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tt0082616 | Killjoy | The film begins with a boy named Michael, a kid who has a crush on a beautiful girl named Jada but is always rejected because Jada is stuck with a gangster, Lorenzo (Johnson). When Michael comes close to her, he is beat up by Lorenzo and his homeboys, T-Bone and Baby Boy. But Michael is secretly involved in black magic, and tries to bring a doll that he calls Killjoy to life. After he is abducted by the gangsters and brought into the woods, Michael is accidentally shot and killed by Lorenzo.
A year later, Jada is now going out with a guy named Jamal who is similar to Michael. Lorenzo is going out with a girl named Kahara, who is just like Jada. When Lorenzo leaves to have sex with her, T-Bone and Baby Boy go get ice-cream. The ice-cream man, who's dressed up like a clown really sells drugs. Baby Boy and T-Bone hop in the truck but end up in an abandoned building. They split up to find a way out. Baby Boy gets rammed into the wall by the ice-cream truck, killing him. T-Bone starts smoking pot when suddenly, it starts to burn him, and his body vanishes. His corpse ends up back to his hide-out, along with Baby Boy's. Meanwhile, Lorenzo, after having sex with Kahara, hears something outside her apartment building, and goes outside to check. He finds the ice-cream truck and opens the door, and the ice-cream man pulls him in, and ends up at the abandoned building. After finding the ice-cream man, he confronts him and shows him the (living) corpses of T-Bone and Baby Boy; after they fade away, he shoots the ice-cream man dozens of times, but the ice-cream man sucks up the bullets (a spoof of The Mask) and shoots the bullets out of his mouth, killing Lorenzo.
Meanwhile, one of Jada's friends, Monique (Austin), calls Jada, telling her that some guy (Burghardt) came in to her room and needs them to come over. The homeless man tells them that Lorenzo killed Michael a year ago, and explains that Michael was brought back to life by the Ice Cream Man, whose real name's Killjoy, the doll Michael has, and tells them that Killjoy just killed Lorenzo, Baby Boy, and T-Bone. Then he tells them that Killjoy/Michael can be killed by Jada, because the love of a young woman can destroy the evil in the heart. Before leaving, he tells them that they have to kill the doll the spirit of the ice cream man came from, and the ice cream truck is outside.
Still not believing what the homeless man said, they go inside the ice-cream truck to check it out, and they end up in the abandoned building, where they're confronted by T-Bone, Baby Boy, and Lorenzo, who souls' are under Killjoy's control and are now his accomplices. The trio start fighting the accomplices until all three are killed. Then Killjoy comes out and knocks Jamal and Monique out. He asks Jada for a kiss, upon which Jada agrees to do so, under one condition: that he will leave her world and never come back. But instead of disappearing, Killjoy transforms into Michael. Michael tells Jada that he did it all for her. Jada, who desperately wants to stop Michael/Killjoy from killing, stabs Michael to death, and Michael fades away.
Jamal, Jada, and Monique are about to leave when Killjoy, Lorenzo, T-Bone, and Baby Boy appear behind them. Jada then remembers from the Homeless man that they have to kill the doll. The trio frantically run back into the ice-cream truck, where they end up in Michael's house, where the doll lies on the floor. The doll turns into Michael, who constantly begs her for forgiveness, but Jada continues to stab it. The earth starts to shake, and while Jada, Jamal, and Monique try to stay still within the circle of candles without breaking it, Baby Boy, T-Bone, and Lorenzo's souls are sucked into a portal. The trio then watch as Killjoy finishes off Michael (via vaporization), and the trio are sent back to Jada's room, where the homeless man thanks them, and vanishes, meaning he's an angel from heaven.
The trio decides to go out and eat, when they are confronted by Ray Jackson (Washington), and Tamara (Rochelle), who are both in Jada's English class. Ray says that he gained access into the club free because his brother owns the place, and his name is......Killjoy! The trio then see that Ray turns into Killjoy, and Tamara turns into Lorenzo. Killjoy starts laughing maniacally at the trio, with Jada screaming "NO!", until Jada wakes up in bed, along with Jamal, indicating that the entire experience was all a dream. Jamal tries to calm Jada down by going under the covers to perform oral sex on her, but then rises from the covers as Killjoy. The film ends with a shot of Jada screaming and Killjoy stating, "That was some good pussay!!!", followed by evil laughter. | mystery, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0000966 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | The play consists of four interconnecting plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazon queen, Hippolyta, which is set simultaneously in the woodland and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon.
The play opens with Hermia, who is in love with Lysander, resistant to her father Egeus' demand that she wed Demetrius, whom he has arranged for her to marry. Helena meanwhile pines unrequitedly for Demetrius. Enraged, Egeus invokes an ancient Athenian law before Duke Theseus, whereby a daughter must marry the suitor chosen by her father, or else face death. Theseus offers her another choice: lifelong chastity while worshipping the goddess Artemis as a nun.
Peter Quince and his fellow players Nick Bottom, Francis Flute, Robin Starveling, Tom Snout, and Snug plan to put on a play for the wedding of the Duke and the Queen, "the most lamentable comedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe." Quince reads the names of characters and bestows them on the players. Nick Bottom, who is playing the main role of Pyramus, is over-enthusiastic and wants to dominate others by suggesting himself for the characters of Thisbe, the Lion, and Pyramus at the same time. He would also rather be a tyrant and recites some lines of Ercles. Bottom is told by Quince that he would do the Lion so terribly as to frighten the duchess and ladies enough for the Duke and Lords to have the players hanged. Quince ends the meeting with "at the Duke's oak we meet."
In a parallel plot line, Oberon, king of the fairies, and Titania, his queen, have come to the forest outside Athens. Titania tells Oberon that she plans to stay there until she has attended Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding. Oberon and Titania are estranged because Titania refuses to give her Indian changeling to Oberon for use as his "knight" or "henchman," since the child's mother was one of Titania's worshippers. Oberon seeks to punish Titania's disobedience. He calls upon Robin "Puck" Goodfellow, his "shrewd and knavish sprite," to help him concoct a magical juice derived from a flower called "love-in-idleness," which turns from white to purple when struck by Cupid's arrow. When the concoction is applied to the eyelids of a sleeping person, that person, upon waking, falls in love with the first living thing he perceives. He instructs Puck to retrieve the flower with the hope that he might make Titania fall in love with an animal of the forest and thereby shame her into giving up the little Indian boy. He says, "And ere I take this charm from off her sight,/As I can take it with another herb,/I'll make her render up her page to me."
Hermia and Lysander have escaped to the same forest in hopes of eloping. Helena, desperate to reclaim Demetrius's love, tells Demetrius about the plan and he follows them in hopes of killing Lysander. Helena continually makes advances towards Demetrius, promising to love him more than Hermia. However, he rebuffs her with cruel insults against her. Observing this, Oberon orders Puck to spread some of the magical juice from the flower on the eyelids of the young Athenian man. Instead, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, not having actually seen either before, and administers the juice to the sleeping Lysander. Helena, coming across him, wakes him while attempting to determine whether he is dead or asleep. Upon this happening, Lysander immediately falls in love with Helena. Oberon sees Demetrius still following Hermia and is enraged. When Demetrius goes to sleep, Oberon sends Puck to get Helena while he charms Demetrius' eyes. Upon waking up, he sees Helena. Now, both men are in pursuit of Helena. However, she is convinced that her two suitors are mocking her, as neither loved her originally. Hermia is at a loss to see why her lover has abandoned her, and accuses Helena of stealing Lysander away from her. The four quarrel with each other until Lysander and Demetrius become so enraged that they seek a place to duel to prove whose love for Helena is the greater. Oberon orders Puck to keep Lysander and Demetrius from catching up with one another and to remove the charm from Lysander so Lysander can return to love Hermia, while Demetrius continues to love Helena.
Meanwhile, Quince and his band of six labourers ("rude mechanicals," as they are described by Puck) have arranged to perform their play about Pyramus and Thisbe for Theseus' wedding and venture into the forest, near Titania's bower, for their rehearsal. Bottom is spotted by Puck, who (taking his name to be another word for a jackass) transforms his head into that of a donkey. When Bottom returns for his next lines, the other workmen run screaming in terror: They claim that they are haunted, much to Bottom's confusion. Determined to await his friends, he begins to sing to himself. Titania, having received the love-potion, is awakened by Bottom's singing and immediately falls in love with him. She lavishes him with the attention of her and her fairies, and while she is in this state of devotion, Oberon takes the changeling. Having achieved his goals, Oberon releases Titania, orders Puck to remove the donkey's head from Bottom, and arranges everything so Helena, Hermia, Demetrius and Lysander will all believe they have been dreaming when they awaken. Puck distracts Lysander and Demetrius from fighting over Helena's love by mimicking their voices and leading them apart. Eventually, all four find themselves separately falling asleep in the glade. Once they fall asleep, Puck administers the love potion to Lysander again, claiming all will be well in the morning.
The fairies then disappear, and Theseus and Hippolyta arrive on the scene, during an early morning hunt. They wake the lovers and, since Demetrius no longer loves Hermia, Theseus over-rules Egeus's demands and arranges a group wedding. The lovers decide that the night's events must have been a dream. After they exit, Bottom awakes, and he too decides that he must have experienced a dream "past the wit of man."
In Athens, Theseus, Hippolyta and the lovers watch the six workmen perform Pyramus and Thisbe. The performers are so terrible playing their roles that the guests laugh as if it were meant to be a comedy, and everyone retires to bed. Afterwards, Oberon, Titania, Puck, and other fairies enter, and bless the house and its occupants with good fortune. After all the other characters leave, Puck "restores amends" and suggests that what the audience experienced might just be a dream. | romantic, fantasy | train | wikipedia | Fun to Watch, and Very Good For Its Time.
This very early silent filming of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" works well.
While it's too bad to have to do without Shakespeare's dialogue, the play lends itself well to film, and this one is done with a zest that makes up for the cinematic limitations of the time.
It covers most of the main events in the zany plot, and tells the story pretty well.
Most of the actors are at least adequate, and the young girl playing Puck steals every scene she is in.
The fantasy nature of the play lends itself to special effects, and they have used quite a few in the short running time.
Most of them work well, and while a couple are a bit creaky, there are also a couple of them that are excellent.
Overall, it is a good treatment of one of Shakespeare's most pleasant plays.
It's fun to watch, and for its time deserves praise..
good early Shakespeare.
This version of Shakespeare's play works well with some excellent performances (the girl playing Puck, Julia Swayne-Gordon, Maurice Costello, Florence Turner) and an attempt to pack in all the twists and turns of the plot into a very short time span.
The curio is that Oberon is omitted and Penelope added instead - very odd!
The players are also very funny, particularly the wild looking actor playing Bottom.
Not at all boring and exceptionally good quality visually..
Fall In Love with what You See. I'm becoming convinced that it is extremely difficult to bring Shakespeare to film without doing some major translations, at least using modern notions.
There's just too much invested in the spoken language itself from whence all the stuff flows that is normally associated with the cinematic.I've been looking at several silent treatments.
Naturally enough, they fall flat.
But this one doesn't because it emphasizes the play of the "mechanicals." The abstraction of that play on film, the jumping and gesticulating is along the same lines as ALL the acting of that day, but double.If you were going to try a film, the best plot device is the play within the play (of any of his plays that have this).
And the best abstraction strategy is to just take his existing exaggeration and exaggerate it.It is all a matter of what you are tricked into falling in love with.Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching..
Shakespeare Legitimizes Cinema.
The Vitagraph Company produced at least nine film adaptations of Shakespeare's works during 1908-1909, and they were behind the 1910 "Twelfth Night" also included on the Silent Shakespeare video.
According to historians Roberta E.
Pearson and William Uricchio, thirty-six such one-reel adaptations were made in the US alone from 1908-1913, with still more being imported from Europe ("How Many Times Shall Caesar Bleed in Sport", included in "The Silent Cinema Reader").
Some of the earliest feature-length films were Shakespearian, too, including "Cleopatra", "Richard III" (both 1912) and "Antony and Cleopatra" (Marcantonio e Cleopatra)(1913).
As Pearson and Uricchio, as well as others, have pointed out, these adaptations were an effort by the movie industry to lend cultural legitimacy to its product at a time when the art form still wasn't mainstream and faced threats of public censorship.
Other literary and theatrical sources were adapted in addition to Shakespeare in an effort to win over the haughty.As for this particular film, for what it is, it's not bad.
It's an extremely truncated adaptation, with wordy title cards explaining proceeding action, which was common in early narrative films, especially literary/theatrical ones.
In addition to the title cards, the filmmakers relied on audiences already being familiar with the play, which is another reason so many of these early films are based on popular literature and theatre.
At least, this "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was photographed entirely outdoors, which freed the production from being stagy.
There's also some substitution-splicing and superimpositions for fairy tricks.
It's a rather average film for its time—nothing exceptional.The filmmakers of this one were also responsible for other Shakespearian films, especially J.
Stuart Blackton, who worked on all nine of those Vitagraph films and a few more Shakespeare adaptations apparently made by other companies.
Blackton was a noteworthy film pioneer, who started out working for the Edison Company, was the key founder of Vitagraph and made the early animation film "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces" (1906) and the amusing "Princess Nicotine; or, The Smoke Fairy" (1909), among other pictures..
Confusing..
This adaptation of Shakespeare's play was one of Vitagraph's prestige productions from 1909.
Like all adaptations of the Bard, it's pretty confusing if you don't know the play – and possibly not too clear even if you do.
Vitagraph attempts to keep the viewer up to speed with what's taking place on screen with lengthy titles which don't really help at all.
The film makes good use of real locations – mostly a forest near to the studio, and there is also some reasonably impressive (for the time) trick photography.
The ass's head however is something of a disappointment it has to be said – I've seen better at school plays.
The last third of the film has been lost apparently, but I honestly don't think that will affect your viewing pleasure too much..
First, read the Cliff Notes, then watch this film,....
Unless you are a rabid Shakespeare fan who is very familiar with this play, I strongly recommend that before you watch it you go out and buy some Cliff Notes or Monarch Notes so you'll have some idea about exactly what's happening.
While not as sketchy and confusing as some other early Shakespeare short films (such as KING JOHN (1899) or THE TEMPEST (1908)), this is a very abbreviated version of the play and is awfully confusing and tough to watch.
This doesn't mean that the acting or direction were bad--for 1909 it is pretty good--along with the props and cinematography.
In fact, I really liked the guy who was given a donkey's head by Puck--cute stuff for 1909.
But even if the film had wonderful production values (which it didn't), you just can't do justice to Shakespeare or any play in only 11 minutes!!
My advice is just watch FORBIDDEN PLANET (derrived from THE TEMPEST, believe it or not)..
A Midsummer Night's Dream's cinematic debut a must see thanks to smart editing.
Silent films are a strange object of consideration for the contemporary film critic.
Some of them are classics, pieces of cinematic art which belong among the best films of all time and which must be seen by any serious film buff.
Others are downright dreadful, only valuable as historical objects.
It is in-between these two categories where A Midsummer Night's Dream's cinematic debut belongs.Stage veteran Charles Kent, along with co-director J.
Stuart Blackton, does an adequate job at bringing this legendary piece of dramatic literature to the silver screen for the first time.
The theatre man brought a few of the bard's plays to the silver screen for the first time, with A Midsummer Night's Dream being his second after Anthony and Cleopatra a year earlier.
Being his second adaptation, it doesn't do much in the way of directorial innovation.
However, the editing shows signs of some innovations that were taking place at the time.
An early example of special effects was used to transform Bottom's head into an ass, while the fairies are made to appear and disappear using the same splicing effect.
For this editing innovation and foresight alone, A Midsummer Night's Dream's cinematic debut is worthwhile..
Silent Shakespeare.
Midsummer Night's Dream, A (1909) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Yep, more Shakespeare early style.
The actual "story" never really comes across here and the title cards just make things even more confusing but the interesting thing are all the technical stuff.
Every shot of the film takes place outdoors and all the locations are very nice.
The camera angels are also all set up to perfectly capture the mood of the film.Tempest, The (1908) *** (out of 4) Another Shakespeare adaptation works perfectly well and delivers a very magical feel.
Part of this is due to the dreamlike camera work but the special effects are also quite good for their time.King John (1899) *** (out of 4) 've been told this was the first Shakespeare adaptation and if so it isn't too bad for what it is.
Running just over three minutes this here takes the final pages of the play as King John dies. |
tt0024062 | Girl Missing | Kay Curtis (Glenda Farrell) and June Dale (Mary Brian) are two showgirls living in the Palm Beach hotel. When June refuses one of her wealthy male friend's sexual advances, he chooses to let June and Kay pay for their own hotel bills. They decide to ask Daisy Bradford (Peggy Shannon), who is engaged to millionaire Henry Gibson (Ben Lyon), for help paying the bills because Daisy used to be a fellow showgirl. However, Daisy pretends not to know them. Kay tries to win some money gambling, but ends up losing all their money instead. When they run into Daisy's former boyfriend Raymond Fox (Lyle Talbot) in the hotel, he offers them some money to leave town, but June and Kay accidentally miss the train.
Later, Henry and Daisy are married, but Daisy goes missing, and a gangster named Jim Hendricks is found dead in the hotel's garden. Henry offers a large reward to the public for any information about Daisy. Kay and June decide to find Daisy and claim the reward. After Henry, Kay, and June survive a near fatal car accident, Kay suggests that they wreck the car and declare Henry dead from the automobile accident. When Daisy returns to the hotel after Henry's assumed death, she claims that Henry had drugged and kidnapped her and killed Jim Hendricks. However, Kay pulls a gun on Daisy and she confesses that she was going to run away with Raymond, and when Jim Hendricks tried to stop them, Raymond killed him. Raymond and Daisy are arrested by the police, and Henry gives the reward to Kay. Later, Henry decides to marry June, who he has fallen in love with. | murder | train | wikipedia | Two gold digging chorines think they can solve the mystery of a criminal's murder and a GIRL MISSING on her wedding night.Fast-moving & fun, this is another example of the comedy crime picture that Warner Brothers was so expert at producing.
While this assembly line approach created few classics, audience enjoyment could usually be assured.Warners' wisecracking brassy blonde, Glenda Farrell, and pretty Mary Brian play the chorus girls stranded in Florida who must crack the homicide and kidnapping case in order to earn the sizable reward.
They are both excellent in their roles, with sassy Farrell especially funny slinging her one-liners.Ben Lyon plays the newlywed husband with much unexpected trouble on his hands.
Lyle Talbot appears as a successful New York gigolo gone adventuring to Miami.
Little Ferdinand Gottschalk is the eccentric parent of the purloined bride and wonderful character actor Guy Kibbee enlivens his few scenes as an old lecher desperate to get his hands on Miss Brian.Movie mavens will recognize Louise Beavers as a maid & Walter Brennan as a garage attendant, both uncredited..
Director Florey, writer Furthman add energy to Florida-set early crime programmer.
Motor-mouthed Glenda Farrell adds sass and vinegar to this better-than-most crime programmer dating from the early sound era.
She and Mary Brian play a couple of New York gold-diggers stranded in Palm Beach when frustrated sugar daddy Guy Kibbee sticks them with an unpaid hotel bill.
Spurred on by the prospect of a big reward, they get mixed up in the bridal-night disappearance of yet another gold-digger (Peggy Shannon), whom they know from her days in the kick line, but who managed to snag a millionaire (Ben Lyon).In the course of their meddling, they encounter an old pal (Lyle Talbot) who seems anxious to get them out of town; a pair of overstuffed hams posing as a society couple (Helen Ware, Ferdinand Gottschalk); and a body in the hotel gardens, still smoking a cigar.
Film buffs will catch brief appearances by Walter Brennan, Louise Beavers and Dennis O'Keefe.Without ever really losing sight of its mystery plot or lapsing into the `comic,' Girl Missing brandishes a lot of racy, pre-Code wit, dished out mainly by Farrell.
The rest can go to Frenchman Robert Florey, whose directorial career may not be quite so distinguished but bears watching: Cocoanuts (the first Marx Brothers movie), the first `talking' Murders in the Rue Morgue, and a few noirs like Danger Signal and The Crooked Way. Girl Missing succeeds because of good teamwork, and it had a great team..
Glenda Is Fun In An Especially Good Vehicle.
Glenda Farrell is a delight as Torch Blane in that series.
Here we have more of a hybrid:This starts out as a light-hearted comedy dedicated strictly to the fine art of gold-digging.When it eases into the mystery suggested by the title, Glenda keeps pace beautifully and the movie keeps its rhythm.A real pleasure!.
A couple of scheming gold diggers turn sleuth.
Kay (Glenda Farrell) and June (Mary Brian) have gotten away from the chorus line in New York and are living it up in a posh Palm Beach hotel, but the price is leading on elderly wealthy Kenneth Van Deusen (Guy Kibbee), and hoping he will just continue to be led with no sexual payoff.
He gets tired of the routine and leaves the girls owing a 700 hotel bill.
Their solution is to find another wealthy guy, but this time the guy (Ben Lyon as Henry Gibson) is engaged.
And he is engaged to somebody they both knew in the chorus line (Peggy Shannon as Daisy), but who snubs them by saying she doesn't know them.
The girls have their problems solved when an old friend (Lyle Talbot as Raymond Fox) offers not only to pay their hotel bill but pay their train fare back to New York.
When Kay and June miss their train and have to stay an extra night, they hear on the radio the next morning that newlywed Daisy is a "girl missing".
Gibson, her new husband, is offering 25000 as a reward for returning her, and Kay and June decide to stick around and solve the mystery.
This thing is pure rat a tat action and precode one liners , largely powered by brassy Glenda Farrell who really carries the weight of the energy of this thing.
Kibbee is great in his small role as the frustrated wannabe lover.
Watch this one if you are in the mood for some precode goodness Warner Brothers style..
Instead of the usual two guys as sleuth and sidekick, Girl Missing features two gals, blonde Kay (Farrell) and brunette June (Brian).
Add mystery girl, Daisy (Shannon) and you've got lots of 1930's eye-candy along with the styles and fashions.
Seems Daisy mysteriously disappears on her wedding night to a wealthy man, Gibson (Lyon).
Her secret is she's a gold digger, but what good will disappearing do since how then can she collect.
Thus the mystery begins.This is pre-Code Warner Bros., so how can you lose.
Here she's full of ideas and push, but cutie Brian gets the guys.
There's also an unusual wind-up since there're two plausible solutions to the mystery, one implicating apparently nice guy and male lead, Gibson.
Girl Missing (1933) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Robert Florey directed this fast-paced Warner mystery about a couple chorus girls (Glenda Farrell, Mary Brian) who are ditched in Palm Springs after their sugar daddy (Guy Kibbee) leaves them there.
They hear about a former friend who has snagged a millionaire (Ben Lyon) but after she goes missing on her honeymoon the girls decide to do their own investigating.
GIRL MISSING certainly isn't going to be mistaken for a classic but there's no doubt that the cast is attractive and it all leads up to a pretty good ending.
I think the best thing the film has going for it is the cast all of whom fit their roles quite nicely.
Farrell and Brian are certainly the strong points as the two work perfectly well together and they know had to throw things back and forth and they really help keep the film moving.
Lyon is also good in his role as the husband who might have something to hide and we also have Lyle Talbot playing a man who helps the girls out.
Kibbee appears at the very start of the film in just a five-minute sequence but he's certainly memorable in the funny bit of a man who wants to "make love" for spending money on the ladies.
The opening few scenes contain quite a bit of pre-code comedy aimed at money for sex, which is certainly fun when viewed today.
The film has quite a few small issues including the fact that the comedy usually doesn't work.
With that said, fans of "B" mysteries should enjoy this one as it goes by at a quick pace and there's no doubt that the cast is attractive..
Crime Solving Chorus Cuties!!!.
"For the G.D. Sisters - I don't know whether he means Gold Digger or that other well known word"!!!Directed by the very under rated Robert Florey using some quite unusual camera angles (overhead shot of gambling tables, camera shots from the floor ala "Citizen Kane").
Delectable Peggy Shannon may have been the "Girl Missing" and pretty Mary Brian may have been the chorus girl used as "beauty bait" but sizzling Glenda Farrell was sensational and just the whole show.
Her rapid fire delivery of lines would have left James Cagney standing and proved she could have run the New York Police Department with one hand tied behind her back.
Unfortunately the ending had simpering Mary Brian bagging the handsome millionaire while Glenda had to be content trading wisecracks with the Chief of Police - "Now Kay, don't get tough - I don't get tough, I am tough"!!!
Kay Curtis (Glenda Farrell) and June Dale (Mary Brian) are two chorus girls left with an unpaid hotel bill of $700, thanks to June's irate "sugar daddy" who has left them high and dry.
They run into a fellow chorine, "Dumb" Daisy (Peggy Shannon) who is looking distinctly up market, with her millionaire fiancée, Henry Gibson (Ben Lyon) and her "society parents" -"Daisy's folks - she can have them and they can have her"!!.
Needless to say, she gives our gals the air - "He thinks she's first rate society instead of second row chorus"!!On her wedding night she goes "missing" and the hapless groom offers a reward of $25,000 to whoever can help solve the mystery.
Kay, who thinks she can and wants the reward, rushes to Henry's hotel.
He has already met June in the lift and you suddenly know who is going to end up with who!!
Kay and June think they know who is behind the disappearance - Raymond Fox (Lyle Talbot) met them in the bar and seemed awful eager to have them leave town - even paying their hotel bill.
He had once been close to Daisy and wants them to let her have a break (by marrying millionaire Henry).
Kay knows the real Daisy and after saving Henry's life - his car wheel has been tampered with by Raymond's driver - convinces him to fake his death to the papers - "that'll bring Daisy back in the picture" - and it does!!
It also exposes her "parents" as a couple of ham actors, hired along with Daisy to hook millionaire Henry (a plot device used the same year in Jean Harlow's "Bombshell").
It all finished, with plenty of pre-code humour and wisecracks, as Kay pulls a gun and gets confessions from the right people - much to the admiration of the Chief of Police.
"Yeah and what did I get - Don't worry you've still got it coming"!!Peggy Shannon, after such a promising start in films ("The Secret Call") was now, due to temperament and alcohol, way down in the cast list, usually playing hard boiled chorus girls ("Girl - Missing" and "The Case of the Lucky Legs"(1935)).
GIRL MISSING is a typical Warner Bros.
programmer from the early thirties, a passable comedy murder mystery elevated to being fairly entertaining almost entirely due to the ever sensational Glenda Farrell in the starring role.
Farrell and Mary Brian play Broadway chorines on the prowl in Florida; Brian has hooked lecherous old Guy Kibbee but she has yet to come across much to the old lech's disgruntlement, having set both (!!) girls up in a swanky hotel.
Finally having enough of nothing, Kibbee skips town leaving them with a $700 hotel bill.
To add injury to insult, the girls read in the paper a dreaded old chorus girl rival of theirs, Peggy Shannon, has hooked the rich young millionaire Ben Lyon.Broke and broken, the girls run into Shannon who haughtily denies knowing them.
Fuming ever more, they sulk at the bar when who should they run into buy another old Broadway acquaintance, gigolo-conman Lyle Talbot, an old flame of Shannon's.
Talbot sympathetically offers to pay the girls hotel bill and their fares back to New York and they take him up on his offer, but the next day Brian runs into the groom-to-be Lyon and develops a crush, which causes the girls to miss their train and have to stay over another few days.Lyon and Shannon elope and return to their hotel for the honeymoon, only to have Shannon mysteriously disappear that night.
Lyon's announced reward of $25,000 for the location of his wife keeps the girls in town and Farrell in particular thinks Shannon and Talbot have cooked up a scheme together and is out to prove it.This movie only runs 69 minutes but it seems a little longer given we've seen all this before; of the cast only Glenda Farrell really gives it her all.
Farrell dives into this little mystery like it's THE MALTESE FALCON and makes the film seem much better than it actually is.
She alas receives very little help from Mary Brian, whose performance is astonishingly awkward considering how long she had been acting in films at this point, or even the usually reliable Ben Lyon, here in a rather milquetoast role to which he adds nothing.
Lyle Talbot and Guy Kibbee have rather small parts despite their importance to the storyline; Peggy Shannon is not bad as the two-faced bride while Helen Ware and Ferdinand Gottshalk are very good as her bogus parents.This final paragraph is a spoiler that reveals the screenwriter is the one actually spoils the film.
We know of course given how these stories go that (A) Shannon and Talbot are behind her "disappearance" and (B) "leads" Lyon and Brian will fall in love and live happily ever after.
At the conclusion though when Shannon is at the police station and cornered, she comes up with a sensational story that her husband was behind her disappearance, that he could only get his inheritance by being married and then he drugged her and had her kidnapped.
The film-goer has witnessed both Lyon's confession about the inheritance status and him giving her a presumed aspirin for a headache yet dismissed this, believing him the victim of the film and because of how this type of story always plays out in 1930's programmers one knows Shannon and Talbot are the bad guys and Lyon is the good guy by their screen personas.
The screenwriter completely blew a chance to make a cutting edge mystery for the era by not making Shannon's tale in fact true - a supposedly "victim" double crossing the con artists who are out to trap him - instead the author passes it over for the conventional sappy wrap-up of the "good" couple walking off into the sunset together even if she is another golddigger herself and he, so supposedly worried about his missing bride yet still makes a breakfast date with Brian!
1930's audiences might have been pleased with this conventional ending but a true surprise ending with not only the Shannon/Talbot gang locked up but a devious heir Lyon as well and the jaded chorines Farrell and Brian off on the train to their next adventure would have packed a stronger punch and made this a vastly better film..
For a 1933 movie, "Girl Missing" has surprisingly advanced camera work, and for a 68-minute movie, it has a surprisingly intricate plot.
Glenda Farrell and Mary Brian make a good team of amateur sleuths, their somewhat contrasting styles working to their advantage; Brian is softer, sweeter, more romantic, Farrell is tougher, faster, more aggressive.
Brian's smile should be enough to brighten even the gloomiest day, and Farrell's rapid-fire line delivery here probably contributed to her getting the "Torchy Blane" role a few years later - another amateur sleuth with a great crime-solving instinct.
"Girl Missing" is no great shakes, but it passes the time pleasantly enough.
Although some DVD distributors obviously think otherwise, crime does necessarily induce a movie to fall into the category of film noir.
Take "Girl Missing" (1933), for example.
Here we have a delightful "B" outing in which fast-talking Glenda Farrell and super-luscious Mary Brian try to penetrate the disappearing act Peggy Shannon stages on her wedding night.
In the main, although director Robert Florey handles the movie with speed and efficiency, he tends to concentrate more on the players (Ben Lyon, Guy Kibbee, Harold Huber, Helen Ware, Edward Ellis, Walter Brennan and company) and their pungent dialogue than on either the on-screen crimes (murder and attempted murder) or the actual mystery.
The situations in "Girl Missing" mainly serve to provide new twists in the plot.
And that plot is mainly not what most customers would expect of a mystery thriller.
Admittedly, there are a few thrills, but I would describe "Girl Missing" as mainly a comedy of manners..
After sugar daddy Guy Kibbee gets fed up with the two chorus girls (Glenda Farrell and Mary Brian) not "putting out" after bringing them to Palm Beach, he leaves them a "Dear Jane" letter, informing them that he's checked out and NOT paid their hotel bill.
This leaves the girls broke and stranded and they take up the offer of an old pal from New York to pay their bill as well as their train back to New York.
But circumstances beyond their control keep them there, and they get involved in the disappearance of old chorus girl rival (Peggy Shannon) who has married a wealthy young man (Ben Lyon) and is obviously involved in some sort of scam.
It is up to Farrell and Brian (mostly out of smug revenge) to expose Shannon for who she really is, and expose the killer of one of the people involved in the scam.This is pre-code society comedy at its seediest, obvious from the start with Guy Kibbee's brief appearance as the lecherous old coot who insists on making love to Brian simply because of his generosity.
As icky as that sounds, it is presented with humor, and Kibbee's revenge on the two girls is hysterically funny.
These Warner Brothers pre-code comedies are mostly enjoyable because of the wise-cracking dialog, and Farrell gets a dime a dozen.
Obviously, Mary Brian was cast in the absence of Farrell's often co-star Joan Blondell, and she lacks the chemistry that Farrell and Blondell shared, coming off rather ordinary.
Of course, Farrell and Blondell snapped, crackled and popped whether they were co-horts in some scam or rivals over some man.Ferdinand Gottschalk and Helen Ware are very funny as Shannon's obviously phony society parents, ham actors who obviously can't stand each other and who obviously hate pretending to be husband and wife.
A ton of character favorites appear in unbilled minor roles, but are instantly recognizable, including Louise Beavers as Shannon's maid and Walter Brennan as a gas station attendant.
You can't find fault in these depression era, pre-code programmers, although some are much better than others.
This ranks in the middle, which considering the number of films made each year during this time isn't a bad place to be. |
tt6135112 | Definitely Maybe | 38-year-old father Will Hayes is in the midst of a divorce. After her first sex-ed class, his 10-year-old daughter Maya insists on hearing the story of how her parents met. Will reluctantly gives in, but decides to change the names and some of the facts relating to the various love affairs of his youth, thereby creating a love mystery; Maya is left guessing which of the women will turn out to be her mother. The story he tells Maya is depicted in flashbacks. From time to time the film switches back to the present, where Maya comments (often critically) and asks questions.
