really ugly house that is home to the main characters: it's such an eyesore that it's hard to believe that an architect would want to live there..
Of course it's supposed to be over the top and even the explanation you get somewhere in the movie, why this is all happening is so crazy, that you can't help yourself but laugh about it.Having said that, the sole and main reason, you are going to watch this, is the "bloody mess" it delivers (no pun intended).
I couldn't stop laughing out of the irony.Actors' performances are awful and most of them are not believable; the screenplay is horrible and sissy; the "Special Effects" seem to be retro but they aren't (just look at the fire in the house of the final scene); and many other characteristics made this movie, one of the worst movies ever made.However, there are good things about this movie: for instance, if you're studying cinematography you should watch "It's Alive", because this film made think about how not to make movies!.
Lenore and Frank apparently lead a quiet life until they find that their baby likes to kill animals and has a big appetite for blood.
So there is a great sense of production value to weigh up for the lousy storyline.And the performances were also helping to carry the movie along, as Bijou Phillips (playing Lenore) and James Murray (playing Frank) were doing good jobs with their characters and helping to bring them to life on the screen.Sadly, though, that wasn't enough to make the movie stay afloat.
Personally, I just found the storyline about an infant that kills too laughable and implausible.I am sure that if you are a fan of either Bijou Phillips or James Murray then you might actually get some worth out of this movie.
But if you are watching it with the intent of watching a good horror movie, like I did, you are perhaps better off with something else.I am giving "It's Alive" a 4/10 rating because of the acting and the way the movie was shot and edited.
It's Alive (2008) ** (out of 4) Remake of Larry Cohen's cult classic has parents Lenore and Frank (Bijou Phillips, James Murray) happy to welcome in a baby boy but there seems to be something wrong.
I'd imagine this one here would have been a tough sell as not too many people want to watch a movie about a killer baby and even if they did this film doesn't offer up too much.
She begins helping the baby by covering up the murders, which some might say a lot of parents would but at the same time she never stops and thinks about the thing being a killer.
The screenplay does add a few good touches including keeping the baby normal looking instead of the mutant from the original film.
I'm not sure who it will appeal to other than those who need to see every horror movie out there or those who just want to compare it to the original..
In the original the baby escapes from the delivery room and both parents are scared shitless of it....like real people would be.
The new Lenore knows that the baby is a monster, but wuvs him so vewy, vewy much that she just covers up the killings.
"It's Alive" is a remake of the 70's classic by Larry Cohen (which was executive producer on this one).
I saw those movies once and curious what the remake would be like.
(the baby kills a pigeon and she acts like the whole thing didn't happen and is supposed to be normal ??) The killings are rather stupid, there is even a laughably CGI effect of the baby's little arm crushing to a victim's head.
I do understand that her character is tired and mentally deteriorating due to her baby's ferocious appetite for blood and human flesh(killing people and the difficulties of breastfeeding, not to mention, the constant crying for more cannibalistic nourishment don't help matters), but I had a damn hard time sympathetically aligning myself to her.
I do think the point of the first film, the desperate attempts by a mother to protect her beloved child no matter what damage it causes or people it harms, is present in the remake, but a lot of the original's personality is missing from the newer modern take.
I enjoyed Larry Cohen's "panic stricken public" and how the killer infant was considered a terror to the city, while this remake localizes the monster baby's antics to Phillips and Murray's New Mexico home.
I'd just say stick with the original unless you are just a monster baby movie completist.
Bijou Phillips plays a mother who gives birth to some sort of monster baby and realises it is a killer.The acting was hit and miss, for the most part, Bijou was great, aside from some overacting whenever she found that the baby had done something.
I thought that Raphael Coleman was quite good as the baby's wheelchair bound relative, considering that this appears to be only his second feature film.The one piece of casting I couldn't buy was the sinister looking Owen Teale as a police officer.
The only thing that looks worse is the CGI fire that comes around the baby's room near the end.Having said all that, I enjoyed the film.
The whole moral dilemma over whether to kill one's own child, especially as it is just a baby is not a nice position to have to be put in.I'd say watch this film, because it is a decent entry into the straight to DVD market, and although it's no masterpiece, it's still worth a watch..
It's Alive is set in New Mexico where college student Lenore Harker (Bijou Phillips) & her boyfriend Frank Davis (James Murray) are expecting a baby boy, while taking a shower Lenore feels labour pains & know's that she is going to give birth.
Lenore finds Daniel eating dead animals & when she finds a dead body torn to pieces Lenore know's there's only one explanation but how could a young baby boy be a vicious killer...Directed by Josef Rusnak this is a remake of the Larry Cohen written, produced & directed horror film It's Alive (1974) which was a considerable success at the time of release & spawned two sequels of it's own as well as this remake which Cohen himself co-wrote.
Predictable to appease to the teen horror film crowd the mother & father in this remake are pretty young teens rather than grown adults as in the original but you could say that the script deals with the pressures & problems of young parents which is a much, much bigger issue now in 2010 than it was back in 1974 so in a way the script has just been adjusted for a new generation & a new society where it's actually very relevant, issues of blind maternal love, abortion, premature birth & the emotional effects of caring for a newborn baby are touched upon but are never gone into with any great depth or intelligence.
The first twenty five minutes follows the original quite closely as a woman gives birth to a mutant baby that kills the medical team but instead of having the baby go on the run & being hunted down the mother tries to protect it & cover up for it's crimes in a decent twist on the original, having said that surely anyone finding their newborn baby eating dead animals & killing people would have a hard time loving it & protecting like Lenore does here.Available in both 'R' rated & 'Unrated' versions I saw the Unrated cut which is gorier than than the original with better effects & attack scenes, slashed dead bodies are seen, severed limbs are shown, someone is ripped in half, there's lots of blood splatter & someone gets a tiny baby claw fist punched through their head.
The acting varies, the main cast do alright with Bijou Phillips quite good as the mother.It's Alive the remake is a decent little horror film in it's own right actually, don't let anyone fool you that the original is some untouchable classic because it's not although I would still say it's a bit better than this remake overall.
A good pace, nicely shot, there's some good gore & virtually no CGI computer effects work means It's Alive the remake actually turned out better than I had expected..
no mystery at all, no surprises, no heart-attacking moments, no tension, no attracting, the film was just the kid killing some people, eating some creatures, again and again, and then the same thing repeats itself, waiting for something to happen ?
i am still wondering why did they ever have to make or remake that film, it was some very waste of effort and talent if the people who have worked on it ever had any !.
Larry Cohen writes the screenplay for an updated version of his 1970's classic horror film that spawned two sequels.
Add this to the list of good remakes of 1970's horror films.
We also do not really see the baby who remains an enigma for most of the films running time and it adds to the unease since we have to let our imagination create the monster(I will say that it is not the misshapen mutant of the original series).
An ambitious remake of Larry Cohen's 1974 killer baby classic.
An attractive grad student Lenore(Bijou Phillips)puts her education on hold to have a baby with her architect boyfriend Frank(James Murray).
When Lenore is released, the family returns to Frank's house....They should have just called this movie killer baby, or something but the fact of the matter is its a poor remake of a poor movie anyway.Characters are uninvolved and look bored, and really, the only fun I gore from this movie was spotting British celebs with their silly faux pas American accents.Special effects are dire, they just consist people running around pretending to be scared of a mutant jelly baby or just over the top scenes of needless gore.It's a bad movie with little in the way of anything positive, but at least the hospital scene is okay. |
tt0057102 | The Girl Hunters | The reader discovers that Hammer has been a drunk living in gutters around New York City for the past seven years. Hammer's secretary and fiancee, Velda, is believed to be dead after a botched protection job involving a Chicago socialite and her new husband. Then, Hammer is apprehended and taken to an undisclosed location, where he is interrogated by former friend Captain Pat Chambers. Chambers, who blames Hammer for Velda's death, pummels him repeatedly, but slacks off. Richie Cole, a dock worker, is dying of severe gunshot wounds at City General Hospital and has insisted on talking to Hammer exclusively to reveal the identity of his killer. Hammer, upon interviewing the victim, discovers that Velda is still alive and facing execution by a top level Soviet assassin dubbed "The Dragon," her only chance being Hammer finding her first. The man tells Hammer that he has left clues to her location, but dies immediately afterwards.
The alarming news causes Hammer to sober up and prepare to go out on his own, despite being out of commission. He soon discovers the pressure is on from Pat to discover the killer's identity. Despite many threats, Hammer successfully brushes off Chambers, but then finds himself being muscled by a Federal Agent named Art Rickerby. Rickerby reveals to Hammer that Richie Cole was a field agent and his former protégé. In order to gain information and gun carrying privileges, Hammer makes deals with Rickerby, the condition being that Hammer brings him the Dragon alive.
Hammer's investigations lead him to Laura Knapp, the widow of a Senator also murdered by the Dragon. Whilst gaining more clues from Laura and death attempts by the Dragon, Hammer hurries to find Velda, as the clock is ticking, and time is not on his side. | violence, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0120800 | Quest for Camelot | Kayley's father, Sir Lionel, is one of the knights of the Round Table. Kayley wants to be a knight like her father. At Camelot, one of the knights, Ruber - wanting to become king of Camelot instead of King Arthur - attempts to kill Arthur, but Lionel intervenes and is killed. Ruber flees Camelot in exile after being rebounded by Excalibur. At Lionel's funeral, Arthur said she and her mother would be welcomed in Camelot.
10 years later, a griffin attacks Camelot, stealing Excalibur. Merlin's falcon Ayden attacks the griffin and the sword falls into the Forbidden Forest. Meanwhile, Ruber invades Kayley's home, holds everyone hostage and uses a potion he obtained from some witches to create steel warriors from his human henchmen and a rooster who becomes Bladebeak. He plans to use Juliana, Kayley's mother to gain entrance into Camelot.
Kayley escapes the henchmen and enters the Forbidden Forest where she encounters Garrett; a blind hermit, and Ayden. Kayley convinces him to help her find Excalibur and learns that Garrett was once a young stable boy in Camelot. The stable caught fire and Garrett was rescuing the horses when one of them blinded him by accident. But Lionel still believed in Garrett and taught him to adapt.
They enter Dragon Country and meet the funny two-headed dragon named Devon and Cornwall who do not like each other, cannot breathe fire or fly (which is why they are bullied by other dragons), and both want to be individual dragons. Devon and Cornwall decide to join to the group; Garrett reluctantly agrees after Kayley manages to convince him.
Later, they discover that Excalibur is no longer where the griffin dropped it. Kayley distressfully babbles on, causing Garrett to miss Ayden's signal and is injured by one of Ruber's men. Kayley drags Garrett away as the thorn bushed creatures hold Ruber and his men captive. Kayley escorts Garrett into a small cave and apologizes profusely as he lays there, but he tells her it is all right, and they realize that they have fallen in love as Garrett is healed by magical forest plants.
Later, the group goes into a dark cave where it lives an ogre who holds Excalibur; currently using it as a toothpick. Kayley succeeds in getting Excalibur and they escape before Ruber and his men get to it.
Exiting the forest, Garrett stays behind, feeling unwanted in Camelot. After he leaves, Ruber captures Kayley and takes Excalibur. Devon and Cornwall, who witnessed this, rush to Garrett convincing him to go save Kayley. By working together for the first time, Devon and Cornwall are able to fly and breathe fire. Meanwhile, Kayley meets her mother; Bladebeak releases Kayley from her ropes and she runs to find Ruber. Garrett finds Kayley and they go inside the castle.
Inside, Ruber tries to kill Arthur with Excalibur; now bonded to his arm. Kayley and Garrett intervene and trick Ruber into returning Excalibur to the stone, causing its magic to disintegrate Ruber and revert the mechanical men, including Bladebeak, back to normal. Later, with Camelot restored to its former glory, Kayley and Garrett become knights of the round table. | good versus evil, revenge, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0078404 | Tobi | Tobi and his parents, Jacinto and María López, are at a picnic. Back home, Tobi begins feeling strange itches on his back and is brought to the hospital for an evaluation. The next day, Tobi's parents learn that a pair of wings have grown from the itchy spots on his back. The hospital separates Tobi and his parents, but they can watch him through a one-way window. The doctors cannot explain why Tobi grew the wings and Jacinto, concerned about his son’s future, asks the doctors to remove them surgically. María is upset, and says that she wants Tobi back with or without his wings.
Tobi asks his nurse Lucy for his parents, and she says he will see them soon. Disappointed and lonely, he escapes from the clinic with no clothing. Tobi hides in a garbage pail, which two workers load into a truck. He escapes, hiding in a box which is brought into a store, and blends in with the mannequins. An employee hears Tobi sneeze, but the boy remains still and is not discovered. He begins to play tricks, kicking the employee and hiding again. The employee finds Tobi, the only "mannequin" who is anatomically accurate, and flees in a panic. Tobi runs away from the store, heading home through the city. He wants to see his mother and asks a drunk man (who thinks he is hallucinating) for help. A passer-by sees Tobi talking to the drunk man, takes photographs and gives them to the media.
Back home, Tobi and his parents hear a doctor say on television that the clinic should study him further; the doctors consider him to be Homo angelicus, rather than Homo sapiens. In a crowd outside their house, Professor Jourdain unsuccessfully tries to convince Tobi’s parents to return him to the clinic. To satisfy the crowd, his mother picks Tobi up and shows them his wings. Jacinto befriends media worker Marla Sullivan, who makes him offers he refuses because his son is not for sale. She then offers Jacinto a better job, which he accepts. Tobi reluctantly appears in a deodorant commercial, ruining every scene and angering the director. After he works all day, Tobi’s mother takes him home without finishing the commercial. She makes him a cover for his wings for him to wear to school.
When a classmate pulls Tobi's wings, their teacher seats Tobi apart from the others to protect him. He stays in the classroom during recess to avoid the other boys, and becomes friends with a little girl. Tobi shows her his wings, and is seen by another classmate who tells his friends; the group demands that Tobi show them his wings. Maria is summoned to school and told that Tobi’s presence is a distraction to the other students. When, back home, he begins having nightmares he has his wings removed. Tobi is discharged from the hospital to continued media attention, Marla Sullivan tells Jacinto that he is liable for breach of contract. Maria brings Tobi to the park, where he again feels an itch on his back. When Marla hears on the news that Tobi’s wings have grown back, she exhibits him at a carnival as "Tobi, the boy with wings". The boy escapes, climbing to the top of a tower; he flies away, leaving the crowd (and his parents) behind. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | The boy with wings. I remember watching this movie when I was a kid and it left me a very strange feeling. The parents of a small boy, Tobi, discover that a couple of angel wings are growing on his sun.The fantastic storyline is developed into a quite sad and melodramatic script that tries to avoid all the characteristics of the fantastic genre, showing the reality of everyday life. The whole thing works quite well delivering a strange, uncomfortable atmosphere. I remember it as a sad film, specially the end scene.. I finally found it!. I loved this movie as a child, and I wish I can see it again... I remember watching this movie as a child too, in Argetina... I saw it many, many times with my mother. This movie is about a very cute boy, around the age of 6-8 and one day grows angel wings, no one was able to explain it... I remember the mother taking him to see doctors and then they placed him in exhibition or something similar for people to see him, I can not remember that very well... but I do remember a scene where is looking at a bunny and the bunny looks back at him and moves with nose... the boy imitates the movement of the bunny... I can't remember how the movie ended but I remember that it was a very sad ending. I have been wanting to watch this movie for a very long time but I could never find any information on it. I remember my mother telling me it was from Spain.. About the movie!!. That was an excellent movie, it was really great,I think it was a master piece in foraging movies, you don't get to see that many movies with that kind of dialog on it, the way the plot was done and how the characters where played, they keep you at the edge and thinking about what is going to happened, especially when includes something that you think is not possible but is there in front of you, on the screen, and makes you think about life itself and wonders, I was maybe like 9 or 10 when I watched this movie with my mother and it make me cry, I have been looking for this movie for so long and I was lucky to find it right here, thank you very much for this site, keep up the good work.... |
tt0071615 | La montaña sagrada | A man (later identified as the thief) representing The Fool tarot card, lies in the desert with flies covering his face like excrement. He is befriended by a footless, handless dwarf representing the Five of Swords, and the pair travel into the city where they make money entertaining tourists. Because the thief resembles Jesus Christ in appearance, some locals cast an impression of his body and sell the resulting crucifixes. After a dispute with a priest, the thief eats off the face of his wax statue and sends it skyward with balloons, symbolically eating the body of Christ and offering "himself" up to Heaven. Soon after, he notices a crowd gathered around a tall tower, where a large hook with a bag of gold has been sent down in exchange for food. The thief, wishing to find the source of the gold, ascends the tower. There he finds the alchemist and his silent female assistant.
After a confrontation with the alchemist, the thief defecates into a container. The excrement is transformed into gold by the alchemist, who proclaims: "You are excrement. You can change yourself into gold." The thief accepts the gold, but smashes a mirror with the gold when shown his reflection. The alchemist then takes the thief as an apprentice.
The thief is introduced to seven people who will accompany him on his journey. Each is introduced as a personification of one of the planets, in particular the negative characteristics that are associated with his or her planet. They consist of a cosmetics manufacturer representing Venus, a weapons manufacturer representing Mars, a millionaire art dealer representing Jupiter, a war toy maker representing Saturn, a political financial adviser representing Uranus, a police chief representing Neptune, and an architect representing Pluto. The alchemist instructs the seven to burn their money as well as wax images of themselves. Together with the alchemist, the thief, and the alchemist's assistant, they form a group of ten.
The characters are led by the alchemist through various transformation rituals. Each carries a staff topped with the symbol of his or her planet; the alchemist carries a Sun staff, the thief carries a Moon staff, and the alchemist's assistant carries a Mercury staff. The ten journey by boat to Lotus Island in order to gain the secret of immortality from nine immortal masters who live on a holy mountain. Once on Lotus Island they are sidetracked by the Pantheon Bar, a cemetery party where people have abandoned their quest for the holy mountain and instead engage in drugs, poetry, or acts of physical prowess. Leaving the bar behind, they ascend the mountain. Each has a personal symbolic vision representing his or her worst fears and obsessions. Near the top, the thief is sent back to his "people" along with a young prostitute and an ape who have followed him from the city to the mountain. The rest confront the cloaked immortals, who are shown to be only faceless dummies. The alchemist then breaks the fourth wall with the command "Zoom back, camera!" and reveals the film apparatus (cameras, microphones, lights, and crew) just outside the frame. He instructs everyone, including the audience of the film, to leave the holy mountain: "Real life awaits us." | comedy, avant garde, cult, violence, psychedelic, absurd, satire | train | wikipedia | People who are looking for deep meaning in films like Donnie Darko need to keep searching, the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky would be a good start.
If you liked "The Wall" (you know, the Pink Floyd movie), but thought it was a bit of a downer and suffered from the lack of a fat woman humping an excitable, legless, animatronic horse, this movie could be for you.Despite what you may have heard, "The Holy Mountain" is more absurd than surreal, more funny than disturbing.
Now when you get to the end and Jodorowsky winks at you, you can wink right back.Basically, if you can appreciate absurdity and profundity and the absurdity of profundity (not to mention enormous, colorful sets), you'll find a lot to like here.PS: If you do like "The Holy Mountain", head down to your local comics shop (or browse over to your favorite book/graphic novel e-tailer) and pick up a couple of volumes of "The Incal" or "The Metabarons", both of which were also written by Jodorowsky.
I'd rather watch something like this, filled with ideas (however pretentious), than a plot-driven movie with nothing more on its mind than wrapping up loose ends for the audience.
Filled with alchemical illusions, tarot symbols, existential ideas, explicit gore and violence, gratuitous nudity, sacrilegious imagery, and perverse beauty, this movie will make you live an unusual experience.
Jodorowsky himself plays "The Master", an occult adept who assembles a group of people representing the planets of our solar system (a Christ figure for Earth) to ascend the Holy Mountain and gain the secret of eternal life.
I don't think I'll bother spoiling any of them, but take any scene from the movie and it'll likely have a large, weird-looking set and at least one or two freaky-looking people drawing your attention.
Or if you're just looking for one intense filmic experience, it doesn't get much more intense than the imagery of The Holy Mountain.I'll end this review now - I've run out of synonyms for crazy.8/10 - this is after one viewing, it'll probably go up after about 7..
But because you will be seeing a different movie each time, as your own perspective, mood and life changes.Holy Mountain is a meticulously made work of cinematic art.
Holy Mountain has some of the most impressive sets and surreal to psychedelic imagery I have seen in films of its vintage.
The Holy Mountain is one (bleeping) crazy art-house picture experience, where the filmmaker asks it's audience to either go on the journey and be open to whatever he's liable to let out of the floodgates of his consciousness, or if to be closed off then to might as well leave.
So as it goes, really, with organized religion, which his own character Jodorowsky plays- the Alchemist- could be identifiable as.As I left the theater I kept on thinking about what it is to put total trust and confidence in a "master", someone who seems to have all the knowledge and experience to take people to higher planes.
Unlike El Topo, however, Jodorowsky this time is much more in control of his own delirious dreamscapes and, in a sense, the genuine consciousness he creates in his Holy Mountain.
This part, actually, might be somewhat weaker in comparison with the rest of the film, if only because one wonders where the hell this is all going; a Jesus-figure, who comes into a village loaded with circus 'freaks' and gawkers at such 'freaks', and is put into plaster-casting to make more Jesus figures, which he demolishes except for one which he carries with him for a little while.There's more than just this, but for the first twenty minutes, which is practically silent and without dialog, we get immensely rich but sort of free-form symbolism, some that is great (the scene with the frogs in the representation of the Spanish conquistadors is absolutely uproarious), and some that isn't, like a strange scene in a church.
But soon Jodorowsky moves it along to 'Jesus' entering the realm of the Alchemist, and going under his tutelage (and learning how, mayhap, gold can be the end result of literal excrement), learns about who the other members to go on the journey to the holy mountain will be.
The final revelation at the table on the mountain nails it on the head, and suddenly (or not so suddenly) things become clearer; the final lines by the Alchemist (or rather, Jodorowsky himself), make it a very poignant end to what has been a delirious, hilarious trip into consciousness expansion...In a word, or a few, what it means to 'experience' a film itself, and once it ends, you step back into some kind of reality.
The Holy Mountain has a lot it wants to tell you and the most grotesque, abstract, insane, gory, disgusting and beautiful visuals and practical effects that you have ever seen in one movie.
Alejandro Jodorowsky's "The Holy Mountain" is to film what Captain Beefheart's "Trout Mask Replica" is to music.
That exercise is left up to the viewer, and you will be challenged every step of the way up to the top of the Holy Mountain.What is for certain though is that Alejandro will smash all your grand illusions by the end of the film.As others have said, nothing can prepare you for this film..
The dialogue that ensues is pretentious and insubstantial, which makes it appear as though the director is so unhappy with having had to introduce a narrative that he has attempted to mask the comparatively tedious action with it.This film is definitely of its time and indebted to the 60s notion of free love that in actual fact meant free love for men who exploited women in the process.
The only thing that separates him from other bad directors is his shamelessness when it comes to using the moving image as a grift.In other words, if you try to make a good movie and fail (like Ed Wood), then you're a hack.
Alejandro Jordowsky's other film, El Topo, is great, but not as edgy and wonderfully strange as "The Holy Mountain".
Jodorowsky takes us on a journey that we don't soon forget, sustaining it in interesting ways for a deliberately paced 117 minutes.Serving as producer, composer, production designer, costume designer, painter, sculptor, and set designer as well as writer / director, Jodorowsky overwhelms us with striking sequences until easing into his story proper, as he plays an Alchemist who imparts his wisdom to a Christ-like thief (Horacio Salinas).
And if a film maker wants to pay me a load of money to turn it into a film, it would contain imagery that'll blow even Jaradowsky's brain into pieces.Basically the formula for coming up with film can be simplified into this;LSD + A hippie director + 70s +naked men & women+ some crazy times = The Holy Mountain.There are a lot film down the history where I really wanted to get back the 2 hours I'd wasted watching it, but this one took the biscuit.