The story begins in 1992 when Will, an idealistic political operative, moves away from Wisconsin and his college sweetheart, Emily, to New York City, where he works on the Clinton campaign. Over the years, Will becomes involved with three women who enter his life, including Summer Hartley, an aspiring journalist, and April the copy girl for the campaign. Will and April have a chance meeting outside work, where Will reveals he is going to propose to Emily. When Will practices his proposal to Emily on April, she is taken aback by Will's wholehearted words, and replies, "Definitely, maybe." They go back to her apartment, where April has multiple copies of Jane Eyre in her collection, explaining that her father gave her a copy with an inscription in the front shortly before he died, and the book was later lost. She has spent years looking through copies of Jane Eyre at secondhand stores hoping to find the copy her father gave her, but she buys any copy she finds that has an inscription. They kiss, but Will abruptly stops and leaves.
Emily comes back to New York where she confesses, just after Will proposes, that she slept with his roommate. She did it on purpose to break up with Will, saying that she is "letting him go" because she does not share his passionate ambitions. After Clinton is elected, Will opens a campaigning business with most of his work colleagues, which enjoys a good amount of success.
Before Will left Wisconsin, Emily asked Will to deliver a package to her former roommate, Summer Hartley, who is living in New York City. Will first meets Summer when he gives her the package, a diary that she wrote when she was a teenager (which, among other things, tells of her brief affair with Emily). He finds she is going out with a famous writer who is old enough to be her father. The writer breaks up with Summer, and Will starts a relationship with her. April quits her job and leaves to travel around the world. When she returns, she plans to tell Will that she loves him, but discovers that he is planning to propose marriage to Summer. April half-heartedly congratulates him instead. Summer writes an offensive article about one of Will's clients. Will cannot forgive this conflict of interest, and he ends his relationship with Summer. As a result of the article, Will loses his business and his dream of a political career ends, with all of his friends abandoning him.
April calls after a long absence and finds that Will has a new job, but is despondent and depressed, feelings further exacerbated when she reveals she has a new boyfriend named Kevin. She throws a birthday party for him, reuniting him with his old colleagues. Will gets drunk and confesses his growing romantic feelings for April, but he starts an argument with her when he implies that she is wasting her life working in a book store. Some time later, Will passes a used book store and finds the copy of Jane Eyre that April has been seeking with the note from her father. Will goes to April's apartment to give her the book, but he decides against it when he meets Kevin, who is now living with her.
Emily moves to New York City, and she and Will rekindle their relationship after a run-in at a party of Summer's they both were attending. Maya correctly guesses that "Emily" is her mother. Maya states that it is unfortunate that the story has a sad ending, but Will explains that the story has a happy ending: Maya.
Will learns that April is single again, and he attempts to give her the copy of Jane Eyre. When she discovers that he has been holding onto the book for years, she grows upset and asks him to leave.
Maya is happy to have figured out the story, but she realizes that her father still loves April: he changed the name of her mother, Sarah, to Emily in the story, and the name of Natasha to Summer, but he did not change April's name. Maya makes Will have an epiphany, realizing that he is miserable without April. On the spur of the moment they take a taxi to go meet April. April does not let them into her apartment. As they walk away, April runs out and asks about the story. Will confesses to April that he held on to the copy of Jane Eyre because it was the only thing he had left of her. April hugs Will and takes them in to hear the story. As Maya passes through the doorway, April jumps into Will's arms and kisses him. | non fiction | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0205070 | The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship | A couple had three sons, and the youngest was a fool. One day, the Tsar declared that whoever made him a ship that could sail through the air would marry his daughter. The older two set out, with everything their parents could give them; then the youngest set out as well, despite their ridicule and being given less fine food. He met a little man and, when the man asked to share, he hesitated only because it was not fit. But when he opened it, the food had become fine.
The man told him how to strike a tree with an axe; then, he was not to look at it but fall to his knees. When he was lifted up, he would find the tree had been turned into a boat, and could fly it to the Tsar's palace, but he should give anyone who asked a lift. He obeyed.
On the way, he met and gave a lift to a man who was listening to everything in the world, a man who hopped on one leg so that he would not reach the end of the world in one bound, a man who could shoot a bird at a hundred miles, a man who needed a great basket of bread for his breakfast, a man whose thirst could not be sated by a lake, a man with a bundle of wood that would become soldiers, and a man with straw that would make everything cold.
At the Tsar's place, the Tsar did not want to marry the princess to a peasant. He decided to send him to the end of the world to get healing water, before the Tsar finished his dinner. But the man who could hear heard him and told the youngest son, who lamented his fate. The fleet-footed man went after it. He fell asleep by the spring, and the huntsman shot the tree he was leaning against to wake him up, and he brought back the water in time. The Tsar then ordered him to eat twelve oxen and twelve tons of bread, but the glutton ate them all. The Tsar then ordered him to drink forty casks of wine, with forty gallons each, but the thirsty man drank them all.
The Tsar said that the betrothal would be announced after the youngest son bathed, and went to have him stifled in the bath by heat. The straw cooled it, saving him.
The King demanded that he present him with an army on the spot, and with the wood, the youngest son had it and threatened to attack if the Tsar did not agree. The Tsar had him dressed in fine clothing, and the princess fell in love with him on sight. They were married, and even the glutton and the thirsty man had enough to eat and drink at the feast. | cult, psychedelic | train | wikipedia | Vivid Version Of Old Russian Tale.
A silly, greedy Tsar is taught a valuable lesson in humility by the six very peculiar friends who arrive at the Kremlin with THE FOOL OF THE WORLD AND THE FLYING SHIP.This old Russian folk tale, - produced by Cosgrove Hall, masters of the art of stop-motion animation - is most enjoyable viewing.
The intricacy of the tiny costumes & sets are fascinating, while the amount of personality infused into each character model is quite remarkable.
The boisterous humor of the scene depicting the banquet of the Forester's Wife is a special highlight.The production is helped tremendously by the splendid voice cast.
David Suchet narrates, Jimmy Hibbert voices the hero Pyotr, while several old pros - Maurice Denham, Robin Bailey & Miriam Margolyes among them - lend their considerable talents..
Couldn't be any better..
I have two versions of this comment; the short, and the long.The short version is this: This film is simply fantastic.
Absolutely perfect.
A must see.And the long version: This film is simply a classic.
I have never seen such an amazing piece of animation, or storyline (even if Cosgrove Hall didn't write it...).
The characters are simply delightful, each puppet is crafted in a 'beautiful' way - these puppets are artwork in themselves.
If you ever get your hands on this film, pay attention to the animation.
It is phenomenal, especially for a 1990s film.
And the detail, like the expressions in the faces and the background characters, and little things like that that make this film magical.
In some cases, it even puts a little humour into it (such as the banquet scene).As an animator, myself, I think this film is absolutely amazing.
A great film for kids, and adults, to enjoy.
If you ever get the chance to see it, make sure you take it, as I'm sure you will enjoy it..
Wonderful production.
I reviewed this film many years ago when it came out on videocassette for School Library Journal.
As the other reviewer stated, the animation was extraordinary for 1990; the entire production was beautiful including the sets, the puppets' clothing, the voice-over acting; the narration by David Suchet, etc.
Based on a Russian folktale, the production stays true to Russian culture of a by-gone era.
Young peasant boy Pyotr receives aid from magical beings and people in order to fly a magic ship to the Czar's palace.
There he hopes to win the hand of the princess by accomplishing three impossible tasks.
I still own the videocassette as this is still one of the best animated films I have ever seen..
A Tale of true love and magic.
THE FOOL OF THE WORLD AND THE FLYING SHIP is probably Cosgrove Hall's most recognizable and charming story ever featured.
Making its debut appearance on the PBS series, LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY, this story is truly a classic that both adults and children will love for many years.THE FOOL OF THE WORLD AND THE FLYING SHIP is a beautiful tale about a young man named Pyotr who's kindness towards an old man and with help from six unusual super humans, eventually leads him to the Czar's winter palace so that he can take the Czar's daughter hand in marriage.The animation is superb as the creators effectively use puppet animation to make this story more creative and realistic to look at.
This story will be an instant treat for the young and old and also check out for the Rabbit Ears' version of this tale, narrated by Robin Williams which is called RABBIT EARS- THE FOOL AND THE FLYING SHIP..
I have watched this version many, many times.
When I purchased this video 4 years ago, I had my 4 year old watch it with me.
If my son, who was that young then, understood the story, the plot, and enjoyed the character as much as I did, then I must say the movie did its job.
It has the classic good vs.
evil plots, yet the message here was how to make someone with so much power learn how to be humble, which did reach that goal.I am safely say that the story was marvelous, the characters were incredibly cute, and the audience will not be disappointed with the story.*** 8 out of 10 ***.
Diamond in the rough.
I saw this when it came out in the early '90's and was very impressed by the animation, voices and story.
The kids will like the adventure while adults will appreciate the way each character is uniquely portrayed.
And it even teaches the kids about greed and friendship..
My 1,500th review..
A big part in my film/TV viewing since growing up,I've always been sad that despite their biggest creations out on DVD, Cosgrove Hall's output still remains tragically overlooked.
Thinking of a title to watch for my 1,500th IMDb review,I decided to reunite with Cosgrove Hall's fool of the world.The plot:Wanting to give any would-be husband a challenge, Tsar Nicolai and his daughter Princess Alexei decide that she will get married to the man who can make a ship fly in the sky.
After declaring this, Nicolai and Alexei challenge is heard across the whole of Russia.
Whilst he works in the farm helping his family, Peter's brothers take the family savings and promise to return with the Princess.
Unknown to Peter, his brothers have used the challenge as a way to steal the family gold.
Going in search of his brothers, Peter crosses paths with a shaman in the woods.
Taken by Peter's kind offering of food,the shaman (who had earlier met the brothers) creates a flying ship out of feathers for Peter.
Before setting off for the palace, the Shaman tells Peter that he must let anyone who wants to go on the ship join.
Flying to the palace,Peter picks up various people who want to share their skills with Nicolai.
Landing at the palace,Peter and his fellow travellers discover that they have flown into new challenges.View on the film:Sailing over Nicolai's palace, director Francis Vose gives this Cosgrove Hall production an immaculate attention to detail,from care clearly being shown towards the smallest detail of each character ( from the arrows of Sharp Shooter,to the food made by Mrs Woodcutter.) and the palace being covered with glittering gold.
Done in a stop-motion animation style, Vose makes the style look remarkably flexible, with tracking shots running down the corridors of the palace.Bringing the Fantasy magic out of the tale, Vose conjures the ship with an incredibly subtle use of CGI which makes the creation of the ship sequence sparkle.
Whilst some of them are on the large side, Vose makes the legs and limbs are the characters look incredibly fragile,with close-ups displaying the smooth facial expressions.
Joined by memorable songs from composer Mike Harding, the screenplay by John Hambley writers an enchanting tale, with the skills of each visitor leading to thrilling challenges from Nicolai.Running under an hour,Hambley fills the film with enough events for two hours, as Hambley cleverly uses the challenge set by Nicolai to give everyone their moment,and also cast a warmth between Alexei and Peter.
Introducing the tale, David Suchet gives a superb performance as the narrator, with Suchet giving a richness to the animation in his narration, as the fool of the world flies into view. |
tt0120070 | Savior | Joshua Rose (Dennis Quaid), a State Department Official on embassy duty in Paris, sees his wife (Nastassja Kinski) and son killed in a bombing by suspected Islamic terrorists. Immediately after the family funeral he storms into a nearby mosque and shoots several worshipers. His friend Peter (Stellan Skarsgård) is forced to shoot one of the survivors when the man tries to kill Rose, and in order to avoid arrest they join the French Foreign Legion, with Joshua taking the name Guy.
The film moves forward to the war in Bosnia where "Guy" and Peter are now fighting for the Bosnian Serbs, stationed on a bridge separating them and the Bosnian Muslims in a town. Guy mans a sniper post overlooking the bridge, and witnesses Peter's death when Peter drops his guard at a checkpoint and a young girl throws a grenade at him. Guy in turn shoots a boy crossing the bridge in pursuit of his goat.
Guy is then seen searching the Muslim side of the town following a ceasefire along with a Bosnian Serb soldier Goran (Sergej Trifunović). In one house they find an elderly Muslim woman who is confined to bed and shell-shocked and a dead woman. Guy also finds a sleeping baby who has been hidden in a wardrobe but does not inform Goran who hacks a finger off the old woman in order to steal her ring.
After they leave the house a helicopter attacks the town. As Goran takes cover Guy stays out in the open and returns to the house, but finds that both the child and the old lady have been killed by falling rubble. Later, Guy and Goran prepare for a prisoner exchange with the Bosnian Muslim forces. When they arrive at the exchange point one of the young Serbian women prisoners being exchanged, Vera (Nataša Ninković), is visibly pregnant because she was raped by the Muslim forces. Guy and Goran take her in Goran's car and they head towards her village.
In the car Goran is abusive towards Vera for becoming pregnant by a Bosnian Muslim Army soldier even though Guy points out that she was almost certainly raped. Goran eventually stops the car in a tunnel. He throws Vera out of the car and begins to kick her as she lies on the ground. The assault forces Vera into premature labor. As Goran prepares to shoot the soon-to-be-born child, Guy shoots and kills Goran. He then helps deliver the baby. When he shows Vera the child, a girl, she rejects it and attempts to shoot herself before Guy manages to stop her.
They continue to her village where she is rejected by her family due to the shame felt by her father. They leave the village, with Guy intending to head for a refugee camp where Vera and the baby would be looked after. Vera continues to reject the child and does not communicate with Guy. After being told by Goran's family that Goran's body has been found and that he was last seen in the company of Guy and Vera, Vera's father and brother head off in pursuit of them. They eventually catch up with them when they stop to get milk for the child. Guy is shot and injured, but Vera places herself between him and her father as he goes to kill him, and her father backs off and allows them to leave when Guy tells him that Goran intended to kill both Vera and the baby.
They briefly return to Vera's village to find it has been attacked, and have to watch from a distance as her family and other villagers are rounded up and led away by Bosnian Muslim fighters. Guy decides to head for the safety of the UN zone in Split on the Dalmatian Coast. On their way they stop and take refuge with an elderly Croatian man and his Serbian wife. The old man tells Guy "before the war, no difference [between Serbs and Croats], and now, stupid", pointing to his head to show madness.
After moving on they reach what they think is a relatively safe area. Vera leaves Guy and the child to rest in an abandoned and half-sunk boat on the edge of a lake while she goes to find a bus that will take them to Split. Vera is captured along with other civilians by soldiers of the Croatian Defence Council. The Croat soldiers take their prisoners to the waterfront where Guy is hiding in the boat. One soldier then proceeds to beat several to death with a sledgehammer, including Vera, as they stand in the water. The fighters shoot those that are left as Guy witnesses the slaughter from inside the boat but can do nothing without giving himself and the child away. He smothers the baby in order to keep her quiet as the soldiers prepare to leave. She stops breathing but returns to breathe after a while.
Guy eventually makes his way onto a bus that takes him and the baby to Split where he leaves Vera's baby in an unattended Red Cross vehicle and writes the name "Vera" on a paper before walking to a pier, throwing his rifle and scope in the water and collapsing on a bench. A woman who was on the bus with him approaches him, carrying the girl and offering help. When she asks if the baby is his, Guy replies that she is and the woman promises to take them both to a hospital. | romantic | train | wikipedia | I doubt, then, that many people would approach this film with any false expectations of what it will contain.That said, viewers should not come to this film for a political explanation of why and how the war happened - for that, it's probably best to read a few books.
This film does attempt to give a human explanation of how and why wars like this one happen and continue to happen, though.Inevitably, some have accused Savior of bias; though an American film, the director is a Serb, and it was filmed on location in Montenegro; with such emotive subject matter partiality would hardly be surprising.
He is ably matched by Natasja Nincovic's complicated, battered portrayal of a Serb woman - and not merely a 'rape victim' stereotype that we know from other films.There is a religious subtext for those who like looking for such things - plenty of Christ imagery, chiming nicely with the title.
His own conduct is difficult to stomach, but nonetheless presented as the actions of a human, not a monster.What Antonijevic's film does, then, is look at the line between those who have, and those who have not, become indifferent to the suffering of others - it is in this way that the perpetuation of war is explored.
Indeed, for those not very familiar with the details of the war in Bosnia, the practical anonymity of the different soldiers throughout the film will heighten the sense of War as something soldiers do to Civilians.People who respect and appreciate this film should steer clear of the recent Behind Enemy Lines however - it reuses fragments of the Lake scene in Savior to simplistically anti-Serb effect, completely bastardising the intent of the people who originally created those images.Nonetheless, despite what has been done to it Savior remains beautifully acted, tragic, mature film-making..
However he then finds himself in a bitter war with a woman and child that no one wants.I have seen this movie twice now and can find little to dislike about it, but also realise that it is not for a fun evening in with friends.
The film doesn't simply act out atrocities for us to watch but frames them within this story however we know that nothing is made up or exaggerated in terms of the bigger picture.The film lacks any sort of traditional American cop-out (it's no spoiler to say that Guys wife and child don't turn out to be alive after all!), only the opening `this is why he's like this' 10 minutes are a little too neat and could have been dispensed with I didn't need it to explain why he was dead inside, only that he had become it due to war which was partly true.
Faces such as Skarsgård add interest, but I did wonder why he had bothered for such a short time on screen.Overall this is not a fun film to rent on Friday night but a bleak anti-war film that will leave you in no doubt that the conflict in Bosnia (and perhaps everywhere else) is of no value when compared to the enormous cost in terms of human life and suffering..
Quaid performs his part from top to bottom, which drains the viewer of emotion, making one actually process information that has previously just been news broadcast.A good mix of local and international filmaking skills also present what I would consider an accurate picture of the racial and religious groups depicted in the movie.
How wrong I was,Dennis Quaid gives a stunning performance of a good man struggling to understand a world of brutality and inhumanity.
I found it a true document about the war, and, in the end, I was not disturbed by the fact that it was a movie from a Serb director.
After watching this movie, you don't hate the Serbs, the Croatians or the Bosnians, you hate the war for the consequences on civilian people..
I was stumped at the video store - had basically narrowed the DVD search down to 2 - Sphere (yeah, I know..) and Savior, this interesting looking title on the bottom shelf.Thank goodness I chose this one.What a brilliant, gut-wrenching, agonising movie...Other comments have said it was a low budget job, but the DVD version I just saw didn't even make you think about the mechanics of the movie - just the characters and events that this film portrayed.The cinematics - beautiful scenery etc (to show that man really has no sense at all - he can be surrounded by some of the most amazingly beautiful surroundings and still turn the place to hell) and sound (the gunshots / ambient stuff etc were very well done) were all spot on..For the actual plot, the other comments posted are a lot more lucid than mine, so I won't bother trying to explain the premise of this flick.I really don't know what else to say - some of the scenes containing brutality were brilliant (in a really horrible way) - none of the usual hollywood (tm) bad guy finally gets it in the end type stuff - cliche - it really just showed how pointless these kinds of conflicts are.
I was after a throw away movie (should have rented sphere) and instead got this thing that I just cannot stop thinking about.Dennis Quaid was amazing in it, and the rest of the cast were excellent, too.And yes, I cryed like baby Vera..PS: I actually registered just so I could vote & comment on this movie...
The last 15 to 20 minutes are sure to move even the cold hearted so,I am surprised and saddened that there are still some folks here at the forum fighting over its anti/pro Muslim/Serbian credentials.There is no winner in any war - only despair & death and at times, a faint glimmer of hope.
This movie takes a serious look at war and it's effects on a soldier who has joined the foreign legion, a woman he meets, and an infant who enters their life.
I first saw this film when it was screened on the small screen by the BBC here in the UK a couple of years ago.When I saw it in the company of my then girlfriend, I wasn't aware of Oliver Stone's involvement and, frankly, I think that's for the good as I could quite easily have flipped channels having pre-judged it as YAHWF ("Yet Another Hollywood War Film").Fortunately, I stuck with it and it opened my eyes to a war that was, by and large, merely seen as an inconvenience to many would-be holidaymakers here in Britain.Whilst reported ad-infinitum by the mass media here, making the phrase "ethnic-cleansing" into an everyday term, it wasn't until I saw this film that I fully appreciated what this meant.It's a hard film that brought me a sense of remoteness, helplessness, futility and anger.There have been few other films I've seen that made caused me to weep (big, macho guy that I am ;-)), particularly those that are often mis-labelled as "war movies" -- "The Killing Fields" being another of this ilk -- when, in fact, they're really (if we're labelling things) human interest films that come about because of a war or conflict.Dennis Quaid is, to me, one of those actors who isn't hugely prolific in the projects he gets involved in and I actually found it difficult to think of other titles of his that I'd seen.
No one here is a good guy, in fact everyone is bad to a degree, especially when you understand who everyone is (a fact not readily understandable to the casual viewer).Like most films that deal with real human tragedy, it is hard to watch at times.
The movie shows that war in the former Yugoslavia was not black and white, i.e., the conflict was not one of good versus evil but rather that all sides - including Croats and Muslims - shared in the atrocities committed.The film lacks in fully understanding the ethnic peoples of the region, however it still is groundbreaking in its non-simplistic 'gray' portrayal of the war rather than other films that depict the combatants as 'good' or 'evil.'It is unfortunate that Savior was not made before 1995, while the Bosnian War was still being fought, it would have definitely helped to open viewers' eyes to the reality of the war..
Savior is one of the most intriguing movies that I have ever seen.The story deals with a man's journey in a foreign land where he meets a woman and plays a bigger role in her life than he'd expected.
He joins the foreign legion to overcome the grief caused by the loss of his family.Under special circumstances he meets Vera, a victim of the war who is pregnant at the time.He saves her and her baby from the hands of a cruel mercenary.The main character is surrounded by death and the atrocities of the war.
Stony-faced Dennis Quaid is excellent as ever as the emotionally-shut-off mercenary tiring of the pointless and unresolvable fighting in Bosnia, slowly allowing himself to feel again some years after the horrific death of his family when a woman and child inveigle themselves into his life.
i have seen many many movie in my life about war and human atrocities but i have never before seen anything like this it was a memorable experience and i have already recommended lots of my friends to watch the movie.
the good thing about this movie is that it show both sides of the story and really tells that is not religion, ethnicity but our own will which makes and destroys.this movie is a real eye opener, its one of those movies that really should be distributed for free just for the sake of humanity and i have personally already donated 2 copies of this to my nearest libraries, i highly recommend you watch it.
Quaid is then sent away to a foreign legion and winds up in the middle of the Bosnia War between Muslims and Serbs, and along the way caring for that pregnant woman who was treated so brutally.This is a very somber film, very depressing in spots, but worth one look.
It's probably Dennis Quaid's best performance yet and it made me wonder why he doesn't do more movies.
such pain, such rage, such unrelenting hatred against the humanity itself...Either way, the film is very powerful and it depicts only a small amount of the atrocities that took place during that war...
It's a war movie, it's a human condition movie, I couldn't decide, but If you want to know was it the war real stuff you should watch this film.
I recommend it for everybody who likes the war, cruel movies but with a final human feeling lesson..
For me, one of the best war movies.Shows a harsh reality that at the beginning war.Man loses his family, and understands the impact of the war, go in the hope that it will justify a lot of things ...
they were rejected, worse than worst enemy.The man which would justify the coolness, it helps her, and could not leave her.Saddest scene i've ever seen,her in the river,waiting to be murder by Croatian solider,singing to her child,and the laugh of child,that pretty smile,when it heard the voice of mother..I cried like a little baby...I love that scene,i love the et-no sound from movie...
A true and very scary movie showing the tragedies of the Balkan war, in a very realistic and surprising way.
``Savior`` is the best Antonijevic`s movie to date.It gives the audience a true and honest view of the Yugoslav civil war.
I was not surprised with the horrible scenes in the movie, since I've heard or seen something like that with my eyes, but the movie has very strong anti-war message, and it's also showing very clear that there were/are no "good" and "bad" guys in the Bosnia.
This is so far the third movie based from the Bosnian/Serb war, that I've seen.
Dennis Quaid did so well a job, I'd almost think this is the best movie of his career.
This tale of the Bosnian civil war brings the whole, strange (for Americans), savage and sordid truths about "ethnic cleansing" straight into your living room via the VCR.Dennis Quaid delivers the role of a lifetime as a former U.S. government agent driven mad by grief to attack innocent Muslim worshippers at a mosque, which leads to a 6-year stint in the French Foreign Legion.
Once free of his commitment to the Legion, he becomes a mercenary in Bosnia, where he continues his vengeance campaign against Muslims.But as Quaid finds out, his allies can be scummier than his foes; this is the setup of "Savior," wherein Quaid redeems his humanity to save a helpless baby, yet another victim of the nameless war.One thing that Roger Ebert doesn't mention: The guys with the hammers are Croats, not Serbs or Bosniaks (Muslims).
I particularly think that it IS the best film of his so END of story, Cinematography added with beautiful scenery creates a nice contrast.If you are into war movies such as (without any order)...apocalypse now, platoon, saving private Ryan, FMJ, thin red line, enemy at the gates, etc...then this is a definite go-go and will show a side none of the above show with this tint..
The immediate black and white moral decisions that people face in war are displayed clearly; if a mistake is made, you die, that's all there is to it; knowing when assistance cannot be given is a skill to be learned; and in the end you realise that people will do it all again, having learned nothing.After toying briefly in the beginning with political world comment, this film steers clear of further judgements and side taking and moves skillfully along a path of a true people story..
(It seems worth adding that she is also incredibly beautiful, one of the most haunted and haunting faces I've ever seen.) The tension between Quaid's character, for whose emergent humanity she feels as an intrusion on her grief, and this ravaged soul who struggles against her own decency, strength, and capacity for hope, are striking for the sparenesss of the way it's enacted, and are sufficiently memorable that even in the midst of the carnage, hate, and cruelty of a war that seems to originate in a collective pathology, the goodness of the these two people are what I will remember from this tragic, beautiful, honest movie..
Performances are even and Dennis Quaid manages to put across a man who having abandoned the human race finds it again amongst the sheer mindless horror of war.
Newcomer Natasa Ninkovic was superb and believeable as the 'Fallen Serb Woman" who finds her own redemption and Dennis Quaid was great as the mercenary who also finds his own redemption in saving the baby from a life of war, death and destruction.
Anyone who is interested in war films should go out and rent / buy this movie.
it is no doubtone of the best movie i have ever seen but it has a biased touch against the muslims that is only objectable thing in the movie.dennis quaid is very good in his role bit the real heroine of the movie who should get the oscar is the baby vera.hope u see it.
As this film is about two nations,that I think are very distant to the makers,I must say it was beautifully made and acted by an American lead Quaid(who was in Belgrade for premiere).To me this film was only too short,I think it would've been even better if it was a little longer and I mean before her death...This movie doesn't say who was the good,or the bad guy in that war,the both sides were the same,some of them were good,and some of them not.It's simple the film about human relations between two totally different people during the war.The war that had no point,like any other war..
It's truly an outstanding film that depicts the horrors faced by civilians in all wars, and how conflict and human suffering brings out both the best and worst in us.My wife is a Croatian citizen, and her family fled the country in the early 90's when the region first began to break apart, just hours away from being swept up into the war themselves.
I know there has been war films before but to see the brutal acts of war (rape,torture,cold blooded murder)and to think that these things happened only a few years ago and that fact that this has yet again happened in Europe.And the reason for all this terror "Religion".However there is another time and place for the politics of the film.The performances were brilliant.
there is a Serb bad guy but he looks like a ordinary student turned mad by war, aimed at protecting his land...So Savior is an excellent movie about the redemption of a man who, because he was inspired only by hate was out of humanity but perfectly adapted to a world without humanity.
This movie clearly shows the tragedy of the Balkan War. There are no "good" sides.
But perhaps the war itself was the savior in saving Quaid from his inhuman hate for Muslims..
This is the best movie of the serbian-bosnien war in Yugoslavija, and a great film of tragedy of inhumanity.
Dennis Quaid is great in a tough, but rewarding war film..
This description might make the film sound like a bit of a feel-good movie.
What I saw though didn't seem to be what I had expected.This pro Serb war movie had some very powerful scenes to say the least but that was just it, just scenes that didn't really in my opinion support the underlying plot which was thin but inspiring to a certain degree.The first part of the story seemed rushed and I don't think it fully established Dennis Quaid's character and his relationship with his family to justify his murderous rampage. |
tt0475344 | The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge | A year after the events of the movie, a town meeting announcing awards gives Jack Skellington an award "for most spines tingled by a non-corporeal being". After the curtains close Jack reveals that he has once again he feels disappointed with this year's Halloween. However, having learned his lesson from before, he talks with Dr. Finkelstein about a "new Halloween", with new scares and discoveries. The doctor gives Jack the "Soul Robber", a green, whip-like weapon that can change shape and fling any music note he collects.He then leaves Halloween Town and goes to look for new Halloween frights. After Jack leaves, Lock, Shock, and Barrel bring Oogie Boogie back to life by sewing him together again. He seizes control of Halloween Town, tricks its citizens into making traps (convincing them that Jack left because wanted Halloween to be more dangerous), brainwashes Dr. Finklestein by switching his brain with a green brain with eyes, kidnaps and imprisons Sally in a crypt, and captures five of the seven Holiday World leaders (excluding Santa Claus and Jack himself). Oogie plans to become the "Seven-Holidays King" once he takes control of Christmas Town. But on December 23, Sally manages to send a magical paper airplane to find Jack to warn him of what has happened.
Jack returns to Halloween Town on December 24, Christmas Eve, to see a group of skeletons running around. He then stops them, just to find Oogie's shadow. After defeating Oogie's shadow, he is given the Halloween Holiday Door and finds everyone was deceived by Oogie into making dangerous booby-traps. Jack has to save the citizens of Halloween from Oogie's rule while also trying to uncover his demented plans to become the "Seven Holidays King".
Jack manages to defeat Oogie's skeleton and ghost minions (apparently created by Dr. Finklestein). He then goes to the graveyard. The Hanging Tree tells Jack his Hanging Men have run away. Jack quickly finds them and goes off to save Sally. He runs into Lock, who sends a lot of skeletons to stop Jack; however, Jack defeats them. Jack then runs into a crypt to find Sally. Once inside, spiders and ghosts randomly jump out of coffins until he gets to the center. He finds Sally and they both run to each other when a giant spider clings Sally to the ceiling and attacks Jack. Jack defeats the spider, saves Sally and receives the Valentine's Holiday Door. When Jack and Sally walk out of the crypt, Sally says to Jack, "We're all safe, now that our pumpkin king has returned," giving Jack an idea to use his pumpkin king powers to defeat Oogie's monsters.
Sally then says she's worried about Dr. Finklestein and Jack goes to find him. He gets close to the doctor's lab when Igor says he can't pass due to strict orders from the doctor. Igor says if anyone passes, then he gets no bone biscuit. Jack gives Igor a box of biscuits, gaining entrance. Inside, Jack finds the brainwashed doctor, who attacks him. Jack returns the doctor to normal by switching his brain back. Jack then goes to the Mayor's courtyard to save the vampire brothers. Each vampire gives Jack a key to the mayor's house. Jack finds the mayor and stops Lock, Shock, and Barrel; however, they drop him into a huge maze filled with booby traps. Jack escapes the maze and asks the mayor to release the holiday leaders.
Jack soon realizes Oogie wants to kill Santa, and travels to Christmas Town. Jack rescues Santa from a train-contraption by changing the tracks, but Oogie, having become enraged by Jack constantly foiling his plots, leaves in Santa's sleigh full of Christmas presents. Luckily, Sally brings Jack's sleigh to help, and Jack and Santa chase after Oogie. Oogie falls out of the Christmas sleigh into a world of garbage after being frightened by one of Jack's jack-in-the-boxes that was dropped in the sleigh by an elf. There, he absorbs the waste and insects in the environment and becomes a giant version of himself made of sewn together garbage known as "Mega-Oogie" to beat Jack. Jack faces Oogie one-on-one. Though it seems Oogie is defeated, he revives. Jack uses his Soul Robber to fling musical notes at Oogie, Santa Jack power to send a rain of snowballs down on him and Pumpkin King power to burn him. Everyone sees the battle through the fountain, except for Sally, who's in her room not wanting to see the battle. Oogie spills out his bugs, becoming nothing more than an empty husk, and ending his threat. Afterward, Jack apologizes to Santa for almost ruining Christmas again, but having a change of heart about the skeleton, Santa thanks him for saving his life.
After this adventure, Jack realizes that his home and loved ones are something more important than new discoveries. The story ends in much the same way as the film does, with Jack and Sally embracing on top of Spiral Hill. | good versus evil | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1393000 | Wrong Turn at Tahoe | Joshua and his boss, Vincent, are driving to a hospital. Both have been shot and are in pain. Joshua thinks back to his childhood, when his father was shot in front of his eyes.
In a flashback, Joshua and his partner, Mickey, visit people that owe money to Vincent. They encounter a crazy druggie who tells them that a small-time drug dealer named Frankie Tahoe wants to kill Vincent. Joshua and Mickey inform Vincent, and the trio intimidate a guy who works for Tahoe into telling them where he can be found. They find Tahoe at a nightclub. During a talk, Tahoe insults the religion of Joshua and Vincent, which they hold dear, and Vincent beats Tahoe to death with a baseball bat. The trio dump the body in a landfill. While doing this, Vincent reveals that Mickey and Vincent's wife have been having an affair. Vincent then kills Mickey.
While Joshua and Vincent are having breakfast, Joshua tells his boss that he has become weary of the violence and wants to retire. Vincent admits that he has violent outbursts but insists that Joshua owes him his life. Angered, Vincent says that Joshua cannot retire. He leaves to go home, where he discovers two men watching his house. While confronting them, Joshua appears. The men tell Vincent that they have been ordered to deliver him to Nino, a powerful crime boss. When Nino calls his men, Vincent answers the cellphone. Vincent and Joshua get in the car and are driven to Nino's house.
After Nino taunts Vincent with a choice of restitution methods for killing Tahoe, all of them expensive, Vincent rejects every option. Nino is insulted and walks away. Vincent and Joshua leave. Upon arriving back at his house, Vincent finds that his wife has been brutally murdered. Vincent attempts to give Joshua $50,000 as severance and tells him to leave the city. Joshua refuses and says that he will not retire while Nino is still alive. They wait until night and return to Nino's house to seek vengeance. While Joshua takes the downstairs, fighting his way through many of Nino's henchmen, Vincent goes upstairs and finds Nino, who has donned a bullet-proof vest and is waiting for him, sawed-off shotgun in hand. The fight is prolonged; Vincent is hit but survives, and Nino dies in a large pool of blood.
Meanwhile, Joshua engages in a hand-to-hand fight with one of Nino's men and finally strangles him, only to have another appear. As this man is about to slice Joshua's throat, Vincent shows up and shoots him, but the man does not die right away. Joshua identifies the wounded man as the one who killed Vincent's wife. Vincent uses the man's knife to eviscerate him. While the two leave the house, Nino's wife appears. She and Joshua exchange fire and both are hit. The wife dies, but Joshua, who has been hit in the stomach, is able to walk away.
Back in the present, Vincent is driving the car and Joshua is in the back seat. At that point, Joshua remembers that it was Vincent who murdered his father. Joshua places a handgun to the back of Vincent's head. Vincent tells Joshua that he is too loyal to kill his own boss. The scene fades to black, leaving it unresolved as to whether Joshua pulls the trigger. | revenge, murder, violence, flashback | train | wikipedia | If you have kept an eye on Cuba Gooding Jr.'s career over the past few years, you probably know he's been churning out awful direct-to-DVD movies after being branded box office poison.
Having seen several of these movies, I initially had no plans to see "Wrong Turn At Tahoe".
As for Gooding, he is for once believable in his role, successfully showing a hard edge for his character.
Miguel Ferrer does indeed hold the screen as a hard man living by a set of questionable principles, but Cuba Gooding is no slouch as the right hand man approaching a personal crossroads in life.
Cuba Gooding Jr. excels in this violent crime thriller....
Some great performances, plenty of violence and a pretty strong plot all add up to an entertaining watch (if you like that kind of thing).
I'll tell you more of my thoughts after the following summary (summary haters please wait in the car with Joshua; he'll take you for a ride if you ask him nicely).Joshua is the number one guy to Vincent, a medium sized drug lord and crime boss on the East coast of the United States.
Of course there is a lot more to tell but I'm not going to spoil it for you.This is a very dark and a very violent film with some great performances.
I thought Cuba Gooding Jr. was excellent as the brooding Joshua who has a dark secret he has been carrying since childhood; in fact it's the best performance I've seen from him in quite a while.
Miguel Ferrer plays the part of the, sometimes psychotic, crime boss Vincent perfectly and Harvey Keitel is also excellent, as ever, as Nino.It's a pretty well made film which, although the budget was obviously pretty small still manages to excite and enthral.
So, if you like a good crime drama and you're not bothered too much by some rather graphic violence, then this one's definitely recommended
otherwise, I would give it a miss.My score: 6.5/10.
This film not for kiddies or chix but a good time and really, for the budget I heard this was made for?
Very, very good overall production, filming, staging, etc.
Call me a product of the ADD age, but it's not very often these days that I'll actually sit through an entire movie without at least fast forwarding through some parts (you know, like the de rigeur musical montage in romantic comedies).
And when I saw Cuba Gooding's name in the opening credits, I seriously considered putting an end to the movie and to my misery right there and then (I still have nightmares about his and Christian Slater's disastrous last effort at movie-making).
And yet, as the movie developed, I found myself drawn into the plot and the characters.
All in all, I'd say this movie was every bit as good as The Departed, minus the star cast and director..
EXTERIOR: NIGHT INSIDE CAR The opening is much like the opening of RESERVOIR DOGS, which starts with a wounded guy in the back of a car.This revenge mob hit film is reminiscent of PRIME CUT, (Lee Marvin) and THE EVIL THAT MEN DO, (Charlie Bronson) and about a dozen mobster revenge films where a lower echelon mobster seeks justice against the mobster kingpin for killing a family member or other unforgivable act.But, I really enjoyed this thriller because of the relationship between Vincent and Joshua.Didn't think Vincent needed to be a paranoid tho, and the scene showing his wife's affair should not have been cut out of the movie.I agree with others, that this dark, relationship thriller, turns into a Jackie Chan martial art duke out...so it jumps out of style.
Despite some murky editing and script confusion, the mutual loyalty between Joshua and Vincent could have been stronger...too many confusing moments.EXTERIOR: DAY OUTSIDE VINCENT'S HOUSECar is outside with two hit men waiting for Vincent to come out of the house.
And, great supporting characters in this overall good, engaging drama.
Small time gangster takes on Big time gangster the story has been down countless times before, but when its done well as here, makes for a good watch.
Small budget and reflected in a fairly low profile cast, CG-Jr and Ferrer along with Keitel all make sound convincing performances.
The violence is brutal and the characters harsh but convincing, certainly seen worse big budget examples of the genre getting their shot on the big screen.
Don't expect anything ground breaking plot-wise but fans of the gangster flick wont be disappointed with the gritty realism, slick action sequences and unobtrusive soundtrack..
Miguel Ferrer certainly commanded attention and, in my opinion, was a better overall performance, but Cuba pulled off his character well -a loyal, hardened, right-hand man to Miguel "Vincent".While it is more of a typical gangster style flick, it does offer something a little different; which is what I think makes this movie work.I would recommend this movie on a rainy day or if someone asked about it, but I wouldn't call someone to tell them to go pick it up...
Possibly good enough for the big screen, but certainly not a let down for DVD..
WRONG TURN AT TAHOE is a straightforward low budget crime thriller boasting a decent cast, lots of action and incident, and a familiar but well-worked storyline.
It's about a small time crook who accidentally bumps off the wrong person and subsequently finds himself the subject of a vendetta by a big shot crime boss.Such story lines are ten a penny, but WRONG TURN AT TAHOE does well with the material by focusing on the nuts and bolts action of the piece.
Plus, the casting of the underrated Miguel Ferrer (ROBOCOP) in a lead role is an inspired one, as this actor gets far too little screen time given his undeniable talent.
Okay, Cuba Gooding Jr. is acceptable at best, but Harvey Keitel has fun with a small but grandstanding role..
The only reason I watched the movie were the comments in this site- "the return of Cuba?", "What?
A direct-to-DVD movie with Cuba Gooding Jr. that's actually GOOD?" and so on.
A direct-to-DVD movie with Cuba Gooding Jr. that's actually GOOD?" and so on.
I want to save you from making the same mistake as I did (watching the movie), that is why I'm writing this comment.
The plot of the movie is straight forward, it starts and there are no surprises to the end (just shooting and killing).
It's not even a good action movie.
The movie is really waste of time, so if you decide to watch it remember- I have warned you!!!
Wrong Turn At Tahoe has a script that should have been given the royal treatment; it's wise, brutal, thought provoking and very violent, with many sets of morals clashing against each other in true crime genre style.
It didn't get a huge budget or a lot of marketing, but what it did get was a remarkably good cast of actors who really give the written word it's justice, telling a age old story dangerous people who inhabit the crime ridden frays of both society and cinema.
Cuba plays Joshua, a low level mafia enforcer who works for Vincent (Miguel Ferrer), a ruthless mid level mobster who runs his operations with an OCD iron fist.
When a weaselly informant tells them that local drug runner Frankie Tahoe (Noel Gugliemi, reliably scary) has it in for them, Vincent brashly retaliates first by viciously killing him.
Frankie was an employee of Nino (Harvey Keitel) that most powerful crime boss on the west coast and not a man to cross.
The writing is superb, especially for Gooding, Keitel and Ferrer, a vicious triangle indeed, all at the top of their game and then some.
Johnny Messner is great as Gooding's cohort who can't keep his mouth shut, and watch for Mike Starr, Leonor Varela, Paul Sampson and Louis Mandylor too.
With a great cast how could a film go wrong?
The majority of the acting and cinematography was also good, but the foundation of a film is the script.
Solid Gangster Action Movie.
I normally bypass anything featuring Cuba Gooding Jr. Maybe I'm still scarred from Pearl Harbor (the movie, I don't claim to have been at the attack).
I had no issues with Cuba Gooding Jr. Keitel provided the least from a performance perspective, but he was good enough not to ruin it for the rest of the cast.
I watched plenty of movies this week and out of them, I think this is the best of the bunch.The setup was good and it followed through rather nicely.The story flowed well and there was not an over use of hard language or violence where there didn't need to be.Of all the gangster movies I watched, this is one of the better ones.What I really liked was that the film didn't take place in New York, Chicago, L.A. or Miami.It also takes place in winter and not everybody lives in the largest of homes or has the latest fashions or has poor vocabulary skills.The entire structure is nicely constructed and is a worthwhile viewing.The Scorpion and the Frog story made total sense and brought back some memories of someone who used to tell me that same story - and in this movie, it made total sense.Nice job to all..
A gruesome film is "Wrong Turn at Tahoe".
A gruesome film is the 2009 crime thriller, "Wrong Turn at Tahoe".
The actors include Cuba Gooding Jr., Miguel Ferrer, Harvey Keitel, Alex Menses, Leonor Varela, Michael Sean Tighe, Noel Guglemi, Johnny Messner, Reed McColm, Mike Star, Louis Mandylor, John Cenatiempo, M.
Wrong Turn At Tahoe is the kind of film people watch, because they see it's streaming.
Compared to some of the other garbage that comes up while scrolling, this film actually seemed promising, but aside from a few interesting characters it wasn't.
Joshua (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is the best middle man in the game, nothing gets past him, so when he hears that local drug dealer, Frankie Tahoe, has been threatening to kill his boss, he passes the information along.
It's always great to see Harvey Kaitel playing a gangster, he seems to fit the role better than anyone else, and I wouldn't be surprised if one day it came out that he was the boss of a mob family.
Aside from Kaitel and the mystery surrounding who Joshua is, this film was nothing more than a lot of shooting, bodies, and F words.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, mafia movies may always be cool and popular, but it takes a lot more than F bombs and bullets to make a good film.
We've all seen films like Wrong Turn At Tahoe, there is a lot of arguing, a lot of shooting, and in the end, what was the point of any of it?.
Cuba shines, and this movie is a solid success..
(Credit IMDb) A small-time crime boss kills a drug dealer without realizing that the drug dealer works for the biggest crime boss in the countryWrong Turn at Tahoe could possibly be a potentially much-needed turning point in Cuba's falling career.
This movie reeks of class, and ranks as one of the better mobster flicks.
I was really surprised a film this solid was stuck going DTV, I've seen plenty of Theatrical movies that are worse then this one go to theaters, that shouldn't have.
Cuba Gooding is excellent in his role.
I've been depressed and disappointed with many of his DTV films, except the solid Line Watch, so needless to say I am thrilled with his effort here.
Miguel Ferrer is fantastic, and adds class to every movie he's in.
Screen time precious, performance just great.
This is better then a lot of Mobster films that went to theaters.
The bigger-name actors in this film are even a little better.
Its instructive to see how much better Mike Starr is used in this film compared to Black Dynamite.The primary difference is the script and the courage of the director.
Wrong Turn had a 6-million dollar budget and went straight to DVD for reasons I cannot fathom.
So be it, this was still pretty good, with some great moments.
Not sure why Khalfoun is not doing more-- he sure did a great job with this.The quality of the acting was so good, I am amazed they could get this cast for such a low budget.
Seeing this in HD would be great.I really don't know why critics panned this-- maybe it was the straight-to-DVD aspect and they never watched it, they just assumed it would be bad.
Its not The Departed, but its way better than Black Dynamite.The biggest mystery to me is why screenwriter Eddie Nickerson only did this one flick, and why people are not beating down his door for more of the same.
A Good Story with Some Excellent Performances.
"Vincent" (Miguel Ferrer) is a relatively minor crime boss who is fortunate to have a man like "Joshua" (Cuba Gooding Jr.) looking out for his interests.
So when Joshua learns that a drug dealer has plans to kill Vincent he relays this information to his boss and they set out to take care of the problem once and for all.
Unfortunately, what they don't know is that the drug dealer just happens to work for "Nino" (Harvey Keitel) who is the biggest crime lord on the East Coast and he doesn't appreciate having one of his men knocked off.
Now rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this film encapsulated a good story with some excellent performances without expending an unnecessary amount of time in the process.
I especially liked the performance of Cuba Gooding Jr. who seemed perfectly cast for this particular role.
I took a chance with this film after as it advertised itself as a gangland crime drama and Harvey Keitel was part of the cast.
Only a fairly decent film.Cuba Gooding Jr stars as a "right hand man" to smalltime hoodlum Miguel Ferrer who is caught up in a personal war with Mafia kingpin Harvey Keitel after killing one of his drug dealers.
Things get messy when Ferrer's wife is brutally murdered as retaliation which sets a revenge plot for the rest of the film.
All the way through it was a rather slow-paced bore-fest full of stereotypical "gangster dialogue and clichés" witnessed in other far superior films.Gooding Jr is wooden, Keitel is wasted although Ferrer does himself justice with his character.It's not a total bomb, far from it, but rather a great storyline not brought to its potential and that's the frustrating part.Approach with caution..
unusual gangster movie with great performances.
I enjoy movies that breath class, take time to tell the story, and are a little off beat.
I saw this movie by accident, and from the get go I was glued to the screen.Only after watching the movie I learned what a relief this must have been for Cuba Gooding Jr.!
I hadn't seen movies with him in it for quite some time, so I was surprised to read all the fails he had produced.
It is well written, directed and acted by all members of this great little enterprise.Cuba plays Joshua, the right hand man of a local gangster Vincent, played by Ferrer, who is excellent by the way!
Yes, like I said, amazing performance!) he tells the story of a man who knows his place in the world, accepts the circumstances he works in and the resulting violence this automatically brings with it.He knows no mercy, is tough, street smart and loyal to his boss.
During the movie you feel the fragility of Vincent when Joshua tells him he wants out.
You feel and see the guard dog quality of Joshua that gives strength to his boss, who collapses when he finds out that Nino (big ass gangster played by Keitel, who is on automatic pilot IMO)had his wife killed after Vincent refused to play by his rules.
Joshua turns 180 on his wish to leave and helps his boss to get even.It sounds like a simple gangster flick, but the way the story is told, slow paced but never boring, the shoot outs and killings that somehow feel more real than I have ever seen (although I have no personal experience how it really does look like, thank God) make the movie so believable, so intense and so overwhelming, that I sat on the edge of my seat the entire time.It is a gritty movie, real and in your face at a pace that gives you time to take it all in.
There are so many movie clichés in this flick you could make a drinking game out if it.
I tend to turn my brain off for action movies, but this one was beyond brain dead.
I saw this before I saw Hardwired, another straight to DVD film Cuba Gooding, Jr. released.
Despite Hardwired receiving virtually no good reviews, I thought it was better than Wrong Turn at Tahoe.First, the Story.
Third, the Action.The Story-Franck Khalfoun gives us a laughably boring and unoriginal film.
The uninspired and dull script achieves absolutely nothing.The Acting-Cuba Gooding, Jr. is dull and apathetic toward his character.
Luckily, Miguel Ferrer and Harvey Keitel give some inspiration, but it's not enough to effectively save the boring plot.
They do what they can with their lines, and that measures out Cuba's terrible performance.The Action-I watched the "Making-Of" extra on the special features, which was interesting, and explained to the viewer how the action sequences were done.
However, the documentary was more interesting than the action scenes themselves.I wouldn't watch Wrong Turn At Tahoe again, and I wonder why Mr. Ferrer and Mr. Keitel said yes to the script.
But Wrong Turn At Tahoe isn't going to help any careers. |
tt0326977 | Io non ho paura | The action of the film takes place in 1978, in a fictional town called Acqua Traverse in Southern Italy, during the hottest summer of the century and the infamous Years of Lead. A nine-year-old boy named Michele Amitrano and a group of his friends set out on a race across scorched wheat fields to a deserted farmhouse. Michele's sister tags along but falls over, breaking her glasses, and she calls out to Michele, who runs back to her. Michele quickly calms her worries about the glasses, and they continue running. They are the last of the group to arrive at the farmhouse, which means that she and Michele must pay a forfeit. However, the leader of the group, Skull, chooses the only girl in the group apart from Michele's sister to pay up instead. He instructs her to expose herself to the boys, and she looks to the others for help, but they refuse to meet her gaze. She reluctantly and hesitantly begins to take off her clothes, when Michele pipes up that he was the one to arrive last and he should be the one to pay.
As his punishment Michele walks the length of a beam, high up in a rickety old barn-like building at the deserted farmhouse, and after that the group is seen going home. As Michele and his sister set off, she asks him where her glasses are, and he goes back to fetch them. While searching for the glasses at the farmhouse, Michele discovers a hole in the ground covered with a sheet of metal. He opens it and sees part of a bare human leg; horrified, due to the limited time he had to investigate the situation, he decides to keep this a secret from the others. He feels threatened by Skull and doesn't want such a big discovery to be taken away from him. The next day, he returns to the place, throwing rocks at the leg. As he moves to pick up another rock, the camera pans to him, on the ground, searching around him in the dirt, where Michele finds another rock to throw. As the camera pans back into the hole, the leg is out of sight. Startled, Michele is suddenly staring down at a zombie-like young boy stumbling out of the darkness and into view. Terrified, Michele hurries home once more, but then his bicycle chain breaks and he is thrown off his bike. As he returns home he is scolded for being late. The next day while playing with friends Michele thinks about the boy and later he decides to visit the zombie-like boy again. Michele finds that the boy is actually alive, although he is very weak. He brings him water and later food. One day, Michele goes to buy bread, to feed the boy. On the way he sees the familiar face of Skull's older brother driving away from the house and thinks this may be the person who has imprisoned the boy. He returns home, making sure that his own presence is not discovered by whoever put the boy there.
Michele climbs down to collect the bread back from the boy. During this time Michele's undaunted curiosity leads him to begin questioning the confused, possibly delusional, and traumatized boy. To Michele's annoyance, the boy thinks he is dead and asks Michele if he is his guardian angel. The boy walks over to him and Michele sees him at his full size, as going crazy the boy cries out "I'm Dead"! He screams louder and louder, making Michele climb back up the rope quickly and return home.
One night, Michele sees his parents watching on the television news that a child named Filippo belonging to the Carducci Family has been kidnapped from Milan, and the boy in the pictures shown looks just like the boy in the hole. He overhears his parents and their friends talking about keeping the boy hidden. The next morning, he discovers his parents are hosting late-night meetings with the parents of his playmates and one domineering visitor "from the North" who now sleeps in his room. Michele, to his shock, gradually comes to realize that his own father is involved in the kidnapping, as well as some other men in the town. He visits the boy and tells him he knows his name and informs the boy of his mother and the message she left on the TV about him. This message was not received well by the boy, who still believes he is dead. Until Michele told him that he is a guardian angel and comes visits him, he promise to visit again. He continues visiting Filippo (Mattia di Pierro) and one day he lets him out for some hours of play in the wheat fields together, and then he returns him back to the hole. To win a toy as a present for Filippo, he barters with his best friend Salvatore for a toy blue van by offering to share a secret, and reveals to him Filippo's existence, but Salvatore is uncomfortable about the news, even though he surrenders the van and promises Michele that he will not share his secret with anyone else.
On Michele's next visit to Filippo, he is caught by one of the kidnappers (the older brother of Skull), who finds him in the hole with Filippo and punches him, then hauls him out and drives him home. It turns out that Michele's friend Salvatore has revealed his secret to Skull's brother. His parents have contrasting reactions to his being apprehended. His mother defies Michele's attacker, in defense of her son, but his father, on learning that he has been visiting Filippo, threatens to beat him if he ever goes back to visit the boy again. Michele promises to obey his father. But then one day Skull cajoles his peers into again visiting the farmhouse, where Michele discovers the hole empty and Filippo gone. His friend-turned-traitor Salvatore readily tells him he knows where Filippo has been moved, having overheard his father tell Michele's father, and will tell him if Michele will forgive his betrayal. The next night, Michele overhears the adults discussing who will kill Filippo, and Michele sets out immediately to find Filippo — who is now in a "cave" — and save him. He hoists him out over a gate and tells him to run for his life, while Michele tries to find a way out for himself with no one to hoist him over the gate. Meanwhile, Michele's father has drawn the short straw and shows up at the cave to kill Filippo. Michele sees it is his father and runs toward him across the cave just as his father fires his gun, shooting his own son in the leg. In the film's last scene, Michele's father runs with Michele in his arms in search of medical aid, as the ringleader from the North (Milan) finds him and insists he has to resume his assigned task of killing Filippo. However, Filippo appears and risks his own danger to show gratitude to Michele, just as helicopters arrive and track down the ringleader trying to escape. The film ends with a repentant Pino clutching his son and Michele reaching out to Filippo. | suspenseful, historical, storytelling | train | wikipedia | Set in Southern Italy in 1978, I'm Not Scared by Gabriele Salvatores (Mediterraneo) is about a child who discovers a small lad hidden in a cavernous hole near an abandoned farmhouse and acts with courage and compassion to "do the right thing".
The film is partly a standard commercial product with a predictable plot, sentimental music, and pseudo-lyrical slow motion shots but it also embodies an artistic sensibility that expressively captures the world of a child in its wonder, innocence, and beauty.
Similar to the 1996 film La Promesse by the Dardenne Brothers, it is a film about a young boy's awakening of conscience.Ten-year old Michele, exquisitely performed by first-time actor Giuseppe Cristiano, is outgoing, intelligent, and strong-willed and there is a great deal of warmth and knowing in his face that makes us instinctively care about him.
The story unfolds slowly but steadily.Because this movie is about kids and some suspicious people (Michele's father and friends)and the story is not written with a formula, there is an added dimension to the element of unpredictability.I truly was inspired by the cinematography showing the idyllic scenes of the summer and wheat fields of Italy, including the insects and wildlife.
"I'm Not Scared (Io non ho paura)" has a lot in common with the recent Russian film "The Return (Vozvrashcheniye)." Both start off with poor pre-teen boys' bullying games that then intersect with their returning fathers' parallel adult realities.
A major difference is the look that surrounds the contrasts between childhood innocence and male brutishness (abetted by cowed female complicity), where the Russian film is practically in a frigid black and white, the Italian film has the lush, sentimental cinematography of Italo Petriccione, who also worked with director Gabriele Salvatores on the dreamily beautiful "Mediterraneo." The suspenseful thriller aspects roped me in, though the tension was undercut a bit by the Lavender Hill Mob antics of the conspirators, but the bumbling added to an uneasy feeling of unpredictability, aided by the suspenseful music by Ezio Bosso and Pepo Scherman.
Having seen "Mediterraneo" from the same director, Gabriele Salvatores, was another reason for taking a look at this movie.The film depicts the horrors that Italy lived in the 70s with a wave of kidnappings.
While a lot had political undertones, the fact remains that a lot of children were kidnapped for a ransom.The idyllic way the film unfolds, with the children running freely in the wheat fields, is a sharp contrast of the mystery that is hidden, in a hole, by the abandoned house where they go to play.
Michele, the boy at the center of the story, discovers the dark secret that will involve his own family and will end in a tragedy.
Toward the end, it reaches for the sublime in moments of Michelangelo.For me, the emotional interaction of these very young non actors made the movie spiritual to some degree by way of it's sheer honesty, without compromising the true spirituality in the principles and very adult themes of good vs.
I saw this film on the Berlin film festival without having an idea of what may follow, and I was very surprised: this picture is one of the best, at least of this year.A young boy, growing up in a little village somewhere in Italy, discovers an other young boy hiding in a small hole.
Original and Sensitive Story of Innocence and Compassion An Unforgettable Gem. In the field in the country of Italy, the ten years old Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano) accidentally finds a weird boy in a hole in an abandoned farmhouse.
The screenplay is perfect, developing the characters and disclosing the secrets through the innocent eyes of a ten years old boy, having a sensational plot point, in a wonderful landscape and a very sentimental soundtrack.
Well directed film by Gabriele Salvatores , including a stirring story and screenplay by Niccolò Ammaniti , who tried to create an agreeable flick plenty of sensitivity and metaphor by tackling a description about a bright ten-year-old boy who finds several surprises on his early life .
In southern Italy, Michele , a fine little boy , along with his friends visit an old rotten house on the outskirts of their small Italian village .
His style is pretty much dry in the atmosphere as in the fresh dialog , as well as realistic , and including pleasant elements as when the little boy runs on the cereal countryside ."I'm Not Scared" is one of Tornatore's undisputed masterpieces and fundamental in his filmography where shows efficiently an interesting story and shot at the height of his creativity , with some peculiar characters , as the main starring boy , his lovely mummy magnificently performed by the Spanish Aitana Sánchez Gijon and the grudge visitor well played by Diego Abatantuono .
They become friends, but Michelle soon realizes that his parents are the ones responsible for this kids kidnapping.It's a great children's film, a good thriller, and a bad drama.
There is both mystery and madness.Michele, a young boy about ten or so years old, plays with his sister and a small group of friends in empty fields and among ruins of once well-maintained farm houses, now mute ruins.
Closeups of small field creatures are shots which add nothing to the story and inject a contrived artificiality.Not many films successfully center a mysterious and terrifying predicament as a way of exploring children's emotional lives.
To me not only they are very interesting to see --at least one of them was totally unknown to me, city dweller that I am-- but they add a certain naivetè, like a certain magic, part of a child's view of the most common things.Besides they establish the location, a rural one, where little animals are usual things, so much so that our 10 year old boy never looks at them.
The story gets rolling when 10-year old Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano) and his discovery of a body hidden away in a pit near an abandoned farmhouse."I'm Not Scared" is a fantastic film that chills without cliché.
There is a lot in this movie: an economical issue (suthern Italy poverty in the 70 's), the role of society's rules on kids behaviour, the tension between two completely different cultures in one country (the big, rich city of the North and the small rural village in the south), the developement of ten years old Michele's personality...
The surreality continues as the plot occurs.Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano) is an average 10 year old boy in Southern Italy.
IO NON HO PAURA (I'M NOT SCARED) is a radiant film by director Gabriele Salvatores based on the novel by Niccolò Ammaniti (who also wrote the screenplay) that quietly puts the premise 'greater love hath no man than he lay down etc' into the desperately gentle innocence of children.
Over the next few days Michele finds that the hole person is a young boy his age, and though filthy and frightened the young lad Filippo (Mattia Di Pierro) grows to depend on Michele and reveals he is terrified, shackled and has been placed there to die.Meanwhile at Michele's odd little home there are strange conversations between his father Pino (Dino Abbrescia) and his mother (Aitana Sánchez-Gijon), friends enter their home and the emphasis is always on the television news.
The manner in which Michele tackles this ugly truth, laying down his own safety to prevent the adults from killing Filippo, is the way this movie winds to a superlative, uplifting end.So very much of this story is beyond words: the moments of silence, the looks in the eyes of the children, the power of the human spirit ensconced in the body of young lad named Michele, the manner in which the mind of Michele works through all of the adult reality and makes it credible in his fantasy world - all of these defy description.
Going into it blind was properly the perfect way to experience "I'm Not Afraid." This film swept me away like few have done in recent years.Set in 1970s Italy, this film is at its heart the intimate story of a young rural boy's quest to grow up moral in the face of scary, even evil truths around him.
The film is about ten year old Michele living with his family in rural Southern Italy.
While searching for his mother's glasses he finds ten year old Filippo imprisoned in a cave, and while they develop a sort of friendship Michele discovers the violent, cruel and corrupt world of adults.
This is a truly beautiful film, from the stunning cinematography all the way to the very emotional story of two young boys meeting under extraordinary (and scary) circumstances.
In the film, entitled "I'm Not Scared" Giuseppe Cristiano portrays Michele, a ten year old Italian boy who's idyllic life in the countryside is interrupted one day with the discovery of a sensational crime.
The brilliantly sunny wheat fields of Italy are contrasted with a dank, dark hole accidentally discovered by a young boy after his sister loses here eyeglasses; the black hole houses an even darker surprise that affects him with consequences never anticipated.Much more than a simple suspense tale, this evocative immersion in Italian country life depicts a young man grappling with moral issues as simple as peace with his friends and as complex as the integrity of his parents; it dazzles the eye with the color of brilliant orange field flowers, teases the mind with probable outcomes, and satisfies the intellect with puzzles which linger in the mind about the world we build for our children.
What comes to mind right now is my thought that perhaps this is the movie Guillermo Del Toro was going for with Pan's Labyrinth, a story of a young child with a penchant for games and fantasy who is ennobled by how they interact with the dark, twisted, dangerous adult world that functions as a backdrop.
The vivid scenery---many views of fields and hills of wheat, this endless land being the backyard for the town children and the setting of their childhood adventures---employs an acutely emboldened, clear-cut primary color scheme to depict how Michele, as a nine-year-old boy, sees the world, fixating on particular items of fascination with close-ups.
It seems like a picture-perfect indigenous location that bears the likes of a tourist's idea of a traditional Italian holiday.The real star is 9-10 year old Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano), the rurally kept pre-adolescent protagonist following his discovery of a feral blind boy Filippo (Mattia Di Pierro), who's chained up in a hole in the ground beside a ruined farm.
First the first where we first see Filippo really freaked me out!But even if you think the film is going to be a giant action American movie it keeps all along his Italian character.The views of Southern Italy are wonderful and it really shows the truth because I've been there and it's just like that, misery, heat and all those things...
I'M NOT SCARED is an Italian crime thriller told through the eyes of a young boy whose father and associates in poverty-ridden southern Italy have kidnapped a kid from the wealthy north, and are holding him for ransom on an abandoned farm.
The Italian country is the backdrop for the story, and it's pictured in such a beautiful way, with those amazing sunsets and yellow fields, it gives you a full emotional punch when the plot starts to take form and you're set to discover the secret that lies beneath the ground.
To my knowledge, very few comments on or reviews of this film make reference to another Italian movie on the same subject matter: the 1993 "La corsa dell'innocente" (released as "The Flight of the Innocent" in the U.S.) Each is set in Calabria, either totally as with this new movie, or partially, as in "Corsa." Each deals with the kidnapping of children of wealthy northern families by Mafioso-style families in the region of Calabria (the Ndrangheta.) Each has a young boy as a hero of superior innate morality who cares about what is good and rejects what is evil.
That having been said, I only want to point out the captivating story-book beauty of this movie, so wonderfully photographed, lovingly directed by Gabriele Salvatores of "Mediterraneo" fame, and finely acted by the young cast.
"Io non ho paura" literally "I'm Not Scared"This film is a coming of age story set within a mystery (or vice-versa as you prefer) about a ten year old Italian boy in 1978.
Ten-year-old Michele discovers the hiding place of kidnap victim Filippo, a boy his own age.
In this lackadaisical Italian thriller, a 10 year-old boy named Michele discovers a deep pit in a field near his rural home.
This is a great set-up for a thriller (based on true events), and there are some wonderful scenes, particularly the ones between Michele and Fillipo (the boy in the hole).
"I'm Not Scared" follows the activities of a ten year old boy in the remote wheat fields of Southern Italy as he rides his bike, plays with friends, rides his bike some more, finds a kidnapped kid in a hole in the ground, and rides his bike still more.
www.film-studies.net In a welcome addition to the list of texts,Leaving Certificate students in Ireland are being given the chance to study "I'm Not Scared" as part of their Comparative Study in English.Michele, a young boy living in the poverty of "Southern Italy 1978" starts to realise that he does not have to behave exactly as others, especially his parents, tell him to do.
It is refreshingly surprising to find such a good movie.The film is visually fantastic, the scenery and colors are the narrator telling the story while the characters play necessary but secondary roles.Personally, I didn't like the ending very much but it is easily forgiven after all the beauty exhibited.The film takes you into a hole, into the dream world of a ten 10 year old surrounded by nothingness, where ugliness and depravity doesn't exist.
I'M NOT SCARED, despite the thriller-ish premise, is a film that's all about friendship: a growing bond that develops between an Italian boy and the kidnapped child he finds being held to ransom in a filthy pit.
Boys 2 Men. In beautiful southern Italy, 1978, sensitive ten-year-old Giuseppe Cristiano (as Michele) plays with his friends, in a hot, deserted area (likely forbidden by their parents).