"The Holy Mountain", the third film of Alejandro Jodorowsky after his controversial cult-film "El Topo", is probably his most polished and interesting work.
Just like "El Topo" the characters have no deep, they are mere symbols to serve the purpose of the story, a story that could be find by some people as pretentious or too strange, but the direction of Jodorowsky made this film something original and unique.
There are several elements of satire of modern society, that work very well to introduce us the characters of the story (each symbolizing a planet) their way to reach their goal until a surprising ending (I won't reveal it, but I want to mention that the ending is one of the best that I've seen in a movie, working very well with overall tone of the movie) "The Holy Mountain" is a unique film.
There's definitely certain visuals in this film that you will never forget, whether that's positive or negative depends on your personality.Experimenting with various concepts and visuals, "The Holy Mountain" is an avant garde masterpiece full of fascinating symbolism, satire, and surrealism..
But in my personal opinion, I love The Holy Mountain and I would actually rank it up as one of the best movie I've seen in years.Alejandro Jodorowsky (The director of the movie) is what a call a "spiritual director", and what I mean is that Alejandro is a very spiritual person and I'm not such a spiritual person myself but I do admire his work.
Alejandro Jodorowsky work of art is so open and so transparent that it makes his movies truly unique to watch, and that's why I think The Holy Mountain is a great way to start watching Alejandro films so you can get use to he's style of film making.
Everything Alejandro Jodorowsky puts into his art as a personal sense of purpose in them and the ideas he's got isn't difficult to make out in each scene of the movie.
The Holy Mountain is a work of art and Alejandro Jodorowsky directing is freaking superb.What I love about The Holy Mountain is how every single scene in this film is so true on reality and how detailed the movie is, and all of that is shown by Alejandro artistic look on life.
The movie is absolutely absurd and what I mean is without spoiling anything; these a scene where a women is sitting on this super tall toilet and I'm not going to break it down like most people have by saying, "The toilet is suppose to represent her as an upper class citizen to everyone", no, what the movie is trying to get across (In my opinion) is how absurd it is and to make you think twice about the things we take for granted, I mean just look at everything that's still current in present day life, back in the sixties, seventies and eighties are still present today and all the things we do are suppose to me you think "Wow, that's retarded", and the point of the movie is to look at all the things that have become normality makes you realize it's absurd.These a lot that you can interpret in terms of statements that's in the movie like politics, religion and social life, and the movie says so much about every issue and it's so true and timeless.
The density of symbolism in this film, a flaw in other art-house movies, is masterfully constructed in a way that is just as profound on your 1st watch as on your 20th..
With "The Holy Mountain," Alejandro Jodorowsky creates a film that is visually creative, inspiring, and surreal.
The Holy Mountain was director Alejandro Jodorowsky's follow up to the cult western El Topo; a violent and deeply mystical dream play about a mythical gunfighter cleansing himself of the violence of his past, only to find that the world itself had already been corrupted by the bloodshed of the present.The mystical themes are fleshed out even further with The Holy Mountain, Jodorowsky's second of only three films produced in the 1970's, which, much like the preceding El Topo and the director's very first film, Fando é Lis, unfolds through a series of surrealist vignettes rife with religion symbolism, sardonic satire and distancing cinematic shock tactics.
I couldn't possibly say, though I would say it's best to approach the film with an open mind and with some familiarity with Jodorowsky's previous, and indeed, subsequent cinematic works, like El Topo, and in particular Santa Sangre, both of which offer an easier gateway into the filmmaker's heavily symbolic world than this epic rumination on life and the cosmos.What surprised me most when viewing the film for the first time was the tremendous amount of depth that can often be lost within the giddy barrage of sights and sounds that burst from the screen in a vibrant vivid collage of philosophy, art, sex and religion.
Simply listen to the audio commentary on this DVD to hear Jodorowsky taking the film apart image by image; explaining the incredible amount of minor details purged from every religion, steeped in every form of art and combined in an attempt to overload the audience's senses and perceptions to effectively change the very fabric of their own personal universe.
The second half of the film introduces us to the other characters; a collection of evil, greedy business men, weapon designers, factory owners and foot-soldiers who, much like the Christ-like character we meet during the first chapter, decide to abandon the corrupt world in which they exist and quest with the mythical central character to the summit of the holy mountain.As you can imagine from this sketchy plot outline, what follows is fairly episodic in design, sometimes tapping into the cinematic absurdity of Luis Bunuel and at other times reminding me of the epic opulence of early Ken Russell (in particular, films like The Devils, The Music Lovers, The Boyfriend, Mahler, etc).
For the most part though, the film is pure Jodorowsky, with the central character (played by the director himself) tapping into the intensity of El Topo's iconic gunfighter, whilst the constant barrage of cripples, dwarfs, freaks and geeks cut adrift against a processions of skinned lamb carcasses, edible Jesus effigies, dog fights and the recreation of the conquest of Mexico, re-enacted with frogs that are later blown to pieces, all recalling the fevered insanity of El Topo, the warped fairytale-like quality of Fando and Lis, the Gothic psychodrama of Santa Sangre and the empathetic compassion of Tusk.Obviously, it's not going to be a film for everyone, but those already turned on to Jodorowsky's ideas will no doubt take away a great deal from the film's central message, and from the dizzying kaleidoscope of visual ideas, interpretations and sight gags that explode from the screen in a veritable barrage of colour and movement..
'El Topo' is still one of the strangest movies ever made but Alejandro Jodorowsky amazingly managed to top himself with 'The Holy Mountain'.
There's complex feelings and teachings within every visual detail of the compositions, and within every twist and turn of the plot.Something about "The Holy Mountain" reminded me of the movie titled "Circle of Iron" (1978); it also is a story of Seeking, of being on the Path for spiritual self-realization; transcendence...
My entire perception of reality and what the medium of cinema means has changed since watching Alejandro Jodorowsky's sacrilegious mind trip The Holy Mountain.
It's an intense audio visual experience that absolutely blew me a way.While watching The Holy Mountain I had no idea what was going on and trying to decipher all the images in the film is a near impossible challenge.
Jodorowsky's use of color is profound and the simple yet ingenious things he does with the camera are beautifully spectacular.The Holy Mountain is a beautiful film and a disturbing film at the same time.
I recommend this film, like it's companion piece El Topo it has scenes that remain with you for a long time.
Whether one likes it or not, it is undeniable that Jodorowsky's cinema is exceptional - and for a fan of exceptional cinema, films like "The Holy Mountain" are the most exceptional experience possible.
"The Holy Mountain" of 1973 is Jodorowsky's most surreal and most brilliant masterpiece, and no other film I've seen (with the exception of Jodorowsky's other work) could possibly compare to it.
The mere try to give a plot synopsis would be pointless, as "The Holy Mountain" is a film that cannot be described merely in words - "The Holy Mountain" is a film that has to be seen, or, more precisely, that has to be experienced, in order even to have the slightest idea what it is about.The film begins with the incredibly surreal and yet profoundly impressive scenes in which a Christ-like figure encounters grotesque situations and bizarre religious imagery...
This is only a very vague description of the beginning of "The Holy Mountain", but describing it adequately simply isn't possible - and if it was, it would not be desirable to do so, as this film is a unique work of art which all that are even slightly interested in cinema MUST experience for themselves.
In short: "The Holy Mountain" is Jodorowsky's most brilliant film and one of the greatest cinematic experiences one can have.
"Rub your clitoris on the mountain!!!"I thank you for your read and this movie is most definitely worth a watch if you want a great laugh.(Hard drugs highly recommended before experiencing this masterpiece)Also a monkey.
Much like Alejandro Jodorowsky's previous work "El Topo", "The Holy Mountain" is a deeply spiritual movie.
The film is a visual bombardment of the senses in which series of bizarre and often symbolic scenes are what is used to drive the plot forwards and Jodorowsky knits them together in a perfectly twisted logical way.
Turning the film into a truly unforgettable experience."The Holy Mountain" is a confusing movie at first, but clearer and clearer as it moves to it's conclusion.
Disturbing yet funny, perverse yet beautiful, violent yet touching the film carries so many distinct emotions that it become hard to categorize it in any of the known genres.Beneath all it's visual content - violence, disturbing and sometimes perverse imagery, "The Holy Mountain" is and forever will be one of the most morally conscience and humane movies made.
Like David Lynch's Lost Highway, The Holy Mountain is a film I'd be liable to recommend to a species of intelligence superior to man.
This basically means that it doesn't feel the same watching this movie as it did with EL TOPO.Aside from that flaw, this is a great film.
I have seen this movie like 6 times, and each time I think Jodorowsky is really an artist.
The only Alejandro Jodorowsky film I had seen prior to The Holy Mountain was El Topo.
Alejandro shoots like we're just spectators and so part of the experience is lost.The Holy Mountain is still an extraordinary film though. |
tt0113117 | French Kiss | A fastidious and wholesome history teacher named Kate (Meg Ryan) is living in Canada with her fiancé, Charlie (Timothy Hutton), a dentist. While waiting for her Canadian citizenship to come through, Kate has been busy planning their wedding and the purchase of their first house, complete with a white picket fence. When Charlie urges her to accompany him to Paris for an upcoming conference, she declines due to her fear of flying and her general intolerance for cheese, secondhand smoke, and the French.
A few days later, Kate's plans for the future are crushed when she receives a phone call from Charlie, who informs her that he has fallen in love with a beautiful French "goddess" named Juliette (Susan Anbeh) and that he will not be returning. Determined to win him back, Kate boards a flight to Paris and is seated next to a crude Frenchman, Luc Teyssier (Kevin Kline), whose every word seems to annoy her. Unknown to Kate, Luc is smuggling a vine cutting and a stolen diamond necklace into France hoping to use both to start his own vineyard. With the help of a few drinks, Kate is able to tolerate her "rude" and "hygiene deficient" seating partner long enough to arrive safely in Paris. Before de-boarding, Luc sneaks the vine and necklace into Kate's bag, knowing she will not be searched at customs.
At the terminal, Luc is spotted by Inspector Jean-Paul Cardon (Jean Reno) who insists on giving him a ride during which he searches his bag. Jean-Paul knows of Luc's vocation, but feels "protective" of him because Luc once saved his life. Meanwhile, Kate arrives at the Hôtel George V where she encounters new levels of French sarcasm and rudeness from the concierge (fr:Laurent Spielvogel). While waiting in the lobby with a petty thief named Bob (François Cluzet), Kate sees Charlie and Juliette kissing in a descending elevator and faints. Bob steals her bag and leaves just as Luc arrives. After reviving Kate, Luc realizes that Bob now has the necklace, goes with Kate to Bob's apartment, and recovers the bag, absent her money and passport.
Upset with Luc, Kate heads off on her own and learns that Charlie is traveling south to Cannes to meet Juliette's parents. Luc, meanwhile, realizes that the necklace must still be in Kate's bag. He tracks her down to the train station, offers to help her "win back Charlie", and together they board a train to Cannes. After lactose intolerant Kate samples some of the 452 official government cheeses of France, she becomes sick, and they get off the train at Luc's hometown of La Ravelle in Paulhaguet, where they stay at his family home and vineyard. Kate learns about Luc's past and how he gambled away his vineyard birthright to his brother in a single hand of poker; she also learns that while he may be a schemer, he knows a lot about wine, and dreams of someday buying land for his own winery. As they board the train to Cannes, Kate shows him that she in fact has the necklace.
At Cannes, the two check into a room at the Carlton Hotel using a stolen credit card. Following Luc's advice, Kate confronts Charlie in front of Juliette on the beach pretending to be indifferent to him. To make him jealous, Luc pretends to be Kate's lover, and the deception works. Later that afternoon, Jean-Paul approaches Kate and urges her to convince Luc to return the necklace anonymously to avoid jail. Luc was planning to sell the necklace at Cartier, but agrees to Kate's "new plan" to have her sell the necklace, as that would be safer. At dinner, Charlie apologizes to Kate and accompanies her to her room where he tries to seduce her. Rejecting his advances, Kate realizes she no longer wants him, and that she has fallen in love with Luc. Meanwhile, in an effort to "ensure victory" for her, Luc takes an all-too-willing Juliette to bed, but his plan fails when he calls her "Kate".
The following morning, Kate tells Luc that Charlie wants her back, but quickly leaves the room, saying, "Cartier is waiting". She returns the necklace to Jean-Paul and purchases a Cartier check for $45,782 with her own savings to create the illusion that she sold it. After giving the check to Luc, she leaves for the airport pretending to meet Charlie. Soon after, Jean-Paul approaches Luc and reveals the charade and all that Kate has done for him. Luc rushes to the airport, boards the plane, and confesses that he's in love with her and wants her to stay with him. Sometime later, he and Kate embrace each other in their beautiful new vineyard. | comedy, romantic | train | wikipedia | I'm not particularly a Meg Ryan fan - (funny that I just named two of her movies in a top comedy list!).
The movie is funny but has more heart than most comedies - the scenes with Luc's family are lovely and memorable - not at all overdone, just right.
The Meg Ryan character's primness is irritating - but then one must see why Timothy Hutton found her so (comically, the movie's idea of primness is that she was deflowered at 18 not 13!).
Meg Ryan reveals herself as a true comedienne and Kevin Kline is the funniest Frenchman you ever loved to hate.
Even after having seen it at least a dozen times, we still laugh when Ryan sneaks up on her absconded fiancee and his new girlfriend and in the process causes major havoc in a posh French cafe; or when Kevin Kline tells her how the uptight nature of the Americans makes his 'ass twitch'..
The story revolves around a young history teacher, Kate, who's afraid of flying but forces herself to hop on a plane for Paris to try and win back her fiancé, Charlie, who has dumped her for a gorgeous French woman.
Then, casting himself as an expert in affairs of the heart, he resolves to help Kate win back her man, later complicated by the fact that he falls for her himself.Their adventures across France, from Paris to Cannes, in pursuit of the fiancé and his new girlfriend, make for some pretty amusing scenes.
My sole complaint with this movie is a couple of unnecessary f-words and a fair bit of profanity, especially on Kate's part (taking the Lord's name in vain), reflective of the screenwriters' laziness in avoiding clever dialogue in these scenes.Meg Ryan is her usual cute, bubbly, rather ditsy self in the role of Kate and Timothy Hutton is suitably obnoxious and despicable as Charlie, the fiancé who dumped her.
However, the real star of this film is Kevin Kline, who puts genuine charm into the role of this rakishly endearing thief, Luc, and demonstrates an extremely credible French accent, in my opinion.
Also, there is great on screen chemistry between Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline.It's a delightful, light hearted film, a good date movie, and not necessarily just a chick flick as my husband enjoyed it too..
Bringing Up Baby, Nothing Sacred, and Twentieth Century come to mind.Kevin Kline is one of my favorite performers and I love his French accent and rakish charm, kind of like a subdued Pirate King!
The scenes between him and Ryan are hilarious as he tries to draw her out of her shell and she indignantly stick to her "American puritanism." In the end, the French joie de vivre of course wins out.Jean Reno has a good supporting role as the amoral cop who lets friendship take precedence over the law.
Meg Ryan in her low key but hyper way (now, if that seems like an oxymoron, watch her performance) is wonderful.
Next to her sits a French thief, beautifully played by Kevin Kline, who has problems of his own, most notably how to smuggle a diamond necklace out of the country.It's a character-driven plot that Cary Grant would have loved - two people who are seemingly so "repelled" by each other but all they need are the right elements to fall in love.
I'm generally not a fan of the romantic-comedy, but the French setting sucked me in as did a supporting role played by the always excellent Jean Reno.
As for the authenticity of Kline's accent, I had a good friend from France who claimed it was "formidable." So there.Very entertaining and worth a watch.Want more French choices?
Try "Frantic" with Harrison Ford, it's Hitchcockian; "Green Card," who can resist Depardieu?; and my all-time favorite Meg Ryan film "Addicted to Love." It's a great black comedy and it has the sizzlingly sexy Tcheky Karyo.
I would basically just like to say that every woman that loves a good romantic comedy should see this movie.
This film is one of the better romantic comedies, maybe just because Kevin and Meg are perfect together.
Both with excellent comic timing, and a chemistry that was quite wonderful.Jean Reno and Timothy Hutton round out a wonderful cast.The soundtrack is fantastique-I own and listen to it often.Hey-if my husband the NASCAR addict will sit,watch,laugh, and enjoy then I say guys can enjoy this too.The ending scene is inspired, WHAT a kiss!Definitely one to add to your DVD collection.
This movie is sheer unabashed indulgence...indulgence in romantic comedies, in Meg Ryan, in France and a whole lot of other things and people!!
To date this may be my favorite romantic comedy.I've seen it many times and all I can say is that I can recommend it for those who enjoy funny, witty, and entertaining romantic comedies.Also, if you are a fan of Meg Ryan you might enjoy this movie a lot.
I've never seen Meg Ryan or Kevin Kline play better - they had a fantastic chemistry and it was a roller coaster ride of fun the whole way through - I just wish the film were longer!
The arc of the film manages a difficult feat: two plots, one involving Meg Ryan and the other focussing on Kevin Kline, maintain their integrity and also merge together.
The scene in which Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline first hop in the stolen car in Paris tickles me every time.
And the relationship with Meg and Timothy Hutton is entirely believable.Once she is on the plane, going to Paris, Kevin Kline appears and introduces himself and distracts her from the takeoff.
Kevin Kline really proves himself in this movie, or at least shows how good he is at accents.
And Meg learns that she really likes the cheese!Once she sees the vineyard and begins to learn more about Kevin Kline's character, the story gets under way nicely.
The scenes used in the film are vibrantly beautiful with locations which include Paris, Cannes and Provence regions.I'm not a big fan of Meg Ryan but this film compares to the warm, funny, romantic appeal that Sleepless in Seattle offered.
This is a pretty decent romcom featuring a typically off-kilter performance from everymouse Meg Ryan, and another lovable rogue from Kline, with some nice little set-ups and lots of fun gags.
Kevin Kline is delightful as Luc, a scoundrel of a Frenchman, who befriends Kate in her quest to steal Charlie back from the lovely Juliette.
The usual romantic comedy adventure ensues as Kate and Luc pursue Charlie throughout France.What sets this film apart from the usual date flick is the interaction between Kline and Ryan.
I watched this movie yesterday and I have to say it is one of the worst romantic comedies I have ever seen.The story is dull and far more predictable than even the genre would allow, the characters are unbelievable and that of Meg Ryan so irritating there is no way to identify with her or with Klein's belated liking for her.
Kline is great, you forget he is not really French, Ryan is adorable (as always) and the plot was interesting and funny enough to keep even my husband glued.
I bought the movie just for that kiss and I now believe that Kevin Kline must be the best kisser in all the world.
if you understand Indian language then you will find that Anees Bazmee has copied 'French Kiss' line by line .In 'French Kiss' Meg Ryan (Kate) was looking very beautiful and her expression is just excellent in this movie.
If you ask me, the way that Kate (Meg Ryan) and Luc (Kevin Kline) met was romantic.
I love Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan.
I also love the fact of the premise of the movie that the things you plan for in life don't always happen but what does actually happen is so much better than what you had planned for yourself - it give hope and inspiration for the dark times that something wonderful and fulfilling could just around the corner.About my question, ANY help would be profoundly appreciated!
While this predictability is most definitely a problem, occasionally a movie appears that despite following the typical pattern of the genre, manages to stand out among the rest; and even when at its core it still is a typical romantic comedy, it shines with a light of its own due to the way the film is executed.
"French Kiss" is one of those movies, a film that despite being no masterpiece of cinema, achieves its original purpose without problem: to provide good light hearted entertainment by telling a charming story about two equally charming characters."French Kiss" is the story of Kate (Meg Ryan), a young woman who after moving to Canada, where his boyfriend Charlie (Timothy Hutton) lives, begins to make preparations for a future with him.
At first sight it would seem that it's just another typical romantic comedy (with the addition of a French setting); however, and despite the far fetched plot, Brooks makes the story somewhat believable and it surprisingly works in the end.
While the romance is the focus of the film, Brooks makes some cleverly written scenes, playing with the French and American stereotypes of each other in small, yet very funny scenes with his assortment of quirky supporting characters.
Kasdan follows Brook's theme of making jokes about American tourists, and constructs visual gags (a simple, yet very creative pun about watching the Eiffel Tower is cleverly used through the film) that spice up the love story between Kate and Luc, adding some diversity to break up the monotony.The cast is what really makes "French Kiss" to stand out among similar movies.
At the peak of her "romantic comedy phase", Meg Ryan was delightfully charming as the main character, Kate.
Kevin Kline is the highlight of the film, making a very convincing Frenchman in his portrait of Luc. It's a shame that the producers decided to hire a non-Frenchman for the role, but fortunately Kline delivers an excellent and very believable performance as the witty crook more interested in what's inside of Kate's purse than in her person.
Don't get me wrong, Brooks' story is fun and charming, but it the events before Kate's trip to France really drag and make the film look uninteresting."French Kiss" is a very 90s romantic comedy but with touches of those classic screwball comedies of old, where realism was sent to the backseat and romance used to drive the story.
French Kiss tells the story of a woman (Meg Ryan) that travels to France to win back her fiancé who left her for another woman.
Jean Reno is in this playing a french cop, and he's as good as usual.The first half of the movie is funny, but when it gets into the second half they start focusing on the romantic aspect of the film and it starts to dwindle.
His role as a Frenchman is superb--all the way from the accent to the 'hygene-challenged' attire.This movie was released in 1995, when Meg Ryan was still unafraid to be different.And, I love Mr. Cool Jean Reno in this movie.
Along the way, unsuspecting love occurs.Follow the movie to the end when Kevin Kline sings La Mer in French.
Also there are many clever and funny lines in the movie.Kevin Kline is great and does the French accent so well you'll forget he's from St. Louis.Meg Ryan, what can you say about her?
The chemistry between Kevin Kline as Luc and Meg Ryan as Kate was thoroughly enjoyable.
This movie has got to be one of my favorite Kevin Kline AND Meg Ryan movies.
I highly recommend this movie if you're looking for a comedy, a love story, or just for a good way to pass an hour and a half!!!.
i saw it first in 2000 and i love Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline!
Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan made a great couple.
I've loved Reno & Kline in other movies so I'm sure the chemistry they have in this film was not an accident.
Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline are wonderful and hilarious.
The premise is a bit far-fetched, but the French scenery is beautiful, although Kevin Kline's French accent is not.But watch this film anyway, as Meg Ryan earns every buck and almost single-handedly carries this film.
Meg Ryan does her little cute thing in this lovely romantic comedy that also stars a hilarious Kevin Kline as the Frenchman who tries to help her win back her fiancé.
But if your a fan of romantic comedy's in general and Meg Ryan you will definitely love this one..
For years French Kiss has been one of my favorite movies just because it's so enjoyable to watch.Everytime you see this motion picture you falls in love with Meg Ryan playing Kate.This character is so funny just because Ryan adds sweatness and a crazy style to her .It's incredible how this actris has the gift to do romantic comedy and be so marvelous in all characters that she ever made .Like Sleapless in Seatle,You've Got mail and many others.
In "French kiss" we have to talk too about Kevin Kline in his best role ever like the smart french trump that steals Kate heart.The chemestry between the two characters it's so fantastic .Watch this movie and falls in love!I'd give 8 out of 10 to this movie..
Enjoyable romantic comedy; Meg Ryan doing her thing.
It is a romantic comedy very well-cast with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline (who manages to seem French even when he is walking down a hillside) and a good supporting cast, especially Jean Reno.
Kevin Kline sticks close to Meg because she has something he needs to recover and the inevitable friction at the start of their relationship is made believable - their characters are two very different people.This movie doesn't try to be more than it is.
Both Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline give stunning performances- Kevin Klines's French character difficult to like at first, but our hearts warm to him.
It's very hard to believe that he isn't French.Meg Ryan, on the other hand, plays a fragile young woman, who goes to France on the spur of the moment to search for her unfaithful fiancé.
Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan shine in this highly entertaining romantic comedy filmed in south France..
meg ryan and kevin kline just irresistible!!.
just watch this film and all i can say is how can someone not love Meg Ryan??
How can you go wrong with two such amazing actors as Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline?
French Kiss is a wonderful romantic comedy starring the always-lovely Meg Ryan.
She is so lovely, and Kevin Kline is so charming and funny as the French man Luc. It's hard to believe he's not French when you see the character.
Lovely, funny movie, with beautiful French settings, a must-see for people who are not crazy about romantic comedies because there are so many silly ones out there -- but this was quite a pleasant surprise..
Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline are excellent for the roles!
The plot is not exactly sophisticated and it is highly unlikely that "Kate" Meg Ryan (You've Got Mail) would fall in love with someone like "Luc Teyssier" Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda) because she is too wise for that.
Meg Ryan gives a cracking good comedic performance as a woman jilted by her fiancé, flying from Canada to Paris, France to retrieve him, but finding love instead with a scruffy French thief.
Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan are among that class of actors which I am always interested in seeing, despite reviews.
I have always found Ms. Ryan to be a charming and winsome actress in nearly all her roles, and Kevin Kline is almost always worth watching.I say "nearly" and "almost" in large part because of this movie.First off, Meg Ryan does not play a likeable character, she plays a weak-willed whiner who begins grating on your nerves shortly after the opening credits and doesn't give up until several days later.
Starring Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline, and Timothy Hutton, this is a most enjoyable little film.
Along the way, she meets up with a fast-talking crook, Kevin Kline, and her plans don't go exactly as she expected.It's hard to love the movie FRENCH KISS, though it is a diverting little romantic-comedy.
And for his new girlfriend, she was no better.Despite all this, there is lots of lovely music, nice scenery and Kevin Kline did an amazing job playing a French man, though I do wonder why they just didn't have the supporting actor, Jean Reno, play the part.
Kate (Meg Ryan) has discovered that her fiancé has fallen in love with another woman in Paris, France.
The whole French city setting for this romantic-comedy is perfect for the love story that anyone would enjoy..
This film seems to establish something more than a by-the-numbers tale of how the woman in question (Meg Ryan) finds her true love (Kevin Kline), making it unique and entertaining among so many others of its kind that miss the mark.
I love this movie Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline have great chemistry, it was very believable.
That's right, this movie hasn't got much original to offer and in a time in which the streets seem to be paved with romantic comedies, that's not always a good thing...When the man that she loves is in Paris with another woman, Kate is determined to win him back.
Their chemistry is not quite right but it is still Meg Ryan with Kevin Kline.
The talent of Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline were more than suitable to the task.
This film brings out the true stages of finding love.Meg Ryan and her supporting actor,do an amazing job of showing how love can transcend through everything in life and in happiness, even with that already perfect boyfriend...It really is a great Romantic comedy to enjoy. |
tt0102989 | Straight Out of Brooklyn | Dennis, living in a Red Hook housing project in Brooklyn, New York has had enough of poverty, and witnessing his alcoholic father beat his mother. His father is depressed and troubled from working hard for "the white man" for so many years, yet having nothing to show for it.
Dennis and two friends come up with a plan to rob a local drug dealer and split the money. One of the friends asks his uncle to borrow his car, and then a connection he has gives him a shotgun for the operation.
Dennis keeps telling his girlfriend that they will soon have money and be able to move out of Brooklyn, but he does not actually tell her of the plan. When he does eventually explain what he is about to do, she leaves him and tells him the relationship is over. Meanwhile, his mother loses her job due to the bruises on her face from the ongoing domestic violence.
On the day of the robbery, Dennis and his friends wait in the car for the dealer to come out with a briefcase full of cash. As they drive up to him, Dennis points the gun in his face and tells him to hand over the bag, yet he doesn't actually shoot him as his friends were discussing in the car. The dealer complies, and they speed off. The dealer has now seen their faces, and after being ordered by the gangster he works for to get the money back, he goes out looking for the three.
When Dennis and his friends take the briefcase back home and realise that it contains much more than they expected, the other two get scared and realize they will be targeted for stealing the bag in the first place. After an argument with Dennis, they leave all the money with him and say they want nothing to do with it.
The same night, Dennis brings the money home to show his family and tells them they can move out of the projects, but his father is less than happy about what his son has done. This causes an argument in the house which leads to more violence and Dennis' mother having to go to the hospital.
The next day at the hospital, Dennis' father goes out for some air when the drug dealer who was robbed sees him and recognizes who he is. The dealer and his accomplices chase him and he is blocked on both sides and shot dead. At the same time, in the hospital, Dennis' mother dies with her son and daughter by her side. The movie ends with the bloodied father lying still in death, against a fence. | tragedy | train | wikipedia | Low Budget Urban Cinema Series..
Straight Out of Brooklyn (1991) was a great debut film for Matty Rich (who also co-stars as well).
This low budget movie is about the poverty and desperate situation that people live in around the Redhook housing district.
One person is a young man named Dennis, he's tired of seeing the effects of racism, drugs and poverty that plague his family and those around him.
He decides to make some money fast so he could improve his family's current condition.
His family is sadly affected as well.
Pop's is under the strong influence of alcohol and his mother is the victim of his violent out bursts.
The mother refuses to seek help or stand up to his physical and verbal abuse.
When he's not tying one on, Pop's is a great guy.
Can Dennis escape the depressing life of Redhook or will he become just another statistic?Matty Rich made a strong showing with his hard hitting debut but suffered from the dreaded sophomore jinx.
His next film The Inkwell wasn't bad but it couldn't stand up to his first.
Maybe he'll come back into the mix and make another movie that'll be as great as Straight Out of Brooklyn.
Don't give up Mr. Rich.Highly recommended..
Perfect debut.
Straight Out of Brookyln is a film similar to Boyz N The Hood, excpet it's set in New York.
The film about three friends is very moving and deep and it's shame it didn't get a wider release.
Matty Rich proved his talent with this film as a director, it's a shame that he didn't have the success he deserves..
Excellent movie worth seeing.
Being from NY originally, one often drives by the Red Hook section, this film doesn't skim the surface, everyone should see it.While it was a low budget film, the acting is first-rate.
George Odom is the father, I also thought the mother was realistically portrayed by Ann D.
Sanders...
as a woman who simply has no options, and is worried about her son and daughter.
When she tries to get help from the employment agency, we see the hypocrisy of the counselor, telling her to get help, when she clearly has no intention of offering help.Larry Gilliard Jr. is excellent as Dennis (he also had a recent role in "The Machinist", with Christian Bale, where he was quite good).
This movie is worth seeing because you feel for the characters, it is not just gratuitous violence, and deals with the mindset of the characters.Hopefully, Matty Rich will make more movies of this genre.
Highly recommended..
Powerful Performances, Realistic dialog, Looked Staged..
I have seen at least 450 films from the "Urban" genre, and I have to say I am always perplexed by this film.
If you are someone who is fussy about the aesthetics and the technical aspects of a film, you do not want to see this film.
However, if you are looking for a film with strong performances by black actors, or a film with a look at life in the projects, this is the film for you.
I think sometimes when we talk about project life we imagine a certain picture or image.
This film deals a lot more with the mindsets of people in the projects.
The most powerful performance is by George T.
Odom, whose monologues and multi-personalities combine for a great example of a struggling black man.
Larry Gillard Jr. is also in this film(the man who played D'Angelo Barksdale in HBO's The Wire) and he delivers a relatively impressive performance as a ordinary kid in the projects.
Overall this is an impressive film with no budget.
The one thing you need to be warned about is at times it is so low budget it will sometimes look as it was scenes from staged plays.
I also wish the supporting cast was made up of better actors.
I like this film, enough that i look at scenes from it once and a while when I myself am studying character archetypes..
Earnest, flawed, but respectable debut effort.
This film has many flaws, but many strengths as well.
Many luminaries in the film industry have openly criticized this film.
I feel much of this is unjustified, because a lot was done on a miniscule budget here.
There is also a great performance in George T.
Odom's portrayal of the fed up father who has been beaten down by racism.
Anyone who has grown up in a low income household can relate to that situation.
The ending is sad and real.
Also especially noteworthy is Harold Wheeler's excellent and despondent musical score..
Good debut for small budget film..
This film boasts credible performances by the cast, including some powerful moments.
The pacing is uneven at times, almost, but not convincingly, giving it a cinema verite feel.
The makeup for the battered wife is obvious to distraction.
It is certainly worth viewing, but one has to do so without comparing it to something a large studio would distribute.
I would love to see what Matty Rich might produce with a larger budget..
the voice of experience.
The memorable debut feature by Matty Rich begins by asking the question: what do you know about being black?
The answer is a familiar but powerful display of rage and desperation, set in the same, miserable Red Hook housing project where Rich himself grew up.
It's a simple, straightforward film, surprisingly polished given the inexperience behind the camera (the entire cast and crew were hired through newspaper want ads), and remarkable because writer/director/producer Rich was only 19 years old when the film was released.
His basic plot, about an angry teenager's reckless plan to escape the cycle of poverty by robbing a local drug lord, is direct and unambiguous, and the outline hasn't been embellished by any visual style.
But the understated script and a talented cast transform what could have been a hopeless melodrama into a gripping, heartfelt tragedy (but not entirely grim: a measure of humor is provided by some inspired comic banter).Postcript: at the time I thought the film might have trouble surviving the rush of 1991 summer blockbusters, but Matty Rich was a name to remember: he already showed more confidence and depth of feeling than many veteran directors.
Sadly, that potential was never fulfilled: Rich would direct only one more feature before disappearing into undeserved obscurity..
A decent urban tale of desperation and sorrow..
When I was little I remember seeing this movie on tape that my older brother once had and I enjoyed for what it was entirely but having just saw it I felt it that Matty Rich's first movie was a fairly decent movie, not as good as "BoyZ In The Hood" or "Menace To Society" directed by more talented people who know their material inside and out.
The acting is decent but to me it got really emotional near the end of the movie.
Overall, this film is not hard-hitting per Se, but it shows that desperation can sometimes lead to "success" however a dark cloud hangs over the victims that comes along with it.
Not Matty Rich's best work, but it's a solid film for what it is so there's no crime in not seeing it at least once..
Getting out of Red Hook.
Consider the plight of Dennis Brown.
He is living in the projects at Red Hook, Brooklyn, at the time when violence, drugs and despair was rampant among the poor, mostly black residents of that crime infected area.
Dennis shows he is a young man of a certain intelligence, who is going nowhere because instead of thinking about getting an education and beating the poverty, he has decided to solve his problems in a different fashion, he will rob the drug lord that has business in the same housing complex.Dennis' father Ray, is a man that feels beaten by the system.
He is also a man who has defeated himself and his family by drinking heavily.
Alcoholism is making him take all his frustrations against his loving wife, Frankie.
He beats her every time he is too drunk to think clearly, as he rants and raves.
Dennis, and his sister Carolyn, are helpless in defending their mother, who, like all victims, will not do anything to help herself and stays by her man.Dennis' life has a positive side in the love he shares with Shirley, the young waitress.
Shirley understands she wants no part of what Dennis tells her he is about to do, but she is helpless in trying to stop him from ruining his life and that of his family's.
Everything conspires against Dennis in the end."Straight Out of Brooklyn", directed by Matty Rich, who also has a key part in it, shows a talented man who tells it like he saw it.
The film has some awkward moments, but in general Mr. Rich achieved a great coup by casting an ensemble team to give life to his characters.
Best of all, the amazing Larry Gilliard Jr., who as Dennis shows a range of emotions others, more accomplished actors, would have problems portraying.
George T.
Odon, Ann Sanders, Barbara Sanon, play the other members of the Brown family with assurance.
Reana Drummond is another surprise who gives life to Shirley and makes us like her.The film is a vivid account of what life is like for people caught in a desperate situations caused by the environment and the lack of opportunities and the way they were dealt a bad hand by fate..
Powerful message no matter any budget this film has..
Straight Out of Brooklyn is a drama that emphasizes the feelings and emotions of many children, teens, and young adults in this world who go through some the similar situations the main character goes though in having to live in broken homes of constant alcohol abuse & domestic violence witnessed from those responsible of taking care of them.
The ending message gives all who watches this film an important lesson that the viewer itself is the most powerful force who can choose make a positive solution to break the tradition (or cycle) of abuse handed down, from generation to another.
I definitely recommend this film to anyone who wants to take action by helping those who are victims of abuse & admitted abusers themselves who want to change themselves before it is too late.
Therefore, my rating is an absolute 10. |
tt0093119 | Grizzly II: The Concert | A spacecraft flies near Earth and releases a bright object which enters the atmosphere. In the Val Verde jungle, Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer and his team — medic Mac Elliot, tracker Billy Sole, gunner Blaine Cooper, explosives expert Jorge "Poncho" Ramírez, and radio operator Rick Hawkins —are tasked by the CIA with rescuing an official held hostage by insurgents. CIA agent, liaison and former US Army Colonel George Dillon, a former commando and an old friend of Dutch, is assigned to supervise the team despite Dutch's reservations.
The team discovers the wreckage of a chopper and three skinned corpses, whom Dutch identifies as members of a U.S. Army Special Forces unit he knew personally. They reach the insurgent camp and kill the soldiers, including a Soviet intelligence officer searching through secret CIA documents. Confronted by Dutch, Dillon admits the mission was a setup to retrieve intelligence from captured operatives and that the dead unit disappeared weeks earlier in a failed rescue. After capturing a guerilla named Anna, the group proceeds to extraction, unaware that they are being tracked with thermal imaging by an unseen observer.
Anna escapes and is chased by Hawkins, but they are ambushed by the creature. It spares Anna but kills Hawkins and drags his body away. Dutch organizes a manhunt, during which Blaine is killed by the creature's plasma weapon. An enraged Mac initiates a firefight which wounds the creature, revealing luminescent green blood, but fails to draw it out. The unit regroups and questions Anna, learning that their stalker is a creature locals call "el demonio que hace trofeos de los hombres" ("the demon who makes trophies of men").
That night, Mac mistakes a wild pig for the creature and kills it. In the confusion, the creature steals Blaine's body, leading Dutch to realize their enemy uses the trees to travel. The next day, an attempt to trap the creature fails, leaving Poncho injured. Mac and Dillon pursue the alien, but it outwits and kills them both. It catches up with the others, killing Billy and Poncho and wounding Dutch.
Realizing the creature does not target unarmed prey because there is "no sport", Dutch sends Anna to the helicopter unarmed. The creature pursues him through a river, causing its cloaking device to malfunction. Though the creature is only a few feet from Dutch, he does not see him and moves on. Dutch realizes that mud covering his body is masking his heat signature from the creature's thermal sensor.
While the creature removes the spinal columns from the bodies, Dutch crafts traps and weapons and lures the creature with a war cry. He disables its cloaking device and inflicts minor injuries, but is cornered. Acknowledging Dutch as a worthy foe, the creature discards its mask and weapon and engages him in hand-to-hand combat. Dutch is almost beaten but crushes the creature under a trap's counterweight. As the creature lies dying, Dutch asks "What the hell are you?", but it simply repeats the question in garbled English before activating a self-destruct device, echoing Billy's laughter as the countdown begins. Dutch takes cover just before the self-destruct device explodes in a mushroom cloud. He is picked up by his commander, General Phillips, and Anna in the helicopter. | violence | train | wikipedia | I read comments that there were problems with the animatronic 14" bear".
The 14 foot version was a puppet that was only intended to be used on the full sized stage and all those shots were completed before leaving Hungary.
The half size animatronic version was complete and working prior to leaving Hungary too and we shot tests of it at that time.
I had an agreement with Joe Proctor to direct the half size effects unit and all elements ( other than the man in a suit version which was almost complete) were finished and ready to shoot in coordination with the storyboard that I also supervised with artist Tony Beasley.
The money dried up and the crew's PERSONAL equipment was seized by the Government who told us they were held against non payment of production bills.
This is often right up there on the list with 'Troll 2' and 'The Room' as one of the so bad it's funny movies.We'll considering the budget and the fact that it was never finished, 'Grizzly 2' came out remarkably well.How Oscar winner Louise Fletcher got on board for this project I have no idea.
Perhaps she was told in the climax she would get to wrestle the grizzly and kill it with her bare hands?
She certainly would have won.First and foremost this is a bearsploitation film.
So few good bearsploitation films exist that the premise actually interested me.The plot: A crew of roadies set up for a Woodstock sized concert in...
the woods of a national park (actually filmed in Hungary).
Greedy industrialist Louise Fletcher diverts all the park rangers to providing security for the concert.
She's invited the governor to exploit her political aspirations.The film opens with a worm shot of Fletcher doing her cxxx from hell walking entrance set to Michael Jackson's 'Beat It!' Not kidding!
This is one of the greatest opening sequences in film history!The characters are all stereotypical.
The concert crew consists of a jive talking wise black man giving advice to a younger man whom falls for the sheriff's (park ranger's) beautiful nature loving daughter.The oddest part about the opening 20 minutes is how only Michael Jackson music blares.
The roadies don't listen to anything else until the concert starts.For a national park there's an awful lot of poaching going on and a mama bear must avenge the death of her cub.
We hear the poachers tell each other the bear is "20 feet standing." Come on!
Even cave bears never got that big.
But we'll have to take their word since the bear is never actually shown.
Not kidding, we never even see the bear!
All we get is the POV shot of something growling in the woods.
Similar to 'Jaws' the bear was supposed to make its first climactic appearance at the concert but the animatronics bear never worked.
One of the reasons this film was never finished.Our next three victims are young fornicators played by Charlie Sheen, George Clooney, and Laura Dern.
Perhaps Sheen was still hiding out in the woods from the Soviet invasion?
The three are eaten and the attack starts a forest blaze from their campfire.
"Smokey says only he can start forest fires." Sheen's final words are, "I read somewhere that, 'bears are the impossibility of reason.'" OK, I am kidding about that part.As with all horror films, the sheriff (head park ranger) wants to patrol the woods for the killer bear.
But evil Louise Fletcher refuses to let a single ranger leave concert security.
Hence, a legendary French Canadian trapper is called in, literally at a minute's notice to hunt the grizzly.
He's played by John Reese Davies of 'Indiana Jones' and 'Sliders.' Meanwhile, evil poachers plot to kill the grizzly.Far worse than seeing a camera man pretending to be a giant bear is the actual concert.
It's live acts will horrify even the most die hard 80s new wave music fan like myself.Since the climax was never actually finished, we're left to piece together what would have happened based on raw footage.
It's so raw we can even hear the director giving stage directions.
No music or sound FX and multiple takes of the same action.Apparently the bear arrives at the concert and starts a fire on stage.
It successfully fights off attacks from a forklift and John Reese Davies with a bowie knife.
Don't any of the park rangers have a rifle?
Remember, they're ALL there at the concert!
Davies is actually killed two different ways and as I said before, the bear never actually appears on camera except for a shot showing a bear head sticking out of a pile of wrecked scaffolding.
We can only presume it was killed by the stage collapsing.There is audio for the closing shot of the governor witnessing the carnage from a distance and asking Louise Fletcher, "Is this part of the show?" "Yes, yes it is." she answers.
The deaths of dozens of innocent people are funny.This makes a great film to play a drinking game around or riff with friends.
But the worst elements are the simple fact it was never finished and had a low budget to begin with.All the elements existed for a great bearsploitation film.
If only we'd seen the actual bear, and more importantly seen the bear killing people!.
Grizzly II (1987)Ahh, don't you just love lost movies?
This sequel to William Girdler's 1976 cult favorite GRIZZLY was a Hungarian production that started filming in 1983 but for some reason it was never fully completed.
Rumor has it that something illegal was done during the production and local authorities pretty much shut the film down.
For nearly two-decades this film was surrounding in quite a myth as many believed it was never actually filmed while others thought they simply ran out of money and couldn't complete it.
Then around 2005 or so, a workprint turned up and thankfully the majority of the film was complete.
Being a killer grizzly film I guess it's fitting that the only thing actually missing are the bear attacks.
Apparently the producers were going to film everything involving the bear in the final weeks of production so this never happened.
The rest of the movie is pretty much complete but whenever something with a bear is about to happen the footage is simply missing.
You still see the people attacked but there's just no actual footage of the bear doing it.
With that said, if GRIZZLY II were to be released, completed or not, it would become an instant cult classic.
Hell, it already is even with the missing footage.
Let see what all this film has to offer:* Academy Award winner Louise Fletcher.
* Deborah Raffin from DEATH WISH 3.
* John Rhys-Davies from the Indiana Jones series.
* A soundtrack that illegally uses countless Michael Jackson songs.* GRIZZLY star Christopher George was signed to play the lead but died of a heart attack shortly before production.Wait there's one more big thing.......* George Clooney, Charlie Sheen and Laura Dern in the same scene together.GRIZZLY II has a, what else, grizzly eating people just as a State Park is about to hold a major concert.
The owner (Fletcher) refuses to alert the media about the bear fearing it won't sell tickets so she demands the lid be put on it.
Soon enough a group of rednecks (led by Cyphers) are trying to track down the bear while innocent campers (Clooney, Sheen, Dern) are eaten alive.
Unfinished or not, GRIZZLY II is a must see for fans of bad cinema or just those who enjoy the "nature attacks" genre.
There's so much wackiness in this movie that it really does seem as if you're watching about twenty-different campy movies rolled into one.
You can start with the god-awful "concert" footage, which actually takes up a very big portion of the running time.
The music is so awful that you can't help but have a good time with it and even though you'll want to cover your ears you just can't simply because of how funny it is.
The men dancing around in tight shorts isn't any better and the silly redneck hunters are just downright crazy.
There's one hilarious scene where one of the hunter's loses his brother to the bear and the only thing his buddies can do is tell him to just forget about it so they can go make money.
Dern does a striptease for Clooney who is in a sleeping bad.
The scene has them both cuddling in the bag when they're attacked by the bear.
Just watch how Clooney appears more interesting in touching Dern than actually fighting the bear.
This is followed up by Sheen getting attacked and just wait until you hear that scream of his, which has to be one of the worst in film history.
There are so many campy moments in this film that you really can't help but just sit back and enjoy them.
It's really too bad that the film was never completed but looking at the movie it probably wouldn't take too much money or time to fill in the missing pieces.
The attack sequences really wouldn't take that long to film and when you see how many known stars are in the movie you can't help but think they'd have a terrific selling point.
GRIZZLY II, so far, remains unreleased and it's a real shame because camp fans would have another classic to add to their library..
Is there a way to view this film today?.
He has a poster for the concert that featured Nazareth (the rock band) that was part of the film.
I know he also has hidden somewhere still pictures of the filming and events surrounding the making of the movie.
He came back home early from Hungary because of events described in other notes and incredibly disappointed that the investor he represented lost a great deal of money that was never recovered because of certain folks taking advantage of the investors involved.
My dad still talks about how he thought it was a great script and a high quality movie with a quality cast.
Two big mistakes: producer didn't take care of the investments of others and they didn't use a real bear for some of the scenes opting for a mechanical puppet that didn't operate the way they hoped.
I don't know much about this, but I assume that many creative types are not good business people and many can't manage a budget wisely.
It would be interesting to see the attention it would receive with a cast that includes George Cluny, Charlie Sheen, and Laura Dern from the beginnings of their careers..
Bloodless Grizzly II finally found!.
Few hours ago I noticed fresh information about "Grizzly II":this long lost unreleased sequel to the 1976 William Girdler animal attack classic has been found."Grizzly 2:The Predator" was shot in Hungary in 1983.It stars Deborah Foreman and Louise Fletcher with small cameos by future acting stars Laura Dern,George Clooney and Charlie Sheen.The bear footage was never actually completed.The film is surprisingly enjoyable with many ultra-cheesy new wave music performances.The scenes of murders are bloodless and mostly off-screen,so if you are looking for gore you will be sorely disappointed.Still it's nice to know that "Grizzly II:The Predator" was finally awaken from the forgotten tomb of obscurity.6 killer bears out of 10..
Was the first "Grizzly" not enough?.