Harry Potter's adolescent confusion about the appearance of adult morality and the reality of their corruption is nothing compared to young Michele's harrowing discovery and decisions in `I'm Not Scared.' Gabriele Salvatores (`Mediterraneo', Oscar winner for best foreign film in 1992) directs this thriller (which Niccolo Ammaniti adapted with Francesca Marciano from Ammaniti's novel) with a Terrence Malick `Days of Heaven' eye for the lush, waving grain of 1978 Southern Italy and a Poe-like treatment of terrible incarceration.Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano) finds another 10-year-old boy, Filippo (Mattia Di Pierro), chained to the bottom of a pit in an abandoned farm.
The loss of innocence can be a frightening experience, especially for ten-year-old Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano), who discovers that another boy is being held captive in a deep hole next to an abandon farmhouse.
Not only is it frightening to see a child your own age shackled, hungry and thirsty, living in filth, but when Michele realizes his own father may be a kidnapper, he hardly knows what to do.That is the basis for Director Gabriele Salvatores' wonderful film from the best selling Italian novel, `Io non ho paura.' The film, shot almost entirely from the perspective of a youngster, was Italy's entry in this year's Academy Awards.
The final music is a little too pretty and arty and the ending is a little too good to be true (more so than the book's), but Salvatores' film is a memorable evocation of childhood, brilliantly acted by the children, especially the gifted Cristiano -- with links to other striking tales of a child's discovery of adult evil like Carol Reed's 1948 The Fallen Idol.
Michele(Giuseppe Cristiano) is 10 year old boy who lives near a wheat field with his family.
One night, Michele wakes up and listen to his father and his father's friends talking about a kidnapped boy called Filippo, and when he sees Filippo's picture in TV he immediately discovers that he is the boy he found out in the cave.This movie is very good and is based in a real life event, what makes it even better and surprising to watch..
But then he takes him back to the hole probably because neither of the boys can think of anything better to do.Towards the end, reality takes over from fantasy as the movie moves towards being both a thriller and a coming-of-age (the hard way) story.The director takes time to patiently show us a lot of details which make the movie a full experience instead of a one-dimensional Hollywood-style crafted thriller.
Set in Italy, the film follows the young protagonist, Michele, as he discovers a boy living in a hole.What starts out as a seemingly innocent depiction of friendship soon unfolds as a dramatic and gripping thriller.
The two boys develop a friendship, but Michele realizes he's fairly helpless to assist the prisoner because he discovers that not only his parents, but his whole rural village, are in on it.*** SPOILERS END ***I never saw "Mediterraneo," Salvatore's Oscar-winning film from a few years back, but now I feel I need to.
*********** MILD SPOILERS ALERT **********The ending made me feel a lump in my throat, but actually the whole picture is such a graceful and moving rendition of an altogether quite tragic reality that plagued Italy for a very long time, especially in the Seventies (the story takes place in that by now remote era), i.e. the ransom-aimed kidnapping of the young children of rich people.Here Filippo, the kidnapped little boy, is inhumanely kept in a cave like a dirty animal - until his "guardian angel" comes, embodied by Michele, a kid of his same age. |
tt0115624 | Barb Wire | The plot of the film is loosely based on the plot of Casablanca. Barb Wire is set in 2017 during the "Second American Civil War," rather than World War II. Many of the roles had their gender switched.
Barb Wire (Pamela Anderson) owns the Hammerhead, a nightclub in Steel Harbor — "the last free city" in a United States ravaged by the civil war — and she brings in extra cash working as a mercenary and bounty hunter. Chief of Police Willis (Xander Berkeley) raids her club. Willis's target is fugitive Dr. Corrina "Cora D" Devonshire (Victoria Rowell), a former government scientist with information about a bioweapon being developed by her former superior, Colonel Pryzer (Steve Railsback) of the Congressional Directorate. Dr. Devonshire hopes to escape to Canada in order to make this information public.
Devonshire later turns up at the Hammerhead. She is accompanied by Axel Hood (Temuera Morrison), a "freedom fighter" whom Barb had known and loved at the outbreak of the war, but the two were separated during the conflict. Axel is trying to help Cora get to Canada. They are trying to find a contraband pair of contact lenses that will allow Cora to evade the retinal scan at the Steel Harbor airport. The lenses pass through the hands of several lowlifes before also ending up at Barb's nightclub.
Rather than give the lenses to Cora and Axel, Barb makes a deal with "Big Fatso" (Andre Rosey Brown), the leader of a junkyard gang: Fatso wants the lenses, which are worth a fortune on the black market, and Barb wants a million dollars and an armed escort to the airport, where she plans to get on the plane to Canada. But Fatso double-crosses Barb; when Barb, Axel, and Cora show up at the junkyard to make the swap, Colonel Pryzer and his storm troopers are also there, along with Chief of Police Willis. Willis makes a show of arresting Barb and Cora, but instead of putting handcuffs on Barb, he slips her a hand grenade. Barb uses the grenade to kill Fatso and cause enough confusion to allow Barb, Axel, Cora, and Willis to pile into Barb's armored van and lead the Congressionals on a car chase, culminating in a hand-to-hand fight between Barb and Colonel Pryzer on a forklift suspended by crane above the harbor. Pryzer falls to his death while Barb escapes.
In the end, the party makes it to the airport, where Barb reveals that she still has the contact lenses. She gives them to Cora, and Cora and Axel get on the plane to Canada while Willis and Barb remain on the rainswept tarmac. | avant garde, murder, cult, flashback, revenge, sci-fi | train | wikipedia | Dean Stockwell, in a minor role, is wasted in stuff like this.If Anderson's role in the predictable Naked Souls was peripheral (and also completely irrelevant to the plot), then Barb Wire sees her take over the screen.
If you want a lovably stupid movie, with Pamela Anderson sticking out her little finger as she burns rubber on a motorbike, then watch this.
The music, story, and dialogue all give the movie its cheesiness, and in some way, it's made to be entertaining.Pam is extremely sexy in this movie, and great to watch.
While Barb Wire isn't an Academy style good movie, it succeeds wonderfully at what it is: a comic book translated to film.
As a dumb Saturday night special it still barely cuts it for me, although it is noisy, if that's all you want.....Anderson isn't an actress if it wasn't for a good publicity agent and a boob-job, she wouldn't even be offered the roles that Shannon Tweed gets!
OK the critics dismissed this,and many call this a cheesy bad movie,all the Pamela Anderson haters,but me i thought barb wire rocked.
its a good action movie,i think Roger Corman would envy,and yes Pam Anderson does look like a busty Barbie doll.she looks great.her acting is'nt great but who cares.its an action film.that follows the plot of Casablanca,believe it or not.Pam plays a variation of the Bogie character.Canadian actor Steve Railsback plays a Nazi type officer who runs around shooting people along with his Nazi like henchmen.i saw this originally in 1996 and did'nt really like it that much,i had re watched it recently and changed my mind.i know barb wire is mentioned on all these bad movie lists but its really pretty good.not a classic but a good action movie nonetheless.props to Pam Anderson playing a real kick butt heroine.7 out of 1o,just don't call her babe..
Although based in comic book series, the "Barb Wire" movie intends to be a remake o classical "Casablanca".
Pamela Anderson Lee will certainly never be mistaken for a talking pig, especially in the outfits she gets to wear in Barb Wire.
Whatever else the plot is, do people really care?This film was made, marketing and watched because of one thing and one thing only, Pamela Anderson.
I do have absolutely no problem with buxom babes calling the shots in an action flick,and I don't think too many men have either.What matters is that the plot is well executed and doesn't bore you at any moment while you're watching it."BarbWire" is anything but a bore.l Pamela Anderson plays Barbara Kopetski,a 21st century female soldier of fortune who was a one-time rebel with a cause,but now cares only about the money she makes from dangerous missions she is hired to undertake.However,things get complicated as her old lover Axel Hood(played by Temuera Morrison)reappears in her life,and asks for her help.She chooses to help him and wages an all-out war against the corrupt regime that is oppressing them,sacrificing her brother in the process.Its Pamela Anderson who makes this movie watchable,no doubt.She looks fabulous throughout the film and really fits into her role.Xander Berkeley as her faithful accomplice is the only character you notice beside her,while the rest are mere props.A decent action movie with an international bombshell to spice things up.Who's complaining ?.
Okay, yes this movie is a cheesey Casablanca rip-off and stars Pamela Anderson Lee and her two biggest assets.
Fortunately it is not, and Barb Wire is not a good movie.But, and this is a mysterious but, I actually didn't get bored out of my mind and switched off.
The guys who read this title will know what I'm talking about in this movie, "Barb Wire." Two words: Pamela Anderson.
Yes, the same lady you might have seen on "Baywatch." With her, and the endless, numerous, totally exciting action scenes in "Barb Wire," this movie is the bomb!
Sure people will mock her for being who she is, but if you are open before seeing the movie, she will surprise you.This isn't all about showing off Pam's body (who's fake boobs are not anywhere near as nice as they were before she had them done) but is a decent comic book made into a dynamite film.Pam needs more roles like this and should steer clear of the ditzy role she seems to prefer playing.
As much as I appreciate great movies and prefer to watch something that makes me think a little, a bit of brainless action and pure camp often does the trick too!
Despite it lacking orginal story, good acting and someone that you would care about in this movie besides Pam; it is not as bad as everone says.
I don't understand why "Barb Wire" is generally regarded as one of the world's worst movies ever made, whereas it's honestly not any worse than the vast majority of cheesy and violent post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi flicks from the late 70's/early 80's.
"Barb Wire" may be bad, but at the same time it's fantastically entertaining, with horrible dialogs and one-liners ("Don't call me babe!"), hideous wasteland sets, explosive action sequences and extravagant costume designs.
The action sequences were surprisingly decent, although there aren't many in this film as I thought there will be.The character Pamela Anderson makes out is fantastic, but at the same time, it's kind of dull.
I love the explosions and fighting sequences.Maybe the reason I like the film is that this film knows it is being bad, but it has a fun time with it.
Pamela Anderson is (despite all the critical damnation) really good in her role as tough-talking Barb Wire.
Pamela Anderson's body surely looks great (although it may be 90% silicone and fiberglass), and she surely is very "flexible" (wich might have come in handy in porn movies, recommendations are welcome)...
It is at this point they look to find the only person who can help them escape, a local bar owner / bounty hunter known as Barb Wire (Pamela Anderson).
Pamela Anderson also isn't acting material but she actually gives the viewing a "so bad it's good" experience.
Barb Wire isn't the worst movie of 1996(quite), Bio-Dome and Ed are worse, but it is a terrible movie with its only redeeming asset Pamela Anderson's cleavage.
An sci-fi action movie remake of casablanca with Pamela Anderson.
The sad truth of the matter is it actually manages to be worse than that, I sat watching this movie with increasing horror trying to find a redeeming feature, something positive to say about it and the best i could come up with was "at least I didn't pay to see it" The acting is terrible the script is poor, most of the sets seem to be abandoned werehouses or waste ground.
There are no attempts at fancy phrasing, she just delivers her lines flat but is at least as good as say Arnie or Sly.Apart from Pam's undeniable screen presence the film is a stylish but pretty routine action movie.
It took me some time to figure out what's wrong with this movie and Pamela Anderson - or rather the character she plays.The problem is, Barb Wire is a man!
It is Pamela Anderson + the comics Barb Wire + Casablanca + low budget + Tasteless everything = hellish movie-making!
The only thing that is missing from this movie is a Brion James cameo!I'm certain that as the years go by, one day 'Barb Wire' will win the audience it deserves, and will be seen as the 1990s equivalent of 'Barbarella'.
I wonder how anyone could take a remake of CASABLANCA starring Pamela Anderson, the BAYWATCH "babe" herself, seriously enough to just denounce it as a terrible movie.
After getting through the whole, "it's a vehicle for Pamela Anderson Lee, Babewatch Babe, though we don't call her Babe, she's a kick-ass bounty hunter who runs a bar and does this and that and there's a lot of explosions and action and kills and more explosions, yada yada yada," they had to try and explain the actual story.
One things for sure, folks, Pam Anderson is NO Humphrey Bogart (we all know who's were real and spectacular after all).But I digress, this is a pretty stupid movie, made on the cheap all at the expense of men everywhere who can't get enough of the overly stacked blonde bubble of hot that is Pam Anderson (Lee at the time), who is pretty much either naked (and when so either in an overlong dance sequence in partial nudity, or wrapped conviniently in bubbles, or in leather, more so the latter) and spouts poorly written dialog like a pro.
Bad movies like this often generate small cult followings, and that's about the size of audience the picture deserves
Unfortunately, other than a couple of very obvious, absurdly over-the-top scenes, this film is just plain boring.
And also similarly, this time without the acting, the budget, the script, or the brains.Whenever you have a film that stars someone like Pamela Anderson, who is famous more for getting naked than anything else, it's not hard to predict that at some point during the film, she will pose as a stripper or a prostitute or something in order for the film to get her out of her clothes, and I'm pretty Pam does both here.
There's a thin storyline involving politics and secret weapons and Canadian money, of all things, and this, along with just about everything else in the film, is set on the back burner in favor of the emphasis on Pam's breasts, which are clearly more famous than she is.With movies like Barb Wire, I always try to look for a point where the film admits that it is not trying to be taken seriously.
Barb Wire is not really an action movie that makes every excuse possible excuse to get Pamela Anderson out of her clothes, but rather a comedy that amusingly poses as an action film, and the strange thing is that the nude or semi-nude scenes don't lead to sex scenes or anything like that, but usually to violence.
I just re-visited the Barb Wire home page on the IMDb, and the tagline for the film, which I never noticed, is based on one of the dumbest things about the entire movie.`Don't call me babe.'Sigh.
Anderson's performance is (I don't know how she manages it) sub par and seeing the-blind-guy-called-Charlie trying to act (being blind) made me realize that by watching Barb Wire I was watching a historic movie.
It's has a typical B-movie action atmosphere, a silly story, stereotypical characters and a lot of B-actors.I'm not a Pamela Anderson hater, she is a real character.
"Baywatch" babe Pamela Anderson Lee gives a faintly amusing non-performance as a sexy bar owner/bounty hunter/prostitute who gets involved with Resistance fighters during a second Civil War. Although based on the Dark Horse comic book serial, the film plays like a cross between a heavy-metal music video and an update of "Casablanca", complete with campy undermining and throwaway bad jokes.
Barb Wire could have been Pamela Anderson's big break on the big screen, but this movie failed miserably..
I must also admit that I has a childhood crush on Pamela Anderson from her time in Baywatch and I was eagerly looking forward to Barb Wire.
Needless to say, Barb Wire was very bad.Although I felt sorry for Pamela Anderson, she just sucked in this movie.
One was this film, which had intrigued me a bit when it was on originally.It was just barely interesting enough to keep me watching until the end.Yes, as has been said many times, the story is lifted almost directly from Casablanca, and otherwise adjusted to fit the characters from the Dark Horse comic.
"Barbwire" isn't really a movie made with BAD TASTE , it's more like a movie made with NO TASTE .The ideal symbol of no taste is the star of "Barbwire" itself – Pamela Anderson .
When an old flame, freedom fighter Axel (Temuera Morrison), re-enters her life seeking assistance to help a wanted scientist escape to Canada, Barb is reluctant to get involved, but after her blind brother is killed by the Congressionals, she finds herself once again joining the cause.With her ridiculously large chest, tiny waist, massive pout and cascading peroxide blonde locks, 90s sex-symbol Pamela Anderson certainly looks the part, but that's about the only good thing I can bring myself to say about this otherwise miserable mid-90s movie adaptation of Dark Horse comic-book character Barb Wire.Clearly never intended to be anything other than a vehicle to exploit the former Baywatch star's plastic sex appeal, the film is a poorly scripted piece of near-futuristic drivel, a post-apocalyptic Casablanca (complete with thinly veiled Nazis!) that deals in well-worn clichés and keeps costs to an absolute minimum by filming exclusively in derelict warehouses, junkyards and dock-lands.
and don't watch this movie either,unless you're really desperate for something to do.but trust me,you could always find something better to do.i mean wow,this was not good.i managed to get to the forty four minute mark before giving up and shutting it down.there's just no coherent plot here,and no real acting of any kind involved.plus,the music was awful,although that's just personal preference.the opening scene sets the bar pretty low and it just gets worse from there.for some strange reason,Xander Berkeley(who's a quality actor)decided to appear in this mess.oh,well,everybody is entitled to a bad movie once in a while.anyway,for me, because it's not the worse movie i've seen,Barb Wire is a 3/10.
At least Pamela Anderson is worth the price of admission alone but for those of you who want a more in depth insight into the character, I suggest reading the comic book series instead.This movie sucks but Pam's in it so what do I know?.
Oh what fun to watch a film like Barb Wire; a film so bad, it's good as they say.
No; Barb Wire is about a woman, written BY a woman but generally comes off as a bit of a dud.The actual idea for this film on paper is nothing more than a B-Movie action film wanting to get made.
When I first heard they were making a Barb Wire movie, I thought, "Great!
Well, maybe if they make something like "Barb Wire meets Barney" or something like it; otherwise, I really couldn't think of something more idiotic than this movie.Pamela Lee should be locked and never been allowed to get near a studio, after her horrible acting in this picture.
Plus why give everyone what they paid five quid, probably less back then, straight away then lay that film on them?After two years or so, the only thing I remember clearly about the movie Barb Wire is that is sucked, but with Pam involved it didn't really matter that much..
Don't you think that someone attempted to rip off the story line to Casablanca and spice it up with some action and nipples?I think it's worth watching and thinking of as a Sci-Fi B-Movie and just laugh ;-).
Barb Wire is a film I guess in some way I'm kind of undecided on, it has the making for just a bad movie with Pamela's bad acting but has the action scenes and cheesy lines that make it fun as well.
Pam Anderson is a sexy female lead and isn't that hard to believe that at times she can be tough, she does wear that leather well I have to admit, but some of the way she delivers the lines was a little too Shaquil O'Neil, I think if you're going to do a movie like this, you might as well go over the top, go a little James Woods, it's all good.
I loved some of the action scenes, the fight on the fork lift was a lot of fun to watch and since the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, it's all good and makes the fight scenes that more exciting.
Pam Anderson may be an awful actress, but it's not like I was looking for an Oscar worth movie when I decided to watch it.
If you have an open mind and are looking for a good bad film, I think you'll get a kick out Barb Wire.
Again, while "Barb Wire" may not be a great film I didn't think it was necessarily that bad either.
Barb Wire, the comic book wasn't that popular, and the film follows that.
Set in 2017 during the Second American Civil War, Barb Wire (Pamela Anderson) owns the Hammerhead, a nightclub in Steel Harbor.
The opening shot of the movie, has a stripping, dancing wet Barb (Pamela Anderson) as a way to introduce this character.
Before I go any further I have to say right now that Barb Wire has the best opening credit sequence of any film I've ever seen, period.
Pamela Anderson isn't great but she's alright & looks the business although Tamuera Morrison is truly awful in every scene he's in.Barb Wire could have been great, I think an inexperienced director who hadn't directed a sci-fi or action film before hurt the film in the end.
I'm by no means saying Barb Wire is any sort of classic but there are moments here that I really liked, Pamela Anderson just looks great in leather & it has the best opening credit sequence ever, I can't recommend it but it's a film I'll always stick up for when everyone else is trashing it..
As awful as that sounds as I describe it, it's not quite as bad in execution.The movie opens with an extended credit sequence featuring Pamela Anderson Lee being splashed with water while exposing her breasts.
I suspect if it were ever remade in full, it would look more like Barb Wire than the original.Overall, it is not the horrible movie everyone made it out to be.
BARB WIRE is a much derided comic book-style sci-fi action movie featuring the one and only Pamela Anderson in the lead role.
So, after 28 years, Barb "Don't Call Her Babe" Wire references the exceedingly better movie, Batman. |
tt0284034 | Demonlover | Diane de Monx (Nielsen) is an executive trying to negotiate a deal to acquire the rights to the productions of a Japanese anime studio, which will soon include three-dimensional hentai, for the Volf Corporation. To facilitate the acquisition, she eliminates her superior, Karen (Dominique Reymond), and assumes control of her portfolio, her business partner Hervé (Berling), and her assistant Elise (Sevigny). Elise, however, despises Diane and works to frustrate her negotiations at every opportunity. Diane and Hervé travel to Japan to close the deal, and they enjoy a sexual flirtation which is unfulfilled at that time and seem to grow to like one another.
Having acquired the rights, the Volf Corporation attempts to enter into a deal for distribution with an American Internet company called Demonlover, represented by Elaine Si Gibril (Gershon). Diane, however, has actually been a spy all along for Demonlover's main competition, Mangatronics, meeting with a mysterious handler on occasion to pass along information on the Demonlover deal. Meanwhile, Diane discovers that Elaine's company is a front for a website called the Hellfire Club, an interactive torture web site dealing with extreme sadomasochism broadcast in real-time. When confronted with these charges, Demonlover praises Hellfire Club but claims no ties to it whatsoever.
In order to seal the deal for Mangatronics, Diane is sent by her handler to steal data from the computer in Elaine's hotel room. Before Diane can download the information, Elaine enters the hotel room and notices Diane's presence. They struggle, eventually culminating in the suffocation of Elaine. Diane checks to see if she can make an escape, but then discovers Elaine's body is missing. Elaine, who was not dead, uses the last of her strength to club Diane over the head. Diane is knocked unconscious, and Elaine passes out due to blood loss sustained from injuries in the struggle. When Diane awakens, she is in Elaine's hotel room, and everything is completely cleaned up. There is no evidence of a murder, burglary, or struggle.
At this point, the narrative structure of the film more or less breaks down, although we do learn a great deal more about the characters. It is revealed that Demonlover does indeed own the Hellfire Club. It is also revealed that Elise, who it is suggested is a spy for Demonlover, actually works for Hervé, who is also likely associated with Demonlover and by extension the Hellfire Club. Hervé admits as much on a date with Diane later in the film. The two become intimate in bed, but Hervé goes too far and rapes Diane. However, the second time she is raped, Diane manages to reach over into her handbag, into which she had previously placed a pistol. Diane fires at Hervé's temple and he dies instantly. In the end, Diane herself is forced into the Hellfire Club. She awakens in a dungeonlike room, on a mattress, dressed in a vinyl suit and with a wig. Beside the mattress there are pictures of Diana Rigg as Mrs. Peel in The Avengers (a 1960s television show, which had an episode entitled "The Hellfire Club" that was subsequently banned from American TV for the so-called "provocative" nature of Mrs. Peel's costume). Diane attempts to escape, and is almost successful. However, upon driving her getaway car she is involved in a car accident. The escape fails.
The final scene takes place in an American household. A teen-aged boy logs on to the Hellfire Club website using his father's credit card. He then fills out a detailed fantasy of what he would like done to the woman on the screen, who turns out to be Diane. He then allows it to play in the background as he does his science homework. Diane looks up at the camera in her room, helpless, but also, in a sense, suggesting an indictment of the character. The final shot pans from the computer screen – a window from which Diane looks out helplessly – to the boy's science homework – answering problems while handling a DNA model that he seems to have constructed. | cult, suspenseful, murder, violence, sci-fi | train | wikipedia | Clearly, the ending is open to thematic interpretation, but I think Assayas is just saying that if our species isn't more careful, we'll end up like one-dimensional characters in a video game of our own devising - sure, winner takes all, but the rest of us suffer enormously.Narrative ambiguity aside, DEMONLOVER is the great Hitchcockian/Cronenbergian espionage fantasia I've been waiting for.
(Like the animé porn within the story, Hollywood movies today represent no more than a calculated corporate commodity.) More than any other film from the last 2½ years, DEMONLOVER seems a product of the post-9/11 world - a not-so-distant future where overwhelming paranoia goads us to preemptively eliminate any form of potential competition before it can do the same to us.
It's a far more subtle and nuanced movie than the kind of head trip movies that kids go for these days ("Requiem for a Dream," bleh!), and the Sonic Youth score and cinematography are terrific.I was originally attracted to the film on the strengths of Assayas' other films--all three I've seen ("Irma Vep", "Late August/Early Sept.", "Les Destinees Sentimentales") excellent and each in its own way unique.
Lastly, the film is a devastating look at the way big media corporations hide their involvement in anti-social projects under the veneer of 'just business' or, if they went to the Harvard Business School, 'shareholder value'.
Almost everybody that has or had some relation with a major corporation, knows how greed, corruption and desire for power move everything inside, so nobody will deem unrealistic when people have to die to achieve the company business plan.During the whole setup and presentation DEMONLOVER shines as the best real world spy movie seen lately, but sadly, the second half lose strength and the story get nowhere.
Some scenes and storylines have not continuity (like a piece is cut or missing during editing) and the end is disappointing and unnecessary.The movie is however worth watching.
The acting is very good and for a French movie, most actors are well known in America like Connie Nielsen or Chloe Sevigny.
A few people could get upset for some porn (anime and human) showed during the film, but because that part of the story occurs in Japan, the gross scenes are digitally shadowed..
I must slam this film if only to reclaim the 90 minutes or so that I cannot ever regain (I ffwd through the last half hour.) The Mrs. and I loved Irma Vep and were intrigued enough by the premise and cast of Demonlover to have a look.
This film has an excellent look and feel, so you're taken in at first, until you realize there's no real reason for any of the action and you dislike all the characters, and that's just dislike, because you're not really involved enough to actually HATE them.
Interesting stuff that keeps you hooked on the screen for the first 1,5 hour, but director Assayas overkills the last half hour by adding unnecessary plot twists, unexplained events and an ending that kinda leads to nowhere.
A slick thriller sans thrills, this cosmopolitan drama inches its way along with sinister rumbling undercurrents which rumble sinisterly though 90 minutes of sketchy thumbnail scenes which when pieced together create an aura of mystery and intrigue with the mystery being the answer to the question what the hell is this stupid film about and the intrigue being something to do with a website which is really, really, really hard to get into, unless you're a kid with Dad's Mastercard, having to do with torture and violent video games.
Imagine David Lynch as an arrogant Frenchman who loathes human nature, and you will get the "feel" of the mobius strip head trip that is "Demonlover." (As such this film has selected a very small audience that will appreciate it.) Beautiful women and shady men globe hop from country to country, hotel to night club to boardroom to bed, backstabbing and murdering each other along the way while trying to obtain the rights to a sick Japanese magna porno-site that is secretly a gateway to a highly disturbing interactive live pay-per-view torture site.Cold camera work, techno music, ambient sound effects, and flashy editing daze the viewer into an almost dream-like state that becomes increasingly more disturbing as the plot thickens.
Parts of "Demonlover" are nearly incoherent, as the characters are constantly double-crossing each other, and there seems to be not one single scene where media (in the form of television, porn, computers, cell phones, music, advertising and product placement) is not in the background reminding these heartless and shallow human beings that money makes the world go round, everyone and everything can be bought or sold for the right price, and there's a market for everything in a global community (perhaps even our souls).
If you absolutely must see this movie for some reason, like it's required for "Bad Film 101," or a deranged Chloë Sevigny fan has a gun to your head and demands that you view it from beginning to end (a) rent it, do not buy it or even pay rep theater prices, (b) prepare a topic ahead of time that you can meditate upon as soon as your attention for the movie is exhausted (my guess: within 20 minutes, so have a good 109 minutes of meditation material ready).Am I being too harsh?
The point of the movie is this: if you've spent any time over the last decade or so feeling thoroughly creeped out by the multinational media culture that increasingly dominates our lives - simultaneously boring and tittilating us with porn, reality tv, lifestyle fantasies, entertainment gossip, etc.
Chloe Sevigny came across as quiteannoyed with Assayas and his crew.Ultimately, demonlover, like many similar films, is a boringdowner.
I truly thought this was a great arty brutal look at corporate culture euro style.I recommend this movie to anyone who likes to kick back & be involved & enthralled in a fast paced dark film.
Demonlover starts out great - like a 70's spy film, only set in the world of adult Internet sites, which makes the film so much more exciting.
This is a great film that does not overstep the boundaries of entertainment, as there are really no explicit scenes to be seen, yet it leaves a very strong message about the life people are creating (or rather destroying) through their decisions and actions..
So that we can be hooked into a heightened version of a world we know, one of competiteveness, desires and urges, and dragged along.It's an interesting story, with rival companies vying for control of the lucrative anime market, and lots of deal-breaking and espionage.
There are also plenty of 'missing' scenes, where you wonder what has happened during that time, and this makes the movie very hard to follow.
The characters were not at all convincing, they are very placid regarding everything that happens around them, but what really disgusted me were the porn scenes you have to watch in this movie.
I failed to see their use, even if they were relevant for the character's profile, a 10 sec long scene would have been enough.In conclusion, I was really disappointed by this movie, I really think it could have been a better one (not very good, anyway).
One of the best movies I have ever seen..........and I have seen most of the north american movies that have come out in the last 25 years and many of the foreign films as well.Connie Nielson was first rate as the corporate spy....and Chloe Sevigny is a revelation!
Charles Berling as the corporate competitor and manipulator was worth the price of a movie ticket alone.The film is about the boardroom and bedroom activities of two competing corporations and was shot in France, Japan and the U.S. The Director uses unique camera techniques....with a David Cronenberg style...edgy, fast paced and with a collage of colours.
(the dialogue switching back and forth between french and english...was refreshing and unique)Corporate Intrigue, manipulation, violence, sex, murder, bondage, this film has it.......definitely in my top 10 of all time..
It had something to do with porn and the Internet, so it feels very dated although, like French attempts at pop music, you know it's straining, yearning to be cool.As in the case with Clean, the director appears to have somehow got money from foreign sources in addition to the French governmentthus the need to have the foreign settings.
It's not that I can't deal with the lack of story or ambiguity, on the contrary i love open ended and ambiguous films, but don't be fooled this is just a sloppy mess which makes very little sense on any level: literal, subconscious, or even artistic.
There are so many things about this movie i find ridiculous, things start to happen then never end up going anywhere for example the end: ***spoliers** (but if nothing happens in the film there's nothing to spoil) in the end Diane finds herself a victim of Hellfire club but what do they do to her?
Story starts with Diane (Connie Nielsen) who works for a French Corporation called VolfGroup and she has drugged a fellow associate and set up her kidnapping so that she can take over a multi million dollar account with a Japanese company called TokyoAnime.
Diane and her boss Herve (Charles Berling) go to Japan and try to close the deal to distribute the software for a 3-D website but another corporation from America called Demonlover are also very interested in the deal.
This film is directed by Olivier Assayas and while the premise is intriguing it's execution of the story is completely confusing and incoherent.
Very few scenes are filmed in focus and there are several shots with a hand held camera that give a very shaky and jittery effect and it's practically impossible to follow the action and figure out what actually happened.
Incomprehensible hodgepodge about a corporate spy (Nielsen at her most wooden) who infiltrates a cyberspace conglomerate that specializes in acquiring cyberporn websites with questionable tastes that lead ultimately to bondage, murder, double (and triple crosses) and madness (the latter is the audience's rage at sitting thru 2 hours of mastabatory junk) no thanks to 'filmmaker' Olivier Assayas (another reason to hate the French by the way) with plots going every which way for no apparent reason.
That said, this surreal, intentionally obtuse story of corporate intrigue centering around world domination of anime porn, makes less and less sense, climaxing with an 'ironic twist' you can see coming from several miles off, and leaving one with the feeling that the film is slightly less intelligent than one might have hoped.
She is negotiating a deal for a Japanese company that make anime porn and needs the deal to move into 3D.She steps over a rival, who's friend, Chloë Sevigny (Boys Don't Cry, Zodiac), stops playing her video games in the nude long enough to respond and ends up in the driver's seat.
Unfortunately, she doesn't last long in this game of corporate intrigue.Even a simple act of having sex becomes a power game as it turns from sex to rape to - well, I won't give that away.The ending ties it all up and show just what is driving all this mess, but unfortunately it just sort of pops into view and was not really set up properly.
The film is filled with wonderfully shady characters, hidden agendas, and weird plot twists as Neilsen's attempts at sabotaging a deal with an adult anime company lead to unexpected revelations about the nature of the internet entertainment trade.
Diane takes charge after an incident to Karen, but secretly she's working for another company who's interested in the deal involving the Japanese corporation TokyoAnime.
Diane thinks she's in complete control of the situation, but there's more going on behind the scenes than she really knows.The idea behind this French industrial techno-thriller is confounding, odd and grim, but its over-stylised direction and shady plot with disconnected characters can spoil much of the lasting impact.
For the first half of this movie, the plot is great and I was really enjoying the film.
What I ended up getting was rather tame and, worst of all, just plain boring at times.The plot, if one can call it that, revolves around several people who work for a few different companies.
On the whole, there is not a likable character to be found and the confusing plot didn't do them any favors at all.On a technical level I can sort of give this a pass because it was low-budget, so it wasn't too unexpected that most of the film was shot up-close and hand-held.
Diane, working with Demonlover and creating a joint with TokyoAnime, is in between teams, beginning the film by drugging the previous project lead manager on the plane trip from Tokyo and then following up by working with the rival company MangaTronics.
Its nicely shot and gives everything in this film a real dark moody tone clashing perfectly with the underground adult industry.Editing: 7/10 The focus remains on Diane the entire time but we do get a glimpse of what the other characters are up to.