I do not understand how anyone could have thought that doing a sequel to "Grizzly" might be a good idea, the first movie was awful already (it was just a blatant copy of "Jaws", but with a bear and in the woods).
But this movie beats the first, the story was horrible, the actors were bad, the special effects were horrible, there was not enough suspense for a horror movie and the bear almost barely shows up.
It's not that bad, really!.
Now, maybe i'm a bit biased because of my searing loathing of the disappointment that is known as Grizzly (i call it a waste of time) but I liked this movie.
The bear is over-kill in height, better than the crap one from Grizzly, and is actually kinda scary to think about.
The giant robot is a nice effect too, not looking that bad.
Maybe it worked better because it rips off Claws, one of the few good killer bear films of the 70's.
The original songs are okay and fit nicely.
Grizzly disappointed.
What a waste of movie!!.
I manage to see this movie via an unknown source..
I have to admit it was one of the most boring movie I had to sit through and watch..
I didn't see the credits in the beginning due to the fact, there was some personal problems in relations to the film.
What also bored me to death was the concert scenes..
If this is a monster movie, why add the concert stuff?
Another thing is I didn't see was the bear itself.
I guess whoever seen it also knows what's happened.At the end of the day..
Yes, the first Grizzly movie was awesome.
Having first heard whispers about GRIZZLY 2: THE CONCERT, and only that it "starred" Laura Dern, Charlie Sheen, and George Clooney, I was interested to see these actors together in their earliest roles.
Tracking down a version of this lost "film", made from the fragments available, I watched eagerly.
The aforementioned actors had near-microscopic parts, in which they play monsterbear fodder.
There are other victims roaming through the woods, awaiting their collective doom as well, including a group of wonderfully vicious poachers!
Aside from these distractions, the bulk of G2:TC consists of the title event being performed in the same park terrorized by the ferocious fur ball.
Said "concert", overseen by a particularly cranky Louise Fletcher, is certainly a spectacle!
Combining the most synthetic elements of -that era's- MTV and DANCE FEVER, this is more like an overlong, 80's exercise video.
The lethargic singers / dancers appear lost on stage, wondering where Deney Terrio might have gone.
Meanwhile, wild-eyed hunter / gatherer, John Rhys-Davies lumbers about, looking for the titular creature.
It all ends in an explosive non-finale of madness and spandex.
Alas, this movie is sooo ethereally godawful, that it will probably never be finished.
The Long Lost NOW FOUND Sequel.
Briefly, the film's co-producer was unable to clear the Grizzly title because of a bankruptcy court involving the original Grizzly picture.
Superstar Charlie Sheen's first picture, it also starred Laura Dern, Louise Fletcher, John Rhys-Davies, Deborah Foreman and Deborah Raffin.
When problems arose with the animatronic 18 foot bear, Academy Award director John Avildsen advised me to shoot the bear footage with a large man wearing a bear suit.
We went back to Budapest, Hungary, where the forest stood in for Yellowstone National Park and re-shot bear footage.
Menahem Golan whose Cannon Films bought the picture went into bankruptcy after making a deal on the picture.
I have videotapes of the original footage in our garage on Long Island and the screenplay that I co-wrote.
My producer wife, Florina Massbaum, and I currently reside on the West Coast where we have several pictures in the works, including Racer Rocket Rebel which Haley Joel Osment read and will star in once we complete the financing.
The re-shot footage includes the bear's attack on the outdoor concert.
Amazingly, the Hungarian director who lived in Paris fell apart over personal reasons and I had to take over directing and editing.
To this day, I am convinced we should have had the actor (Charlie Sheen) come back alive in the picture and hunt down the bear.
In fact, we are currently planning a picture for Mr. Sheen and his stunning wife, Denise Richards.
The superstar, George Clooney, makes a great role in the picture, another reason to get this picture out!.
If you never saw this, it was most likely because it was never officially released, until the various scraps of film were assembled and released to an unsuspecting internet in 2007.
The movie was never completed due to running out of money or unpaid bills or some such jibber-jabber.
It seems as though most of the movie was already done...except any bear scenes, such as the bear killing anyone at all.
The only thing going for it is simple curiousity.This movie is stocked with famous faces, which is rare for an unfinished and unreleased sequel to a killer bear movie.
Louise Fletcher, an actual Oscar winner, who was born to play evil bitches, plays another one here.
Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern and George Clooney (another actual Oscar winner) all appear in scenes together as a trio of doomed campers.
Other famous faces include John Rhys-Davies as a "French Canadian Indian" a.k.a.
"The Quint Role." Deborah Foreman (Valley Girl) appears sporadically too.Did I mention the soundtrack is loaded, I mean LOADED with Michael Jackson songs from the Thriller album, which are played constantly at any of the concert scenes?
I believe this to be the real reason why the money was never finished, can you imagine how expensive it would be to pay for the rights to those songs now?It plays almost like a regular killer bear movie, minus the killer bear scenes, until near the end, which is where the unfinished portion of our program kicks in.
The grand finale is a series of quick cuts and unfinished scenes pieced together in the order they would appear in a finished version, but sometimes there is no sound or you can hear someone yelling "CUT!" This tends to take away from the enjoyment of the movie, but it is unfinished and that's pretty obvious when you get to this point.
If you're looking to complete the series, like I was, go for it.
If you're curious and interested in oddball movies in film history, I say go for it too.
If you're looking for a good movie, with things like sound and coherence, maybe stay away! |
tt0033727 | Mr. Bug Goes to Town | Hoppity the Grasshopper, after a period spent away, returns to an American city (Manhattan, New York). He finds that all is not as he left it, and his insect friends (who live in the "Lowlands" just outside of the garden of a cute bungalow belonging to down-on-his-luck songwriter Dick Dickens and his wife Mary) are now under threat from the "human ones," who are trampling through the broken-down fence, using it as a shortcut.
Insect houses are being flattened and burned by cast away cigar butts. Old Mr Bumble and his beautiful daughter Honey (Hoppity's sweetheart) are in grave danger of losing their Honey Shop to this threat. To compound their problems, devious insect "property magnate" C. Bagley Beetle has romantic designs on Honey Bee himself, and, with the help of his henchmen Swat the Fly and Smack the Mosquito, Honey is tricked into marrying the Beetle for the good of the insect community.
Hoppity discovers that the Songwriter and his wife are waiting for a "check thing" from the Famous Music publishing company for the songwriter's composition, "We're the Couple in the Castle." But C. Bagley Beetle and his henchmen "steal" the check. Hoppity threatens to expose C. Bagley Beetle's nefarious scheme, but Beetle and his henchmen seal Hoppity inside the envelope and hide it in a crack in a wall.
As the wedding is going on Smack and Swat discover that a construction company is going to be erecting a skyscraper on the property of the former home of the Songwriter (now foreclosed by the property owners because of the "lost" check), and therefore also on C. Bagley Beetle's property where the Lowlanders moved in thanks to Beetle's "generosity."
As Swat and Smack try unsuccessfully to get Beetle out of danger at the wedding, a weight from a surveyor's level rips through the chapel causes the bugs to flee in terror back to the Lowlands (not realizing the whole parcel is endangered by the construction crew).
During the chaos C. Bagley Beetle and his henchmen try to kidnap Honey. Meanwhile, Hoppity escapes when the construction crew demolishes the wall, freeing the envelope. Hoppity comes to Honey's rescue, battles Beetle and his henchmen, and wins.
Hoppity tells the citizens all about C. Bagley Beetle's finding the check and hiding it, but Hoppity's story doesn't actually change anything; they are still in danger and are angry at Hoppity. He leaves, dejectedly, but then overhears the Songwriter and his wife (watching the demolition of their old property wistfully) talking about wishing that the publishers had bought his song and reflecting on their now-dashed dreams and how they would have built a penthouse on top of the new skyscraper.
Hoppity drags the letter containing the check to give it to the Songwriter, but pauses with the envelope under a mailbox.Someone picks up the letter and Hoppity realizes, to his relief, that it is the mailman who is collecting the mail from the box.
While the building is being built, the check finally arrives in the hands of the Songwriter and "We're the Couple in the Castle" becomes a massive hit. Meanwhile, Hoppity leads an exodus from the Lowlands to the top of the skyscraper, where he is sure the Songwriter has built a home and invited the bugs to live there. They get to the top, which at first appears to be barren. The bugs are angry, and Hoppity is mocked by Mr Creeper until Buzz, Ambrose, and little Murgatroyd look a little farther over a wall and call the others over to see the new penthouse and its "Garden of Paradise" that Hoppity had been describing. Honey and the rest of the Lowlanders live there happily ever after in their new home. And as Ambrose looks over the edge, he remarks, "Look at all the human ones down there. They look just like a lot of little bugs!" | cult, mystery | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0086489 | Twice Upon a Time | In the eternally busy city of Din, the black-and-white Rushers constantly go about their business in a fast-paced way and stop only to sleep, due to their Cosmic Clock being wound too tightly. Din lies between two worlds that create dreams to deliver to the sleeping Rushers – one is the bright and cheerful Frivoli, where Greensleeves and his Figmen of Imagination bring sweet dreams; and the other is the Murkworks, a dark and dingy factory home to vultures who drop nightmare bombs. The evil Synonamess Botch, maniacal ruler of the Murkworks, wants to foil Greenie's efforts and subject the Rushers to non-stop waking nightmares. He uses his vultures to kidnap the Figs and Greensleeves, but not before Greensleeves writes an S.O.S. to Frivoli.
Meanwhile, two misfits – known as Ralph, the All-Purpose Animal (named so for his somewhat unreliable shapeshifting abilities), and Mumford, a Chaplinesque mime – are put on trial for their incompetence at work. They are determined to prove themselves when they meet Flora Fauna, Greensleeves's niece, who found her uncle's S.O.S. and wants to rescue him. Botch spies on the three through Ibor, his robot gorilla, and uses Ralph and Mum's desire to be heroes to his advantage. Botch deceives the three, claiming to be a friend of Greenie and telling them that Greensleeves can be saved if they go into Din and take the main spring from the Cosmic Clock. Flora stays behind to act the part of the damsel in distress for Botch's nightmares.
Mumford and Ralph release the spring which causes time to freeze. They chase the spring throughout Din, but Botch's vultures steal the spring and begin planting nightmare bombs. A Fairy Godmother (FGM) twinkles in to tell Mum and Ralph that they have been tricked and gives them three dimes to make a phone booth appear in case they need her help. FGM also recruits the help of the dim-witted but musclebound Rod Rescueman to aid them. Rod is more interested in rescuing Fauna, however, and abandons the boys to find her.
Ralph and Mum find nightmare bombs scattered in an office, ready to be set off by Botch once time starts again. Mumford accidentally detonates a bomb and the two are trapped in a nightmare in which they are nearly killed by office supplies. When they are finally freed from the nightmare, the Fairy Godmother transports them back to Frivoli, suggests that they give up after all the mistakes they've made, and fires them from the hero business. This further strengthens Ralph and Mum's resolve to do right. Meanwhile, Rod "rescues" Flora from the Murkworks and attempts to get a kiss from her. She tries to escape from his floating apartment in the sky and falls, landing on a mechanical serpent that attempts to stop Ralph and Mum from reaching the Murkworks. The trio and Rod storm their way in with the help of Scuzzbopper, Botch's former nightmare screenwriter, who decides to aid them after Botch destroyed his recently completed novel.
Rod and Flora rescue Greenie and the Figs but have to contend with Ibor. Rod tries to save Flora again but fails, and Flora destroys the robot herself. At the same time, Botch has his head vulture Rudy fly the spring back to Din as the final phase of his plan. When Ralph, Mum, and Scuzzbopper enter Botch's office, he has his pet rat attack them but Scuzzbopper tricks it into chasing a bowling ball out a window. Botch retreats to a control room housing his master nightmare bomb button, "The Big Red One", with Ralph and Mum chasing after him. Ralph finally manages to control his shapeshifting to get through Botch's arsenal of booby traps and flies into the control room, while Mumford struggles through the traps and into the barrel of Botch's cannon. Ralph, in the form of a fly, tricks Botch into pressing The Big Red One, detonating every bomb before Rudy could put the spring back in the Cosmic Clock. An enraged Botch is about to kill Ralph for ruining his plans when one last nightmare bomb appears, about to blow. Terrified of being subjected to his own nightmare, Botch is knocked out the window. The bomb turns out to be Mumford, who had stretched his hat over himself and used a cigarette to simulate nightmare smoke. Ralph and Mumford consider themselves heroes, while Botch is saved and carried away by his vultures (who may harbor ill-will toward Botch for his insults and cruel demands).
Scuzzbopper, Flora, and Rod assume command of the Murkworks, with Flora giving a parting kiss to Ralph and Mumford for helping to save Greenie. As the two heroes leave, the Fairy Godmother congratulates them and allows them to keep their last dime as a symbol of good luck. The spring returns to the Cosmic Clock of its own will, and restarts the flow of time, but at a pace where the Rushers can enjoy their lives. | psychedelic, sci-fi | train | wikipedia | OK - as far as the 2 versions of this movie.
There were 2 people involved in the making - John Korty and Bill Couterie (George was just the producer - he really didn't have any kind of say so in the film - just helped with money) - the 'Adult' version was made possible by Bill Couterie.
John Korty didn't like or approve this version (as it was done behind his back).
Thanks to Ladd films going under, they didn't advertise this movie and threw all their advertising cash for "The Right Stuff", hoping it would pull them through;...
SO, this movie never really had a chance.
When "Twice" made it to cable (HBO) - they showed the reels with Bill's version and John threatened to sue if it was shown anymore (did you notice how the 'adult' version wasn't on for very long?).
Showtime got the 'clean' version.
The version on the videotape and laser-disc is the version approved by John (who holds more power than Bill).
It's a pity, really, as the 'adult' version is actually better and DOES make more sense.
But it's VERY doubtful that it will ever be released in that version onto DVD (or any other format short of bootleg).
I know all this info as I used to be the president of the Twice Upon A Time Fan Club (still have numerous items from the movie - used to own a letter-boxed version of the 'adult' version, but it was stolen - only have a partial HBO copy of it now).
8 stars to the 'adult' version - 5 to the 'clean' version.
I have grown up with this movie.
I was a pre-teen when I first saw it, and I've watched it every year or so since then, and I get something different out of it each time.
One of this film's strengths (and maybe one reason why it wasn't a success) is that it targets a huge cross-section of people...there is some relatively vulgar humour (I have never heard the G dialogue so I don't know how much of the humour that removed...hopefully Botch still eats the insect in his navel!), references to parts of our culture, social commentary (the Rushers of Din would LIKE to be friendly, but their just isn't any TIME), a heroic and exciting story, some disturbing nightmarish imagery, some cute stuff for the kids, lots of self-aware humour, and -- in my opinion the biggest asset -- it's damn weird.
Especially the dialogue.
The voice actors are phenomenal, and they occasionally mutter their lines, which adds to the strangeness of the whole project.
It's great, years later, to finally decipher one of those lines!Technically, it's amazing.
The work that went into this film...I always find myself fascinated by Botch's mouth -- his rapidly moving mouth is a series of mouth photographs brilliantly matched and synced with his dialogue -- and everything just looks GOOD.
And unique, in that curious tissue-paper animation style.This is the only film I can think of that I can show to anybody, at any age.
Little kids have heard worse language than what comes out of Botch's (brilliant) mouth, and so has my grandmother.The only downside, maybe, are the dated pop songs.
That said, the orchestral score is catchy, crazy, and beautiful at times, so it's not all bad.In fact, it's all very, very good, overall..
An unheralded great animation from 1983..
One of the most unheralded great works of animation.
Though it makes the most sophisticated use of the "cut-out" method of animation (a la "South Park"), the real talent behind "Twice Upon a Time" are the vocal characterizations, with Lorenzo Music's (Carlton from TV's "Rhoda") Woody Allen-ish Ralph-the-all-purpose-Animal being the centerpiece.
The "accidental nightmare" sequence is doubtless one of the best pieces of animation ever filmed..
Best live action animation film ever and hilarious!.
Very little known about this gem, is the fact that It was a Lucasfilm production (yes, George Lucas) as he was perfecting his craft in this type of film (mixing animation and live action).Not to mention, the plot and screenwriting in this film are excellent and the voice casting could not have been better.
This is a stand alone funny film that will give you cramps from laughing so hard.I worked in a Video store for 5 years and recommended this to 100's of people and was always thanked on the return..
I kind of liked this animated film, at least the first time.
On the second viewing, this George Lucas-produced movie was too slow for me.
Why I found that, I can't remember (it's been awhile) but on my first look I remember the uniqueness of this movie.It is different from the rest simply because it gives you a combination of animation and black- and-white stills.
You just don't know what crazy thing you are going to see next.
There are so many unexplainable scenes that it's one of these films is better seen than explained!
I traded the VHS, along with others, for DVDs when they first came out.
Now, I wish I could see this again......on DVD..
Almost forgotten, and that's too bad.
This is the kind of picture John Lassiter would be making today, if it weren't for advances in CGI.
And that's just to say that he'd be forgotten, too, if technology hadn't made things sexy and kewl since 1983.
_Twice..._ has got the same wit, imagination, and sense of real excitement that you'd find in a Pixar flick, only executed under the restrictions of the medium c.
Innovative animation techniques combine with a great script and excellent voicing to produce a movie that appeals on lots of levels.
The "other" version....
Altogether one of the finest (and funniest) animated films ever to come out of Hollywood, Twice Upon A Time is a lovingly crafted valentine to dreamers of all kinds!
Extremely witty writing makes it as enjoyable for grown-ups as it is for children.
Especially effective is Marshall Efron's performance as the evil villain of the picture, Synonamess Botch!
My only negative comment about the video is that they have edited his dialogue in order to change and/or eliminate many of his funniest (and rudest) comments.
While this was certainly necessary so that children could watch it, I wish they could have released (or will release) an un-edited version.
Luckily I taped the original when it aired on cable many years ago, so I still have it to watch, and it never fails to induce serious amounts of laughter when I do.
Still, I cannot recommend the edited version highly enough!This film deserves so much more recognition than it has gotten!.
"...It was a time of desperate need for heroes.
Any kind of heroes.".
Ralph and Mumford, misfits in their own land, get duped into being unwitting pawns of Synanomess Botch.
Twice Upon a Time is the story of them, the characters they meet, and their struggle to set things right.
With a surprisingly impressive soundtrack and wonderful voice acting by some of the best in the business, this offbeat movie hits the mark.The animation process, while similar to that of the cut out "South Park" style, is much smoother and far more three-dimensional.
If I didn't know that the animation was this style, I would swear that is was traditional pen and ink.
If you can watch this film in Dolby Surround or THX, PLEASE DO!
One of the most unique animated movies I've seen, and very underrated.
Animation I shall always have a soft-spot for, and while Twice Upon a Time is not one of the best animated movies I've seen, it is still great especially for how unique it is.
The animation has a style that I have never seen before in an animated film but it is an interesting one.
It is colourful and the character features especially Botch's mouth are just as impressive.
The nightmarish scenes are incredibly haunting, the accidental nightmare sequence is a definite standout, in fact of any animated film I've seen recently it was this scene that really stood out as uniquely fascinating and hugely impactful.
The incidental score is one of Twice Upon a Time's greatest assets, very beautiful and addicting, there are some crazy aspects as well that fit very well.
The script is witty and funny, the humour is quite racy for the time but very effective still, while the story is exciting, the characters are interesting the voice acting from particularly Lorenzo Music and Marshall Efron is top-notch.
All in all, unique and great animated movie, sadly also it is underrated.
9/10 Bethany Cox. A lost classic animated movie..
I first saw this on the Disney Channel back several years ago.
And just fell in love with this movie.Twice Upon a Time takes place in 3 different worlds.
Frivoli the home of Sweet Dreams, Murkworks the production of nightmares, and Rushers of Din(mainly the real world we live in).
We're called Rushers because we don't have time to remind us what we need to do and what we need to get.
While the dream worlds have all the time they need.
They explain so in the movie.The 2 dream lands compete over the Rushers' slumber during nighttime.
Greensleeves, an eccentric old Leprechaun is in charge of delivering good dreams with the help of his little works Figs(Figmen of Imagination).
While Synonamess Botch the short-tempered and mischievous owner of Murkworks Nightmare Factory, sends out his vultures that drop Nightmare Bombs on the snoozing Rushers.
And they also capture and imprisoned the Figs at Murkworks.
Greensleeves sends an S.O.S. that Murkworks is holding his helpers.
But he was captured and held prisoner at Murkworks.Meanwhile in Frivoli, 2 would-be heroes: Ralph(the multi-changing animal)and Mum(a sound o fix talking prankster) try to fit in the society but were exiled to Garbage duty because they didn't include "La La's" during their working shift.
Flora Fauna(a flower actress) is worried about her Uncle, Greensleeves.
She accidentally got in with the other garbage and met Ralph and Mum. Flora received a letter from her uncle and now knows that he's in trouble.
Mum and Ralph find this to be the opportunity to become heroes.Meanwhile Botch has an idea in tricking them to stop "THE Cosmic Clock" and releasing the Magic Mainspring.
Which ultimately stopped time, and gives Botch the advantage to place Nightmare Bombs everywhere in Rin. And once the Magic Mainspring returns to the clock then Rin will become a city of nightmares.
It's up to Ralph and Mum to prove themselves as the heroes.Twice Upon a Time is a really great animated movie.
Very unappreciated too, due to the fact that it didn't receive any potential when it first came out in limited theater release.
The cool thing about is, the unique animation and special effects making it very fascinating to watch.
And features THE Lorenzo Music as the voice of Ralph.
It's also distributed by LucasFilms and produced by George Lucas himself.
I only seen the family version of this movie.
And it may be awhile for me to see the original version.
Mature or Family Safe, doesn't matter which one I've seen, it's still a wonderful movie.And a real shame that it's hard to find and rarely heard of now and days.
It deserves a decent DVD release.
The G rated version that I've seen is perfectly fine.
But trust me any kid will enjoy this movie..
TWICE UPON A TIME (John Korty and Charles Swenson, 1983) ***1/2.
Despite the patronage of George Lucas, this captivating and totally original fantasy in "Lumage" (a combination of animation through live action cut-outs) is about as far removed from the usual kiddie fare as anything made by Ralph Bakshi in his heyday.
Brilliantly conceived characters such as the shape-shifting dog Ralph (one of a duo of bumbling, rejected heroes), Synonamess Botch (the hilariously foul-mouthed villain) and Rod Rescueman (the pompous novice superhero) breathe life into a uniquely clever concept: Frivoli vs.
Murkwood or, the eternal fight between dreams and nightmares.
In this context, the MOR-infused songs on the soundtrack ought not to have worked but somehow they do.
It's a real pity, therefore, that I have had to watch this via a truly crappy-looking boot (culled from a TV screening) of the uncensored version there is also a milder variant that toned down the language for its VHS release since the film is otherwise unavailable on DVD.
Interestingly, both Henry Selick and David Fincher worked on this picture in subordinate capacities..
Still wising for a DVD of this "Classic" Feature!!!.
Man , I always forget how good this film is until someone says "Are you here to work or what"?
( Paraphraising the film) Love the story, my twin girls thikn it is "The Bomb"!!
(a ggod thing they tell me!) It is soo sad Warner Bros does not run with this on DVD with alot of the behind the scenes stuff.
Especially since they have NO other "Lucas" propertierws I am aware of in the Library at the studio in Burbank!You never know a good thing till it's gone do ya ol' WB????.
one of our favorite movies.
a modern melodrama that will have you cheering the heros, booing the villain, and laughing over & over again.
the clever animation combined with a twisted dialogue makes for wonderful family viewing.
my kids and i have watched it many times and it sparkles with every viewing.
unplug the phone, draw the curtains, pop some popcorn, and spend some time with ralph, rod and the rest of the folks in "twice upon a time"..
A lush fantasy world with quirky characters and annoying 80's music.
This epitomizes the 80's desire to rewrite fairy tales and make fun of how they work.
Personally I liked Greensleeves and the other harsher characters.
The uncut version is the one you want..
You'll probably never see it, but the uncut version is about 50% better than the one you can buy.
Put it another way: once you've seen it in its original form, the current version is only half as good.It's still wildly creative and sick, a total success on so many levels..
VERY cool movie!!.
quickly became one of my favorite movies of all time.
and george lucas being associated with it, it's odd that it was never even almost as popular as it should be!.
Hidden Gem. I first saw this classic on HBO after its short lived time as a theatrical release.
The version aired on HBO is much different in two respects to the current Warner Home Video VHS version.1) It's longer; has more footage to explain some salient story points.
2) Some of the jokes are little more risqué and daring, adding much needed R-rated humor to what's otherwise a mediocre comedy.The film has good amounts of intellectual comedy, which range from subtle puns to sight-gags to slapstick.
Most of the sight-gags are reserved for the black-&-white live action sequences, while the other jokes are kept mainly for the animated portions.I personally find this film very funny and enjoyable, but the humor isn't for everyone.
By that I mean it takes a certain kind of patience and willingness to churn the joke in your mind to really appreciate it.
So even though it's a comedy, and a fairly clean one, it's not for everyone.The funnier version is with the slightly racy humor.
Some of the opening lines by the antagonist help establish his character, and add some much needed zing and energy to a film that can be hard to interpret at times.
The "cleaner" version lacks this element, and suffers for it.The film itself is somewhat difficult to describe.
It's animated, but uses a unique technique called LUMAGE; where transparent and semi-transparent material is backlit and the characters and background are illuminated from behind, giving them a kind of glow.
This gives the film a semi-amateurish feel, but in a good way, because the animation is meant to be styleized, and actually enhances the larger joke that the film is trying to convey: A kind of fairy tale cum melodrama spoof, set in a fantasy world that creates our dreams and nightmares.Shot in San Francisco and the SF Bay Area en large it was fun to see and identify various places in the live action sequences (though this'll probably only appeal to folks who live in my area).The film only has one real drawback *WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILER*; in the early sequence of the film Ralph and Mumford (our heroes) are working in the dreamworks, filling rockets with dream dust or somesuch.
The idea here is that said rockets are fired off and sent to Uncle Greeny who distributes the dreams to the people of "the real world" (known as "DIN").
Me and my friends kind of understood what was happening in this sequence, but needed to see it several times before we were really able to discern what was happening.
*SPOILER OFF*Overall it's an enjoyable film, but the humor's tuned for those who like their jokes on the subtle and intellectual side.
Watch at your own risk ;-)RESTORATION SCREENED EVENING OF MAY 6th, 2008;After many years I saw the "adult" version of this film last night, and viewing it with adult eyes and frame of mind I must admit to having some small mixed feelings regarding the more racy dialogue.
It still adds zing to the film, and helps set a certain tone for that version, but, I can see where Korty objected to the PG language.
Still, given all the other references in the "clean" version of this film, I'm still puzzled as to what kind of film he ultimately trying to make.
Children's films don't have innuendo, blow-up dolls, nor nude models (however gorgeous :-)) flashing on the screen.
In that vein, I have to state that the film could go either way, but is, in a small way, well served with a few taboo words...
though they're really needed. |
tt0271263 | Eight Crazy Nights | In the small town of Dukesberry, New Hampshire, Davey Stone is a 33-year-old alcoholic troublemaker with a long criminal record, whose antics have long earned him the animosity of the town. Davey is arrested for refusing to pay his bill at Mr. Chang's Chinese restaurant and, while attempting to evade arrest ("Davey's Song"), destroying festive ice sculptures in the process. At Davey's trial, Whitey Duvall, a 70-year-old volunteer referee from Davey's former basketball league, intervenes and comes forward at his trial. The judge, at Whitey's suggestion, sentences Davey to community service as a referee-in-training for Whitey's Youth Basketball League. Under the terms of the community service, if Davey commits a crime before his sentence is completed, he will be sentenced to no less than ten years in prison.
The next day, Davey referees his first game, which ends in disaster. After Davey causes disruptions, Whitey suffers a grand mal seizure, and the game is abruptly brought to an end. Attempting to calm Davey down, Whitey takes him to the mall, where they meet Jennifer Friedman, Davey's childhood girlfriend, and her son Benjamin. Though Whitey reminds him that he lost his chance with her twenty years earlier, Davey still finds himself attracted to Jennifer.
As time progresses, Davey and Whitey's relationship becomes more strained, as Whitey's various attempts to encourage Davey are met with humiliation and assault - including but not limited to Davey knocking Whitey into an outhouse and then spraying him when he falls out with a hose, causing Whitey to be frozen in defecation. Upon arriving home ("Long Ago"), Davey finds his trailer being burned down by a man who lost a bet to him. Davey runs into the burning trailer to rescue a Hanukkah card from his late parents, then watches the trailer burn down. Whitey opens his home to Davey, who reluctantly accepts the invitation; also living in the house is Whitey's bald, diabetic fraternal twin sister Eleanore. The Duvall household has many complex rules (referred to by Whitey as technical fouls) ("Technical Foul"). Despite this, Davey seemingly overcomes them, and begins to turn his life around.
However, Davey's progress in reforming is stopped when Whitey recalls the events of what happened two decades ago: En route to one of Davey's basketball games, his parents were killed in a serious car accident when a truck skidded on black ice and crashed into their car, and Davey learned of their deaths when the police showed up at the end of his game to inform him. Devastated by the loss of his loving parents, Davey spent the next 20 years numbing his pain with alcohol and petty crime. Davey, uncomfortable with this reminder of his painful childhood, loses his temper and insults Whitey and Eleanor. As a result, Whitey revokes Davey's privilege to reside at his home, much to Davey's relief.
Davey spends the rest of the day drinking, and later that night breaks into the mall, which is closed. In a drunken stupor, he imagines the logos of various stores coming to life and confronting him about his inability to grieve for his parents, which they identify as the source of his alcoholism ("Intervention Song"). He finally opens his parents' Hanukkah card, which contains a message praising him for being a good son. Davey breaks down and cries, finally coming to terms with his loss. Just then, the police arrive to arrest him, but Davey escapes and boards a bus to New York City, just as the police are searching for him across. En route to the city, the bus is forced to stop when all eight tires are punctured by a single thumbtack in the road. Reminded of the Miracle of Hanukkah, Davey walks off the bus, intending to find Whitey and make amends with him.
Davey finds Whitey at the All-Star Banquet, an annual town celebration in which one member of the community is recognized for positive contributions to Dukesberry. Despite having vied for the award for over 35 years, Whitey is once again passed over. Heartbroken, he leaves, intending to move to Florida, where he can live out the rest of his life in anonymity. Risking arrest, Davey enters the hall and informs everyone of the selfless contributions that Whitey has made to Dukesberry over the course of his life. Ashamed, the townspeople acknowledge the error of their decision ("Bum Biddy"). Davey leads the people to Whitey, who has gone to the mall to "speak to it" alone. The townspeople thank Whitey for his service over the years and the Mayor officially grants him the Patch Award. All 32 (one had won three) previous recipients of the awards give theirs to Whitey. Davey and Jennifer reconcile, and Whitey goes into a seizure, which he calls "the happiest seizure of my life!". | humor, flashback | train | wikipedia | Boy, am I glad that I didn't watch Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights during the holiday season.
It's expected of Sandler to include scatological humor and slight-offensiveness in his films, sure, but it's unexpected of him to include such derogatory representations of his own culture and unnecessary rudeness in the time of the holidays.
He voices several characters in the film, one of them Davey, who he also resembles, a Jewish man in his mid-thirties, deeply loathing of the holidays and all the cheer they bring to people.
Whitey is a short, kind old man, who lives with his wife Eleanor (also voiced by Sandler), and whole-heartedly believes that Davey could do right if he put his mind to it.
A cheap, trite ordeal, at only seventy-six minutes, it's an obnoxious pictures that gives a new meaning to the word "humbug." It's a blatant ripoff of A Christmas Carol, and tries to justify its mean-spirited qualities as the formula for a "reformation," change-of-mind story that we've seen time and time again in better, more tolerable films.Voiced by: Adam Sandler, Jackie Titone, Austin Stout, and Rob Schneider.
I'm sure this film had potential to be a decent comedy (like some of Sandler's live action films), and a good, touching holiday adventure as well, but it didn't really turn out to be either of these things, unfortunately.Davey Stone lives in the town of Dukesberry, New England.
Adam Sandler provides the voice for Davey, who looks just like him, as well as the voices for Whitey and his sister, Eleanore.
Knowing that Jon Lovitz had a voice-over role in this film, I am reminded of Jay Sherman, his character in the short-lived cartoon series, "The Critic" (a good show, in my opinion), and the character's catchphrase, "It stinks." I really think that catchphrase, though simple, is a good one to use to describe this movie.
I had never even heard of it before but when I sat down to watch it I thought it was a pretty funny movie that did a good job of capturing the holiday spirit.
Clearly, this was one of the worst animated films to come out in years, and this badboy was up against the likes of `Balto 2' and `The Penguin and the Pebble.' Davey seemed to embody everything Sandler wanted to be: a drunk loser with great basketball skills and killer abs.
I wanted to watch this movie in the past because I am a big fan of Adam Sandler and I love all his movies and his gross-out humor.
But, I finally saw this movie and I really liked it.Adam Sandler plays 30-year-old Davey.
I like animated films and I usually laugh at Adam Sandler....but this was a very unlikeable movie and I am not surprised in the least that it bombed at the box office.
Many times Sandler goes too far with his bathroom humor but he really goes overboard here - and in an animated film, no less!It's about an obnoxious 20-something-year-old guy in a small town who slowly is turned into a nice person and sees the good in the Hanukkah/Christmas season.
I think you get the gist of what I think of this holiday travesty of an animated motion picture.I'm not an Adam Sandler fan by any means, though I will admit he's had some good films earlier in his career.
In "Eight Crazy Nights", Sandler plays a character named Davey, a public drunk who pretty much hates everybody and has constantly gotten himself into a lot of trouble, to the point where he has a criminal record longer than Santa's naughty list.
The animation is indeed well-done, as it was done by those who used to work at Warner Brothers' animation department on films made in the late '90s like "Cats Don't Dance" and "The Iron Giant", but all of the good animation that was used in those movies has all gone to waste on a Happy Madison production that is not funny, disgusting at times, and is just downright mean-spirited all around.
Well, here's the thing, "Bad Santa" was funny, and even though the main character was also an jerk, he wasn't insulting or unlikable, and you can sympathize with him.If you're an Adam Sandler fan and still believe that this movie is funny, more power to you.
Either a person can watch this and say, 'that was the cruelest and most disturbing thing I've ever seen' or the other 'That was kind of weird but portrayed a message.' Okay I know what you are saying, a Sandler film with a point, NO WAY!
It's the holidays and Davey (Voiced by Adam Sandler) is a mean-spirited, spiteful young man with a criminal record.
Now he's back in court and about to be sentenced to jail when a kind-hearted, old man named Whitey (also voiced by Sandler) who offers to the judge to have Davey perform community service as an assistant referee for youth basketball.Davey thinks he's going to get off easy until Whitey begins to try and reform the young man.
The whole time, the movie keeps you guessing if he'll overcome the anger that built inside of him with the help of Whitey or be engulfed in it.The whole film I absolutely hated Sandler's character.
By the end of the movie I had gotten some good laughs from it and really felt better and realized how I should act around the holidays.Pretty much the film juxtaposes the two most opposite characters and shows what kind of affect they'll have on each other.
It is simply the worst movie musical ever made and the worst animated film ever made.The first problem is the star, Adam Sandler.
His voice is done, very annoyingly, by Sandler.Finally, the three biggest problems with this film are the dearth of funny jokes, the excessive scatology (I don't mind that kind of humor if it's done right, which it isn't here), and the utterly dishonest and forced sentimentality.
Sandler tries to make a holiday film with the heart that Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" had and Bob Clark's "A Christmas Story" had, but about Hanukkah, and he falls flat on his face.Avoid this movie at all costs.
Only reason is two words, "Adam Sandler."The film starts with Davey (voice of Adam Sandler) going on a muck through town on the first night of Hanukkah.
The judge allows Whitey, a kindly old man (also narrated by Sandler), to try to straighten out Davey.Sandler is incredibly popular - and has had some hilarious movies in the past, that is what made me want to see "8 Crazy Nights." But I was appalled by this film.
Despite what you may read here, THIS is NOT a typical Adam Sandler movie and is nowhere near some of his best work (Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison)..
Eight Crazy Nights seems like Adam Sandler's version of a holiday X-mas special.
That really puts me in the spirit of the Holidays (and undoubtedly the trite, idiotic ending would be that Sandler learns a valuable lesson, probably through the love of a woman that completely ignores what a jerk he is, and changes his ways, like he does in all his movies...).
Let me say two things up front: 1)There are more then eight funny minutes in the movie 2)This is one of the worst animated films ever madeThis is "feel good" holiday movie is bound to give a viewer whiplash as each funny moment is followed by one of the worst on screen moments in history followed instantly by another funny moment and then another visit to the sewer, and so on for the entire running time.This movie doesn't need an editor, it needs a shrink.
There are laughs to be had throughout the entire film, the songs are great, the story is good and there are some great quotes.O.k so it is an Adam Sandler movie, and I know he has his detractors, but he isn't gonna change for you guys, because he has plenty of fans of his work who like watching screwball, goofy comedies.
I personally think that this is one of his two best films (the other being Mr Deeds, it was a good year for him)and if you like Adam Sandler I am sure you will agree that this is a great film.Watch it, laugh, don't think too hard about who might be offended by it and get on with your lives.
"Eight Crazy Nights" is the first animated Adam Sandler movie, and the first holiday movie to focus on Hanukkah.
For the most part, "Eight Crazy Nights" is a combination of scatological humor and saccharine sentiment (well, about as much as you could expect from an Adam Sandler movie!).
It's rare that a comedy manages to be this unfunny.I rarely like Adam Sandler but I've seen the occasional movie with him that I've enjoyed, and it has a small role with Rob Schneider in it and he's usually quite funny.
Anytime Whitey spoke I wished I had been struck deaf.I used to like the occasional Adam Sandler movie before this one.
The film is centered around a young boy who lost his love of life and became a vile, mean person known as Adam Sandler.
The animated film incorporates characters Sandler featured in his Comic audio CD's and gives some story to the elder Whitey Duvall (voiced by Adam Sandler), a soft-spoken senior who lives with his fraternal twin sister, Eleanor.
What seems to be a film centered on the animated character that looks awfully similar to the real life Adam Sandler, in reality, it is about the elder Whitey who takes in the distraught Davey Stone (also voiced by Sandler).
It's just a waste of good money and animation to try to make a movie of the unlikeable recurring Adam Sandler character "maladjusted, sullen, self-obsessed guy who doesn't get women at all".
The only people that I can think of that would like this film are the absolute biggest Adam Sandler fans, but even then, they and every one else would be better off watching something else..
Sure, it has a plump humour, crude to be honest, and the story line is a lot like many of Adam Sandlers movies, below average, but this movies has lots of heart, and it gives a lovely perspective on both the human experience and what it is to be human.
Just watch the film, get a good laugh out of it, like me, and go on with life, because that's all that comedies do.
Take, for instance, the scene towards the end, when the mayor of Dukesbury (voiced by Kevin Nealon) cracks a very unfunny joke in the town hall, and the citizens of Dukesbury start to snort snot all over their tables, and some deer outside get in such a violent fit of laughter that feces squirts from behind their tails with little *splurt* sounds.Does that sound like a good-natured family comedy to you?
He picks up the lid of a trashcan and slides down a railing like Vin Diesel did in "xXx." It's funny to see a limitless and physically fit Sandler, yes, but right as the scene starts to become fun, we get a worn out gag involving squeezed melons that has been done countless times before, including last year's "Austin Powers in Goldmember." Davey resents the holidays, and he especially resents the "eight crazy nights" of Hanukkah, because when he was 12 years old his parents died on their way to his basketball game.
it's a long ride of prank after prank, to going back to the reason why he started acting like a delinquent in the first place.Note to parents: this movie should not be rated PG (Canadian rating, but i'm sure it was PG-13 in the states) because there was a lot of bad bathroom humor.
Adam Sandler's first (and to date, only) animated feature, "Eight Crazy Nights," takes a cue from his infamous "Chanukah Song" in celebrating the Jewish holiday -- as well as good old commercial Christmas -- musical style.
Slowly, Davey starts to redeem himself and even takes a stab at winning back the girl who got away from him.Aside from being typical Adam Sandler fare, "Eight Crazy Nights" is rather vibrant in both its animation style and its musical numbers.
Eight Crazy Nights is the thrid back to back unfunny movie that Adam Sandler has made in the past two years.
And for those unfamiliar with the word Shonda, it's Jewish for shame, because when it comes down to it, that's what 8 Crazy Nights is...It's odd that 2002 gives Sandler a paradox - first he had Mr. Deeds, his usual brand of funny (Live Action), juvenile humor squeezed into a formulaic storyline - second was from last month, Punch Drunk Love, which finally gave a challenge with his usual persona and he pulled it off as his best performance to date - third is this, an animated "treat" to his fans both young and old.
And of course, I enjoyed the third version of Adam Sandler's Chanukah song over the end credits, but then again, you can just download the video of him and Rob Schneider performing it on "SNL" at Sandler's official site.There's some attempt at heartwarming fare, as Davey begins to address the cruel way he and the rest of the town have treated Whitey and Eleanor, but the problem is that it's so damn depressing the way the movie makes you slog through 90 minutes of abject cruelty toward them in order to get there.
Hell, the film is so cynical that I even noticed several PRODUCT PLACMENTS, for cryin' out loud, the first time I've ever noticed them in an animated movie.I feel sorry for Jewish parents and children who might've liked to have a heartwarming holiday cartoon.
Basically it's the typical Christmas story about the bitter guy that hates everyone in the town and while the story advances ,he learn the meaning of Christmas .In other words , "Eight Crazy Nights " it's "How the Grinch Stole the Christmas " but with cursing and toilet humor .This actually could have been something funny but with a retarded script and obnoxious characters the result is just embarrassing .
Maybe there are some unsavoury scenes in this movie.Maybe some of the characters were a little far fetched.Perhaps the animation wasn't as high budget as what we have now come to expect.But all up this was a really good film with some great belly laughs in it.Sandler doing the voices of ..
In Adam Sandler's racous new comedy Eight Crazy Nights, he voices Davey Stone, 33.
The movie captures Adam Sandlers mischief in a cartoon so if you like Big Daddy, Happy Gilmore etc and your a cartoon fan, this is the perfect mixture.
by Dane YoussefNow here is a movie that will put you out of the Haunakah spirit as quickly as Ron Howard's live-action remake of "The Grinch" put people out of the Christmas spirit.A nasty piece too goofy to even be animated, it's Adam Sandler's first full-fledged animated musical "8 Crazy Nights."Every year, just about every TV show grinds out a puke-worthy Christmas special where the formula is something like this: Characters have spirit, something bad happens everyone has misfortune.
His worst, by far, was "Little Nicky," but this movie is the equivalent of a reindeer turd.Adam Sandler stars (or rather, voices) as Davey, a delinquent who's gone downhill a life of crime and vandalism ever since early in his youth.
Like I said, there are a handful of funny jokes and catchy songs, but the bad far more than outnumbers the good.I hope Sandler chooses to evolve his style...
And the story of Sandler's character, Davey Stone, getting his life back in line was also pretty good.
Adam Sandler voices three of the main characters: Davey, Whitey, and Eleanore.
Rated PG-13 for frequent crude and sexual humor, drinking and brief drug references There are plenty of Christmas movies out there but very few Haunukah movies.This is an animated Hanukkah movie starring Adam Sandler.It has a low score on IMDb but I think its a pretty good film.It has some very funny moments but also drama and some catchy songs as well.The film is basically about a drunk loud-mouth who is forced to help coach the Jewish basketball team with a loving coach named Whitey who wants tow in this coaching award before he retires.The man used to be a nice boy until his parents died and then he became what he was.Eight Crazy Nights is a funny and good Haunukah film and Sandler fans should check it out..
Eight Crazy Nights, One of the best Adam Sandler movies..
Eight Crazy Nights is the first animated film made by Adam Sandler that while not being as good as Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore is definitely one of hes best.
Fans of Adam Sandler will be pleased with his efforts in this movie as it is good old Sandler back again for more laughs.
Overall, good movie with a lot of heart also it is laugh a minute comedy ( one bit in middle had me laughing for 5 minutes) and once again I end with GO ADAM SANDLER YOU ROCK..
I hate Adam Sandler (sans Punch Drunk Love) and I'm really not the biggest fan of the holiday movies..
I'm a big fan of of adam sandler and i loved this movie.
For the adam sandler fans who did't like the movie, i don't understand you guys, so what if he's animated..
Adam Sandler's "Eight Crazy Nights" made me laugh more than I have in a really long time.
It's not exactly the best Holiday movie, but it is a very funny comedy that I would recommend to people who enjoy Adam Sandler's sense of humor..
The worst Adam Sandler movie I've ever seen.
The plot of this movie is almost (not quite, but almost) the lamest plot of any Adam Sandler film, which is the first big wasted opportunity. |
tt0090568 | 8 Million Ways to Die | An alcoholic Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy, Matt Scudder (Bridges), takes part in a drug bust that results in his fatal shooting of a small-time dealer in front of the man's wife and kids. Scudder ends up in a drunk ward, suffering from booze and blackouts, ending his career, his marriage, and jeopardizing his relationship with his daughter.
After an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, a woman hands Scudder a note, which invites him to a private gambling club on a hill, accessible only by a funicular, owned by Chance Walker (Randy Brooks). At the club, Scudder is greeted by a call girl named Sunny (Alexandra Paul) who pretends that he is her boyfriend. He also meets Angel Moldonado (Garcia), who places large wagers with Chance and is infatuated with another call girl there, Sarah (Arquette).
Bewildered by Sunny's behavior, Scudder ends up back at his place, where after a failed attempt to seduce him, Sunny explains that she is frightened and needs help. After she pays him $5,000, Scudder offers Chance $2,500 to allow Sunny to quit prostitution. An insulted Chance insists that all he does is run the club, paying the girls a flat salary to attend his parties. Any prostitution they do is up to them.
Sunny is kidnapped in front of Scudder and, during a chase, is murdered and thrown off a bridge. Scudder goes on a binge and wakes up in a drunk ward several days later. It transpires that he gave statements to detectives before getting drunk that have implicated himself and Chance in the murder. At the club, Moldonado wears a ring with an emerald that matched the missing jewel in a necklace that Sunny owned. Convinced now that Moldonado is her killer, Scudder persuades Sarah to leave the club with him, as a jealous Moldonado looks on. Sarah fails to get Scudder to drink with her, then tries to initiate sex but is too drunk and vomits on his bed.
Scudder pieces together that Moldonado is running a drug ring through Chance's legitimate businesses. Setting up a meeting where he pretends to set up a drug buy, Scudder has a confrontation with Moldonado, who forces Sarah to leave with him. Chance is furious that Moldonado has been using him and that he killed Sunny, but Scudder convinces him to go along with the drug deal, in order to trap Moldonado.
At Moldonado's house, a unique one designed by Antoni Gaudí, a suspicious Moldonado puts off any talk of drugs. He taunts Scudder about Sunny's death and carefully implies she was killed to scare off others who would cross him. Moldonado knows that Scudder is or was a cop, so is wary of being trapped in a sting. Scudder notices a package from a supermarket Chance owns. Deducing that the drugs were stashed there, Scudder and Chance go to the grocery store and find the hidden cocaine. Scudder offers to return them in exchange for Sarah.
At an empty warehouse, Moldonado arrives with Sarah duct-taped to a shotgun that one of his underlings is holding. Scudder in turn has booby-trapped the drugs and threatens to destroy them if Sarah is harmed. After seeing some of his cocaine burned, Moldonado agrees to cut Sarah loose, but before he can secure his drugs, a shootout erupts between Moldonado's men and undercover drug agents who have accompanied Scudder to the scene. Moldonado manages to escape in the chaos, but Chance is killed.