The focus could have been better since things change halfway through the movie into a side plot of the Hell Fire Club website.Uniqueness: 8/10 For adult anime fans, yes it has that attraction to see what could possibly be going on behind the curtains of the industry.
Fans of 8MM will notice certain scenes bare a resemblance as Diane is new to all of the things going on around her and whether she wants to or not, she gets involved in many ways.Worth: 8/10 It is interesting enough to hunt down and see.
Fans of 8MM looking for more should see this as well.Overall Score (Not an average): 8.0 It isn't anything groundbreaking and there isn't anything new with twists and subplots that develop to other subplots but the movie would be good for something different as its French and takes place in many settings.
It can be fairly violent at times so some squeamish people might want to think twice.Reviewer's Insight: Though finding information on this film wasn't easy, the main plot focusing on Adult Anime got me interested.
In the end, I did not care about anyone or any of the ideas in the film, although the cast was great, particularly Connie Nielsen in a part that is practically unplayable..
The DNA molecule at the end of the movie fits this theme: stripped of the overlay of cultural illusions, it's all just survival of the fittest, each gene-set for itself.Finally, I want to comment that Nielsen's reaction to Berling in the bed scene makes sense, too.
[WARNING: SPOILERS]Olivier Assayas' Demonlover begins as a handsome-looking corporate techno thriller that ranges between France, Japan, and the US and involves cutthroat executives from all three countries speaking all three languages who start out cutting deals and wind up cutting throats.
The Hellfire Club keeps coming up and figures prominently at the end which is strange since Hervé has told the Japanese VolfGroup cannot be into anything illegal, and you wonder why a big conglomerate would allow such a marginal and questionable thing to invade their deal.Once Diane starts stalking Elaine, the action becomes violent, dreamlike, and confusing; perhaps it's all become a video game, but we're not told that.
Rather than keeping up with exactly which side of the game each major character appears to be playing on at a given moment in the story, viewers are almost better served just going along for the ride, letting the film take them where it will.' Yes, but the ride unfortunately goes nowhere.Demonlover makes skillful use of extreme close-ups and intense sound.
It has individual scenes that work on their own either as erotic vignettes; (Chloe Sevigny playing videogames in the nude , an Asian girl seducing a French man at a club after his lover leaves.) or plot actions (dosing a bottled water with Halcion) before the film ventures down the rabbit hole twenty odd minutes in.The general plot of Demonlover is a French conglomerate is looking to buy an adult anime company.
However I sat through the whole thing, and now know that interesting subject matter, a gorgeous cast, and a slick production, do not a good film make.
And if you're making a statement, why make it in a way that people will lose interest and get confused half way, and couldn't care less at the end.Connie Nielsen, or her character, is in focus of the movie.
You may not be familiar with things like corporate espionage and the porn industry -though if you're going to make a film about them, you certainly should- but being blatantly ignorant about "the Internets" is just unacceptable.
The narrative was continuous, and I had no trouble following the story line at all.---This is the spoiler part--- The real issue, for some people at least, behind corporate power, torture and sex, is control; they don't actually enjoy any of those activities per se.
I liked the first fifteen minutes, but then it got slow and I started checking the internet for deals on television sets, and then the movie started showing some interesting Japanese animation, so I started watching again.
The major problem with the film is that I don't really care what happens with the lead (Connie Nielsen) character.
Where most reviewers think this movie only comments on new media and globalisation, with the porn industry as a means to an end, I feel it also makes great comments on femininity and female sexuality and does that in an increasingly unapologetically.
"Demonlover" focuses on Diane de Monx (Connie Nielsen) who works for a French corporation vying over ownership of a new state-of-the-art 3-dimensional Manga pornography website; matters become complicated, however, when an American company enters the picture, headed by Elaine Si Gibril (Gina Gershon), and Diane's new assistant, Elise (Chloë Sevigny) begins exhibiting unusual behavior. |
tt0099850 | Internal Affairs | During a drug bust, LAPD patrolmen Dennis Peck (Gere) and Van Stretch (William Baldwin) viciously assault a dealer and his girlfriend. Outside, fellow patrolman Dorian Fletcher (Michael Beach) shoots a man running towards him, only to discover that he was unarmed. While Fletcher is distraught by the incident, Peck plants a knife on the body to get Fletcher off the hook. Soon afterwards, Raymond Avila (Garcia) joins the LAPD's Internal Affairs Division (IAD) and is assigned to investigate the drug bust with partner Amy Wallace (Metcalf).
The investigation reveals that Stretch abuses drugs, has a history of excessive force, and may be corrupt. Avila eventually begins to look into Peck, who is held up as a role model for the LAPD but is regarded with distaste by other officers over his brutal techniques. Avila unsuccessfully pressures Stretch to provide evidence against Peck in return for immunity from prosecution. Fletcher, who has gotten into an altercation with Peck, agrees to help Avila's investigation. Avila's marriage starts to wilt due to his increased obsession with the case, and Peck insinuates he will make advances on Raymond's wife, Kathleen.
When Stretch makes it known that he will testify, Peck resolves to have him murdered. During a routine patrol in Huntington Park, Stretch is shot through the chest in a hit staged by Peck. After Peck murders the hitman, he sees the blue van used in the hit speeding away, indicating a witness to the crime. When Stretch is revealed to be alive, Peck strangles him. Avila and Wallace set up a sting to catch the witness, but two SWAT units arrive on the scene after the sting is leaked. Fletcher and the witness are killed in the resulting shootout. As he dies in Avila's arms, he identifies Peck as Stretch's killer.
Posing as an IAD investigator, Peck meets and insinuates himself with Kathleen, with the intent of signalling to Avila that he can manipulate the situation to his advantage. The episode angers Avila, who is sent home when he has an outburst at the office. As he is leaving on the elevator, Avila is beaten by Peck, who boasts that he has seduced Kathleen and that she loved having anal sex with him. As a result, Avila has a violent public confrontation with Kathleen at a restaurant. The two make up the following morning when Kathleen convinces Avila that she would never sleep with Peck.
Breaking under pressure, Peck's wife reveals the name of one of his associates, Steven Arrocas, which also happens to be the last name of two recent homicide victims. Meanwhile, Arrocas walks in on Peck having rough sex with his wife. Peck tries to goad Arrocas into killing her, but Arrocas accidentally shoots Peck in the foot instead. Avila and Wallace meet on the scene and split up. Peck ambushes and shoots Wallace and flees. Avila, fearing for Kathleen's safety, returns home to find Peck about to rape her. Peck pulls a knife out of his boot and lunges at Avila, who shoots him dead. Avila tries to comfort his terrorized wife. | neo noir, murder | train | wikipedia | The hero of the movie is Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia), newly assigned to the Internal Affairs division of the LAPD and a friend of Peck's partner, Van Stretch (Stephen Baldwin).
Peck is the embodiment of all the bad guys in police thrillers and none of the cops in them.Of all of the actors you could find to play a guy like this, who would have guessed that a likable actor like Richard Gere would ever fit the bill.
He knows how to manipulate people to get what he wants and if that doesn't work he uses other measures.The story goes like this: Richard Gere plays a cop that everyone owes a favour to.
This intelligent and well-directed thriller has some brutal, extremely violent scenes, but what makes you really come closer to the tension created by this original and realistic plot is the psychological confrontation among the two main characters, and Mike Figgis works out on it,settling the battle in the sexual and physical aspects,what is evident in the second meeting of Garcia and Gere:Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia, who develops his role in a silent, but extremely lowering form) is a correct, honest Internal Affairs' agent, and he receives the mission to investigate Dennis Peck (Richard Gere, in what can be easily pointed as his best career's performance), a corrupt,charming and cruel cop who has a lot of ex-wives and sons.The moment in which Peck and Avila are together breaks out an explosive hostility: Peck starts to talk about family, and suddenly touches in a sensitive issue, Avila's wife.Avila doesn't like Peck's provocation, and hits him.The battle is set.This scene is very thrilling and memorable.The sound track and the photography contribute to build a hot and agile rhythm.
Atmospheric drama about a good cop (Andy Garcia) going after a bad cop (Richard Gere).
Richard Gere and Andy Garcia are the two conflicting lead characters in this superlative cop thriller.
Garcia plays Raymond Avilla, an Internal Affairs officer who has just started in a new precinct to work with his new partner, Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf).
It stars Richard Gere, Andy Garcia, Nancy Travis, William Baldwin and Laurie Metcalf.
Alonzo.Stylish neo-noir that has Gere as Dennis Peck, a crooked cop under investigation by IAD operatives Garcia and Metcalf.Peck is a master manipulator, a devious bastard who has his fingers in so many mud pies he could start his own bakery.
Gere is on fire with the role, imbuing Peck with a menacing nastiness that's a constant throughout the entire play.Once Figgis and Bean have laid the character foundations, the plot turns into a psychological battle of wills and skills between Peck and Raymond Avila (Garcia), with Peck always one step ahead because he knows where Avila's weakness is.Figgis slow burns the tension with great aplomb, then unleashes the beasts for the thriller aspects of Bean's screenplay.
Andy Garcia plays an Internal Affairs investigator who swears a personal vendetta against corrupt street cop Richard Gere.
The subject here (police corruption) is banal, but it gains extra value and weight by Figgis' atmospheric direction and, especially, by Richard Gere's powerful performance in perhaps his most atypical role (and as far as I know, his only truly villainous one).
The subject here (police corruption) is banal, but it gains extra value and weight by Figgis' atmospheric direction and, especially, by Richard Gere's powerful performance in perhaps his most atypical role (and as far as I know, his only truly villainous one).
One Amoral Cop. In Internal Affairs LAPD cop Andy Garcia finds himself transferred there and finds out despite the snow job given him, it's quite true nobody likes these people in the department.
However Garcia's and Metcalf's investigation of Baldwin leads to uncovering a hole host of illegal activities linked to his partner Richard Gere.Gere in this film has one of the most amoral characters ever put on celluloid.
Gere presses a lot of Andy's buttons, one of the things that makes him so dangerous is that he is a master psychologist without a degree.Although Internal Affairs gets a bit too melodramatic at times, the cast performs well in their roles and fans of Richard Gere and Andy Garcia should definitely see this..
Gere vs Garcia in the Seedier Side of Tinsel Town : An Enjoyable Cop Thriller that Never lets Up. Just when you think you know where this movie is headed, it does a U-turn.
Richard Gere plays, or better stated, is infiltrated by Dennis Peck, a kind of Godfather-equivalent of a leading police officer in Los Angeles law enforcement.
Gere plays the different sides of Peck very effectively, first showing an amiable demeanor which cloaks a much more sinister and heinous interior that begins to give-way about half-way through the movie.Andy Garcia plays the new kid on the block, Raymond Avilla, an internal affairs investigator, a kind of detective for cops.
I've long been a fan of Richard Gere, with his strong jaw, gorgeous eyes and winning smile, so watching him play the dirty cop Dennis Peck was a startling experience.
Internal Affairs is a tight crime thriller that pits him against IAD officer Raymond Avilla (Andy Garcia), as the two engage in a roller coaster of hits and misses to bring the other down.Avilla goes after Peck's finances and the cops he takes care of, trying to turn them against their intimidating leader, while Peck goes after Avilla's wife to try to rip him apart from the inside.
Garcia counters perfectly as the more emotional Avilla, a man whose pride won't allow him to let Peck get off clean and whose temper often gets the better of him.Mike Figgis directs Internal Affairs with a solid vision, knowing when to key up the dramatics and when to slow things down properly.
Gere's magnetic as Peck, writer Henry Bean's composition is absorbing, save for the comparatively lockstep finale, and director Mike Figgis, a maker of moody, frequently experimental dramas and thrillers known for his psychological investigation of characters, knows how to turn on a restrained, genuine sensual intensity.Figgis never lets the tempo decelerate long enough to reveal the narrative's slenderness regardless of, looking back, a less than average quantity of "action." Figgis gets how to latch the viewer without relying on that.
Gere, as the suave corrupt cop and Garcia as the IAD investigator are great.William Baldwin as a troubled wife beater was good too.
It deals with an investigation led by Andy Garcia and Laurie Metcalfe, partners in the internal affairs department.
They are investigating possible illegal activities by a really nasty character played by Richard Gere.First, the good: Andy Garcia's acting was pretty good, Richard Gere was rather great as a total evil scumbag.
The movie also lacked a satisfying ending, in my opinion, and was doing pretty OK up until that point.Regardless of its flaws, though, Andy Garcia and Richard Gere are perfect enemies in this rather enjoyable film..
I found this movie much more interesting on second viewing that on first, in which I expected (and saw) not much more than another police picture, with the hero from Internal Affairs rooting out a corrupt and fratricidal (indeed, sorocidal) cop from the division, and it's engaging enough on that level, as a thriller.
Mike Figgis's otherwise fairly routine story of police corruption is made exceptional by its exploration of male sexuality, and by a powerful performance by Richard Gere as the bad cop, Dennis Peck.
Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia), a new man in the Internal Affairs Department, is determined to bring Peck down, but initially finds himself hampered by tight mouths.
He is also devious, a womanizer, and a clever manipulator, and he starts to turn his attention on Avila.Everyone talks about how good Richard Gere is in this movie.
Garcia plays an internal affairs investigator at LAPD who becomes obsessed with nailing a corrupt cop, played by Gere.
Internal Affairs is a totally different movie for him in which he does a 180 and portrays a very unlikeable villain.Richard Gere is Officer Dennis Peck, a morally corrupt patrol officer who is not above roughing up suspects, planting evidence, intimidating others, using other police officers as pawns in his own games, and a womaniser who often cheats on his wife.
Other supporting cast members including Nancy Travis as Raymond's wife Kathleen and Michael Beach as Officer Dorian Fletcher round out the cast.Internal Affairs is a quality thriller that builds very slowly and then traps the viewer in a psychological maze of cat and mouse which doesn't let up until the very end of the movie.
Now all we get are superhero movies, but I digress.Richard Gere plays the ultimate bad ass and alpha male cop on the streets (before Denzel did it), woman love him and men respect his gangster.Andy Garcia plays the internal affairs agent who is trying to take Gere down.
You'll probably like him even less at the end, but for all the right reasons.Here he plays Dennis Peck, a truly nasty piece of work; and believe me, Gere makes him nasty - a smooth-talking, credible sociopath who lies as easily as he breathes, and will stop at nothing to maintain his good, corrupt life - and he does it all without ever once raising his voice.
None of this stops him doing what he thinks he needs to do though, and anyone who stands in his way is in trouble.Andy Garcia is also good as the buttoned-down IA investigator who makes Peck his cause célèbre, and the cat-and-mouse game played out between the two of them and their respective wives makes good watching.I wish they'd made more use of Laurie Metcalf, who I've always liked, and it does seem unlikely that such levels of corruption by a single officer would have gone unnoticed for so long; but they're fairly minor criticisms and, in the end, the play's the thing.And it's a darn good one..
Serpico, Dark Blue, Unlawful Entry: Some of the many titles we've seen related to police corruption and unorthodox officers' behavior however (and I must admit he's done a stellar job at doing this), Figgis delves deeper into the issue - the corrupt officer's mind, reminding us of Treat Williams in Prince of The City, with a total different outcome of course.We feel enveloped in fear by Gere's portrayal of Officer Dennis Peck, a shrewd and merciless individual who'll let nothing stand in his way when it comes to masterminding and conducting a series of illicit activities while wearing the LAPD uniform.
As such, he'll try to rid himself of Sgt. Raymond Avila, a new entry into the Internal Affairs Division who immediately senses Peck's viciousness and begins investigating him.Richard Gere, as many of us know, has had an artistic education (pianist and composer) and I do believe such characteristics, besides his obvious talent as an actor, have contributed to his ability to mold his personality no matter the script; I dare to say "to successfully improvise", as many artists have done and do, allowing him to show us what lives behind the movie title.I believe this will stay in many viewers' minds for quite some time after seeing it..
Richard Gere gives his most evil performance(and one of his best) as a corrupt cop and master manipulator, and Andy Garcia is his IAD adversary.
Raymond Avila has just joined the internal affairs police department of Los Angeles, where he goes about trying to bring down Dennis Peck a dirty cop who has a very smart, but dangerous sway about him.
While director Mike Figgis won't win any awards for originality in what is a basic corrupt cop dramatic thriller, it's still an interestingly potent showing due to the character traits that are illustrated throughout the productive material (where it becomes a blurred vision of the good and bad guys as their methods and mindsets are closer than you would think) with committed powerhouse turns by Richard Gere (against type) and Andy Garcia.
Andy Garcia is an LAPD Internal Affairs operative investigating crooked cop Richard Gere, who may be an officer but is certainly no gentleman in this violent neo-noir thriller.
It's not often you see Richard Gere play the bad guy in films but judging by his performance in Internal Affairs he should do it more often.
Andy Garcia is a macho good cop, trying to nail Richard Gere for his crimes.
Finally, with the sexy Richard Gere and Andy Garcia (oh, and Baldwin is not so bad, either), how could it not be the best ever movie for "not-so-proper" English ladies?.
By the end, it's a bit of a mess: at one point the female lead accuses the male protagonists of effectively staging a dick-swinging contest, but the final scene is effectively exactly one of those, with even Andy Garcia's "good cop" acting with apparent total disregard for the well-being of his wife (who he has, it should be noted, hit in public earlier in the movie): the film becomes increasingly unpleasant and decreasingly plausible as it progresses.
Andy Garcia and Laurie Metcalf, working together for the Internal Affairs division on the Los Angeles police force, attempt to nab psychotic cop Richard Gere, who has been leaving a trail of dead bodies throughout the city.
Richard Gere is at his best here as Peck and Andy Garcia is Raymond Avilla, the investigator determined to bring Peck to justice.
Peck toys with Avilla by confusing him with his wife's loyalty and killing off friends of his.Richard Gere's performance goes down without question as one of the greatest performances that I have ever seen on film.
Andy Garcia plays an internal affairs cop on his first day investigating a case that leads back to a "cop that get things done" played by Richard Gere.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS (1990) *** Richard Gere, Andy Garcia, Nancy Travis, Laurie Metcalf, William Baldwin.
Absorbing thriller with Garcia and partner Metcalf as internal affairs cops investigating scumball cop Gere and his penchant for violence and sex.
STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsThis is a highly worthwhile thriller to catch.It has a brilliantly scripted story but also cleverly focuses on character build up/development so that it becomes a thoroughly emersing affair.Andy Garcia and Nancy Travis are great in their supporting roles as the husband/wife who are almost torn apart by all the treachery and deceit going on,but Richard Gere effortlessly steals the show as the menacing corrupt cop,bringing a chilling note of nastyness to his role as he mentally torments Garcia.****.
Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia) works for the Internal Affairs Department with his partner Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf).
He's in for a rude awakening when young Hispanic Internal Affairs agent, Raymond Avilla (Andy Garcia) investigates Peck's partner, Van Stretch (William Baldwyn), prone to violent outbursts and other criminal activities.
Over the years he's been helpful to many of his fellow officers and his ability to call in favours from them whenever needed has provided him with a power-base which he effectively used to operate his criminal activities.Peck comes to the attention of a newly appointed LAPD Internal Affairs investigator called Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia), after the conduct of his partner Van Stretch (William Baldwin) gives cause for concern.
Andy Garcia does well as he portrays the range of behaviours of his character who lacks any real warmth or the ability to empathize with others.Peck is a charming psychopath and an inveterate womaniser and Richard Gere's magnificent as he shows brilliantly his ability to be equally convincing whether he's playing the helpful colleague, a calculating manipulator of other people or a vicious killer."Internal Affairs" is ultimately a surprisingly enjoyable movie with some strong characters and an exceptional villain..
The closer the investigation gets to Peck the more dangerous it gets for Avilla and his partner as Peck is owed favours by a lot of people.This was a fine thriller; Richard Gere did a fine job playing against type as the corrupt cop Peck; the more we got to know the character the more evil he seemed; playing opposite him Andy Garcia is as good playing honest cop Avilla; a character who could self destruct if he continues to let Peck get under his skin.
"Internal Affairs" is a solid cop thriller with a great cast; not only the two leads, but also with notable performances from Nancy Travis and Laurie Metcalf.
It's a wicked game of psychological warfare as I.A. detective Andy Garcia goes up against corrupt LAPD cop Richard Gere.
a very passionate papito.y' yo amo this movie,never sick of it, even if it is sad when William Baldwin character Van Stretch killed by Dennis peck rich gere.Richard was MEAN in this just all type of sleaze he was great in it though.
Van Stretch(Baldwin)should have known not to trust this guy,Richard gere(Dennis peck)was so bad in this film,very great acting on all parts!the ending is the best but avail the entire movie is ten stars easy...adiós..Most Beautiful BMW Redhead over at Facebook.
As ridiculous as the plot is, you can see the end, and about everything in between, coming at you a mile away.Raymond Avilla (Andy Garcia) is an officer in the LAPD in the Internal Affairs Division.
Peck is also ultra-psychotic and murders his so-called best friend and partner, the unfortunate officer Stretch, to keep him from talking to internal affairs and exposing Peck's comfy criminal arrangements.I have to wonder why such a good actor as Richard Gere would have taken on such a two-dimensional role as Dennis Peck.
The film stars Andy Garcia as an Internal Affairs agent who locks horns with Richard Gere's Dennis Peck.
Andy Garcia plays Raymond Avilla, a young hotshot police officer ambitiously rising through the ranks of the LAPD and working for the Internal Affairs Division.
Gere as Peck is a pretty good villain but the things he actually does when actually committing crimes in this are so outrageous it makes one wonder why Internal Affairs has a hard time catching him in the act.. |
tt0106881 | Fearless | The film begins with Huo Yuanjia fighting and defeating three Westerners: a British boxer, a Belgian lancer and a Spanish fencer. While waiting for the fourth match to begin, Huo remembers his father Huo Endi teaching martial arts. The story is then told in an extended flashback. Watching his father fight, the young Yuanjia wants to participate, but his father is concerned about his asthma. Yuanjia sees his father in a leitai match with Zhao, who won the fight dishonourably by retaliating when Huo Endi held back what would have been a fatal blow. Humiliated by his father's defeat, Huo Yuanjia vows to regain the Huo family's honour and pride. He practices martial arts behind his father's back. As the years pass, Huo Yuanjia defeats several opponents in leitai matches and becomes a famous martial artist in Tianjin. As he becomes successful, he becomes arrogant and ruthless towards his opponents, compared to his late father who advocated showing mercy to opponents.
When a rival martial arts master named Qin Lei injures one of his followers, Huo feels insulted and confronts Qin at a restaurant owned by Huo's childhood friend, Nong Jinsun. After failing to talk his friend out of fighting and fed up with his ruthless behavior, Jinsun ends his friendship with Huo. The confrontation escalates into a fight between Huo and Qin, in which Huo emerges as the victor by killing Qin with a fatal blow. Qin's godson seeks vengeance and kills Huo's mother and daughter in retaliation. Huo goes to Qin's house, where Qin's godson admits to the murders before killing himself. Huo learns that it was his follower who had insulted and provoked Qin, which prompted Qin to beat him.
Wrecked with guilt, Huo flees Tianjin, and wanders aimlessly for many months. He nearly drowns in a river, but is saved by Granny Sun and her blind granddaughter, Yueci. They bring him back to their village. Huo, guided by their kindness, begins to learn the value of compassion and mercy.
In 1907, Huo returns to Tianjin and sees the changes that have taken place. He apologizes to Qin's family and reconciles with Jinsun, who is now a businessman. He challenges the American wrestler, Hercules O'Brien. Prior to the match, Huo requests that he and Hercules fight with honor and civility to which the Announcer, taking advantage of the language barrier, deliberately mistranslates Huo's request to "He wants to kick your butt". During their match, Huo saves O'Brien from being impaled on some nails and wins the gratitude of O'Brien, who names Huo the victor. Huo's fame spreads with successive bouts against other foreign fighters. In 1909, with funding from Jinsun, he founds Chin Woo Athletic Association in Shanghai.
The members of the foreign chamber of commerce fear that Huo's victories might fan anti-foreign sentiments among the Chinese people and thus become a disadvantage to them. They propose a match between Huo and four foreign champions. Huo takes up the challenge, even though he will have to fight four bouts in a row. Before the matches, Huo meets the Japanese champion Tanaka for tea and strikes up a friendship.
The film then returns to the competition shown in the opening scenes. On 14 September 1910, Huo, after defeating the European challengers, faces Tanaka. In the first round, they fight with their weapons of choice. Huo uses a sanjiegun while Tanaka uses a katana. In the heat of the fight, they accidentally exchange weapons. However, Huo is able to handle the katana proficiently, while Tanaka fumbles with the sanjiegun. Huo offers to exchange weapons with Tanaka, and the first round ends in a draw. Before the next round, Huo unknowingly drinks tea poisoned by the members of the foreign chamber of commerce. In the second round involving unarmed combat, Huo has difficulty breathing and begins to lose his strength. He collapses and starts coughing blood, the result of arsenic poisoning. Tanaka and Huo's supporters demand that the match be halted and postponed, but Huo wishes to continue, since he is going to die in any event. Huo is dominated by Tanaka but manages to deliver a blow to Tanaka's chest, using the same technique that killed Qin. He then collapses. Tanaka, aware that he would have died had Huo used more force, declares Huo the victor as Huo dies.
In the epilogue, Huo's spirit practices Wushu on a field while Yueci observes him. Huo turns to her and smiles, indicating a lovers' reconciliation. | psychological, boring, flashback | train | wikipedia | I know from personal experience--mine was nothing like a plane crash--but the phenomenon that this movie ventures to explore that I just described, which may seem like mostly bizarre behavior shifts in Bridges' character to those who haven't experienced what I'm talking about--is in fact as real as love, fear, or passion itself.
What Bridges realizes in putting together Max Klein is that he's *utterly* lucid--he feels as though he sees things as clearly as he ever has in his life and *never* wants to let that clarity go to revert to a more "rational" way to confront the trauma he has gone through.Others have mentioned the "why didn't this get bigger press" issue.
It actually did quite well at the box office initially and early advocacy for Bridges and Weir to get Oscars were definitely out in the review stream, but this had the misfortune of being released *just* before a little movie called *Schindler's List*, which summarily grabbed the cinematic spotlight and completely eclipsed everything else at the Oscars.Director Peter Weir himself considers this his greatest work and was greatly stung by what he considered the slight it was given by Hollywood and the public.
Equally overlooked is Australian director Peter Weir, who, like Bridges, was snubbed by the Academy Awards for 'Fearless.' The film was almost totally ignored by the Academy, perhaps due to the fact that 1994 was the year of the historical/political epic--'Schindler's List,' 'In the Name of the Father,' and 'The Remains of the Day' were the big winners that year, casting a bit of a shadow over a film about a rich white American suffering from PTSD.Based on the novel by Rafael Yglesias, 'Fearless' is the story of Max Klein, a successful San Francisco architect who survives a horrific plane crash.
His condition creates a rift between himself and his family, a gap he tries to fill through a friendship with Carla, who is similarly afflicted with PTSD.Bridges gives a tour de force performance as Max, who is simultaneously heroic (he leads other passengers to safety believing he is guiding them out of the plane into heaven) and contemptible (he is unspeakably cruel to his family and leaves his wife temporarily to pursue a relationship with Carla).He's not sure whether he's alive or dead, and he is frequently drawn to test his fear and uncertainty through ludicrously dangerous stunts like dancing on the edge of a skyscraper's roof or walking calmly into speeding traffic.
Equally stunning is Rosie Perez as Carla, a devout Catholic who believes that her baby's death is a punishment from God and is nursed back to normalcy by the agnostic Max. Other supporting actors are also captivating: Isabella Rosselini as Max's wife Laura, who loves her husband desperately but is unable to cope with Max's alienation from her and their son Jonah; Tom Hulce as an overeager but well-meaning attorney suing the airline on behalf of Max, his partner's family, and Carla; John Turturro as a psychiatrist specializing in PTSD hired by the airline to help the survivors cope with the after-effects of the tragedy; and Benicio Del Toro as Carla's husband, a poor carpenter who can't help but feel giddy about the possibility of making millions off of his son's death.
Perhaps most moving is Deirdre O'Connell as the widow of Max's partner--the scene in which Max arrives at her home to confirm that her husband did not survive the crash will break the hardest of hearts.The film is brilliantly directed by Weir, who captures the surreal nature of Max's condition masterfully.'Fearless' is not an easy film to get through, perhaps even moreso in the wake of 9/11.
The inability to `reconnect' in the wake of a significant emotional event, especially one involving a close encounter with death, is examined by director Peter Weir, in `Fearless,' a gripping drama starring Jeff Bridges as a man emotionally adrift after walking away from an accident (a plane crash) that by all rights should have killed him, but inexplicably did not.
All of which Weir succinctly captures through keen observation and his own intuitive grasp of the human condition.As the film opens, we see Max Klein (Bridges) making his way through a cornfield just outside of Bakersfield, California; he's carrying a baby in his arms and has a young boy by the hand, leading him determinedly through the haze of smoke from the crash.
In his previous films, such as `Picnic At Hanging Rock' (1975), `Witness' (1985) and `The Mosquito Coast' (1986), Weir established himself as a director who knows human nature and is adept at exploring the emotional depths of his characters, in stories dealing with ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations.
It's a quiet, and brilliant, piece of filmmaking.Through many years and many movies, Jeff Bridges has demonstrated time and again his consummate ability as an actor who can `touch' his audience, and he continues to evolve with every new film.
Quite simply, Bridges makes Max Klein a character you are not going to forget.As Laura Klein, Isabella Rossellini gives a remarkable performance, as well, as the wife given the gift of her husband's life, only to have to suffer his state of `limbo,' as she desperately attempts to penetrate the defense mechanisms that have given him a renewed appreciation for the touch, taste and beauty of life, all of which she is unable to share because his experience has taken him to a place she cannot possibly go.
Her portrayal is astute, convincing and some of the best work she has ever done.Also turning in a strong performance, for which she deservedly was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, is Rosie Perez, as Carla, a fellow crash survivor with whom Max forms an especially strong and significant bond.
A CRIMINALLY unknown film, especially in the UK, where it is close to impossible to get hold of, this Peter Weir outing, with Jeff Bridges taking the lead, also boasts star turns from John Turturro, Isabella Rossalini, and Rosie Perez, the latter of whom received an Oscar nomination.
Everybody is on top form in this perfectly executed, beautiful meditation on what it is to be a human being.To explain all the subtext of "Fearless", all the symbolism, the various layers of allegory, would be an essay in itself; safe to say this is a film that sends you away reeling, thinking and talking about life for a long time.
After the credits rolled, I heard a lot of weeping from the small but vocal audience.Maybe the film flopped because some people expected a 1970's-style disaster flick with cardboard characters, laughable dialog and unknown extras & doubles performing dangerous stunts.It's been almost eight years since watching "Fearless" for the first time.
His character may not be very likable but put yourself in his character's shoes and you may understand the reasons why he believes that he is "fearless".I haven't seen Isabella Rossellini's performance in "Blue Velvet" but it makes me wonder if her performance in that film beats her role as the caring but very confused wife of Jeff Bridges' character.
One weak link: John Turturro had the thankless job of playing the underwritten role of the psychiatrist.When a film like "Fearless" even inspires a music video (Brian McKnight's "Back At One"), then you know that this movie will have a lasting effect and with cable, VHS & DVD, it'll never be forgotten.
Jeff Bridges, in one of his best performances, covers a lot of ground in his character, a survivor of a plane crash.
Rosie Perez, however, in a performance equaling Bridges' in personal reconciliation with her role, plays another survivor, whose baby son she failed to protect from death by the crash.
I feel like I'm inside, inhabiting the characters when I watch "Fearless." The defining event the movie revolves around--a plane crash--seems inspired by an actual plane crash (I think it was in Sioux City) in which the plane rolled over in a corn field several times.
Aside from the horrific manner in which it crashed, the accident was noteworthy because so many passengers survived, in some cases literally walking away.I read that Peter Weir got involved in this project by asking the studio to let him see any properties that they felt could not be made into a movie (this would seem to fit the bill).
No matter how many times I watch it, the result of this material in Peter Weir's hands never loses its power for me.The post-crash impact on Max's relationship with his wifeand the formation of relationships with other survivors--is an important aspect of the movie: The survivors bond through this shared experience, while their families feel shut out and don't (or won't) understand the power this connection has for their loved ones.
This blows me away, because Tom Hanks received an Oscar for playing a gay man dying of AIDS, yet Jeff Bridges wasn't even nominated for his completely amazing portrayal of a crash survivor; Rosie Perez was the only actor from this movie to receive an Oscar nomination (she, too, was brilliant).
Peter Weirs films have a way of communicating intense emotion to me, although not all are quite so good- I watched all of the disappointing Dead Poets society, and only felt this emotion in one scene- where the boy commits suicide.
Fearless is one of his very best, but it is an oddly overlooked film and perhaps that is because of the challenging and very strange world it takes place in -- a spiritual no man's land between life and death, in which Max (Jeff Bridges) is stranded after a plane crash.If you have ever been lost and spiritually searching (haven't we all?) or feel out of step with the world, you will instantly recognize the otherworldly setting of this marvelous film and will relate to Max and Carla (Rosie Perez).
This is a movie about our real, spiritual lives.This is a rare film with "deep" and challenging themes which somehow manages to not be off-puttingly artsy, and features great and humane performances right across the board, from Bridges and Perez, to Isabella Rosselini as Max's gutsy wife, and Tom Hulce, Benicio del Toro and John Turturro as all-too-worldly characters.I would have preferred that the ending be left ambiguous; however, the ending we do get is perfectly satisfying in dramatic terms..
I survived a close workplace explosion many years ago and remember vividly to this day the unreal feeling going home on bus and train as if walking on air in slow motion while the whole world around me carried on bustling by as normal.Weir again surpasses himself judged against his Truman Show and Witness standards of excellence, what an interesting film maker he is.Bridges has never been better, if you think his comedy performance in Lebowski is magnificent you should check out his drama performance here.Rossellini looks ravishing and delivers a wonderful and subtle performance.Perez does very well interpreting a difficult role of an ordinary someone not too bright (as Del Toro does also doubled) trying to understand what is happening around her.Hulce does a lovely comedy turn as the archetypal ambulance chasing lawyer.Turtturo does a fine underplayed turn as the company hired doctor engendering sympathy.Even the child actors do very well, obviously everything clicked in this film in what is a very difficult subject matter to get across.This is an art film for adults, a film that looks at the meaning of existence, the journey from life to death, the randomness of chance accidents, the "bullet with your name on it", religion, atheism, the value of psycho therapy, the pain of loss, coming to terms with the insignificance of individual life in a huge universe, and the value of relationships.It can have the same type of emotional effect as reading The Catcher In the Rye when an adolescent...
This movie definitely has flaws- the major one being that there are points when the story does not seem to be heading in any particular direction- but excellent acting, some intensely profound and uncommonly well thought out character psychology (especially for a Hollywood film)and the scariest/loveliest air plane crash ever dramatized makes this movie worth seeing.
Yes, I gave it a 10 -- but that's my vision of the End.And Director Peter Weir, after stumbling over the Apocalypse in films like "The Last Wave", finally got it right.As we discover in "Fearless", life has its disappointments, even its tragedies.
I always liked Jeff Bridges and Isabella Rossellini but could never stand Rosie Perez until this movie!
The film that analyses the after effects of a plane crash on a previously nervous architect, Max Klein (Jeff Bridges).From the opening shot we see Klein looking pale or lost and in fact somewhat angelic, as he surveys the scene of the plane crash, removed and seemingly almost above the chaos and commotion that surrounds him.The film not only gives a deep insight into the psychological trauma attached to a life threatening accident, perhaps portrayed more clearly through other characters then Klein, but also meditates on the impact of overcoming a terrible fear, shown through the sense of invincibility that Klein conveys throughout the film, constantly facing and surpassing one fear after another, be it walking across a busy motorway or standing at the very edge of a skyscraper, (see poster).In feeling this tremendous sense of empowerment, Klein draws varied and interesting reactions from the other characters around him, making him a hero to fellow crash survivors, Byron and Carla but estranging him from his wife and son, who long for the pre- crash Max Klein to return to them.The film itself was adapted by Rafael Yglesias, from his novel of the same title and has lost none of its characters potency or varied interaction, (although the novel's Klein character is more sexually charged, sleeping with both an old school friend and Carla), but is further enriched by Peter Weir's direction using the mise-en-scene to great effect, painting Klein's mental landscape using stark blue, white and silver colours.The supporting cast all do well especially Isabella Rosellini who conveys the shock at effectively loosing and then struggling to regain her husband and Rosie Perez who shows herself torn to pieces by an old world Catholic guilt.All in all a fantastic and essentially meaningful film with strong direction and a unique and clever plot backed up terrific performances from leading man Jeff Bridges and the rest of the cast.
After surviving a terrible airplane crash, Max Klein (Bridges in arguably the performance of his career) finds himself in a state of near nirvana as he assumes he's untouchable in the realm of death, until he learns of another survivor (Rosie Perez in her Oscar-nominated poignant role), nearly catatonic due to the death of her infant in the aftermath.
The crash sequence, which is among one of the most realistic, haunting and emotional from any other film, give some interesting insights that are later 'contradicted' by Max. The way he sees it: he's already a ghost, God can't touch him, he shares the little secret with Carla, a Hispanic mother who lost her child and can't recover from the guilt of not having held him more tightly in her arms.
This film is carried by his performance as a man who survives a plane crash and his the following life he lives in which his complete sense of existence is changed.
FEARLESS is a great film with many low-key scenes that tells a story thoroughly and thoughtfully, but it always escalates into joyous wonder, and that's where director Weir and Bridges truly captured me as a viewer.
Peter Weir who has directed many great films like WITNESS,DEAD POETS SOCIETY,THE TRUMAN SHOW,and MASTER AND COMMANDER:THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD.But in a way noting can catch the greatfulness of FEARLESS.A film that made me like Jeff Bridges even more.A plane has crashed,killing hunderds except for a couple of people.One of those people is Max(Jeff Bridges).Max is known to many people as a scaredy cat and absoultly afraid of death.But something has changed in him,not in the mind,but in his sprit.Max is no longer afraid of death or anything.Max is living his life like it's he's last and helping fellow survivor Carla(Rosie Perez)coupe with her lost child.Max is FEARLESS.This film makes me cry everytime I see it for some reason.The acting is brillant and the story is shocking when it revoles.The crash of the plane is unwatchable,but you still drawn to watch.And Jeff Bridges has gave his best performance of all time.He should have got the oscar and golden globe for this baby.Don't you want to be just like Max.I know I do..
This is the story of airplane crash survivor, Max Klien (played by that sexy bitch, Jeff Bridges), who is revered as a hero for having pulled survivors from the wreckage and walking away without a scratch.The experience is a life-changing one as he becomes so very pacified (kind of like Motorcyle Boy, upon his return in 'Rumble Fish') and tests his potential for invincibility.
Another one of Peter Weir's great movies portrays everyman Max Klein (Jeff Bridges) surviving a plane crash, and becoming a completely different person thereafter.
However, this does become 'A Must Watch' film due to the strong performances by it's lead cast.Academy-Award-Winner Jeff Bridges stars as a man's who's personality is dramatically changed after surviving a major airline crash.
Director Peter Weir gets an exceptionally solid performance out of usually-hammy Jeff Bridges, here playing survivor of a horrific plane crash who feels that, since he has now cheated his death, he may be immune to all dangers.
Jeff Bridges has by far the best performance in the film, and showed much of the needed emotion to keep the movie afloat.
This film is an interesting character study of a man dealing with fear and death.I watched it because I'm a big fan of Jeff Bridges work as "The Dude" in The Big Lebowski but I was a bit letdown.
Max Klein (Jeff Bridges) survives a plane crash and emerges a changed man. |
tt0106332 | Ba wang bie ji | As the film opens, a street crowd watches a troupe of boys perform Peking opera, supervised by their aging director, Master Guan. When Laizi attempts to run away, Shitou placates the crowd by breaking a brick on his head; the crowd cheers, but Shitou is later punished for the stunt. An onlooking mother brings her son to the troupe to be trained, using a cleaver to amputate her child's objectionable superfluous finger, and marking the contract with her thumb print in the blood. Shitou welcomes the newcomer as "Douzi" (bean), and the two boys become friends.
A few years pass. Laizi and Douzi run away, but witness a performance by an opera master that inspires them to return to the troupe. They find Shitou being beaten for allowing their escape, and Douzi accepts his punishment as Master Guan beats him mercilessly. Shitou tries to intervene, when an assistant informs them that Laizi has hanged himself.
Douzi attaches himself to Shitou and is trained to play dan (female) roles. Shitou learns the jing, a painted-face male lead. Douzi practises the monologue "Dreaming of the World Outside the Nunnery" but mistakes the line "I am by nature a girl, not a boy" and instead says "I am by nature a boy...". He repeats this mistake, doing so in front of an agent who might fund the troupe. Shitou viciously jams Master Guan's brass tobacco pipe in Douzi's mouth as punishment, causing his mouth to bleed. Douzi looks dazed, but whispers, "I am by nature a girl... not a boy." The troupe cheer, having secured the agent.
The eunuch Zhang appreciates their performance and summons Shitou and Douzi for an audience. Shitou admires a beautiful sword in Zhang's collection, stating that if he were emperor, Douzi would be his queen. Douzi responds that one day he hopes to give Shitou a sword like that. Douzi is to meet Zhang alone, and catches him in a lascivious embrace with a young girl. Douzi is afraid as the man eyes him up and down, and seeks to be with Shitou, but Zhang catches him and pushes him to the ground. Hours later he emerges, and Shitou cannot get him to say a word. It is clear that Douzi has been sexually assaulted. On their way home, Douzi spies an abandoned baby, and despite Master Guan's urging that "we each have our own fate (yuanfen)" Douzi rescues the baby and eventually Master Guan trains him.
Douzi and Shitou become Peking opera stars under the stage names Cheng Dieyi and Duan Xiaolou. The adult Dieyi is in love with Xiaolou, but the sexual aspects of his affection are not returned. When they become a hit in Beijing, a patron, Yuan Shiqing, slowly courts Dieyi. Xiaolou takes a liking to Juxian, a headstrong courtesan at the upscale House of Blossoms. Xiaolou intervenes when a mob of drunk men harass Juxian and says that they are announcing their engagement. Juxian later buys her freedom and, deceiving him into thinking she was thrown out, pressures Xiaolou to keep his word. When Xiaolou announces their engagement, Dieyi and Xiaolou have a falling out. Dieyi calls her "Pan Jinlian" (a "dragon lady" from the novel Golden Lotus). Dieyi takes up with Master Yuan, who gives him Zhang's sword. An aged Master Guan shames them into re-forming the troupe.
The complex relationship between these three characters is then tested in the succession of political upheavals that encompass China from the onset of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The film also follows the fates of Na Kun, who turns his theater troupe over to the new government after 1949, and the abandoned baby, called "Xiao Si" (little fourth brother), who is trained in dan roles. Xiao Si and Douzi have an argument about training and punishment at the end of which Xiao Si threatens revenge. The role of the Concubine is usurped by Xiao Si with Xiaolou's complicity. Betrayed, Dieyi leaves and becomes addicted to opium. Later, Xiaolou and Juxian help him to recover and the troupe surrounds him to congratulate his return to health.
On the eve of the Cultural Revolution, Shitou and Juxian are seen burning now-contraband literature and clothing. After a few drinks, they rekindle their relationship. The scene shifts to Shitou being questioned by the Red Guards on a few unpatriotic words he said years ago and overheard by their manager. Xiao Si is seen in the background, seemingly in a position of power. The entire opera troupe is taken out in public for a humiliating struggle session by the Red Guards. Under duress, Shitou confesses that Douzi performed for the occupying Japanese and may have had a relationship with Yuan Shiqing. Enraged, Douzi tells the mob that Juxian was a prostitute. Shitou is forced to admit that he married a prostitute but swears that he doesn't love her and will never see her again. Juxian is crushed to hear his words and commits suicide. Xiao Si is seen in a gym practising Concubine Yu's role, happy over having usurped Douzi's position, but the group of Red Guards catch him in the act and his fate is unclear.
The film then jumps to Douzi and Shitou's reunion in 1977. They are practising Farewell My Concubine, and their relationship seems to have mended since the tribunal and suicide of Shitou's wife. They exchange a smile and Shitou begins with the line that gave Douzi trouble forty years ago. Douzi makes the same error of finishing the line with "I am not a girl". Shitou corrects him and they continue practising. Douzi then commits suicide by sword. | romantic, avant garde, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0040866 | La terra trema | === Summary ===
The story takes place in Aci Trezza (Jaci Trizza), a small fishing village on the east coast of Sicily, Italy.
It tells about the exploitation of working-class fishermen, specifically that of the eldest son of a very traditional village family, the Valastros.
'Ntoni convinces his family to mortgage their house in order to catch and sell fish themselves and make more money than they were already receiving from the wholesalers who had controlled the market with their low prices for a long time.
Everything goes well until a storm ruins the family's boat, leaving them with nothing to keep the new business going. Following this disaster, the family experiences several awful events such as having to leave the house, the death of the grandfather, and 'Ntoni and his brothers being obliged to return to fish for the wholesalers.
=== Details ===
The film can be divided into five sections: a prologue, three main phases and an epilogue.
Its first phase tells us about the fishermen's attempt to improve their economic circumstances. In setting the scene, a pig is slaughtered on-camera near the outset. The fishermen demand a better price for their fish, urged by 'Ntoni, the eldest son of Valastros family, to throw the wholesalers' scales into the ocean. The fishermen end up in jail. The wholesalers realize it is more profitable to have 'Ntoni and his friends fishing, so they have the fishermen released. 'Ntoni, who lived on the mainland for a time, had brought some new, open-minded ideas back to Sicily, and he tries to form a cooperative, but no one joins him. In deciding to do it on his own, he convinces his family to mortgage their house to buy a boat and starts his new life. A festive mood is present in this sequence, with all the village joining the Valastro family salting fish in laughter and joy.
The second part shows the Valastros' vulnerability. They realize that the price of being owners is high; they not only have to buy the salt but also work hard and not stop even in the hardest storm, risking their lives to be able to feed so many mouths at home. When they go out in a particularly bad storm, their new boat is severely damaged, and the Valastros have no money to get it repaired. At this point in the film, we see the other fishermen and the wholesalers mocking them already, convinced of the immutability of the prevailing social order.
The third phase of the film affirms the Valastros' vulnerability and traces their decline. The social and psychological consequences of the Valastros' attempt to change things are gradually revealed. They go out of work, no one wants to give them any opportunities, and the wholesalers are able to set the price for their fish. In the scene showing the wholesalers increasing the prices yet again, we can see the faces of the children registering amazement at the cruelty of the adults. This was quite a common feature in neorealist films, and one almost sees this as an awakening of consciousness.
The family unit, so strong in the beginning of the film, breaks down. Now they have no family, no house, the grandfather dies, 'Ntoni's brother Cola leaves for the mainland to seek new opportunities, their sister Lucia loses her reputation, yielding to the seduction of Marshal Don Salvatore, and 'Ntoni starts drinking. Only the elder sister Mara remains strong, although she loses all hope of ever getting married because her family is now poorer than before.
In the epilogue, 'Ntoni finally overcomes his pride, recognizing the true cause of the problems of his kind and his class, and sees the need for collective action by going back with his two young brothers, Vanni and Alessio, to work for the wholesalers as a day laborer, who have bought new boats.
The entire mood of the film becomes oppressive since the camera never leaves Aci Trezza, except in the scenes at sea at the beginning and end of the film. The outside world appears only indirectly when 'Ntoni goes to prison, when the family goes to sign a contract with the bank, when a stranger offering American cigarettes appears to tempt the youngsters to move to the mainland, and when the old baroness honors the inauguration of the wholesalers' new boats with her presence. Some allusions to modern Italian history are also there. On the wall of the restaurant we can see an image of a hammer and sickle. One of the wholesalers suddenly says: "The country is full of communism!", and his colleague answers: "Raimondo is always right," in a parody of the Fascist slogan, "Il Duce is always right." At the end of the film, a faded text can be seen behind Raimondo:
Go with determination toward people. ~ Benito Mussolini. | realism | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0356721 | I Heart Huckabees | Albert Markovski (Jason Schwartzman) is a young man who heads the local chapter of an environmental group, the "Open Spaces Coalition". One of their current projects is an attempt to stop the building of a new Huckabees store, a chain of "big-box" department stores. Albert is a rival of Brad Stand (Jude Law), a shallow power executive at Huckabees. Brad infiltrates Open Spaces and charismatically displaces Albert as the leader. Dawn Campbell (Naomi Watts) is Brad's live-in girlfriend and the face and voice of Huckabees; she appears in all of the store's commercials.
After seeing the same conspicuous stranger three times, Albert contacts two existential detectives, Bernard (Dustin Hoffman) and Vivian Jaffe (Lily Tomlin). The detectives offer Albert their optimistic brand of existentialism—they name it universal interconnectivity (which has some tenets of romantic and transcendentalist philosophies)—and spy on him, ostensibly to help him solve the coincidence. Bernard and Vivian introduce Albert to Tommy Corn (Mark Wahlberg), an obsessively anti-petroleum firefighter. Tommy is assigned to Albert as his 'other'.
Tommy grows dissatisfied with the Jaffes, feeling that they are not helping him. Seeking out other possibilities, Tommy ends up abandoning and undermining the Jaffes by introducing Albert to Caterine Vauban (Isabelle Huppert), a former student of the Jaffes who espouses a seemingly opposing nihilistic/absurdist philosophy. She teaches them to disconnect their inner beings from their daily lives and their problems, to synthesize a non-thinking state of "pure being." Being lifted from their troubles, they wish to keep that feeling forever, yet she tells them that it is inevitable to be drawn back to the human drama, and to understand that the core truth of that drama is misery and meaninglessness. In order to prove her point, Caterine takes Albert to go and have sex in the woods, leaving Tommy behind. Tommy finds out about the two of them being together and feels hurt. Caterine tells him that they found each other through all of the human suffering and drama. Tommy rejects this idea and leaves them furious and lost. Meanwhile, in Brad's further attempts to undercut Albert, he and Dawn meet with and are influenced by Bernard and Vivian. In the following days, Brad and Dawn rethink their entire lives: Dawn rejects the modeling world and looks for deeper meaning, and Brad realizes that his whole ascent on the corporate ladder is meaningless, as he has lived his whole life just trying to please others and not himself.
All the storylines collide when Brad's house catches fire. While the fire trucks get stuck in a traffic jam, Tommy comes on his bicycle to put out the fire, which incidentally trapped Dawn inside. As he saves her life, the two fall in love. Meanwhile, Brad despairs at the destruction of his house, the symbol of his material success. Albert attains a sort of enlightenment when he synthesizes the two opposing outlooks of the Jaffes and Vauban to realize the cosmic truth of everything. Brad, meanwhile, is fired from Huckabees, leaving him rudderless. Albert reveals to Brad that he burned Brad's jet skis, and the fire spread to the house. Albert understands that he and Brad are no different, that everything really is inextricably connected, but that these connections necessarily arise from the often senselessly painful reality of human existence. Having realized this, he refers Brad to Caterine, hoping she will help him as she did Albert and Tommy. Albert and Tommy talk later about everything that has happened. As the two talk, Caterine and the Jaffes watch them, concluding that they can close both of their cases.
=== Director commentary ===
In an interview with the SuicideGirls website, director Russell said in response to the question "How do you describe I Heart Huckabees?": | comedy, psychological, adult comedy, whimsical, cult, flashback, absurd, psychedelic, satire, philosophical, entertaining, storytelling | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0211605 | Saber Marionette J | Otaru Mamiya is an adolescent working-class laborer, single, independent who's about 18 years old, and living on his own in the fictional city state of Japoness. Employed as a fish peddler and running a morning's catch, he is hit by a car driven by Mitsurugi Hanagata, an acquaintance, spoiling his merchandise and sparking a fight the two agree to take elsewhere.
Traveling to a gully outside of the town, the boys continue their quarrel on a bridge where a skilled Otaru makes quick work of his opponent. In an unfortunate turn of events however, Otaru, balancing himself on a fencepost which breaks off, is dumped into the river below where he is helplessly washed away.
Moments later, having drifted ashore in a small pond, Otaru finds himself at a rural athenaeum, the Japoness Pioneer Museum. He curiously explores the decrepit building, falling through a trapdoor and into a secret underground basement where he finds and awakens an encapsulated marionette. She introduces herself as Lime, embracing the dumbfounded boy with a laugh and revealing an unprecedented ability to express emotion.
=== Setting ===
The prologue of Saber Marionette J is set sometime into the 22nd century, when Earth's population has grown to such a magnitude that humanity cannot feasibly continue without colonizing space. The initial stages of the project make a promising effort of moving civilization into orbit, however it is during travel to a planet name Terra II that a transport vessel, the Mesopotamia, experiences a catastrophic fate, destroying all but a lone escape pod of people who plunge to the surface below. Of the handful of survivors however, only six males survive the crash, a ratio that both cripples their manpower and leaves them unable to reproduce.
Marooned and without communication, the men turn to genetic engineering as a method to produce clones of themselves, enough to populate the planet and sustain habitation. The effort is critically fruitful, and over a course of three centuries, each of the survivors and their successors establish individual settlements in the form of six city-states.
In spite of the remarkable success however, notwithstanding even advancements in technology, Terra II remains uninhabited by women. An effort to substitute this absence is made with the manufacture of feminine androids name marionettes; creations that, while they serve their purpose, operate without sapience, emotion, or free will.
=== Themes ===
Saber Marionette J contains several groups of notable themes, mainly in the names of characters and locations. The focal heroines, Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry, are named after fruits, while their counterparts, Tiger, Luchs, and Panther are named after animals, specifically of the Felidae family (using the German words and pronunciations for tiger, lynx, and panther due to their Galtland origins). Ieyasu Tokugawa, the fictional shogun of Japoness, derives his name and appearance from Tokugawa Ieyasu, while Gerhardt von Faust, führer of Galtland, is an allusion of Adolf Hitler whose name may be derived from Faust, a character of German folklore.
The city-states established by the male survivors are also based on the political and developmental histories and periods of countries. Japoness is a reminiscence of feudal Japan, Galtland portrays the totalitarian regime of Nazi Germany, Peterburg is structured after Soviet Russia, New Texas is representative of the modern United States, Xi'an paints the image of Imperial China and Romana takes after the Roman Empire. The letters that affix the titles of the franchise have also been explained to represent the city-state in which a particular series is set in. Saber Marionette R, for example, takes place in Romana while Saber Marionette J, occurs in Japoness.
Besides the show's botanic, animal and historic references, as well as its generally comedic overtones, Saber Marionette J briefly explores deeper motifs as well. One such motif, outspoken by Mitsurugi, is the discriminatory notion that marionettes are of no importance to humans beyond their menial labor, and should be disenfranchised to the affection or privileges of people. This idea becomes more recurrent later in the series when Otaru finds himself growing closer to the girls and questions himself for it. Another visited theme is the exploration of life, its senescence, and death. These truths have a major impact on the girls' developmental identity as they come to terms with themselves and humans. | sci-fi | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0060748 | Nevada Smith | In the West of the 1890s, a trio of outlaws, Bill Bowdre (Arthur Kennedy), Jesse Coe (Martin Landau) and Tom Fitch (Karl Malden), robs, tortures and brutally kills the white father and Indian mother of young Max Sand (Steve McQueen). The outlaws have stolen the father's grey horse with a double SS brand. Max sets out to avenge their deaths and uses this clue to trail the men.
During his travels in the desert, Max uncovers an old and rusty gun. When he comes upon Jonas Cord, Sr. (Brian Keith), a traveling gunsmith, he tries to rob him. Cord, recognizing that Max's revolver is not loaded and is useless, convinces Max that his plan has failed. Max tells Cord of his vengeful journey. Cord takes pity on him, takes him in, feeds him and teaches him how to shoot. Max hunts the killers, who have separated. He tracks down Jesse Coe to Abilene, Texas. With the help of dancehall girl Neesa (Janet Margolin), a woman from the same tribe as his mother, he confronts him in a salon. Coe escapes and a knife fight ensues in a nearby corral. Coe is killed but Max is severely wounded. Neesa takes him to her tribe's camp, where she nurses him back to health. They become lovers.
Once he recovers, Max leaves Neesa to continue his pursuit. He reads that Bowdre is in a prison camp in Louisiana for a failed bank robbery. He commits a bank robbery, deliberately gets caught, and is sent to the same prison where Bowdre is serving time. Bowdre does not recognize Max whose plan is to convince Bowdre to join him in an escape attempt and kill him in the swamp. Pilar (Suzanne Pleshette), a local Cajun girl working in the rice fields near the convicts’ camp, gives Max comfort. She knows nothing about Maxs' plan to kill Bowdre but knows her way around the swamp. She finds a boat and joins the escape. The boat capsizes early on and Pilar is bitten by a snake. Max kills Bowdre and Pilar dies of the bite.
Fitch, the last of the murderers, keeps a tobacco pouch with beaded deerskin made from the Indian dress of Max's mother. Still blinded by revenge, Max pursues Fitch and manages to infiltrate Fitch's gang, calling himself "Nevada Smith". Fitch is aware that Max Sand has killed Coe and Bowdre and is out there somewhere, waiting to ambush him. Though he accepts "Nevada" into the gang, Fitch is wary of him. When the gang sets out to commit a robbery, Max is spotted by Cord, who calls him by name. Max ignores him and the gang rides on. Fitch suspects that one of his men is Max. He vows to kill any man who makes a mistake. As the rest of the gang greedily scoops up the money from the robbery, Max observes them from a hill. Fitch realizes that "Smith" is Sand, grabs his share of the loot and flees. Max pursues him and corners Fitch at a creek. The men exchange fire and Fitch surrenders but Max continues to fire non-fatal shots into Fitch. The outlaw begs to be finished off, but Max decides that Fitch is not worth killing and rides away. | revenge, murder | train | wikipedia | The film is based on a story by John Michael Hayes, two-time Academy Award nominated screenwriter for 'Rear Window,' and 'Peyton Place.'The film lingers in the mind because of its visual beauty and the intensity of some of its scenes, particularly between McQueen and Malden, two knowing actors playing together with the skill of champion chess players...Hathaway sets up his atmosphere of dramatic tension right at the start...
Both a sinner and a saint, Pilar adds humanity to Max world...With a knife in his hand, and a scar on his neck, Martin Landau is the psychotic womanizer, a morose, evil character, caught in Abelene dealing cards in a saloon...Arthur Kennedy - friendly, smiling, charming and smooth-talking on the surface, weak and corrupt underneath - is the frightened villain swamped by a storm of revenge...Karl Malden is the cynical badman who depreciates his gold before his executioner...
Miles and miles of it, filled of dirty water, quicksand, razorbacks, poison snakes, mosquitoes and malaria...Janet Margolin is the dance hall girl uncertain of the identity of one of the dangerous murderers...Joanna Cook Moore is the grateful saloon girl who offers herself to Max...Rick Roman is Cipriano, the bandit who warns seriously his companion not to harm Father Zaccardi...Ted de Corsia is the bartender who wants the two contenders to calm down in order to find out the truth..The expertise before the cameras and behind it, plus McQueen's dynamic presence, makes 'Nevada Smith' a respectable entry in the annals of the best Westerns....
Steve McQueen was a good actor and all, but throughout the whole movie I was using my imagination replacing him with a young Bronson or someone a little more appropriate to the character he was playing..
The film goes on too long, with an extended prison sequence (stangely reminiscent of "Papillon," which McQueen would star in seven years later) that seems out of place in a Western.
It's fairly long at 130 minutes but Steve McQueen is usually charismatic enough to carry a film, and he does so here, too.As the title character, "Nevada Smith," McQueen is joined by a number of well- known actors of the 1960s: Suzanne Pleshette, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy, Raf Vallone, Martin Landau Janet Margolin and Pat Hingle.McQueen plays a man who is totally dominated by thoughts of revenge.
The passage of time while he learned to read, use firearms, kill his first victim and recover from wounds at the Indian village, should all have been used more extensively to make Max Sand age into the character portrayed by McQueen.But regardless of McQueen's actual age, by the time Max kills the first of the three men he is tracking and then gets himself thrown into a Louisiana prison to find another one, his character's age and looks are believable.A superb cast of supporting actors backs up McQueen.
Martin Landau, Arthur Kennedy and Karl Malden are as bad as any movie villains I ever saw.POSSIBLE SPOILER: In the end, Max does the right thing.
Otherwise it's one of those films that leaves you thinking about what might have been.Steve McQueen stars as Max Sand, teenaged son of a white man and a Kiowa woman who sets out to revenge his parents' murders at the hands of three bad men in search of gold.
Director Henry Hathaway and writer John Michael Hayes, working from a concept developed around a character featured in the novel and later film "The Carpetbaggers", toy with the question about whether Max's quest to settle scores is a bad thing in itself, but never develop it."You're a dirty low animal!" Max is told at one point by a woman who he misled in order to confront one of his parents' killers.
The first chapter is the most interesting--with BRIAN KEITH showing "the kid" (STEVE McQUEEN) something about handling a gun as a gunslinger should who's looking to avenge the killers of his parents.As the killers--MARTIN LANDAU, ARTHUR KENNEDY and KARL MALDEN--give tough, gritty performances and each is slated to be avenged for the killing of Nevada Smith's parents.But the last half of the film sags under the tacked on spiritual saga with RAF VALLONE preaching the Bible to "the kid", who promises to "keep it in mind" before he goes off to find the third man, KARL MALDEN.It's all directed in typical Henry Hathaway fashion--ruggedly staged action against gorgeous scenic backgrounds.
He's especially good in the early segment as the uneducated kid who comes under the tutoring of BRIAN KEITH as Jonas Cord.The swamp scenes, where McQueen gets himself sent to prison so he can locate Arthur Kennedy, almost seem like segments from another movie he made with Dustin Hoffman--PAPILLON.
After witnessing the brutal massacre of his family , a young man (Steve McQueen) set out a personal vengeance against a hideous band (the trio formed by Martin Landau , Karl Malden , Arthur Kennedy) .
Steve McQueen, Brian Keith, Karl Malden, Arthur Kennedy, Susan Pleshette, John Doucette, you just don't get a finer cast than that.
Steve McQueen is the young half-breed avenging the deaths of his parents by heartless cowboys Karl Malden and Arthur Kennedy; Brian Keith plays a mentoring, sympathetic gun-salesman who teaches Steve how to shoot; Suzanne Pleshette is a love-interest from the backwoods.
What makes the film real good and lifts it above average is its structured segments, director Henry Hathaway weaves a potent and interesting story by making each part of Nevada Smith/Max Sand's journey an involving character piece that puts you firmly on side with the protagonist and his vengeful quest.Credit has to go to McQueen for putting much gusto into the character when it was badly needed, because to save the film from being standard fare we need the leading man to involve us in his troubled and confused state, luckily he does this with bells on.
....by Henry Hathaway who had a wonderful sense of space ("Niagara" "River of No return" "legend of the lost" ) .A very elaborate screenplay takes us to many places ,from the swamp where prisoners sweat to the Indian village "where Max should stay cause it's here that he belongs" .However, McQueen is not very plausible as a person of mixed -race ,Robert Blake would have been a better choice.The story is constantly absorbing (McQueen getting deliberately arrested recalls Truffaut/Irish's "the bride wore black" turned western)and the supporting characters give the movie substance:Karl Malden and Arthur Kennedy as the villains,Suzanne Pleshette as Pilar ,the gorgeous Mexican girl , Raf Vallone as the priest with a painful past;let's not forget Martin Landau ,the third villain,who works as a dealer in a saloon.Two hours+ and never a dull moment!.
After two plus years of uninspiring movies, McQueen returns to one of his two fortes, westerns (the other being war movies).I found the film's early sequences hard to believe, but only because we know this is Steve McQueen; Josh Randal and "Vin"...a man born on a horse, shooting a gun, not a defenseless half breed kid.
But as soon as he kills Jesse Coe (Martin Landau) in a knife fight, his familiar screen persona emerges and the rest of the film is vintage McQueen.Suzanne Pleshette is superb as the beautiful Cajun girl who risks everything to help Max escape a Louisiana prison in her quest to go west, where it is "clean and dry".
Steve McQueen (Nevada Smith),"The Hunter",'80 went from a Work Camp in the Swamps to the Cowboy Country trying to track down a great actor Karl Malden(Tom Fitch),"On The Waterfront",'54, who played a hateful person who destroyed Nevada Smith's family and forced him to seek revenge.
Steve McQueen is excellent as the young (he really does not look the least bit young, I think he is supposed to be about 16 years old!) survivor when his mixed marriage parents are murdered and skinned by a band of outlaws led by a very evil Karl Malden.
The swamp prison scene (with escape) is excellent as his eventual run in with Karl Malden...the ending, which is influenced by McQueens meeting with a monk (Raf Vallone) is quite different and unusual; particularly for a western.Other members of a great supporting cast include Martin Landau, Suzanne Pleshette and Brian Keith as a gun salesman are all outstanding..
I'd seen this movie as a kid and have seen it pop on TV over the years, but with the 2003 release on DVD, it's nice to see the excellent location photography in a clear color print.McQueen is always great to watch (this movie has all kinds of McQueen on screen mannerisms) and the supporting actors (Brian Keith, Martin Landau, Karl Malden, etc) are excellent.If you haven't seen this movie or saw it a long time ago, rent or buy the DVD of this movie and enjoy!.
Starts as a Really Good One, Falls Towards the End. A young man (Steve McQueen) chases and seeks revenge on the three outlaws (Karl Malden, Arthur Kennedy and Martin Landau) that butchered his mother and father."Nevada Smith" starts as a real interesting and good western but somehow it looses strength as it runs.
Max Sand (Steve) pursues Martin Landau, Karl Malden & Arthur Kennedy who have seen fit to torture and kill his parents.
I'd a stuck around to comfort that merry widow.Gene Evans- rapist/ miner from The Bravados (similar theme as Nevada Smith) plays Max's Dad. I liked Steve's scenes with Suzanne Pleshette but Strother Martin role is wasted.
A naive half-Indian, half-white teenager (Steve McQueen) evolves into a hardened killer as he tracks down his parents' murderers.In the world of "revenge films", you have many that fall into the category of exploitation.