Sarah and Scudder head back to Chance's club, and as they ride the funicular up to the house, they see Moldonado standing at the top, waiting for them. Scudder manages to kill him in a tense gunfight. Scudder is later seen attending an AA meeting, then strolling happily with Sarah on a beach. | neo noir, murder | train | wikipedia | the film is better than it has been portrayed.Jeff Bridges plays Matt Scudder, a down on his luck detective who is suspended by the LAPD after a violent confrontation with a suspect.Bridges life spirals down (in something of a preview of the character he would later play in perhaps his best film, 1991's The Fisher King) into chronic alcoholism.
He receives an unexpected invitation to a party hosted by Angel Maldonado (Andy Garcia in an early role) and there the story proper begins.Scudder is drawn into the dark side of LA's party scene by "Sunny", one of Maldonado's erstwhile hangers on.
this is my first comment on this site so I'll try to make it good.Eight million ways to die is simply an AMAZING movie.
This is The movie to see when you are down, and shows you how a man who has been at the bottom can gather himself, and bring on his best.May be what i write seems to be intellectual stuff but actually the film is a great police movie with a perfect direction, and the message simply comes out of its own after watching it.the cast is brilliant, this movie made me a Jeff Bridges fan, he is the best (4 times award nominee).
I am a huge Hal Ashby fan - he was a brilliant editor (Oscar winner for In The Heat Of The Night) and an even better director (Being There, Coming Home, Shampoo, to name a few) but this film is a mess.
You can tell there's huge chunks missing - the film is disjointed - Bridges does a nice job playing the damaged cop but in one of the worst pieces of miscasting - Alexandra Paul plays the sultry hooker who is supposed to lure Bridges and she is awful - about all she can play is flirty sorority girl and their scenes are dull and boring.
Garcia does his best with what he has to play and there are some good scenes btwn him and Bridges.
Barge In, Stumble Out. Los Angeles police detective Jeff Bridges (as Matthew "Matt" Scudder) drinks on the job and use excessive force.
After speaking at an "Alcoholics Anonymous" meeting, Mr. Bridges receives a mysterious note requesting he help hooker Alexandra Paul (as Sunny) pull out of the sex trade...
Bridges becomes even more acquainted with prostitute Rosanna Arquette (as Sarah) and her head customer Andy Garcia (as Angel Moldonado)...
"8 Million Ways to Die" is interesting as the last feature film directed by Hal Ashby, a great "actor's director" who lets this story get away.
Something is wrong.**** 8 Million Ways to Die (4/25/86) Hal Ashby ~ Jeff Bridges, Rosanna Arquette, Andy Garcia, Alexandra Paul.
Anyone who has read the Matt Scudder books will be disappointed that Hollywood chose to take the detective out of Manhattan and transplant him in their own back yard, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be a bad film.
Sadly, this was Hal Ashby's final bow as a director.The man who gave us "The Last Detail", "Coming Home" and "Being There" seemingly threw together this agonizing-to-sit-through hodgepodge of alcoholics, drug addicts and hookers that seems to work only as mind-numbing montage of film noir cliches.
"8 Million Ways to Die" is a perfect example of why Jeff Bridges is one of my favorite actors.
The acting overcomes everything else, and a scene outside of the LA Coliseum between Jeff Bridges and a young Andy Garcia still makes me smile.
Jeff Bridges is a movie star, and here he uses his gifts to pull this film from the 80's swamp.
It's a decent flick with both Jeff Bridges and Rosanna Arquette giving very good performances.
The worst part of the movie is probably the direction by Hal Ashby, while a great director it just seems like he wasn't sure about what sort of movie he was making.
After some low-budget comedies- and a less than great Rolling Stones movie- he took on this neo-noir co-scripted by Oliver Stone, and had a good cast in place with Jeff Bridges playing the on-off lush ex-detective, Rosanna Arquette as the call girl entrapped by cold, grinning/vicious pimp/pusher played by newcomer Andy Garcia.
It seemed like a solid genre picture, one that could hopefully make a few bucks among the crowds looking for another fix of action and crime and romance and what-have-you.As far as I know, I'm not sure why Ashby was then fired midway through by the producers.
Hell, there's even a compelling undercurrent of redemption that's to be had with Bridges's Matthew coming back from bad alcoholic blackouts to track down the killer of the call girl Sonny.But, and this is the crucial part, the film often has the feel as though it was seriously meddled with by the producers.
It would've been one thing if this was just another in a series of damned efforts from the director (apparently another film he made also had this happen to him), but given that it's also his final directed feature, albeit after the fact, adds to the shamefulness.Does 8 Million Ways to Die deserve a director's cut?
I became a fan of Jeff Bridges before the movie was released and consider his acting as a alcoholic very realistic to an addicted alcoholic hangover.
It never seems to get anywhere and you have a hard time believing that the slick drug dealer is up to no good, or that the lush private eye wants to do anything to stop him.This is the story of an alcoholic cop (Jeff Bridges) who got kicked off the force after a sting operation went wrong and he shot an unarmed assailant.
He also employs the help of the woman's "pimp," a pretty decent guy for a fellow who runs a prostitution business, and he's willing to help out because he knows the drug dealer (Andy Garcia) that the investigator suspects is responsible for the girl's death, is really a vicious fellow, even though he never really shows it.There is not really enough solid character development, everyone appears a little too "off" to be those kind of characters, and the movie tends to drag on at points, especially in feeling obligated to develop some sort of relationship between the cop and the hooker's friend, but, if you're willing to forgive that much, then you might at least have a little lazy day entertainment with a semi-decent action movie.
The movie throws us right into the action with Bridges and his group of cops from the sheriff's department about to apprehend an hispanic drug dealer.
Here, one of the other members, gives him a fat fee, to help this young prostitute, Sunny, (an awesome performance by Alexandra Paul, prior to her Baywatch days) get free of her pimp, Angel (Andy Garcia in probably his best role still).
When he comes to, he's the one who must unravel this mystery, with the help of Sunny's hooker friend, Sarah, played by Rossanna Arquette, very good in her role, but not great like the others.
I love the scene where Bridges and Sarah meet Angel and his goons in the big car park outside this big museum, where a lot of angry expletives are exchanged in some good meaty and funny dialogue.
The depiction of alcoholism is stunningly accurate-- thanks in part to Jeff Bridges, of course, but I think the main source of this reality was director Hal Ashby's own experience with drug abuse.
For example, by the time Bridges reveals the "Big Secret of What's Really Going On" to the other characters we are not surprised at all, even though the scene is played out as a pivotal point in the plot.I think that if the film had been more skillfully edited, we would have had a story that was both artistic as a character study and involving as a crime story.
This film is like sex without orgasm, doesn't have action, doesn't have much excitement, promises a lot and delivers too little and it disappoints a lot.The story involving a ex-cop (Jeff Bridges), his drinking problems and a investigation on the death of a prostitute (Alexandra Paul) is not news in film history and it was good until the middle when he mets Rosanna Arquette, from this point it's all downhill.
If the performances are quite good (specially Bridges and Andy Garcia playing the villain), the screenplay didn't helped this film at all with too many crime slang's, recycled clichés and obviously a love story that, at my view, shouldn't be there, the connections between characters comes out of the blue and it's too much easy to find out what happened.
And the last confusion of all, not trying to blame one of my favorite directors of all time, but the producers fired him after finishing the filming, and they kept the whole control over editing and things like that, the final word.
A Complete Mess but an Entertaining One. 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Ashby's final theatrical film (which he was also fired from) is part thriller, part crime/drama, part love story but all the way mess.
In the film Jeff Bridges plays Matt Scudder, a former cop who was let go from the force due to his drinking problem.
Everything points to a drug dealer (Andy Garcia) but Matt is able to get the hooker (Rosanna Arquette) that he's in love with in hopes to bringing down the entire racket.
In many ways this thing plays out as a modern day noir but if you pick up any film book it's doubtful you're going to find a positive review.
I'm not sure how much of his original screenplay actually got filmed but in many ways this thing is a cocaine-warped nuthouse much like SCARFACE.
Bridges was born to play a role like this and manages to turn in a very good performance as the former cop down on his luck and getting in over his head.
Jeff Bridges portrays author Lawrence Blocks' character Matt Scudder in this picture, and his able performance is one of its few virtues.
However, he is soon approached by a hooker named Sunny (Alexandra Paul) to remove her from her unhappy life, and when he gets involved, he incurs the wrath of a smug drug kingpin (Andy Garcia) and a powerful pimp (Randy Brooks).Sadly, this was the final theatrical credit for editor turned director Hal Ashby.
Those two made the movie, their interaction and friction made sparks that lifted the story above ground and supporting cast held it together,(above all Rosanna Arquette and Randy Brooks), and it never looked like once great director Hal Ashby was in his heyday, was loosing it on the set.
There are movies like this one, that are more than decent and they wallow in mediocrity while others, that didn't even deserve to be released, have been on DVD and even Blue-ray, long ago.Years later, I had to dispose of my old battle weary VHS copy of this film, haven't seen it for almost 15 years,and than had a good chance to catch it on satellite.
It has all the great elements: cocaine, pimps, drug-lords, world-weary ex-cops, car chases and of course, all shot in sun-drenched L.A.It would make a perfect companian piece to similar 80's movies: SALVADOR, TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA and SCARFACE.
It turns out that the whole script dialog was improvised, which may explain a big, over-the-top swearing and shouting match that has to be seen to be believed.There's a cool but brief car chase and Jeff Bridges moves through the film with a casualness and ease that seems at odds with what's going on around him.Andy Garcia's character is strange, hard to understand.
The plot is not new, very much used in other films of crime, but it is interesting to see good acting of Jeff Bridges as an alcoholic trying to quit this bad habit.
Overall, this is a dreary but sometimes suspenseful film that wasted a good performance by Bridges and a new guy named Andy Garcia.
Hal Ashby was once the wonderful director of "Harold and Maude"."Bound for Glory" did not do Woody Guthrie justice,the choice of the main actor being disastrous,and "coming home " has been overtaken by other movies dealing with the topic ,"born on the fourth of July" for instance.This last movie is a complete loss.It's really a pity that Alexandra Paul should disappear in the first third because her character was the only endearing one.Not a line without a swearword!I hardly exaggerate.Some parts of dialogue between Garcia and Bridges consist only of "F.....
2 things, that I usually see in the TV version of 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) that are cut out is (1) Alexandra Paul's Sunny has a bathroom scene with Scudder, which is usually cut out.
Later on , he attempts to rescue a pimp-bound hooker (Alexandra Paul) from a drug lord called Angel Maldonado (Andy Garcia) .
So if you're smart (not like me) you'll get annoyed enough right at this point and turn the piece of trash film off (GOOD CHOICE!).Then we have Det. Matt Scudder (Bridges) and his posse from the sheriff's dept.
Scudder, Sunny's hooker pal Sarah (Rosanna Arquette), and scummy drug lord Angel (Andy Garcia) argue using the F-word and threaten to kill each other a lot.
Scudder wisely shoots Angel in the head before he can reload his gun.Scudder and Sarah live happily ever after as members of AA.The end.There!I saved you having to watch the worst film ever to star Jeff Bridges.You're welcome!.
Hal Ashby, cinema's great wounded heart, directs "8 Million Ways To Die".
He was a recovering alcoholic and drug user, and the studio's lack of faith in him resulted in "8 Million Ways to Die" being taken taken away during post production.Of course when the producers took this film away the moment it reached the cutting room, they effectively shot themselves in the foot.
Here Jeff Bridges plays your typical noir detective, but like Ashby, his character is a recovering alcoholic.
Ashby shoots the scene to imply that Jeff is looking into his future, our hero a wounded old man looking at both his own daughter and the very outcome of his present alcoholism.There are two or three good scenes like this, but for the most part the film's script has been edited down to your standard cops and bad guys movie.
One senses that had Ashby been at the editing desk, a more free-form movie would have resulted.Still, the film begins and ends with two very unique scenes.
We've seen this scene before in countless other action movies, but none of these flicks have done anything quite like this.7.9/10 - Moments of Ashby's personality and sensibilities shine through, but for the most part, this film has been hacked down by the studios into something slight.
8 Million Ways To Die got poor reviews but it was actually pretty good.Jeff Bridges plays Matthew Scudder, a burned out cop whose life goes to shambles after a raid goes wrong.
Jeff Bridges shines as Matthew Scudder and Andy Garcia plays the scummy character of Angel Moldonado well.
8 Million Ways to Die. Alcoholic former LA sheriff, Matt Scudder(Jeff Bridges)gets embroiled in the middle of a dope smuggling operation after a hooker, Sunny(Alexandra Paul, actually going full frontal in one scene!) is killed while under his watch.
Scudder "confiscates", with Chance's help, the logs of cocaine and is willing to trade the product for Sarah..sufficed to say, this exchange doesn't go according to plan, as Scudder involves the police and Chance wishes to get revenge for Angel's actions.Well, 8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE is a redemption story in that it follows a struggling boozing detective who has lost his marriage and recked his career by drinking on the job, including shooting a Hispanic drug dealer(who pulled a Louisville Slugger baseball bat to attack cops under Scudder's command)in front of his family when an arrest goes awry.
This foggy portion of the film is an example of probable tampering which effects the quality of the movie(not to mention an excessively long conclusion, after Bridges' overlapping dialogue, regarding his promising future, with Scudder and Sarah walking in embrace on a beach, going on and on).
Despite changing Matt Scudder's great origin story from the novel to something more generic and less dramatically interesting, the character is still a somewhat fascinating one, thanks entirely due to a typically entertaining performance from Jeff Bridges in the lead role.
However, 8 Million Ways to Die takes a drastic drop in quality in the second act with Andy Garcia's villain character taking center stage.
The film was taken away from director Hal Ashby and edited without his input, so who knows who actually is responsible for what ended up in the final cut.
Garcia's performance seems like something that could have been shaped into the editing room, as a little bit of his character goes a long way and gets annoying fast.
I find it hard to believe that an otherwise solid director like Ashby would have let the second half play out the way it does had he been given final cut.
the first hour of this movie is watchable; the second half continually degenerates and finally launches into a drug exchange scene that is horrifically scripted, directed and is laughably unrealistic; andy garcia tries his best to channel pacino's "scarface" performance but obviously isn't up to the task; randy brooks looks amateurish by overplaying his role as the tough, black gangster complete with stupid, stereotypical verbal assaults; jeff bridges puts in a solid performance and carries the movie --- he continues to be a poor man's kurt russell or kris kristofferson; however, his implied "conversion" of arquette from tough hooker to well behaved girlfriend is too much to take; almost forgot, what happened to all the money "scudder" found in the "po boys" bag???
Actually, a minor but diverting film about marginally alcoholic ex-cop Jeff Bridges, now a private investigator, who is hired by hooker Alexandra Paul to protect her. |
tt4338154 | Hawaizaada | During the era of British India, lives a happy go lucky, school drop-out Shivkar Bapuji Talpade aka Shivi (Ayushmann Khurrana), who falls in love with a local stage dancer Sitara (Pallavi Sharda). This makes Shivi's father throw him out of the house and he bumps into a crazy scientist Pandit Subbaraya Shastri (Mithun Chakraborty). Shastri is constantly being chased by British soldiers for his weird experiments but lesser they know that Shastri is secretly building a flying machine. Seeing Shivi's great knowledge of Vedas, Shastri shares his secret book based on ancient Indian aeronautics, which he is using to build an aeroplane. Shastri offers Shivi to be his assistant but Shivi refuses. Shivi later proposes to Sitara to marry her, but Sitara resists on the grounds that society will not accept their marriage and goes away to Hyderabad.
Heartbroken, Shivi goes back to Shastri and accepts his offer to assist him. Together they work for several months to design a perfect machine which can fly but kept failing. On running out of funds they request a local king to sponsor their experiments. Finally, they manage to build a small aeroplane and have a successful unmanned test flight in presence of many eyewitnesses, but it crashes within a few seconds. Shivi later learns that Sitara is back in Bombay and now lives in a poor condition under heavy debts. Shivi and Sitara reunite, but in order to get her out of debt, Shivi sells Shastri's secret book to a British officer. Feeling betrayed, Shastri does not survive this trauma and dies. Shastri's death makes Shivi feel so guilty, that he decides to fulfil Shastri's incomplete dream along with Sitara and his nephew Narayan.
In his quest to build a perfect flying machine, Shivi goes to Banaras to meet a guru, to whom Shastri used to refer. The guru gives Shivi a code "4121", which later helps Shivi figure out that mercury will be the best fuel for the engine, since the word "mercury", when written in Hindi in terms of chemistry, looks like the number 4121. Before Shivi can complete his machine, British officers arrest him on his brother's complaint. After being rescued by a freedom fighter, Shivi finally takes the aircraft to sea beach. In the end, before soldiers can arrest him again, Shivi flies away with Sitara and they become the world's first humans to ride in a flying machine. | romantic | train | wikipedia | If one wants to make a film in any science based invention than he has to do lots of research work and if he won't be able to find much stuff to convert it in film but still wants to make others aware about this fact then there are lots of other mediums, like short film, documentary, handbills, news article except film.
Lack of research work is major drawback of this film.
First they tried to compensate it with a love track which is also very boring.
Love track worsens it further and applies break on already slow movie.
There is nothing in the name of story, screenplay, just an information.
Dialogues are impressive.
What was the inspiration or idea behind making a plane is not there except that an Indian wanted to make it.
Execution and obstacles both looks very unreal and childish.
Somehow after watching this movie you start doubting that is it fact or fiction as they have presented it in film.
Person is genius to think about making a Airplane but not even think a bit about how to control it or land it, trying comes after.
Safety measures would have worked or not its another thing but not even thinking about it is not digestible.
Premise is Maharashtra but you cant find it neither in language nor in set designs, only speaking few Marathi words do not justify it.
Costumes are so bad that the jail dress looks like as night suit.
Background score gives feeling that it is not proud of India but dedicated to a particular religion but suddenly took a U turn and started giving feeling of another religion then a tasteless combination of both.
Cinematography is good but it is obsessed with pigeon, candle and focus shifting.
Performance wise Ayushmann Khurana looks as if he is smiling in sad scenes.
Even fantastic actor Mithun Da looks very average, Director has to be blamed for this.
Child actor Naman Jain as lead male actor nephew is very good.
Music is good as an independent album but does not fit in the film..
Completely disappointing account of a pioneer which becomes a bland fairy tale instead of an inspiring biopic..
The premise of Hawaizaada had potential to be a really interesting account of Shivkar Bapuji Talpade who is believed to have flown an airplane even before the Wright brothers.
While the motives of debut-director Vibhu Puri are in place but not enough importance is given either to writing a good screenplay or to dwell upon actual facts and science.
What we get is dozens of needless songs stuffed in with a poor romance story and juvenile attempts at humor.
I don't know how a talented lad like Ayushmann Khurrana ended up in this travesty.Ayushmann plays Shivkar Talpade who is not very good studies and hence has been failing in the same class for years now.
He is very intelligent though when it comes to building things and practical knowledge.
But before we can see him go on building an aircraft we have to sit through an atrocious hour of romance with his lady-love Sitara (Pallavi Sharda) and a couple of boring songs.
Both of them belong to different classes which angers Shiv's father removing him from his house and Sitara also leaves him believing it is not suitable for them to marry.
After all that clichéd melodrama finally Shiv meets an old science-enthusiast Shastri (Mithun Chakraborty) who is trying to build the first ever flying vehicle with help of verses from ancient Vedas.
He sees the spark in Shiv when Shiv makes a model he Shastri built take-off with his knowledge.
They both start working together and Shiv leans a lot about Vedas from Shastri.
Then our hero's lady love is back in the story to stuff in more melodrama and songs.
I really don't understand why Bollywood needs to have romance and dozens of songs in every film no matter of the subject or genre.
The film runs for a dragging length of 2 and half hours and by the time we see Shiv fly away I was waiting badly for the credits to start rolling to put an end to the boredom.The positives that here are the glamorous sets filled with glitter and colors.
But they do seem a lot artsy to give the historic feel required.
The British people shown are ridiculous and the independence propaganda is also thrown in making the screenplay way too out of place.
Not much heed is given in the script to actual science behind the airplane models rather the characters speak one- dimensional dialogues consisting of nothing more than 'Your plane will fly, keep your hopes alive'.
Ayushmann tries his best but poor dialogues overshadow his commitment.
Mithun as the typical mentor adds nothing new and Pallavi's career flight is yet to take off with back-to-back disasters Besharam and this one.
Only silver lining I could spot is the child actor Naman Jain portraying Shivkar's nephew.
Lot of work was needed in the editing department, the script could have been stretched up to two hours maximum.
Hawaizaada pursues for the flight for too long that making the actual flight tasteless.
It has its heart at the right place but unfortunately that's the only thing going its way.
Hawaizaada based on the life of Shivkar Bapuji Talpade's life is somehow below expectation.Hawaizaada is first film of Vibhu Puri.Ayushmann Khurrana as Shiv is nice and excellent in 2nd half.Mithun Chakraborty as Shastry is fantastic.Pallavi Sharda is much better than Besharam.Story is well written but editing is awful.2nd half is not good because of so many songs and for me there is no need of them.Love track between Shiv and Sitara made this biography boring at some point.Otherwise,its superb and very good.Overall,if you historical or biography you can surely go for this but ignore the love track..
A tiring, comical execution stressing more on frames, songs & romance ruins the actual seriousness of the subject & performances..
If one has a serious claim to make in front of the entire world that it was an Indian scientist actually responsible for the first ever flight in the air with a plane (years before the Wright Brothers), then what path the director is expected to follow?
Obviously he has to make it as believable as possible with all logical reasoning, historical references, evident proofs and a powerful screenplay/execution that convinces the viewers to believe in every proceeding on the screen arousing a proud collective patriotic feeling in the end among his audiences.But sadly that is not the vision followed in HAWAIZAADA directed by Vibhu Virender Puri (his debut in feature films), who amateurishly walks on an entirely unexpected, silly and illogical path to portray his important point and then completely falls flat unable to convince the viewers from any angle of his unfortunately.
In other words, instead of presenting a logical take, Vibhu comes up with an entirely fantasy version of the claim, with a dream like execution having a clear, visible, heavy hangover Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
And as I believe a Bhansali influence is surely capable of ruining more films than making them to be honest.Commencing on a confusing note in its first scene itself, HAWAIZAADA keeps stressing more on colourful frames, heavy costumes, unrequired props, mindless romance and mediocre songs with a questionable comic touch that turns out to be weird throughout till the end.
The script carelessly moves into various unclear directions, coming back to the main topic at intervals that eventually leads to a loss on interest and one starts questioning that what are they upto with such a messed up narration simply heading nowhere.
The unnecessary stuffed melodrama, comedy and songs hardly give you anything to praise in its boringly long duration and that further forces you think that how could this even excite the makers reading it on the paper too.Interestingly the biggest culprit of the screenplay/film remains its soulless romance and soundtrack that hampers its overall impact pretty badly and the film pathetically drags both in its first and second half featuring all unimpressive characters and their interactions.
Its cinematographer, choreographer, editor and background score composer actually follow the vision of their director perfectly who probably wished to make a musical-fantasy-costume-drama instead of a realistic, believable historical film making a big claim in front of the entire world.
The film's average soundtrack is hugely worked upon with innovative arrangements and variety but doesn't have that required melody to pull you in.
For instance there is a traditional folk kind of song conceived with all western instruments and Ayushmann himself composes a Ghalib ghazal "Dil-e-Naadan"that has huge similarities with the one sung by Somesh Mathur in his album on Ghalib released many years back.In the performance section, we have many honest efforts being made here assuming its probably a path breaking film about an astonishing fact never talked about before.
Ayushmann Khurrana puts in the best with his utmost sincerity and so does Mithun Chakraborty as the main scientist, but they both get hugely betrayed by the poor writing and confused direction.
Pallavi Sharda does nothing great to draw your attention and the same can be said about the rest of the cast too ranging from average to bad.