Steve McQueen, as Max Sand, gives another of his brilliant, understated performances, this time as a young man whose parents were brutally murdered by a gang of thugs led by Karl Malden.
This is well acted and directed, McQueen carries the film but the supporting cast is good too.The film has more variety than most as he tracks people down across the west over a decent space of time and those people are in a variety of situation, this leads to a more complex story than the usual revenge western.The fact that McQueen's character is a boy at the beginning and it is a few years to the end allows for some growth of character and a moral message that is an integral part of the narrative rather than being forced in at the end as is often the case.There is nothing in the film that grabs you as amazing to make this a classic, it is a solid film that does everything right but doesn't wow you.Good and a pleasant watch but nothing to get excited about..
Released in 1966, "Nevada Smith" stars Steve McQueen as Max Sand, a half-breed youngster who is driven to avenge the heinous murders of his mother and father.
After a gun merchant mentors him in the ways of gunfighting and human nature (Brian Keith) he tracks down the three scumbags one by one (Martin Landau, Arthur Kennedy and Karl Malden).This is an outstanding and realistic revenge Western reminiscent of 1958's "The Bravados" and pre-dating the similar "Hang 'em High" by two years, but superior to both.
That his real name was Max Sand and that when three vicious outlaws killed his parents, he spent years tracking them down to mete out justice.From that small speech in The Carpetbaggers came the motion picture Nevada Smith which starred Steve McQueen in the role that was destined to be Alan Ladd's last.
She's the one with the title quote for the review.One of the unsung roles in the film however is that of Suzanne Pleshette who plays a Cajun swamp girl who gets bitten by a water moccasin while helping McQueen and Arthur Kennedy bust out of a prison work camp in Louisiana.
When Pleshette realizes that when she's dying in the swamp of the untreated snakebite, it's maybe her finest moment in her film career.Nevada Smith was a very good part for Steve McQueen, it stands high with his legion of fans and holds up very well forty years later..
Westerns, Revenge, Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Martin Landau and Arthur Kennedy - this sounded like a great way to spend an evening.
He doesn't kill people; he executes them!" – Tom Fitch ("Nevada Smith") "Nevada Smith", directed by Henry Hathaway ("True Grit"), is an above average western which stars Steve McQueen as a half-Caucasian/half-native American teenager (McQueen was 36 years old at the time) who vows to hunt and kill the men responsible for murdering his parents.The movie takes the structure of both a revenge tale and a prison break movie, McQueen breaking into and out of a prison and then systematically killing henchmen until he gets to the crime lord who gave the order to kill his family.Along the way McQueen befriends a gun salesman, a priest and a peasant woman, all of whom he coldly turns his back upon once they've outlived their usefulness.
A box office smash for it's time Nevada Smith is a long, episodic film directed by Henry Hathaway starring the charismatic Steve McQueen.
Interestingly McQueen's character actually only uses the Nevada Smith moniker once (as a temporary alias in the movie), the rest of the time using his 'real' name of Max Sand.
Sand is a half breed whose parents are killed by outlaws - the outstanding trio of Martin Landau, Karl Malden and Arthur Kennedy a group of class heavies that's worth the price of admission alone - and then who resolutely sets out to track the murderers down one by one, after taking on board some life instruction from gun trader Brian Keith.
I very much enjoyed Brian Keith's character and thought he was very believable.Karl Malden does a creditable job as the bad guy and Susan Pleshette was captivating.The plot was pretty typical of a western, shallow & thin in many ways, as it was just another revenge story reworked with some good lines.
Steve McQueen stars as Max Sand, a half-breed Injun who sets out after the men who killed his parents, whose brutal murder opens the film.
Mcqueen plays half-breed Max Sand who tracks down the three monsters (one of them in prison) who tortured and killed his parents.
I was pleasantly surprised by NEVADA SMITH - it was an extremely well-made film, miles ahead of its predecessor, THE CARPETBAGGERS (the film version, not the book!), in which his character and his story originally appeared.John Michael Hayes' "Screen Story and Screenplay" follows "The Story of Nevada Smith" section of Harold Robbins' novel THE CARPETBAGGERS fairly closely, though there were some inventions for the film, such as the young Max Sand's meeting early on with Jonas Cord (Sr.) and Max's respite at a mission, where a kindly Padre (Raf Vallone) tries to induce him to "turn the other cheek."Perhaps due to racism, which still prevailed in mid-1960s characters, a sympathetic character who was African-American in the novel, the whip-wielding prison camp trustee, is split into a redneck trustee (Pat Hingle) and a Cajun girl (Susan Pleshette).Steve McQueen is quite good as the driven Max Sand, whose sole purpose in life is to avenge the deaths of his parents (another plot-point omitted from the novel is that one of the murderers' (Karl Malden's} tobacco pouch is made from the skin of Max's Indian mother, not her dress).
Also, Max's revenge on the three murderers is even more calculated in the novel, and often more grisly - he isn't half-Indian for nothing.There's a good cast here, too - McQueen, Susan Pleshette, Brian Keith, Pat Hingle, Howard da Silva, and as the three murderers, Karl Malden, Arthur Kennedy (playing the kind of sleaze-ball he perfected in PEYTON PLACE) and Martin Landau (even nastier than his memorable character in NORTH BY NORTHWEST).One might be predisposed to think "Oh, it's from a Harold Robbins story, so it's worth missing," but one would be wrong.
McQueen portrays a half breed White/native American youth (Max Sand) who witnesses the brutal murders of his family by three cutthroats, Martin Landua (Jesse Coe), Arthur Kennedy (Bill Bowdre) and Karl Malden as Tom Finch.
Not necessarily a bad thing once we get the idea that Steve McQueen's character is not above lying to pursue his revenge against the three men who killed his father and mother to open the picture."Nevada Smith" is at times a plodding, by the numbers Western with McQueen's performance, by his own admission, taking a step back artistically speaking.
This was a fairly long movie, with a great cast, and worth a watch if you enjoy westerns.It's your typical revenge movie, bad guys kill a mom and dad, son seeks revenge by hunting down and killing.McQueen is supposed to be a halfbreed white/Indian, and many in the film call him a young kid.
Young Nevada is out for revenge on the three men responsible for his parent's death, something he ironically set up by revealing their location.The three killers are Martin Landau, Arthur Kennedy and Karl Malden, meeting up with Steve McQueen's half breed Nevada in ironic ways.
Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Brian Keith (one of my all time favorite actors), Arthur Kennedy, Suzanne Pleshette, Pat Hingle, Martin Landau, John Doucette, Gene Evans, Paul Fix, and a number of uncredited stars that I recognized as well.
NEVADA SMITH succeeds completely in achieving each of the aforementioned factors, after 3 sadistic outlaws, Jessie Coe(MARTIN LANDAU),Bill Bowdre(ARTHUR KENNEDY)and Tom Fitch(KARL MALDEN)casually mutilate and murder his parents in brutal, gut wrenching fashion,Max Sand(STEVE MCQUEEN)swears violent revenge.
He begins wandering the west looking for the killers and meets a gunsmith named Jonas Cord(BRIAN KEITH)who teaches him how to shoot,Max then dedicates the next few years of his life to hunting down and killing the 3 criminals...NEVADA SMITH is an amazing western, despite being a revenge western, it's a little different to the others as it has a twist, with the final scene being a major factor and setting it apart from the other films. |
tt0039260 | Cheyenne | Jim Wylie is a gambler in Laramie, Wyoming Territory who is wanted by the Nevada law. He gets a proposal from a Wells Fargo agent; if he can help locate a bandit known as "The Poet" who has been robbing stagecoaches, all pending charges will be dropped and Jim can even claim a cash reward.
His stage to Cheyenne has a pair of female passengers, Ann Kincaid and saloon singer Emily Carson, when their coach is ambushed by the Sundance Kid and his gang. But when he opens the strongbox, Sundance is furious to find nothing but a mocking poem from The Poet.
Jim pretends to be The Poet to infiltrate his gang. What he doesn't know is that Ann is married to the notorious outlaw. She goes along with the ruse to see where it leads. Her husband, the real Poet, is Ed Landers, a trusted Wells Fargo employee, who promises to pull one last job and then get away with Ann safely to San Francisco.
Sundance is once again foiled on a job by the Poet getting there first, and three of Sundance's men are killed. He realizes that Ann has double-crossed him. Jim confides to Landers his true identity, not realizing Landers is the man he's after. Landers promptly tells Cheyenne's sheriff that Jim is not just pretending to be the Poet, but is him.
Ann detects a whiff of perfume on Landers that she recognizes. It is Emily's, proof to Ann that her lying, thieving husband plans to take Emily away to San Francisco instead of her. On his next holdup attempt, Landers is shot dead by Jim.
All is well until Jim is told that unless he can also recover The Poet's stolen money, there will be no reward. He is dejected until Ann, leaving town on the stage, tosses him two sacks filled with money. A delighted Jim gallops off to catch up with her. | murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0172156 | Bad Boys II | Eight years after the events of the first film, Miami Police Department (MPD) narcotics division detectives Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey are investigating the flow of highly-potent ecstasy into the city. Their surveillance of boats coming in from Cuba leads them to a Ku Klux Klan meeting and drug drop in a swamp docks outside Miami. The subsequent raid on the Klan members proves to be a disaster; malfunctioning radios delay back-up, causing a firefight wherein a number of the Klan are killed or injured and Mike accidentally shoots Marcus in the buttocks. Police arrest the surviving Klan members, who are revealed to be mere small-time buyers and not distributors. The incident leaves Marcus to further question if he still wants to partner with Mike, while Mike fears that Marcus may discover his new relationship with Marcus' sister, Syd. Unbeknownst to Mike and Marcus, Syd is an undercover operative with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as a money laundering agent for Russian gangsters; the Russian gangsters are in fact the distributors of the ecstasy on behalf of neurotic Cuban drug lord Johnny Tapia. During her first assignment in Miami, a violent Haitian gang attempts to hijack the money transport between the Russians and Tapia, putting Syd in danger. Mike and Marcus inadvertently stumble into the action, and an intense firefight and car chase ensues between the gang members and the MPD/DEA, devastating the local area and enraging Police Captain Conrad Howard. Marcus and Mike learn of Syd's actual work, which makes Marcus unhappy, while Capt. Howard demands they find the supplier of ecstasy.
Marcus and Mike go to confront the Haitian gang leader, which results in a firefight and the leader revealing that his information about the transport came from his friend's camcorder. After viewing the footage, Marcus and Mike find out that a local business, the Spanish Palms Mortuary, is possibly being used as a front for money laundery by Tapia. Disguised as pest terminators since Tapia has a major rodent problem, the detectives penetrate Tapia's mansion and discover that Tapia has eliminated some of his Russian distributors and has begun to woo their former associate Syd, who is still undercover with the DEA and has refocused the investigation towards Tapia. The detectives also recover evidence linking Tapia to one of the boats involved in the Klan raid in the swamps. After pressuring one of the arrested Klansman into making Tapia's boat, the detectives find themselves involved in another firefight, this time while pursuing a morgue van from the docks carrying emptied cadavers. Mike and Marcus decide to infiltrate Tapia's mortuary (disguised as ambulance workers) where they learn that the drug lord is using dead bodies to smuggle his drugs and money. The mission is nearly sabotaged when the pair are almost discovered, resulting in Marcus accidentally ingesting some of the ecstasy and Mike ordering the disguised officers outside the building to crash an ambulance into it, creating a diversion.
After Mike and an intoxicated Marcus obtain a search warrant from Capt. Howard, the mortuary and Tapia's mansion are raided, with the drugs and money being intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard. However, the mansion raid is botched when a vengeful Russian gangster, Alexei, violently storms the mansion on his own, intending to have revenge against Tapia for murdering his friends. Alexei is however unable to get to Tapia as he is shot by the police, while Syd is discovered by Tapia and is kidnapped by him and taken to Cuba. With Syd held prisoner in Tapia's compound and guarded by the Cuban military, the drug lord demands the return of his money in two days in exchange for Syd's life. Mike and Marcus, along with their voluntary S.W.A.T. team and Syd's DEA co-workers, prepare a military assault to rescue Syd from Tapia's home. During the battle, Mike and Marcus extract Syd and escape Tapia's home, which is blown up. After a lengthy pursuit by an infuriated Tapia, they end up in a minefield just outside U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, where Tapia holds Mike at gunpoint ignoring the US Navy aiming their rifles at Tapia. Syd distracts Tapia by killing one of his men while Marcus rescues Mike with a skillful headshot to Tapia's skull in the middle of the minefield with his last bullet, resulting in Tapia's body being blown up after falling onto a mine.
Later, at the Burnett house, Mike has bought Marcus a new pool (replacing a previous pool that had been destroyed in a prior gag), and Marcus finally makes peace with Mike dating Syd and no longer doubts their partnership. Despite the sentiment, Mike's new pool breaks, washing the two into a river, as they sing the "Bad Boys" theme song. | comedy, boring, murder, violence, absurd, humor, action, entertaining | train | wikipedia | This movie delivers your monies worth too, in my opinion Will Smith and Martin Larwence make such a great team that part of the fun is just watching these two get into it from time to time.
And with Michael Bay directing, you know you're going to get some good action scenes.
Let's face it, Bad Boys II has one of the best car chase scenes ion recent history, it dominates the dismal over played chase in Matrix Reloaded which was the other big summer sequel of that year.
:)If you are looking for a solid type performance from Will Smith to be a good actor don't bother, this movie was all about pure action, and mindless fun, if that's what you want then go see it, if not don't waste your 2 hours and 40 minutes seeing it.
I still prefer the original Bad Boys, but this is still a great time at the movies.
Ahh, just like the good old days, when men were men, and action movies were all rated R.Look, if you're all about hating Bay, and blaming him for all of scociety's ills, as well as acusing him of being the antichrist - then what in god's name are you doing watching this movie?
There were many times that I thought there were scenes that could have been cut and still made this movie funny and with great action.
well, put it this way, it's much much better than the first and has one of the best car chases in history.Will Smith and martin Lawrence are two cops have a lot in common, especially their attitude, are sent to investigate the a Cuban drug smuggler who smuggles drugs in America.
A huge budget sequel to the dumb "Bad Boys." I guess it was inevitable.I saw the HBO special on this movie and watch how Will Smith, Michael Bay, and Jerry Bruckheimer went on and on about how great this movie is.
"Bad Boys II" is quite likely the worst movie I have seen this year, and in a summer that gave us both "LXG" and "From Justin to Kelly", that's saying a lot.
The fun interaction between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence that made the first "Bad Boys" enjoyable is pretty much entirely absent.
Every actor in this disaster was reduced to a pathetic caricature: the brassy femme who wants to prove she is as good as the boys, while doing it in a bikini; the hard-boiled chief who has seen enough of the crime that is tearing his city (and consequentially his mental state of being) apart; JOE PANTOLIANO - WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!The movie itself is just so cold-hearted.
Mike Lowry (Smith) and Marcus Bennett (Lawrence) attempt to stop a drug baron exporting ecstasy across America.1995 and Michael Bay shoots a successful Bad Boys, a gun ho thriller that exploded The Fresh Prince onto the film stage and started a trend of Michael Bay action.Bay has had criticism over the years for his over the top immature approach to story telling and action and based on this film, those echoes are fully justified.There was a reason Bad Boys did well and it really had little to do with the director.
These included presumably getting some laughs but I struggle to see the humorous factor of Martin Lawrence on x, rat sex and a swimming pool breaking.Perhaps the fact Smith and Lawrence are comic geniuses makes this disappointing as they are not funny exempt for brief one-liners.Bay, the destroyer, has overblown the proportion of action with so many inclusions of bullets it is unforgivable not to mention numerous car chases that never result in a realistic crash.
I know, how about next time Will Smith and Martin Lawrence do a movie -- how about having a PLOT !!
Whenever producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay team up to make a movie, you can count on a few things-it's going to be big, loud, explosive and annoying as all hell.
Okay, all jokes aside, Bay has now brought us the unwanted and completely unnecessary sequel to the 1995 film, `Bad Boys II.' So where can this sequel go that no other action flick has done before-absolutely nowhere.
Blah blah blah, roll the clichés and super "cool" dialog, insert a chase scene that sees about a million cars get destroyed while Will Smith drives his Ferarri through the carnage at 200 mph unscathed, slap on some random catch phrases and a cheesy ending and BANG, you have Bad Boys II.
Michael Bay does know better, but that doesn't stop Bad Boys II from being cruel and down right offensive to mindless movies everywhere.
The movie thinks that it's being funny when it's just being cruel, and one scene in particular made me cringe and made me want to run out and burn posters of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
So far, so very similar to any cop orientated buddy movie you've ever seen, but Bad Boys 2 overcomes the total lack of originality thanks to the natural charisma of the stars and the sheer spectacle of its action sequences.The plot of course is throw away guff designed to hurtle Smith and Lawrence into the thick of as many explosions as possible, but when they bounce off each other this well it's difficult to care.
Maybe they were worried he'd pack the movie into his bags and run off with them like he did the first time around...Those grumbles aside, there's little complaint to be made about Bad Boys 2.
Sure, it's so shallow that I could just as easily have written "Will Smith and Martin Lawrence destroy stuff" and summed up the entire enterprise, but it makes for an exhilarating action movie and the natural successor to all those ones produced in the eighties when brain cells were exchanged for body counts and biceps.
I don't find it offensive, because the scene with the bodies is an important slice to the narrative, and hey, it is FUNNY.As an action picture, no other film this summer comes close to Bad Boys 2.
The film's supposed `gags' consist of nothing but homophobia, necrophilia, corpse mutilation and seriously offensive ethnic slurs, the punch lines usually resulting in more impersonal unnecessary killing, filmed in that pornographically violent style we've come to expect from Bay. This is violence without consequence - most of the time the movie doesn't even address it (such as the scene where a Hummer crushes dozens of shanties and their inhabitants).
Overall, this is pretty much the best movie i've ever seen, bare in mind that i'm a 19 year old who just likes to watch stuff blow up, and have a good laugh..
Popcorn Fun. Like it's prequel, 'Bad Boys II' is not the sort of film you should watch if you like deep-thinking, philosophical dramas.
But if you're just wanting to be entertained by plenty of action, sarcastic jokes and wisecracks then this is a perfect blockbuster for you.It doesn't pretend to have some deep plot-- the storyline is the very simple premise of catching the drug dealers and getting the girl-- but it is pure popcorn entertainment complete with car chases and gun fights.
The interplay between Will Smith and Matthew Lawrence is hilarious (the 'Bad Boy' films are the only time I can tolerate Lawrence); a more up-to-date version of Riggs and Murtaugh in the Eighties classic buddy flick 'Lethal Weapon'.Very enjoyable action comedy that should please most fans of Hollywood blockbusters and cop flicks..
Bad Boys II is one of those films you can watch with a bunch of friends and be thoroughly entertained, because you really don't have to pay much attention to the story because there really is none.
Michael Bay can blow almost anything up and still make it look good on camera, and this he insists for almost 3 hours in BAD BOYS II.
I don't hate Michael Bay nor his approach of mindless and over-amped blockbusters, but I wouldn't want to waste my time on the 2 and a half hours of empty-headed drivel that BAD BOYS II had to offer.
Worse, Bay can't help thinking of himself as an auteur by shooting the action sequences in either slow-mo (a trick he over uses here) or with fast cuts that make it almost impossible to know what's happening.BAD BOYS II is so loud and obnoxious that Bay couldn't even keep it down a notch during the "talking" scenes (in Bay's world, everyone talks trash).
This was bad.I actually quite like Will Smith, and I think he has good comic timing and delivery.
The dreadful patter interrupts the action scenes and sucks any life out of them (although they're shockingly overblown and bad anyway), and because this is a tough guy movie the lines are awful.
The biggest problem with Bad Boys 2 is not that the humor has been systematized, that there's no originality or intelligence in the storyline, or that the film is poorly paced and way too Kevin Costner-like long...The biggest problem of this film is Jerry Bruckheimer.
Give a five year old a movie camera and tell him to film playing cowboys and Indians with Tonka trucks and you have Bad Boys II, a disgrace that somehow took 8 years to reach fruition.
The movie spews hate in the faces of every audience member who has been misled into believing they are watching an action-comedy.Miami is a place with a very diverse ethnic population and I think it is completely irresponsible for the filmmakers to have behaved in this way.
Otherwise, steer clear of this worthless and tediously overblown car crash of a sequel.Someone gave Michael Bay - who tragically suffers from some kind of movie-making ADD - enough money to destroy most of Miami, but didn't pay him enough to come up with any original ways to do it.
Despite having a thin plot and lots of over the top action, Bad Boys 1 was still passable as at least a good rental.
There truly isn't a film quite like Bad Boys II.
I can't even imagine who would think it was good, but apparently other people with no taste enjoy it.There's a horrific scene where Will Smith and Martin Lawrence practically mind rape a 15 year old boy who has the audacity to take Lawrence's daughter out on a date.
I found this film to be as fast paced and action packed as the first one but with one difference- more action.This has all of Bay's trademarks- colourful cinematography, spectacular car chases, orange filters, epic soundtrack and what I loved most about this film was the chemistry between Smith and Lawrence again.Why critics seemed to dislike I don't know but if there's one fault I could find with it is that it does go on for a long time (but not in the bad way in which Pearl Harbour lasted for nearly 4 dull hours).
I've never liked the original "Bad Boys" from 1995 despite its reputation as one of the "better" cop-buddy movies out there.
This time the guy hides his drugs in dead bodies and their mission is to take him down and provide enough evidence to incriminate him - so they use a romantic interest to be a mole in the drug lord's operation.Bay's direction is just as bad as before - but now thanks to a much bigger budget, a larger cast and crew and the advent of advanced digital technology, the explosions are bigger, the car chases are longer and more boring, the camera moves even more and never stops zooming and cutting away to other scenes, and so on and so forth.The movie isn't really that funny either.
Bad Boys is truly one of my favorite action films.
Bad Boys is one of the Best Cop Buddy movies I've seen.
He is ever so funny in this sequel to Hit movie Bad Boys.
It was a big, dumb action movie, but it was funny, exciting, and had fun characters played by Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Tea Leoni (who is wisely MIA from this turd of a sequel).
Now, 8 years later, for no other reason than to make a lot of money, the stars and director Michael Bay (who hasn't directed a single good movie since the original "Bad Boys") have conspired to unleash this atrocity on the public.
The p0rn video of action movies - no actual plot, JUST violence.This is as close as it's gotten so far.Bad Boys I was good!
PERFECT --- this film is funny from start to finish,mint car chases, and the women - brilliant action, the lot it is awesome just like the first one-- (the second is better though) there is just no room for improvements...
Oh, and if there's some schmaltz, like say Will Smith's cop looking at a goofy yearbook picture of himself when he was a NERD (and yes, it's shameful to be such a nerd in Bay's house of movie), or when the big twist occurs with Lawrence's cop's sister taken hostage, it can only last said two seconds before going on to the next idiotic joke, or the next retarded shot or cut-away, or, of course, such an action scene that will bleed your senses dry.
For all that Smith might try, he and Lawrence don't click in a way that is funny - unless if the kind of humor you enjoy is the rude and (ugly) sarcastic tone that Bay often carries being a 40-something frat boy - and many, many scenes meant to bring out guffaws left me dead cold.
I really don't understand how garbage like this gets past the Hollywood think tank, oops my bad I forgot there isn't one, not when movies like this are being churned out, I thought "ZAPPED" with Scott Baio was the worst film ever made but boy I wasn't counting on this.
Ok where do I begin, what was MICHAEL BAY thinking this movie was way overhyped, the plot was horrible and WILL SMITH and MARTIN LAWRENCE are overrated.
I Think the problem was that thers was more action than a plot, all I have to say is that this was a waste of time and money,i mean come on who is going to pull a gun on a 15 yr old kid .
Sure there was some slow-motion and a few explosions, but the movie really worked because Lawrence and Smith had great on-screen chemistry.
However bad the movie was, Bay certainly knows how to make an action sequence.The movie is about a drug lord smuggling lethal Ecstasy into the country and two renegade cops trying to stop him.
A lot of conventional scenes changed slightly to add the illusion of originality to a script that is a tired rehash of every action film to come out in the last 15 years, and unfortunately the only thing that's added is bad taste.
However, in this case, perhaps the II really stands for "twice as bad." This new film, which is indeed even longer, dopier and duller than the original, once again stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as two Miami P.D. undercover cops who spend most of their time kvetching at one another in between car chases and shootouts (and often during as well).
It's good that Smith and Lawrence really enjoyed themselves; somebody had to have something like a good time out of this waste of film and talent..
Trust me if you are enjoying the film, leave when it has it's first low key conclusion and don't let it get spoilt by this silly action man stuff.At over 2 hours the film is too generous and really could have done with a more vicious edit (some of the banter could have gone, along with that ending), and it does try to do too much at times, wandering away from the plot for some (albeit funny) side comedy scenes (the funniest being the duo confronting a boy who has come to take Marcus' daughter out on a date).
The long running time, disjointed plot and overblown nature all work against it but the cast, good action and some funny scenes all help make it worth seeing if not an altogether enriching experience..
hell yeah...bad boys II is a funny-ass movie w/ top-notch action sequences & comedic moments...
this movie is all about a good time, all-out action, and irreverent humour...Bad Boys II is tha s**t...
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as well as being brilliant action heroes, are also a brilliant comedy duo in the Bad Boys movies.
Michael Bay knows how to give his films visual punch, and has some cool ideas (like the endlessly circling camera in the shootout with the Haitians); on the other hand, the inside view of a corpse's brain is an image that does not belong in an action movie, even an R-rated one.
Lawrence and Smith still have chemistry, but on the whole "Bad Boys II" lacks the freshness of the first film.
With never ending cars chase, and fighting, and when you thought it is finish it goes on and on and on differences places just like Speed 1 and 2.Don't get me wrong, Bad Boys II is an action pack film and I do enjoy watching it.
This film could have been a lot better if it was an hour shorter.This movie was a total disaster, and I don´t mean the disaster Smith & Lawrence cause on screen.I will not even rate this one, it´s below rating..
After enjoying the first Bad Boys movie, I had pretty high hopes for this, but yet again another decent film is let down by a crappy sequel!...
What i liked about the original Bad Boys movie was the good action scenes, and the funny dialogue between Will Smith & Martin Lawrence. |
tt0086987 | Bolero | Set in the 1920s, Ayre "Mac" MacGillvary (Bo Derek) is a virginal 23-year-old young American who graduates from an exclusive British college. An orphan heiress to a vast fortune, Ayre is determined to find the right man for her first sexual encounter wherever he might be in the world. Rich enough not to venture forth alone, she brings along her best friend Catalina (Ana Obregon) and the family chauffeur Cotton (George Kennedy).
Ayre first travels to Morocco where she meets an ideal lover, an Arab sheik (Greg Benson) who offers to deflower her. He takes her away in his private airplane to an oasis in the desert, but during foreplay while rubbing her nude body with honey, he falls asleep almost immediately. Giving up on the sheik, Ayre goes on to Spain, where she meets the toreador Angel (Andrea Occhipinti), and sets out to seduce him. Into this group comes Paloma, (Olivia d'Abo), a 14-year-old local Gypsy girl whom Ayre and Catalina take under their wing. A minor subplot involves Catalina meeting and pursing Ayre's lawyer, Robert Stewart, a kilt-wearing Scotsman who Catalina chooses to deflower her.
After several days of courtship and flirting, Angel makes love to Ayre one morning and he manages to stay awake. Unfortunately, after she has succeeded in her quest to lose her virginity, Angel is gored while bullfighting the next day.
The injury leaves Angel unable to perform in the bedroom, and so Ayre makes it her mission in life to see to his recovery. Along the way, she takes up bullfighting herself as a way of getting her despondent lover motivated to stop moping. During this, the Arab sheik flies to Spain to abduct Ayre, but she manages to convince him that she has already lost her virginity and he lets her go.
Eventually, Ayre is successful in aiding Angel to full recovery which leads to a climatic lovemaking session between them. The film ends with Ayre and Angel getting married at a local church. | pornographic, cult | train | wikipedia | One thing to remember about "Bolero" is that the reason lots of people went to see it on its initial release was that the MPAA wanted to rate it "X".
As a result, there was a lot of fanfare around the release of "Bolero." A whole lot of people (okay, let's be completely honest--"a whole lot of men") flocked to the theaters because of this controversy, figuring, "Hey, if the MPAA wanted it to be 'X,' it must be pretty steamy stuff.
So here's our golden opportunity to see what those darn censors tried to protect us from."Having worked in a theater that exhibited "Bolero" on its first run in 1984, I can attest to the fact that, during most showings, at least a third of the audience walked out before the half-way mark.
(The scene is actually much funnier in context (unintentionally funny, that is), but I don't want to spoil the movie's only entertaining moment.)Well, the MPAA was right - it should have been rated X.
The camera even resorts to objectification a few times, showing people only from the neck to the hips--reducing people to body parts because the filmmakers want you to focus only on the sex and to forget about the characters and the plot, which is a basic staple of most mainstream pornography."Bolero" seemed to want to be a fable with the moral, "Sex with someone you love is infinitely better than casual sex." However, it tried to deliver this moral through soft-core porn that is mostly centered around casual sex, which strikes me as a conflict of interests."Bolero" wants to be pornography, but it also wants to be a morality play.
"Deep Throat" and "The Opening of Misty Beethoven" had better plots, better scripts and better acting, and, to all appearances, their creators communicated their intentions more successfully.Like Tanya Roberts' "Sheena," if "Bolero" had been a little worse than it is, it could have become a camp classic.
If you're looking for a well-scripted plot,believable characters, firm direction and seamless editing then Bolero is a strange film to see.
The lighting and camera work shows off Ms Derek's shape to best advantage although the end fantasy scene is spoilt by flashes of light.I've given a rating of 3 for Bolero simply because The Body lifts it above 1.
If you want to see Bo derek's body, watch this or Tarzan the Ape Man.
That WAS the most entertaining parts of this film.I did sit through almost to the end the movie with my friends (which made the entire experience worth while) and we decided to go to the box-office to get our money back.Too late.
Bolero is so bad that it easily ranks as one of the worst movies ever made.
I really don't think you will like this unless you are a fan of Bo Derek, or someone else in the movie.
I mean, other than the fact that Bo Derek is a total airhead that can't even act, and ain't very pretty either, the plot is so weak!I mean, she is supposed to play a 18 year old I guess, but she looks about 30!
If watching flaky Bo Derek in a bad soft-core porno is your thing, then hey, go for it!But this is just my opinion!
Nothing I have seen in 30+ years of movie going compares with "Bolero." Basically, John Derek put his wife into an adolescent, pornographic fantasy and not coincidentally ruined her career in the process.
I saw this movie because I figured, hey, Bo Derek running around nude for 90 minutes or so...
Even if the plot sucked, still, Bo Derek nude.I was wrong.The problem is that the movie is so bad that you can't even lust after her.
Who would have ever thought that Derek's version of Tarzan could ever look like a classic in comparison to any other film?.
Ladies, the first person you DON'T want directing your movies is your husband; they're too biased.Just Ask Cleo Moore about Hugo Haas sometime."Bolero" is NOT the kind of movie you watch for plot, character development and cohesion.
What can I say; I'm a sucker for a belly dancer when they look like her.Everything else is strictly amateur hour as far as acting, photography, production goes.One star (yes, for the belly-dancing thing).
Surely if you watch a movie produced by Golan and Globus (and Bo Derek!), directed and photographed by John Derek and starring Bo Derek, you know what to expect.
Bo Derek's acting isn't anywhere near as bad as some people here would have us believe -- certainly way better than that of Ana Obregon and Greg Bensen.
Let's face it, though: John Derek didn't cast his wife in this movie for her acting ability, or for her resemblance to a teenage virgin -- neither Mrs Derek nor Ms Obregon were even remotely believable in that respect, but that is irrelevant.Bo Derek succeeded admirably in doing what was required of her in "Bolero" -- providing us with something good to look at.
Even without all of the great humour (some of which may have been, as some critics suggest, unintentional), the beautiful scenes of Mrs Derek are enough to merit at least 5 stars out of ten.What makes it worth all 10 stars, for me, is not Bo Derek, lovely as she may be, but the wonderful Olivia d'Abo. Her portrayal of the young Spanish gypsy, Paloma, is incredibly funny, intriguing and gorgeous at the same time.
Why on Earth John Derek wanted his wife writhing around naked in this movie is beyond me.
That's the only conceivable reason for watching this movie, to see the lovely Bo Derek naked.
The plot is obviously missing but i can understand the movie making some money simply of the sex scenes.
As American film's girl of the moment in the late 1970s and early 80s, Derek won adoration from millions of men, but also was the target of jokes about cute blonds who can't act.
Movie companies were ready to profit from her looks but in no hurry to suggest drama classes, so things were headed for eventual disaster.'Bolero' was Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus's attempt to cash in on the Bo Derek legend, a film written and directed by John Derek with Bo serving as producer.
You'd think any guy making a film for his wife would be kind enough to write a storyline.Bo plays Ayre McGillvary, a virginal (!) heiress who graduates from her elite ladies' school in 1920s Britain; whether she is graduating from high school or college, it is never made clear.