Still among these uninspiring acts, a child artist Naman Jain does deliver an enjoyable natural performance in his few scenes.Summing up, HAWAIZAADA remains a big opportunity wasted both in terms of cinema and as a document that could have been a solid support to the fact that an airplane was first invented in India before the Wright Brothers (and I was personally looking for the same in the film).
It neither presents that amazing chapter of history with some logical justifications nor is able to convince the viewer through its messy execution wandering in various directions.
In fact it seems that both the writers and their director were more interested in showing the romance, songs and drama instead of the invention being tried by the two men.
As a result it comes out to be a childish fantasy take on the subject ruining a solid premise and after watching it I really doubt anyone would readily believe in the presented fact that it was an Indian scientist who did that significant invention first before the westerners.In real terms, that is the damage this film has probably done to the debatable truth
.unfortunately.(NOTE : For record, the film is based on the life of scientist Shivkar Bapuji Talpade (of Maharashtra) who is credited for inventing the first air plane years before the Wright Brothers.).
Well-Made, but uneven overall!.
Vibhu Puri's 'Hawaizaada' is a highly ambitious, well-made film, but its uneven overall.
A look at the life of scientist Shivkar Bapuji Talpade, this period piece is visually appealing, but too many songs & a stretched romantic-track, hit the film hard.
'Hawaizaada' is Based on the life on an Indian scientist Shivkar Bapuji Talpade, who is credited to have constructed India's first unmanned plane is the tale of the hardships that he went through on the journey to discover.
'Hawaizaada' needed to be more about Talpade & his Mentor's genius, rather than being a romantic-story about Talpade & his lady-love.
Being a biopic, you except the film to be a detailed take on Talpade's journey about the scientist that he was, not who he romanced.
Also, there are too many songs in the film.
In fact, the first-hour has a song popping up every 10-minutes.
Vibhu Puri's Screenplay has moments of power, when the film actually talks about Talpade's ambition, but is mostly side-lined by its stilted romantic-track.
Less of romance & more of drama would've made 'Hawaizaada' a biopic to reckon with.
Vibhu Puri's Direction, however, is stunning.
In terms of visuals, 'Hawaizaada' is a beauty.
The Cinematography is top-class & The Art Design is incredibly accurate.
The film is lazily paced & a bit too long.
The Songs are melodious, but appear forced in the film.Performance-Wise: Ayushmann Khurrana as Shivkar Bapuji Talpade, delivers a terrific performance.
He rises above the faulty script & manages to keep the proceedings alive to a large extend, thanks to his impressive portrayal of the late legend in science.
Mithun Chakraborty dominates every scene he appears in.
As Ayushmann's eccentric mentor, he's exceptional.
Pallavi Sharda as Ayushmann's lady love, looks gorgeous, but is saddled with the film's weakest track, & hence, she doesn't leave a mark.
On the whole, 'Hawaizaada' is made with passion, no doubt, but a stronger script was the need of the day!.
Flying under clouds!!!.
The film is truly spectacular on the account of visuals.
The production design is one of greatest in recent Hindi films.
The sets, the artistic props, the designing is really commendable.
With great production design, comes greatest in cinematography.
Kudos to Savita Singh's cinematography brilliance that made this film looks totally a visual treat.
Seriously, I have not seen such beautiful frames in recent times, without VFX.
The basic concept was well thought too.But, with all these superb things in hand, the film doesn't able to make to what it could be.
The screenplay got messed up in the film's way to make it under historical event.
Yeah, it could have been one of the greatest film in Hindi film industry.
But, it all lacks at film's narrative part.
The characters been so melodramatic about each situation makes a regular Hindi film, which it should not be.The director looses his brilliant idea by indulging more of a melodramatic romantic recipe into it.
The film paces up in between, dialogue teaches us good.
But, when the flight tries to be up high, it gets lost in the romantic clouds.
It sees a great potential journey suffering from jet-lag here.It should be pure epic exploring the core idea more, yet it is somewhat inspirational..
One of the worst movie of 2015.
You will need a lot of patience to watch this movie.
I myself after watching for 2 hour walked out of hall.
Please do not go and watch this movie.
The acting performed by actors and actress are awful.
I guarantee that you will regret after watching this movie.
If you still want to go this movie then please I request you to donate that amount to any persons who is need of money.
At least you will get blessings from that persons.
I will bet that after watching this movie viewers from outside India will laugh at our inventors.
They will think thats why we are lagging behind everybody.
Such a bullshit direction by director.
After every 10 minutes there are songs played which is very irritating.
First off, I would say hats off in choosing this story/biography of the great Indian scientist Shivkar Bapuji Talpade.
Nobody knew it was him, not the Wright brothers to fly the first unmanned aircraft.Also the beauty of applying Vedas into aeronautics has startled me.
Now I seriously question why we are still having English medium schools with false history written in it.
Anyways, as a movie I feel it is quite stretched and longer than it would have been.However the romance has been shown very well.
It is quite an entertaining mixture of love, science and freedom.
Not to mention the sets were amazing, and the art direction is brilliant.
So are the costume design, and dialogs.
I loved watching it..
Vande Matram Shivkar Talpade!!!
A flawed, but enjoyable hawaizaada!!!.
Shivkar (ayushmann) is a lazy and imbecile person who is snubbed by his father (jayant) constantly.
His studies are so poor that he ends up in the same class as his nephew (naman jain).
Things change when Shivkar sees Sitara (pallavi) and falls in love with her.
Knowing this, his father drives him away and Shivkar lands with the eccentric scientist Shastri (mithun) who wants to build an aeroplane.
He grooms Shivkar seeing the potential but there comes a situation when Shivkar has to choose between love and loyalty.
What happens after that forms the rest.The director has come up with an interesting storyline and while the presentation was nice, the narrative was good and slow in parts.
The dialogues were alright.
The script was great and the screenplay was ambitious and erratic in parts.
The background score was very nice but songs can be avoided,only dil e nadan impressed.Cinematography was amazing.Editing was required at key places mostly in 2nd half.Costumes were well designed to suit the backdrop while the art department was very impressive.
Ayushmann Khurrana gave a committed performance,it his career best.
Pallavi looked beautiful but needs to work a lot on her expressions and body language.
Mithun Chakraborty was the best, he is the life of the film,Naman Jain was adorable.
Others didn't get much scope.The film came in with a lot of hype owing to the tale of Shivkar Talpade the man who tried to build an aeroplane before the Wright Brothers.
However this film seemed more like a fairytale than a biopic.
The film has many flaw,but its intention and heart are in the right place.In this, the first half goes around with elements of comedy, some romance and some very interesting moments .The interval bang was okay but the second half failed to take off, it was slow and give the required energy, but ending was good.Overall, this is a film which might have its flaw but needs to be saluted for its noble intentions,because even though the film has so many flaws, one enjoys the film.
It evokes patriotism, makes one feel that maybe Shivkar Talpade was the one who flew the first ever plane.
So if you want to see bombay like never before beautiful ( dir has a saawriya hangover but thats not a bad thing because 1800s look so beautiful in those types of sets),or ayshuman/mithun with amazing performance and if you want to get a sense of pride for your nation,watch Haawaizaada its worth the ticket price for those reasons.3.25/5* or 6.5/10 |
tt0116683 | James and the Giant Peach | Protagonist James Henry Trotter, 4 years old, lives with his loving parents in a beautiful cottage by the sea in the south of England, until his parents are killed by an escaped rhinoceros during a shopping trip in London.
As a result, James is forced to live with his two cruel aunts, Spiker and Sponge, in a run-down house on a high, desolate hill near the White Cliffs of Dover. For 4 years, James is treated as a drudge, forced to do hard labour, beaten for hardly any reason, improperly fed, and forced to sleep on bare floorboards in the attic. One summer afternoon, after a particularly upsetting altercation with his aunts, James stumbles across a mysterious stranger, who gives him magic green "crocodile tongues" which, when drunk with water, will bring him happiness and great adventures. On the way to the house, James spills the "tongues" onto a barren peach tree, which then produces a single peach that quickly grows to nearly the size of a house. The next day the aunts sell tickets to neighbours to see the giant peach.
When night comes, the aunts send James to collect rubbish discarded by the crowd; but he discovers a tunnel, which leads to secret room inside the peach's seed, inhabited by a rag-tag band of human-sized, talking invertebrates (a grasshopper, centipede, earthworm, spider, ladybug, silkworm, and a glow-worm), also transformed by the magic given him earlier. These then become James' companions in his adventure. Upon his arrival, the Centipede bites through the stem of the peach, whereupon it rolls down the hill, crushing and killing Spiker and Sponge on the way. It rolls through villages, houses, and a famous chocolate factory before falling off the cliffs at Dover into the sea. James and the bugs emerge to find themselves floating in the sea, but manage to sustain themselves on the delicious flesh of the peach. Hours later, near the Azores, the peach is surrounded by sharks. Using the Earthworm as bait, James and the others of the peach lure five hundred seagulls to the peach from the nearby islands, which they tie to the broken stem as a source of flight.
Now airborne, the peach crosses the Atlantic Ocean. At one incident, the Centipede entertains the others with ribald dirges to Sponge and Spiker, but in his excitement falls into the ocean and is rescued by James. That night, thousands of feet in the air, the giant peach floats through mountain-like, moonlit clouds, where the protagonists discover the ghostly "Cloud-Men", who control the weather. As the Cloud-Men form hailstones to throw down to the world below, the Centipede insults them, and an army of Cloud-Men pelt the giant peach with hail. They escape and then encounter a rainbow which they smash through. One Cloud-Man pours a tin of "rainbow paint" onto the Centipede, briefly turning him into a statue before he is freed by a Cloud-Man who pours water on him. One Cloud-Man almost boards the peach by climbing down the silken strings tied to the stem, which the Centipede severs to release him. Thereafter the protagonists approach New York City; whereupon the military, police, fire department, and rescue services are all called, and people flee to air raid shelters and subway stations, believing the city is about to be destroyed.
A huge passenger jet flies past the giant peach, and severs the silken strings connecting the seagulls to the peach, which is then impaled upon the tip of the Empire State Building. The people on the 86th floor at first believe the inhabitants of the giant peach to be monsters or extraterrestrials; but when James explains his story, the people hail James and his friends as heroes. The remains of the giant peach are brought down to the streets, where it is consumed by the town's children, and its seed is established as a mansion in Central Park, where James lives, while his friends establish careers in the human world. In conclusion, James is said to have written the preceding story. | cult, fantasy, psychedelic, sadist | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0160399 | Impostor | The film takes place in the year 2079. Forty-five years earlier, Earth was attacked by a hostile and implacable alien civilization from Alpha Centauri. Force shield domes are put in place to protect cities, and a totalitarian global military government is established to effect the war and the survival of humans. The Centaurians have never been physically seen.
The film follows Spencer Olham, a designer of top-secret government weapons. He is arrested by Major Hathaway of the Earth Security Administration (ESA), being identified as a replicant created by the aliens. The ESA intercepted an alien transmission which cryptanalysts decoded as programming Olham's target to be the Chancellor, whom he was scheduled to meet. Such replicants are perfect biological copies of existing humans, complete with transplanted memories, and do not know they are replicants. Each has a powerful "u-bomb" in their chest, which can only be detected by dissection or a high-tech medical scan, since it only assembles itself when it gets in proximity to its target. Detection via the special scan works by comparing against a previous scan, if there was one.
Major Hathaway begins interrogating Olham. As he's about to drill out his chest to find the bomb, Olham breaks loose and escapes, accidentally killing his friend Nelson in the process. With the help of underground stalker Cale, Olham avoids capture and sneaks into the hospital where his wife Maya is an administrator to get the high-tech scan redone and prove he's not a replicant. But the scan is interrupted by security forces before it can deliver the answer.
Olham and his wife are eventually captured by Hathaway's troops in a forest near an alien crash site, close to the spot where they spent a romantic weekend just a week or so before Olham's arrest. Inside the ship they discover the corpse of the real Maya, and Hathaway shoots the replicant before she can detonate. Hathaway thinks he has killed the true imposter, but as his men move debris away from the Centauri ship, the real Spencer's body is revealed. At that moment, Olham realizes aloud that he really is a replicant, and the secondary trigger (his awareness of what he truly is) detonates his u-bomb, destroying himself, Hathaway, his troops, and everything else in a wide area, in a fiery nuclear explosion.
In the final scene, the news announces that Hathaway and the Olhams were killed in an enemy attack, as if the government was covering up the truth, or didn't know what actually happened. Cale wonders if he ever really knew Olham's true identity. | anti war, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | And one major credit of the film is that it could capture quite obviously the feel of paranoia that's been the mainstay of Philip Dick's most stories.Gary Sinise is always pleasure to watch on screen.
The one scene that hints at her acting talent occurs when she confronts her husband at the abandoned park.Granted, the film does start out like it's going to be typical sci-fi schlock, but once it was past the first 15 minutes, I almost forgot it's science fiction.The bottom line: This movie WORKED for me!
(Dick's stories were also the inspiration for Blade Runner and Minority Report.) In my opinion Impostor is a solid science fiction film.
Of all the movies based on Philip K Dick stories, this one actually is most true to the plot line.
I even put off watching it for awhile because I did not have very high hopes for it, but it turned out pretty decent.Gary Sinise plays Spencer Olham, a doctor along with his wife, Maya, played by Madeleine Stowe.
Major Hathaway, played by Vincent D'Onofrio, claims that the cyborg is merely programmed to act human, as if it really wants to live.The special effects here are pretty good as well.
As much as that movie had going for it (great visuals and action, leavened by the right amount of humor), it let the viewer off the hook at the end by resolving the story with a tidy, happy, feel-good ending.
this is a terrific,well acted movie.it has plenty of action,a very good storyline and is also realistic.it asks many questions and leaves the viewer to answer most of them.i was drawn into this movie right from the beginning until the very end.there are some great,and unexpected (for me,anyway)plot twists.the ending i thought was brilliant.i felt the writers really captured the look and feel of a futuristic earth at war with the enemy.i also liked the fact that you never really know who the enemy is,until the very end.even then,i wasn't sure.if you are looking to be entertained,you should give this movie a try.if you like compelling and thought provoking action and drama,you should also give this movie a try.this movie has some intelligence behind it,which many movies today are sorely lacking.this is one of the best movies of the Sci/Fi genre i have seen to date.
Not surprisingly, critics were harsh on this one, and while many of the complaints are valid, Impostor is still a bit better than its reputation.The film's concept, that of a seemingly normal man accused of being a replicant, is a fascinating one, but it's unfortunately drowned by director Gary Fleder's obsession with shaky camera movements and quick cuts.
The world the movie is set in is quite acceptable, mixing many of P K Dick movie gimmicks (hover-cars from Blade Runner, personal identification similar to Minority Report, an Orwellian government presence similar to Total Recall).By the time the movie reaches its climactic finale, I was very thrilled and also very excited.
It does not quite fit into the usual Hollywood scheme of things and had a tough time, being released in the same year as Minority Report, but to me it definitely wasn't inferior to that much anticipated and overhyped movie...One warning though: Near the start, there is a particularly gruesome and gory scene that fully deserves an 18-rating in my opinion, instead of the 15 rating the movie received.
More science fiction as well done as this film should be made, considering far worse movies, make far more money.The special effects were 1st rate, locations, cinematography, acting, all very, very good.
The story was compelling, lots of action and kept you guessing the entire movie, right up until the very end!
Dick (also responsible for sci-fi classics such as "BLADE RUNNER" and "TOTAL RECALL") and is actually the second story in a trilogy titled "THE LIGHT YEARS TRILOGY", loosely based on the relationship between humans and aliens.Originally planned to be released as a 30-minute short, Miramax was apparently so impressed with what they saw, they requested extra footage be shot so that it could be released as a full-length feature film.Unfortunately, "IMPOSTER" would have been better off left as a 30-minute length feature.Several problems plagued the production of this film, including several attempts to 're-title' the film as "IMPOSTOR", "THE IMPOSTER" and "CLONE" and the infamous release dates that were juggled around based on the general public's appetite for a film of this genre."IMPOSTER" could be described as a sci-fi thriller mixed with some drama.
Gary Sinise portrays Spencer Olham an engineer who has the perfect life: a good job, a loving family and a beautiful wife (Madeline Stowe).
It appears that he has been accused of being an alien spy and he spends the rest of the film trying to prove his identity and innocence while also dealing with paranoia."IMPOSTER" certainly isn't a slick piece of work, but it wasn't the worse thing that I've seen either.
This time he plays a nasty man named 'Hathaway' who makes it his mission to hunt down Sinise and have him bought to justice.The whole outcome of this movie feels like something that was intended for a 'straight-to-video' release.
"Imposter" is an entertaining, old-fashioned action sci fi flick, based on a Philip Dick story that I had to track down in an out-of-print book because I wasn't 100% sure I got the final twist.Good cast of Gary Sinise, Madeline Stowe in her usual wife role, Vincent D'Onofrio in an unusual sort of bad guy role, and Mekhi Phifer in I think his first non-teen role.The futuristic special effects and constant chase scenes are ably handled by a director formerly of TV's "Homicide."The search for a terrorist and images of ruined cities ring differently now than they might have before 9/11.(originally written 1/13/2002;.
The special effects and cinematography are believable, the acting is top rate and the cast is even filled with one or two inspired choices (i.e. then-up-and-comer Mekhi Phifer as "zoner" Cale).Yes, it's true that "Imposter" loses something on a second viewing (what "twist" movie doesn't?), but as a first watch, the film is an excellent sci-fi diversion..
What happened was, they set out to make a short, the studio liked it for good reason, had the film makers expand it to a feature-length film, and the end product was the dog of film that failed with critics and audiences and goes down in history as a big collection of mistakes.But if you rent the DVD, the original short is on there.
Adapted by director Gary Fleder's buddy Scott Rosenberg from a Philip Dick (BLADE RUNNER, TOTAL RECALL) short story, it was originally intended to be a 30-minute episode in a 1999 movie trilogy.
My favorite part about this movie is the way it explores a Dick theme that Blade Runner fans will no doubt recognize: What makes us human?.
It's the kind of movie where every money shot is seen from a wide angle as a spaceship lands, but the characters exist wander through sets built by the lowest bidder.The year is 2079, and Earth has been at war with an alien race for the last 29 years.
Impostor belongs to the latter category.Spencer Olham (Gary Sinise) is accused of being a walking bomb made by enemy aliens the world are at war with.
Since the bomb can't be traced by any normal means, he seems to have no way to prove he is the human he claims to be.Although the plot has promise (as it is based on a short story) it is not enough for a feature-length film.
However, the film tedious; aside from the twist at the end, the majority of the movie is extremely predictable.'Impostor' would be good to see if there was nothing else playing in theaters, and science-fiction fans will mildly enjoy it.
Very Over Directed and Disappointing Over All. IMPOSTER is based on a short story by Philip K Dick whose stories have been used for the rather underrated TOTAL RECALL and the rather overrated BLADE RUNNER amongst others so hopefully we'd have if not a classic movie then a memorable and thought provoking one .
While Earth wages a war for its survival scientist Spencer Olham is arrested and interrogated as being a suspected traitor working for the other side and we've got got all the makings of a very good sci-fi psychological drama Oh dear , this is not how IMPOSTOR works out at all because the story soon turns into a sci-fi version of THE FUGITIVE with Spencer Olham on the run from his interrogator who looks far too much like George Michael for my liking .
At least none of the action takes place in a LA public toilet and for what have could have been a very involving , intelligent story we're left with a runaround plot that we've seen far too often before Yeah the screenwriter Stuart Rosenberg should carry much of the blame but it's the directing style of Gary Fleder that spoils much of the movie .
It should also be pointed out Fleder seems to have been inspired by Michael Bay since he uses a ridiculous amount of cross cuts and slo mo filming techniques many of which seem to have been used simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time So what had the potential to have been a good movie is ruined by the screenwriter and director .
Okay for starters the script wasn't the best, the actors were alright, though not bad enough to have to comment on, the plot was awesome, of course as it's based of my favorite author's short story-by the same name (philip k.
dick) who has inspired the classic blade runner and other good movies like minority report and total recall.
I don't think the screenplay was that bad, the script wasn't the best, the twist ending was my favorite part of the movies because i didn't suspect but there wasn't that many clues after all, unlike something like fight club.
I was entertained throughout the movie, with non-stop action, great acting, and also a good story.
Dick, the acting is good, with solid actors doing solid work.I can't really tell too much of the plot without spoiling the movie.
The end was pretty predictable to me, but I don't think this applies to most of the people, and the path to the climax was an interesting trip.The atmosphere is dark and the movie makes you think about people and human nature much more than most of the sci-fi of the day.
Blade Runner is a classic, while Minority Report and Total Recall were both good examples of film-making also.
While Imposter, like Paycheck, isn't a complete dead loss; it never really impresses either and despite some nice special effects, you always get the impression that the movie is happy to simply sit on the sidelines and just be an OK film.
Despite being made on an obvious low budget, the high-tech special effects look good and are the best thing about this otherwise low-key movie.
The film takes place in a time in which the Earth is under attack from an alien species that is genetically superior to the human race, and we are, therefore, losing to them.I've never been a fan of Gary Sinise; like this movie, he just isn't interesting.
Dick and thought that a 30 minute film would not have done it justice.Aside from the fact that I can name other things Gary Sinise has done besides this movie: Ransom, The Stand, CSI: New York, The Dress Code.
Gary Sinise is good, Madeleine Stowe is underused, Vincent D'Onofrio chews the scenery a bit, but he's supposed to, Tony Shalhoub and Mekhi Phifer were excellent, and almost against type for them, too bad they were in it so little.
The special effects were kind of cheesy for this day and age, and, unless you are Elon Musk, it is more than a little ridiculous to think that science and technology will advance this far in mere 60 more years; however, the tech stuff that will never actually happen is not really a problem, because these fictions were only plot devices so that the story could explore deeper ideas about existence and identity.
Impostor was only one of Dick's short stories, but it is every bit as good as his better known works, which of course include; Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Minority Report.
The movie settings were kinda dark, and given the budget, they could came up with something more colorful, although it represents dark future, so it's forgivable.Overall, this flick is mean to sci-fi stories buffs, not that it is really original one, but simply that you don't get many sci-fi flicks often, and this one is not bad, it's a B movie sci-fi flick that you should watch without high expectations, and could be surprised..
IMPOSTOR is a good movie, a solid and effective adaptation of Philip Dick's short story.
A secret government weapons designer Spencer Olham is forced to go on the run when he accused of being a replicant assassin created by the aliens to kill the Chancellor.Impostor is an overlooked adequate science fiction based on a story by Philip K.
In addition, it has a fitting score, the camera work was ahead of its time using a style that has become common place since.Wisely Imposter doesn't feature the Alien race and the action follows Spencer Olham (Gary Sinise) on his search through the domed protected city and outskirts to find out the truth while being tracked down by Major Hathaway excellently played by Vincent D'Onofrio.
Dick's story is adapted here, and while there are certainly extraneous elements, including some kind of silly fight scenes, it makes a sufficiently interesting movie.I'd personally like to see more movies like this: inexpensively made, with skilled cast members doing their jobs without emphasis on glamor, interesting plot and effects that are clearly 'scenery' rather than being used to carry things on their own.
In many ways, the fact that the movie is such a "think piece" is/was it's downfall...the current standard in Sci-Fi requires spending as much or more on computer-generated special effects as it does in scripting, character development, and editing.
It wasn't until his character escaped from Vincent D'Onofrio that the movie started to get interesting.The one thing that I look for in Sci-Fi films is cool gadgets.
I thought that the acting was very good and the characters were well developed.All of the critics who refer to things like, "if this is the future, why didn't they catch him faster?" Well, if they caught him faster, then the movie would be over.
What had looked like a good episode of the "Twilight Zone" turned into the "Fugitive" in a future setting, (done much better in "Total Recall" and "The 6th Day").See Gary run.
Watch the "Original Short Film" on the DVD, or, better yet, get "Blade Runner," (which has a story with some character development with its "replicants")..
Gary Sinise and Madeline Stowe are first-rate, the lighting and special effects are first rate, the story -- beginning with major buildings coming down before our eyes, then the rise of martial law as humanity deals with constant warfare with an alien force which uses, among other things, replicant homicide bombers to assassinate earth's security forces and leaders-- well, it seemed a little too much like our future.
well i watched this a couple of days ago thinking this will be poor, but was very surprised to see a film with a very good story line fairly good acting and some nice effects i liked the twist at the end even though it was easy to see the whole way through the film.
Dick's fiction, Impostor asks questions about identity and the nature of reality - how do you know you're you, how do you know what's real - and this is what makes the film interesting and pack the punch it does; even though the closing sequences seem almost perfunctory (apparently the film was cut to win a PG13 rating), this is a movie well worth seeking out, with strong performances from Gary Sinise and Vincent D'Onofrio..
I looked forward to their likely contribution to a good science fiction film, and the fact that the excellent Tony Shalhoub was in it too could only help.
Dick, though, and I'll place it on my list of movies that I enjoy--but recognize as not very good films (right alongside Screamers and Total Recall)..
Just a good movie if you like sci-fi or not..
If I go further back i'm talking about the Alien-series, and that's been a while right ?Impostor is an action-packed movie with an interesting plot, good special effects, and even Gary Sinise acts good IMO !I gave this movie a 8, and if you're even slightly interested in science-fiction, I think this is a must-see !!!.
In this movie based on the short story, Gary Sinise is a government worker mistaken for a bomb-carrying alien.Since this movie is set far into the future, the usual futuristic gadgets are shown, including implanted devices in the small of people's backs that track where they are at all times, flying buses with rooftop stops, and many other nifty gadgets for a movie set 70+ years in the future.This is pretty much your typical sci-fi future movie, but the ending got me a little confused.
A good way to end an interesting movie..
Great plot, but should have been a short-story film.
Hard to write a good review without spoilers, but here goes: this movie has some great special effects and excellent acting by Gary Sinise (Doctor Olham) and Vincent D'Onofrio (Major Hathaway) as the doctor and the major.
This was a good movie, as I've come to expect out of Gary Sinise.
For those that are unwilling to give an unknown film a chance, this was the story of Gary Sinise playing the role of Spencer Olham. |
tt0106753 | Doppelganger | The story follows Holly Gooding (Barrymore), who moves from New York City to Los Angeles after being implicated in a murder. She is followed by what is apparently her evil twin. While in Los Angeles, she finds a room for rent by a writer named Patrick. After some strange occurrences, it becomes less and less clear whether the woman is in fact Holly or her Doppelgänger.
Patrick soon starts to realize something is odd about Holly. As he spends more and more time with her, things heat up and he falls for her. He then finds out that Holly's brother, Fred, is in a psychiatric hospital after killing his own father. When Patrick finds out that Holly's mother was murdered and she is the prime suspect, he starts doubting her sanity. But by that time he is too attached to her and does not want her going to jail. So when her brother Fred is attacked and she once more is a suspect he decides he is going to get to the bottom of it, no matter what. | good versus evil, cult, murder, plot twist | train | wikipedia | Drew Barrymore's sultry little dances and always seductive scenes.
Early in Drew's career...look to Ever After and Wedding Singer if you want better acting.
Could have been wrapped up in a TV show slot, and it indeed felt rushed at the end with a "bad-guy explains his whole evil plot" sequence.It's good for a laugh, and good to waste some time, but don't be too critical of it.
On the plus side, Drew Barrymore burns up the screen with a much steamier performance than the one she gave in "Poison Ivy", and the "good guys" are unusually likable (in an unforced way) for a horror film.
Drew Barrymore made this not long after poison ivy and in this one she goes a step further towards adulthood by playing a good girl who's being stalked by a slutty, murderous double of herself.
Drew Barrymore at the lowest point in her career....
Drew Barrymore is an actress that has gone through bad periods, not only in her career, but in her personal life too.
While she has recovered from that dark past, this movie stays as a reminder of Drew Barrymore's worst days.The movie starts with an interesting premise, very reminiscent to Brian De Palma's "Raising Cain"; with a plot dealing with multiple personality disorder that sets the story for a horror/thriller.
Barrymore stars as Holly Gooding, a young woman who is trying to make a new life in California after a traumatic event of her past in which apparently her other personality killed her mother.Suddenly, her past returns to haunt her as her evil personality is back in her life willing to ruin her new found peace and her new found love.
In the middle of the chaos his new boyfriend, Patrick Highsmith (George Newbern), will try to help Holly to face the demons of her past.Unlike De Palma's underrated thriller, "Doppelganger" is for the most part a mediocre film that not only never fulfills it's purpose, it also concludes in one of the worst endings of movie history.
The rest of the cast however range from mediocre to painfully bad over-the-top performances, although Leslie Hope manages to be among the best of them.The script is full of clichés and De Palma's influence is quite obvious.
While the movie tries to be original by making literary references in almost every line, the dialogs are dull and the wooden acting certainly doesn't do any good.
It has a fair share of nudity and for strange reasons, and excessive use of special effects.The make-up effects are done by the outstanding KNB and are really among the few good things in the movie.
However, the bizarre over-use of the effects in the totally out of context ending decreases the impact of KNB's work and makes cheesy what in a different movie would be amazing.The fact that this is a B-Movie is no excuse for it's low quality, as with a better and more coherent script this could had been an interesting movie.
Terrible script, lousy acting, amateurish directing, laughable special effects...it's just an utterly awful movie.
After spending the whole movie wondering what in the world is going on here when things are finally explained you realize the story has been built on a foundation which is ludicrously impossible.
In one of those hideous "villain explains the whole movie" sequences we are told that our villain has done something which quite simply can't be done and which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
I'm sure Drew Barrymore would very much like to pretend this movie never happened.
If for some ungodly reason you are ever tempted to sit down and watch this movie may I suggest instead taking that time to bang your head against a wall for 104 minutes.
I had faith that Drew couldn't possibly have made this bad of a movie...
Drew tried, but the movie was poorly written, poorly acted, and just poorly conceived!
Even in a bad film, there is usually some redeeming feature, something that you can say yes it was terrible, but there was that performance, or that part of the script, or that special effect, this was just simply terrible all over.
The acting was laughable, the script terrible, complete with many inexplicable Breakfast at Tiffany's references, and even the special effects were shoddy at best.
This was a very bad film and one that even Drew Barrymore wishes was expunged from history.
While it might look good, there's no denying how ridiculously silly the story becomes (like some sort of parody) and the acting (mainly the support; Leslie Hope and Dennis Christopher) is overdone.
Drew Barrymore is the star, but looks all out of place in the role and George Newbern as her lead comes off bemused more often.
The concept isn't bad, but the hollow plot lacks cohesion and involvement in what turns out to be nothing more than unintentionally hilarious in its b-grade shadings and a disappointing smokescreen by the end..
A lousy movie with a beautiful Drew Barrymore.
I wanted to watch it as I like Drew Barrymore and wanted to see one of her early movies.
The movie is about a girl (played by young and beautiful Drew Barrymore), who moves from NYC to LA in order to get over her recently troubled loss.
Short after moving to a guy who falls in love with her, it becomes obvious that she has an evil twin=doppelganger, who haunts her.The movie is quite poor and lousy.
Summing up it is just something for the fans of Drew Barrymore..
Drew Barrymore's Double Trouble.
Next, Drew Barrymore visits an unidentified woman and stabs her after bleeding from the nose and showing webbed fingers.
The story really gets started when Barrymore (as Holly Gooding) arrives in Los Angeles to answer a "roommate wanted" ad placed by cute young writer George Newbern (as Patrick Highsmith).
The TV never worked.***** Doppelganger (4/24/93) Avi Nesher ~ Drew Barrymore, George Newbern, Leslie Hope, Dennis Christopher.
I think that this movie was good.
Drew Barrymore did an excellent job.
Although this wasn't the traditional horror flick, it was a movie worth watching, (even more than once)..
Doppelganger has its moments, but they are few and far between.Essentially, this is a grade B blend of pop-psych thriller, ghost story and horror.
Drew Barrymore plays a young woman who is haunted by the demons of her past (most of her family has been murdered and she was, in at least one case, the prime suspect), or does she just have a really bad case of multiple personality disorder?
George Newbern is her new room mate, and most of the action centers on him.Newbern's character is pretty sympathetic, and both he and Barrymore do decent work (though not exactly good).
Leslie Hope's character is memorable, but so irritating that you will want to forget her.The plot eventually disintegrates into a bifurcated (one story arc is psychological realism, the other is supernatural horror) outlandish climax which is so badly conceived, acted and photographed that it effectively counteracts most of what value the film had achieved previously.Overall, the film has the feel of what might expect to be the result of M.
The acting and script for the two leads are just good enough to make you care a little about them - at least until the film derails utterly and completely.My recommendation - send your doppelganger, but avoid a first-person encounter..
I got the DVD very cheap and I'm a total Drewbie, and thats probably the only constellation where this movie could ever interest anyone.An early Drew movie, she's looking great, and she gets a quite lot of really cute scenes of her, like a shower scene, a sexy dance scene, quite a number of sexy outfits etc.
There is no real horror or tension built up and the dialogs are often cheesy.The most interesting part is probably the end because I honestly don't understand it.
But at least you don't get the end you would be expecting, and it also comes much sooner than one would have expected.Overall I think this movie is exclusively for Drewbies..
Lots of gore in the end sequence and if you like a dose of schlock horror then this is the film for you....
Always enjoy the great acting of Drew Barrymore and her great performance in this film, where she plays a very very complicated young gal,(Holly Gooding),"Skipped Parts",2000, who leaves New York and travels to California and shares an apartment with a up and coming writer, George Newbern,(Patrick Highsmith),"Far Harbor",'96.
Many strange things start to happen to Holly and she seeks to find her brother in a mental institution after he killed her father.
If you look close enough you will actually see the mother of Drew Barrymore in real life appear as her mother in this picture.
If it was not for the good acting of Drew Barrymore and George Newbern, this film should be seen only on Halloween Night!
This is one of those movies that you get into hoping it's going to be an excellent Thriller But as time passes you see that it's not.
I love Drew Barrymore so I thought I would give the movie a chance.
The movie started out unique and suspenseful and it's time past the movie got more and more hideous, the ending was absolutely ridiculous.
Not something I will see again and sure as hell not a good Halloween movie.
Drew in bad horror.
New York heiress Holly Gooding (Drew Barrymore) kills a relative who's looking to push her out of the family fortune.
The movie has a few possible ways to go and the audience is simply left waiting for it to decide.
One would think a movie couldn't possibly screw up a naked Drew.
The horror effects are subpar and becomes even more noticeable as the movie takes the turn..
I have to admit that I like Drew Barrymore, but not in this loser.I was really shocked.
Drew Barrymore's acting almost reached that of a Junior High School Play.
I've seen other good actors in terrible films but they at least give the terrible material their best shot.
Illogical plot lapses, inept attempts at weird scares, and a waste of Drew Barrymore.
She was slumming it to appear in this one.Her acting isn't bad, even at that lean part of her career she could take the least of characters and make the most of it.
Basically, Drew's character is a nut-job who thinks she's got a ghostly apparition following her around.
Things take the predictable horror movie turns: repeated sightings, terror, a few bodies and blood, etc., until the producers got tired of looping around in circles and give a ridiculously nonsensical ending.
Good Horror Movie Goes Bad. SPOILERS WITH-HELD For what starts out as a good horror/murder movie, it sures gets stupid quick and fizzles out.
Drew is wildly kept uninhibited, much like Alyssa Milano in "Embrace of the Vampire," and George Newbern is a rather odd witness to the events around him.
The rug is constantly pulled under him as he believes Drew's character Holly Gooding is a murderer, then being set up, and then being haunted.
There's not much horror, but lots of suspense to this movie which ends with an anti-climactic crash of confusion.
Drew Barrymore In a Very Different Type of Role!.
Drew Barrymore was excellent in this film.
Still, it's pretty nauseating, even with sexy Drew Barrymore playing something of a horror-movie answer to Holly Golightly, relocating from New York City to Los Angeles but finding out she's being stalked by a murderous look-alike.
Poor Sally Kellerman, a quirky actress of great acclaim in the '70s, is reduced here to a paltry supporting role, and Barrymore's leading man George Newbern is the worst type of sitcom actor, always pausing for a laugh after every line.
The former ET star is looking good in this enjoyably foolish horror yarn that features a double dose of Drew.
Drew looks great, especially in a party scene where she is suddenly taken over by the evil spirit of her doppelganger and starts performing an erotic dance routine that's hot enough to make E.T. phone home for a big pack of bromide pills !
The climax is a hoot, with the true nature of Drew's double being revealed in a blaze of slimy animatronic special effects.Sophisticated viewers should probably look elsewhere, but if you are a fan of daft horrors, the palatable Ms Barrymore, or both, then you'd better see it a double times - or more....
See Donnie Darko instead if you want a creepy Drew Barrymore film, and if you want to see another, skip this and see Darko again.The treatment of the Doppelganger legend is absolutely criminal as well.
This is just an excuse to make a B film to go straight to video and suck some life out of people at Blockbuster.What makes any of these people think the acting here was praiseworthy?
"Doppelganger: The Evil Within" is a watchable, if slightly disappointing affair.**SPOILERS**Moving to Los Angeles, Holly Gooding, (Drew Barrymore) takes a roommate position with Patrick Highsmith, (George Newbern) an aspiring writer.
She starts bringing him along as she investigates her past and reveals that she has a doppelganger, a ghostly twin that is haunting her and has confused each other.
The film is filled with all sorts of images, such as the continuous times the sunglasses-clad Drew doppelganger is seen standing in the window of the deserted mansion or outside a café and the eerie scene where the hero follows her into a culvert that add a genuine weirdness.
There are all sorts of surreal dream sequences, where she's taking showers in blood or the hero entering the apartment to find it trashed, her crucified to the wall and the doppelganger coming after him with a knife that really sticks in the mind for good reason.
These help to make the film watchable.The Bad News: This here is a disappointment, and there are several reasons for this.
The first half is where most of it's good parts come from there, and it just drags out until the ending, and is filled with scenes that go on and on without getting to any conclusion.
This makes the ending half of the film incredibly slow and dull.
She has some sort of spells at times, which makes it seem like she is being possessed.
All of these are brought up and certainly plausible, and while some things are explained near the end of the movie, the fact that there is a lot still unsure of and that is quite hard to get away with.
These are big problems in the film and really lower the film, despite their not being a lot of problems with it.The Final Verdict: It's a real disappointment, especially as it's got potential and a couple good moments, but the majority of the time, this is a really dull film.
The plot was weird, Drew Barrymore and DC making out was awkward for both of them.
Drews acting was dodgy in places but this could be down to her life at the time.
that weird animatronic red skeleton thing looked just like it was out of filmschool, which is OK i guess but it could have been more.
It was very confusing as to when it was the Doppelganger weird thing or when it was DC-or was it Dennis all the time?
In the scenes with Patrick if it was Dennis as the Doppelganger then I think Patrick would notice.The music was OK but obtrusive in places, the whole orchestral score seemed to be revolving around a theme but this theme was overdone.A big mix of lots of blood and gratuitus shots of Drew nude.
The doppelganger split at the end was like...
Certainly ridiculous, but a sweet idea and actually very coherent to the story in a strange way.Is the point of a movie to be logical or is it to be entertaining or communicate on an emotional level?
I'm looking for other movies this person may have done (with more experience)..
The Music, Drew Barrymore, and That's It.
It got all the writer-directing-his-story kind of bad syndromes !
You may forgive (Avi Nesher) only because he wanted to create a very special horror/thriller movie, and strangely..
I have a theory myself that Drew Barrymore's character is whether a schizophrenic alien or Siamese twins from outer space !!
Not bad for a low budget horror where anything goes, but did it entertain you as it mainly and only wants ?
As seeing Barrymore bends over, in good or lousy movie, is a real joy apart !But earnestly, heed making (Sally Kellerman)'s character as former nun who's working now as the head of sex phone office and the only one who knows what Doppelganger means, and making (George Newbern)'s character as a former writer of short stories who's working now as scriptwriter of low horror movies..
It could be a fair looking from the movie at itself !
(or good intentions to present what's higher, that had gone wrong ?!) (Avi Nesher) wanted a different kind of movie, and he actually did it.
However its ambition wasn't fulfilled as it should be, as the only fully fulfilled things here were : Kaczmarek's super music, and Drew Barrymore's sweet body !
Like the movie's own twist my review also got one as I believe (Doppelganger) made it to be a trashy classic (Yes, some trash can be classic too) with certain personality that's forever : horrific, sexy, deficient, incomprehensible.
To live longer than its common age as a low horror movie.
Drew Barrymore, Patrick Highsmith, Leslie Hope, and Sally Kellerman are excellent actors.
The scenes where Patrick looked Holly up and down like some sort of objectifier, those was just weird.
Drew Barrymore is very hot.
But what was that scene where Patrick followed Holly into a cesspool and Mr. Gooding attacked him? |
tt0121352 | Henna | Rishi Kapoor plays Chander , who stays in Srinagar. He is about to engaged to Chand (Ashwini Bhave). On the day of his engagement, he meets with an accident , and mistakenly strays into the Pakistani side of Kashmir from his own home in Srinagar . A native girl called Henna (Zeba Bakhtiar), falls in love with him , amidst the controversial Indian-Pakistani tension on Kashmir which leads him to be suspected by the Pakistani police of being an Indian spy.
Beautiful Henna Khan lives the life of a gypsy near the river, Jhelum, in Pakistan with her widowed dad, Khan Baba; three brothers, Ashraf, Razzak, and Zaman. One day she comes across a male body that has been washed ashore. Khan Baba, Bibi Gul, and Henna take this male in, nurse him back to health, only to find out that he has lost his memory. The male in his sleep cries out the name of "Chand", and everyone starts calling him by that name. Soon he is well enough to walk around and starts working for Bibi and helping her make clay pots. Henna falls in love with him and would like to marry him, much to the chagrin of Daroga Shahbaaz Khan (Raza Murad), who has already been married twice, but according to Shariat Law he can marry twice more. Khan Baba arranges the marriage of Henna and Chand and a day is set for the marriage. The tribe will soon find out that Chand is not a Muslim, neither is he from Pakistan. In fact he is from India and strayed over to Pakistan during a car accident. The tribe decide to create safe passage for Chand to get back home.
The first attempt is foiled due to one of the brothers colluding with Shahbaaz Khan. The second attempt succeeds, but Henna is killed in the climax .
The film ends with Chander asking the question about why war happens? | tragedy, romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0106559 | Ching se | An overzealous Buddhist monk named Fa Hoi (Vincent Zhao) has trained for 20 years to solely banish demons from the Human World due to his prejudice against spiritual beings seeking to improve themselves. He captures a spider in human form, who has trained for 200 years to be able to reincarnate, and throws him underneathe a gazebo. Fa Hoi is later seen meditating, apparently being haunted by sins of the human mind and is being punished spiritually for his mistake. He eventually releases the Spider spirit.
A storm takes place while Fa Hoi goes into the forest and he attacks two Snake spirits. But after he noticed that they were only preventing rain from hitting a woman giving birth, he also releases them. Again, he is haunted by sins of the human mind, primarily the female body. The two snakes, White Snake (Joey Wong) and Green Snake (Maggie Cheung), are later seen on the rooftop of a festival where Green Snake participates in naked while White Snake eyes a local scholar Hsui Xien (Wu Hsing-Kuo). The two have been training for many centuries to take human form and experience the love, freedom and wisdom that is supposedly only available to humans. White Snake is the more experienced one and proceeds to get engaged to Hsui Xien, with whom she plans to have a child which would complete her passage into the mortal realm; Green Snake is the younger and more impulsive of the two sisters but she is not yet quite convinced of the benefits of the human world. They both move into their magically created house and start a successful medical practice in the town. Other than Hsui Xien's visit, the two gets another visit unexpectedly from a buffoonish Taoist whom Green Snake leaves the household to take care of. Because of White Snake's beautiful charms, Hsui Xien, once known as the toughest and most dedicated scholar of the village, is starting to lose his reputation.
In another heavy storm, a flood ravaged the village. White Snake and Green Snake helps to vanquish the flood and are helped by Fa Hoi, whom they remembered from the forest. After the flood is gone, White Snake and Green Snake tend to the medical needs of the villagers and they've become greatly respected. However, slowly, Green Snake is starting to envy White Snake and is beginning to yearn for the affections of a human, often using Hsui Xien as an experiment. Though caught multiple times, White Snake usually shrugs this off. One day while teaching, Hsui Xien spontaneously comes back to see White Snake but instead sees a large reptilian tail in their bathing room. He escapes and becomes paranoid of the symbolic snake-related objects in the village because of the Dragon Boat Festical. Drunk from gifts from the villagers, White Snake and Green Snake takes advantage and lies to him so it seemed as if he was hallucinating.
Because the festival is near, White Snake pushes Green Snake to leave the village knowing that a special wine consumed only on this day will make Green Snake reveal her true form (due to her inexperience). Green Snake sulks, rebelling to leave because of her envy towards White Snake and Hsui Xien. The night of the festival, White Snake drags an obviously-scared Hsui Xien to drink the special wine together. Hsui Xien instead secretly dumps the wine into their pond where Green Snake consumes it; White Snake was not able to prevent Hsui Xien from seeing Green Snake's true form and he dies from shock. They are interrupted by the Taoist and his two apprentices again, which White Snake disposed of hasily. She decides to go to Kwun Lun Mountain to obtain the Lin-Chi Herb, but because it is guarded by a Holy Crane, Green Snake decides to help out of guilt. Fa Hoi notices their presences and immediately follows them. After obtaining the Lin-Chi Herb, White Snake leaves Green Snake to fight against Fa Hoi but was quickly defeated. To let her go, the monk decided to challenge his own mentality by letting Green Snake distract him in any way while he meditates. When he loses the challenge, Green Snake quickly makes her way back to White Snake. Green Snake tells White Snake of Fa Hoi's challenge, White Snake shrugs her off, leaving Green Snake to assume that her older sister thinks she is inferior. To get a response out of White Snake, she seduces Hsui Xien and the two gets into a fight in which White Snake triumphed. She reveals to Green Snake that she is pregnant and cannot be with her anymore.
Hsui Xien goes to his class to find Fa Hoi and he was given Holy beads to protect himself from evil spirits, but instead tossed it into the river. He arrives at home and pleads for the two to leave while he checks to see if Fa Hoi is near. The monk goes into their home, distills the illusion of a magically-created home, and forcefully takes Hsui Xien from the human/spirit mixed marriage into his religious reeducation camp–styled temple, situated atop a mountain. While Hsui Xien struggles to resist becoming a monk, White Snake appears at the temple and begged for the return of her husband. When Fa Hoi refused, Green Snake joins White Snake and calls the monk on his promise to let them go if he lost the challenge. The two snakes create a flood, attempting to flood the temple but Fa Hoi lifts the entire temple into the air to prevent the catastrophe. When it failed, Fa Hoi tries to suffocate the two with his surplice but again, the two snakes were able to overcome it. White Snake suddenly goes into labor and the flood ran amok towards the village, destroying everything. The baby was then revealed to be a human baby boy and Fa Hoi is in shock but recedes his surplice thereby allowing Green Snake to enter the temple to retrieve Hsui Xien on White Snake's behalf. White Snake, however, is struggling to keep her baby above water when Fa Hoi saves the baby but White Snake dies from a huge incoming debris. Green Snake was able to rescue Hsui Xien from the complete flood of the temple, but after multiple attempts of calling out to White Snake, Green Snake kills Hsui Xien so that he can be with her in the afterlife. Fa Hoi attempts to punish her for her crime but instead acknowledges the fact that he too has led people to their deaths, mainly his fellow monks. After questioning the love that only humans are supposed to know of, Green leaves Fa Hoi to absorb the depth of the catastrophe alone. | allegory, cult, psychedelic | train | wikipedia | null |
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