She drags her best friend Catalina (Ana Obregón) and chauffeur Cotton (George Kennedy) to Morocco, hooks up with an enrobed young man who turns out to be an Oxford student, and watches him fall asleep on the verge of making love.The trio truck to Spain and Ayre meets a bullfighter, Angel (Andrea Occhipinti); they share a love of wine and horses.
The supporting roles are equally as bad; George Kennedy won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1967 ('Cool Hand Luke') and it looks as if he's just trying to stay in the movie business.Probably the biggest FAQ about this film is why John Derek put his wife in so many erotic situations with two other men.
The Dereks' nadir is this gloriously misconceived, stultifyingly boring (and meaninglessly-titled) erotic adventure a multiple Razzie award winner and justly considered one of the worst films of all time!
Bo's naivete in sexual matters at least demonstrates a consistency within her husband's work as a director: in all three films I've watched by him (and featuring her) the others being FANTASIES (1981; see above) and TARZAN, THE APE MAN (1981) she's supposedly a virgin!
Bo's a spoilt rich girl (her first impulse after graduating is to strip naked on the university campus!) who wants to give herself to a man in a big way infatuated with Rudolph Valentino, she travels to the desert in search of a sheik; when this doesn't work (under the influence of opium, he goes to sleep on her!), she sets her sights on toreador Andrea Occhipinti.
Accompanying her in her sexual odyssey is beefy chauffeur George Kennedy (who looks properly embarrassed throughout) and her best friend, Ana Obregon the latter yearns for a similar whirlwind romance but keeps any serious attachment at bay
that is, until Derek's kilt-wearing solicitor comes into her life!
Eventually, Occhipinti is gored in the arena and Bo determines to render him back his manhood, first by practicing bullfighting herself(?!) and then through more obvious means (leading to a stylized finale at the accomplishment of the miracle).The sex scenes are fairly explicit including one in which the sheik licks a mixture of milk and honey off of Derek's throbbing bare chest!; even so, the most unintentionally comical bits involve the characters' predilection for showing their approval of something by giving it the thumbs up and, especially, Obregon stumbling in one scene an accident the director perhaps thought of leaving in for the sake of spontaneity
which, therefore, likens him not merely to Ed Wood (see my comments on FANTASIES) but Jess Franco as well!.
We'll leave aside the kiddie porn moment of 14-year-old Olivia D'Abo in multiple nude scenes.With a different lead, with a director less hellbent on making his wife A!
To begin with it should be said that this movie is not THAT bad, it has qualities; personally I think peoples need to watch it in order to make themselves an idea...
Maybe in the 80s in a time where pornography was uncommon this picture and the basic story behind it would have been considered hard but today we see beautiful bodies and eroticism everywhere on TV in prime-time, this movie had no chances of surviving the years...
In my opinion the problem is not actress Bo Derek but the little flaws present here and there; at the end there's so many that it makes the movies hard to follow and we tend to not take it seriously...
Overall it look like a film made by an amateur; the heart is there but it really lack professionalism everywhere except the acting by Bo Derek....
The justification for making this movie, I'm convinced, was John Derek's need to show off just how hot the woman he came home to was, while cashing in on her international fame.
One of many movies written and directed by John Derek where he just used his young (30 years his junior) wife, Bo Derek, as eye candy.
This is what the feature wants to be, but however its becomes a laughably nonsensical romance story of sexual awakening that simply likes to focus on Derek's naïve character (in more than one way) in her quest to lose her virginity by travelling around the world in the 1920s.
One good thing came out of watching Bolero...this really stupid joke:"What's the difference between Bo Derek and a snail?""Nothing, except a snail goes crunch when you step on it."What can I say, my brain was jello at the time..
Another 10 for Bo. Bo does another excellent job with Bolero.This movie is sexually charged and keeps a good pace.The spoofs on losings one's virginity are great as is the the last seen of "extasy".Bo pulls this one off with her usual comedic charm.Funny when she needs to be and sexy the whole way through.George Kennedy keeps the comedic level at a 10 playing Bo's chauffeur and confidant.Watching Bo go from school to loosing her virginity in this delightful romantic comedy was wonderful.Bo again shows the world why she's the perfect 10.Both the acting and locations in this film are superb.If you want to see another Bo 10 get Bolero..
"Bolero" and other Bo Derek movies exist for one reason: to see her naked body.In the 1930s and '40s, you watched movies to see Marx Brothers, Three Stooges, Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, etc.
The plots were pointless, silly, escapism.In the 1980s, we had Bo Derek in a movie for one basic purpose: to see how soon, how much, and how often she would expose her body.
The acting was terrible, the script was even worse, the purported hot sex scenes were pretty mild and, basically, Derek can't act!
The only reason no one would actually go this far is because of Derek and her beautiful, often naked body.
The one thing this film has going for it is that a couple of the sex scenes are highly erotic.
Circa 1920s, A recent beautiful-mega rich school graduate, Lida "Mac" MacGillivery (Derek) and her irritating BFF Catalina (Ana Obregón) spontaneously decide to travel overseas to lose their virginities, Mac has her standards and wants it to be perfect and we follow their pathetic story of love, sex, friendship and frustration.
Throughout this movie, viewers are treated to her getting nude every 15 minutes (flawless body) and getting screwed a by her Spanish man Angel (Andrea Occhipinti), we also get to watch Lida ride horses (once nude) and participate in bullfighting.
The locations are impressive, the score fits, and the sex scenes are weird but erotic at the same time.Bo Derek has a love for animals, particularly horses, and purposely incorporated them into this film, her love for the creatures really show throughout which I appreciated.Now I'm looking for Ghosts Can't Do It, apparently an even worse film, last night went through the old video tapes at my local video store to no avail..
You certainly get entertained.I think the issue of rating prior to its release was the main factor for all these reviews as majority of the audiences saw this film with predetermined expectations.
The plot of this movie mainly centres around Bo Derek trying to lose her virginity, first in Morocco and then Spain where she pursues a matador who has an affinity for 14 year old gypsies.
"Bolero" is one that is so romantic, you and your spouse (or partner) will deeply fall in love with this movie (as well as each other).
John Derek directs his beautiful wife Bo. Bo Derek and her friend, 'Catalina' (Ana Obregon) have just graduated and now they want to lose their virginity - preferably to a sheik - but they'll settle for a bullfighter and a Scotsman, respectively.The two pretty girls go to Spain to satisfy their goal accompanied by Bo's chauffeur 'Cotton' (George Kennedy).
Bo tries to corral her bullfighter (Andrea Occhipinti) while fending off a jealous woman and a wild bull as Catalina is romanced by her handsome Scotsman (Ian Cochrane).Bo produced this passionately sexy film and her husband John Derek's direction is erotically beautiful..
And, for people wanting a real film with a real plot, it's a disaster as well since it is dumb and vacuous.Mrs. Derek's character is an idiot.
I loved how the film screamed "hackneyed mess" when she arrives and you hear "As Time Goes By" (the theme from "Casablanca")--it made me laugh.When her romantic tryst with a sheik turns out to be a complete bust (with her virginity still intact), she heads to Spain to find a willing piece of beefcake.
And, of course, while he's been told he'll never be able to have sex again, by the very end of the film the magical power of Mrs. Derek is able to somehow restore his manhood--though, in the interim there were a few silly surprises (such as the return of the impotent sheik and the hot but unintentionally funny final nude scene).So what is to like about the film?
While Mrs. John Derek's acting ability when it comes to sex scenes is admirable, her ability to convincingly recite her lines is pathetic and totally unbelievable.
Having his gorgeous wife star in this and several other sex films (like "Tarzan the Ape man") just seems disturbing--hence my referring to her as "Mrs. Derek".
Of course the controversy over the explicit sex scenes and the movie being released with an unofficial X rating, attracted a somewhat inappropriate audience.
The story plays like a trashy erotic romance novel, and some people love this kind of fantasy.
Unfortunately those people, who might have enjoyed the film, would not have been caught dead going to see a "dirty movie", which was how Bolero was advertised.
Being reminded of "Casablanca" while watching a film like "Bolero" is truly hilarious.
One of the dullest things I have ever seen - it has haunted me for years.The story such as it is, has Bo looking for sexual ecstasy with she insists is spelled with an X - at the end of movie as she and the Bolero of the title are making whoopie - the room begins to fill up with steam - and then they are making love on a cloud, where behind them is (I am not making this up) a neon sign spelling out the word ecstasy flashing on and off.
You might like this movie if you are a fan of Bo Derek and if you put your brain to sleep with alcohol or something.It has no plot to speak of and Bo scarcely loses any opportunity to show off her beautiful body.
Frankly, that is the only thing worth watching in this movie(although the love-making scene was a bit too long and boring).
It's the story of two young women searching for the perfect man to give their virginity to which means there is a lot of full on nudity and sex.
Nudity and soft-core porn can be a bit of a trial when it comes to a movie like 'Bolero'.
One watches a movie like this for the same reason they saw 'Showgirls'.
Even Bo Peepers have trouble slogging through this vapid monstrosity in which Bo Derek takes off her clothes and wanders through one lame sex scene after another but the scenes that come in between are like watching grass grow.Bo plays Lida a woman discovering her sexual awakening. |
tt0099387 | The Death of the Incredible Hulk | David Banner (Bill Bixby) masquerades as David Bellamy, a mentally challenged janitor, to gain access to a scientific research facility in Portland, Oregon. He believes that the studies of one of the scientists there, Dr. Ronald Pratt (Philip Sterling), may hold the key to curing his gamma-induced condition that, in times of stress, turns him into a superhuman green creature known as the Hulk. Pratt takes a liking to the man he sees only as a building custodian.
One night after making a transaction at the bank, David is trapped by street thieves and is beaten and robbed. The stress of his injuries induces another transformation. The Hulk makes short work of the criminals but attracts the attention of authorities before escaping.
The next day, bypassing security, Banner enters Pratt's laboratory and examines the formula on his blackboard, making corrections and filling in gaps. At the same time, a beautiful Russian spy named Jasmin (Elizabeth Gracen), thinking she has completed her last act of espionage, is approached again by former superior Kasha for one last job: infiltrate Pratt's lab and steal the files on his experiments. When she refuses, Kasha blackmails Jasmin with her sister Bella's life. Jasmin then disguises herself as a club hopper and gets a fingerprint from one of the security guards.
The following morning, Pratt examines the formula on his blackboard and discovers that it is now correct. Determined to find out who is guiding him, he hides out in the lab in wait for his would-be mentor. This time he catches David in the act and asks him to tell him something that would keep him from sounding the security alarm. Banner reveals his true identity and goes over the events that led to his self-experimentation that resulted in the Hulk. He notes that his condition also dives into Pratt's own research on a human's capacity to heal, for in Hulk-form David's accelerated metabolism allows any wound to close in seconds, leaving him with hardly a scar. Pratt believes he can cure David, but he needs to first study the creature. Over the course of a week, both scientists, with the help of Pratt's scientist wife, Amy (Barbara Tarbuck), construct a force field cage and sensors to track Banner's vitals. On the night of the observation, David is rigged with a tranquilizer to sedate him once the readings have been recorded. Banner shocks himself with an electrical rod and Hulks-out. The energy cage holds the creature back until Pratt has his readings and Amy activates the tranquilizer. Banner reverts to normal and Pratt and Amy photograph the closing puncture wound from the tranquilizer. Banner later watches the video of his transformation – claiming it is the first time he has seen the Hulk – and fails to see any humanity in him despite Amy's beliefs.
The next day, the facility's board announces to Pratt that they are pulling his funding for his lack of results, which forces him to move up his proposed cure for David. An eastern European spy network dedicated to using Pratt's (and Banner's) work for corrupt purposes breaks into the lab, halting the experiment and kidnapping Pratt and Amy. Banner has fallen in love with Jasmin, who returns his affections, and with her help, he helps the Pratts. While pursuing the kidnappers, Banner and Jasmin learn that her sister, Bella (Anna Katarina), is the true leader of the spy network, and Banner turns into the Hulk, who tries to protect Pratt and Jasmin. The Hulk runs towards the plane, on which Bella and Zed are attempting to escape, and breaks it open. He climbs aboard before it can take off and enters. Bella tries to shoot the Hulk but he directs the firing below the plane, hitting the gas tank. This causes the plane to explode and the Hulk is thrown into the night, falling onto the concrete. After one last return transformation, Banner dies, telling Jasmin he is free. The film ends with Jasmin, Pratt and Amy mourning for Banner's death. | violence, romantic | train | wikipedia | The Incredible Hulk was my favorite series growing up and when they started doing these movies I was thrilled.
I've watched every Hulk film they did including this and I didn't like the way they ended it.
It's a very sad film to watch not just because it's the end of an era, but also because Bill Bixby is no longer with us.
I recently purchased all of the TV movies on DVD and they were suppose to do another Hulk film after this one, but after Bill's death this became impossible.
I can still remember watching this post-series HULK TV-movie the first time it was shown (February 18, 1990).
However, since many believed that this was the end of the TV saga for our green hero, they must have been surprised that his nemesis, newspaper reporter Jack McGee, was nowhere to be seen.
So when Bixby died, plans for another HULK TV-movie went with him.
:(Sadly, the Hulk's death also ended up meaning the death of David Banner, whose final words were: "I am free." To David Banner and the Hulk: may you both rest in peace..
For all the phony fx and Ferrigno's campy though lovable Hulkisms, this film is everything that Lee's pathetic re-hash wasn't!Bixby as David Banner had such pathos and dignity.
Being older than most reviewers here, I remember fondly the late Bill Bixby in "My Favorite Martian" (another TV series unwisely and embarrassingly updated for the big screen....think "The Flintstones," "Mission Impossible," "Wild Wild West," "I Spy," etc - all complete and utter dead losses) But as I was saying, Bixby was an utter gentleman, and in this film he gives us the tortured scientist who carries this unwanted creature of destruction within him.
The Hulk had been such a huge part of his life, those two words "I'm free" might be seen as pretty much his epitaph.If you laugh at this film, you should never have been watching it!.
When he finally develops one,a spy destroys the lab.Now Hulk will have to destroy the spy's evil boss,and rescue the doctor who can cure him.But will he die doing this task?
Its only flaw is the lack of Jack Colvin ("Mr. McGee") as the third major character in the Hulk series.About the story...
The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990) was not only the last appearance of the Incredible Hulk, but the final role for David Bruce Banner.
The watch THE DEATH OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK.Bill Bixby directed this made-for-t.v.-movie.
Even though Mr. Bixby has passed on, he'll always be remembered for his role as David B_ _ _!Recommended for die-hard Incredible Hulk fans..
Being just 18 I wasn't even born when The Incredible Hulk was being aired first time round...and living in England we get to see things a lot later that America.The Incredible Hulk was one of the few 'adult' Tv shows that I would sit, watch and enjoy from around 4 years old.Despite his size and rather odd colouring I found him rather charming with a vulnerability that made him rather cute...Bill Bixby played Banner wonderfully...I had no idea he was dead until I read his bio...it's really quite sadI will always associate him with The Hulk...I don't have a favourite episode as they were all brilliant...I cried when he diedI am glad that they didn't bring him back from the dead...Some say that the death of the Hulk bought about the death of Bixby...but I believe that maybe it was meant to be...that way the actor and character who he made truly real both went together...both finding the freedom that they had both deserved..
It's a shame this was Bixby's final movie to "The Incredible Hulk" series.
THE DEATH OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK was the final instalment of the Bill Bixby-starring TV show and later movie series chronicling the adventures of the green giant.
As such it's a bittersweet viewing experience, especially when knowing that Bixby himself would die of prostate cancer only a couple of years after making this, what was to be his swansong in the role.The plot is a straightforward adventure that pits the Hulk and a newfound love interest for David Banner against a group of nefarious spies for whom industrial sabotage, kidnapping, and murder are the order of the day.
Of course, all this had to happen just when it seemed that Banner would finally rid himself of the Hulk curse, but then if everything had gone right it wouldn't have made for a very dramatic story.This TV movie lacks the presence of the other superhero characters from the last two movies (Thor in THE INCREDIBLE HULK RETURNS and Daredevil in THE TRIAL OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK) but nevertheless proves to be a fun watch, thanks to plenty of Hulk-out action from the reliable Lou Ferrigno and a surprisingly decent turn from a thoughtful Bixby.
The final Hulk movie with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno.
RELEASED TO TV IN 1990 and directed by Bill Bixby, "The Death of the Incredible Hulk" is the third of three movies in the wake of the TV series that ran from 1977-82.PLOT AND MAIN CAST: Masquerading as a mentally challenged custodian, David Banner (Bill Bixby) gains access to an Oregon research facility believing that the studies of one of the scientists there, Dr. Pratt (Philip Sterling), may hold the key to curing his gamma-induced curse.
Barbara Tarbuck is on hand as Pratt's wife while Andreas Katsulas plays a Russian heavy.This wasn't supposed to be the last Hulk movie with Bixby and Ferrigno.
Regrettably, these plans were scrapped supposedly due to Bixby's diminishing health and unfortunate death in 1993 from prostate cancer while others claim that it was due to the disappointing ratings for this movie.What I like about these Bixby/Ferrigno Hulk movies (and the series in general) is their serious, melancholic tone.
You won't find any eye-rolling campiness, like in the 60's Batman series; the inclusion of Thor in "The Incredible Hulk Returns" (1988) is the closest it comes to that (which, by the way, is the most entertaining of the Bixby/Ferrigno Hulk movies).
I like the way Bixby shot for moving artistry with the final sequence in this movie and was partially successful.THE FILM RUNS 95 minutes and was shot in the Vancouver, B.C., area.
With a title like "The Death Of The Incredible Hulk", you must believe that this is the end of David Banner's/Hulk's story, right?
No secret that Bill Bixby died three years later from cancer, a tragic loss of a fine actor who left such an indelible impression on fans for his brilliant performances as Doctor David Banner, on the run for 12 years, but now has a real cure in his sights.Unfortunately, international spies want the cure as well, and David must defeat them in order to finally bring his long journey to an end.I don't want to reveal the ending, only that it did choke me up, since the last line spoken is so moving, and so well directed by Bill Bixby, that it pains me to pan the film overall, since the plot is uninspired and confused.
Not to mention the absence of Jack Colvin as Mr. McGee was a real shame; fans deserved closure with this character, but didn't get it, nor was series creator Kenneth Johnson involved, and though this film is a big step-up from Thor & Daredevil misfires, there was still the undeniable soul of the series missing.But that end is powerful indeed...Goodbye David; not the way I wanted to see closure to your story, but it's the best we'll ever get.
Unfortunately, it's a disappointing finale to the story of David Banner for two reasons.
Lou Ferrigno and the late Bill Bixby both were exceptional in the final Hulk T.V. movie.
I was surprised to find out years later from Lou Ferrigno, that there was supposed to be a fourth Hulk T.V. movie called Revenge Of The Incredible Hulk.
I consider it sad, the fact that Bill Bixby died three years later.
The story was very simple and the way it was presented was rather boring.Finally David Banner reveals himself towards Dr. Ronald Pratt.
I found it a very boring flick but who am i to say that because the production was ready to film 'the rebirth' and 'revenge' of the incredible hulk but Bill died before it could be made.
When Pratt discovers who Banner is, he tries to help him by bringing the cure closer however an attack on the lab by a Russian espionage group ruin everything, freeing the Hulk and critically injuring Pratt.
With Banner and the Hulk as suspects in this crime, David is forced onto the run yet again.Having been quite unimpressed by a previous Hulk movie I was quite glad that this appeared to be going for a darker tone, but really it all still ends up with the Hulk running through walls while banner mopes around the place generally feeling pretty bad about his lot in life.
Fast forward twenty odd years and i get onto a website about the hulk and start to get interested.I first bought the pilot movie and this movie the death of the incredible hulk.I also have the ultimate collection.The story of David banner is so sad and when watching any episode you want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be alright(the part is played so very well by the lovely late bill bixby)sad to say in this the last installment as it turned out(due to bixby's untimely death)all does not end well and i cried my eyes out as he fell out of the plane crashed to the ground and finally says 'i am free'Before he dies.a lovely series and a wonderful film thanks for the memories.See this film do not miss it.though i too would liked to have seen jack mcgee in it..
Once again David Banner is on the brink of finding a cure but fate rears it's ugly head and thrash his chances of becoming normal again.A good conclusion to the Bixby/Ferrigno Hulk saga.
This is a well written and acted finale which brings the story to an end, and while it's sad it's not disappointing.
No such mistake made here as David's quest finally comes to an end.As always Bixby is magnificent and Ferrigno as well.
The Incredible Hulk not only gets to have an ending but fortunately it's a good one as well..
I was old enough to be a fan of the original television series of 'The Incredible Hulk', though it seems a distant memory.
stick mostly in my mind.This is the third and final TV movie following on from the TV series.
Gone are the usual opening titles and the first scenes see Bill Bixby's Dr David Banner (Bellamy) apparently a cleaner with a submissive perhaps with learning difficulties.
It is a simple good versus evil tale.The tone is quite different from most Hulk work and Bixby, looking tired plays it to perfection.
In fact, the scene where Banner see a video recording of The Hulk for the first time is moving.
During the film Banner comes close to getting the cure he so desires.The final scenes of the film are actually very moving.
(I have never seen the two new Hulk films, to me The Hulk is Bixby and Ferrigno and always will be).
Either way, it was moving yet sad as Banner never got a chance to live without this demon.One omission is that of Mr McGee. How poignant and touching would it have been to have him at The Hulk's death.
Perhaps seeing for the first time what this creature had made Banner into and how it affected his life perhaps would have been a good resolution.As a footnote, this wasn't meant to be the last film!
The storyline would have seen The Hulk revived with Dr David Banner's mind.
But due to Bixby's sad passing just three years later it never came to be.
When I saw the title of this movie, I thought that they would have found a way to rid David Banner of the Hulk once and for all, but I didn't figure on him dying himself at the end.
What was really sad was that Bill Bixby himself died shortly after he made this movie.
THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS :In February 1990, I was in my senior year of high school and was once again excited about a third Incredible Hulk reunion movie, but like Lou Ferrigno said in his book "My Incredible Life as the Hulk", I didn't like the title.
Like I said, this was Back to Basics.The late great Bill Bixby was my idol, hero, role model, whatever term you want to use and he truly gave us a wonderful but disappointing reunion movie.
Lou Ferrigno also gave an unforgettable performance as the Hulk, even though this would be the last time he would literally get greened up for the role physically.
As Lou Ferrigno said in his book, This movie was Bill Bixby's baby, more than any of the others.
That scene completely took me by surprise.Finally, I felt the same way many Hulkaholics like myself feel regarding the ending.
And now in this final movie, The Hulk dies, but that also means David Banner dies.
This movie is truly sad to watch now knowing that Bill Bixby would die three years later and that plans to do the Revenge of the Incredible Hulk would never be.
My idea would be for him to discover who John Doe is at the end and when Banner dies, Jack McGee finally loses his mind and probably winds up having to be placed in a mental institution after losing his story of the century forever.But still the Death of the Incredible Hulk is a good way of going out with a blaze of glory, even though I would have preferred David Banner getting cured and marrying Jasmine.
I was a little guy when I was younger and was picked on alot, so the Hulk episodes and later films let me fantasy at times I could change into a big creature and protect myself.Anyway I think this was a good final chapter to the Original Hulk and a new one will begin next Summer with the 2003 big budget outing.
We felt we were robbed of a proper ending when the series prematurely ended, now we have the proper ending and i don't have to tell you what this ending could be as you only have to read the title of it and it wont be the ending a lot of fans wanted.This is the best of the trilogy of Hulk movies since the series ended, a lot say why wasn't Jack McGee in this, the final Hulk movie?
It seems this wasn't meant to be the final Hulk movie.There was talk of yet another Marvel character appearing in this movie, none other that Iron Man but it never happened.
but the Iron Man story was rumored to still go ahead in a later Hulk movie.Whats really sad is with all the plans to keep this great Hulk movie series going ended with the very sad and untimely death of Bill Bixby.
I would love to have seen what wonderful ideas they had planned and would have loved to have known what Bill would have thought about the new Hulk and Marvel movies.
I am a Hulk fan and love the series and all the movies old and new and so glad that Lou was involved in the new ones too.I have to say that this movie has some great scenes, great action and a much darker feel to it with some great characters ad a new love interest for David (Jasmine).
I'm not going to give away much of what happens but it all eventually heads towards what the title says but as they had plans for more Hulk movies it just can't be the death of the Incredible Hulk....can it??...noooo you cannot kill him off he's my hero lol.
Death of the Incredible Hulk was the final Hulk movie.
Firstly, it was good because it had all the usual things one expects from a Hulk show-action, intrigue and plenty of destruction.It's also an extremely sad movie.
I had watched the Hulk series from beginning to end and to be honest it was a little bit too emotional watching the Hulk/Banner die.
The late Bill Bixby did a great job throughout the series conveying Banner's emotions to us.
I suppose death was a cure for Banner but it was still one of the saddest scenes ever in a movie.I only have one complaint with the film and I notice it is a complaint brought up by others who have reviewed this movie.
It was bad enough that Trial of the Incredible Hulk had omitted McGee but not having an integral character like McGee in the final film was quite bad.
The movie could have ended with McGee feeling remorse and apologizing to Banner before he passed away.That may sound over the top but any fan of the Hulk will probably tell you that this final movie should have included McGee.All in all, it wasn't a bad film.
And that morning someone told me at school that The Hulk had died at the movie's end.
You'd think after all these years David Banner would be cured of his green, smashing alter-ego.
And once again, this movie, like 1989's "Trial Of The Incredible Hulk", had no sign of nosy tabloid reporter Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) anywhere to be found.
Also, it was quite disturbing early on to see David Banner acting like "Rain Man" in this movie.
It was reported that Bill Bixby was going to a 4th Hulk movie titled "Revenge Of The Incredible Hulk".
But sadly, Bixby died before anything came to be for "Revenge Of The Hulk". |
tt0068611 | Frenzy | In London, a serial killer is raping women and strangling them with neckties. Most of the film takes place in Covent Garden, which at the time was still the location of the city's wholesale fruit and vegetable market. Fairly early in the film, the audience sees that fruit merchant Robert Rusk (Barry Foster) is in fact the murderer. However, circumstantial evidence has already built up around his friend Richard Blaney (Jon Finch).
Blaney's ex-wife, Brenda (Barbara Leigh-Hunt), runs a matchmaking service that Rusk used until he was blacklisted for beating up his dates. One day, Rusk shows up at her office and tries to seduce her; when she spurns his advances, he rapes and strangles her in a fit of rage. Suspicion falls on Blaney, who is previously seen threatening his ex-wife in public, as well as being seen leaving her building shortly after her murder. The subsequent murder of Blaney's girlfriend, Barbara "Babs" Milligan (Anna Massey), occurs off-screen: the audience sees her entering Rusk's apartment with him, but the camera then pulls back down the stairs all the way out to the other side of the street.
The audience next sees Rusk at night carrying a large sack and lifting it into the back of a lorry among sacks of unsold potatoes bound for Lincolnshire. Rusk soon finds that his distinctive jeweled tie pin (with the initial R) is missing, and realises that Babs must have torn it off as he was murdering her. He climbs into the back of the lorry, but it starts off on its journey north. The killer desperately scrabbles through the sack of potatoes to find the dead woman's hand. Rigor mortis has set in, and he has to break her fingers in order to prise the pin from her grasp.
Owing to fake evidence set up by Rusk, Blaney is gaoled while protesting his innocence. Chief Inspector Oxford (Alec McCowen), the detective investigating the murders, reconsiders the previous events and begins to believe that he has arrested the wrong man. He discusses the case with his wife (Vivien Merchant) in several scenes of comic relief concerning her pretensions as a gourmet cook.
With the help of his fellow inmates, Blaney escapes from prison. Oxford knows he will head to Rusk's flat for revenge, and immediately goes there. Blaney arrives first, to find that the door to the flat is unlocked. He creeps in and sees what appears to be Rusk asleep in bed, and strikes the body three times with a tyre iron. However, the body is in fact the corpse of another of Rusk's female victims, strangled by a necktie.
Oxford bursts through the door. Blaney is still standing by the corpse holding the tyre iron, and begins to protest his innocence, but then they both hear something or someone banging heavily coming up the staircase. The two men wait in the flat and witness Rusk dragging a large trunk inside to cart away the body, only to come face to face with two determined witnesses. The film ends with Oxford's urbane but pointed comment, "Mr. Rusk, you're not wearing your tie." Rusk drops the trunk in defeat. | murder, cult, revenge, horror, flashback, suspenseful, sadist | train | wikipedia | After 30 years in the USA and after the disappointments of "Torn Curtain" (1966) and "Topaz" (1969), Alfred Hitchcock came back to his native Britain for this film -written by Anthony Shaffer from a novel by Arthur La Bern."Frenzy" is his penultimate movie, certainly the best one of his last period.
Furthermore, he wants this time more ordinary faces for making the story more shocking (with famous actors in the main roles, the plot -in a certain way- could be identified mostly with them and loose strength, instead Hitchcock avoids that "paradox"...).Maybe "Frenzy" is not an unforgettable masterpiece like "Psycho", "Vertigo", "Birds" or many other works.
Hitchcock had been in a bit of an artistic slump when, after some thirty years, he returned to England for this, his next to last film--and the result was his final masterpiece.Scripted with ghoulish humor by Anthony Schaffer, FRENZY opens with a ceremony on the banks of the Thames in which Londoners inaugurate legislation to rid the river of pollutants...
Leading man Jon Finch (Richard Blaney) is perfectly cast as the attractive but disreputable suspect on the run, and he is equaled by his chum Barry Foster (Robert Rusk.) A special mention must also be made of the two female leads, Anna Massey and Barbara Leigh-Hunt--not to mention the host of supporting characters who bring the entire panorama of the great city to life.In his earlier films, Hitchcock generally preferred to work by inference, implying danger and violence rather than openly showing it on the screen.
PSYCHO broke the mold, and with FRENZY Hitchcock presents a sequence that many believe equals the notorious "shower scene:" a horrific rape and slow strangulation that leaves the viewer simply stunned.
as we shudder with the knowledge that the woman who just entered that apartment door is now being horrifically raped and murdered.Hitchcock made one more film, a comic wink with twists of suspense starring Karen Black, Bruce Dern, and Barbara Harris called FAMILY PLOT--and it is an enjoyable film in its own right.
The suspense and tension is extreme at points of the movie, and Hitchcock (once again) proves his perfect understanding of the film-making elements and his ability to put them to good use.
Since The Birds in 1963 Hitchcock's movies (Marnie, Torn Curtain and Topaz) had not met with commercial success (though, personally, I think Marnie was great).Frenzy sees Hitchcock back to doing what he does best - suspenseful murder dramas.
Also tells you what Hitchcock could have done with is movies if all the stupid, puritanical censorship wasn't there all along.Not as tightly wound as his greats (Rear Window and Psycho especially), so not perfect as far as suspense and enthrallment goes.Good performance by Jon Finch in the lead role.
Now came Barry Foster's suave, cheery -- and quite insane -- Covent Garden greengrocer Bob Rusk as Hitchcock's fourth great psychopath, and his most graphically violent.Hitchcock created in "Frenzy" both a return to old times (London, "the wrong man") and a nod towards new times with "Frenzy." That's why it worked in 1972, and yet seems ugly and gritty today.
But the rape-murder of "Frenzy" is perhaps the most meaningful: heartbreaking and not titallating at all; a horrific look at what real psychopaths do to their real victims in real life.There's plenty of British humor and plenty of Hitchcock style to leaven the single horrific (on screen) sex murder of "Frenzy." (Try the staircase scene, the potato truck scene, the Scotland Yard man's dinner scenes, and the line "You're my type of woman" as examples.) It is indeed a fine Hitchcock film -- if not quite a "great" -- and fits its particular brutal film era live a glove..
It's arguably the most meaningful, disturbing, economic tracking shot ever performed, and shows Hitchcock can genuinely chill without flamboyant rape and asphyxiation scenes.Frenzy is by no means top tier Hitchcock, but it does contain enough flashes of brilliance to put it close and justify its position as 'the last great Hitchcock film'..
There's a serial killer murdering and raping women in London using a necktie.Richard Ian Blaney (Ian Finch) becomes the main suspect of the horrible deeds after his ex-wife, Brenda (Barbara Leigh-Hunt) is killed.He's not the man behind them but he wants to find out who is.So he escapes from jail.In Frenzy (1972) Alfred Hitchcock goes back to England.In this movie he has a macabre style, having some awfully brutal scenes.You can't, in any case, call this movie entertaining.In some scenes it's pretty hard to watch.But I don't mean it's bad, not at all.It's a very interesting movie that glues to your seats till the ending credits.The actors are brilliant.I couldn't imagine anybody better than Jon Finch for the lead playing the every man Ian Blaney.Alec McGowen makes a great Chief Inspector Oxford.Barry Foster is most excellent as Robert Rusk.Then there are the ladies Billie Whitelaw (Hetty Porter), Anna Massey (Babs Milligan) and Barbara Leigh-Hunt (Brenda Margaret Blaney).They're all amazing.During the summer channel 2 was showing some of the masterpieces of Alfred Hitchcock on Saturday evenings.Those classic movies made my summer a little bit better.In the second last movie of Hitch he didn't fail.He may have been older but that didn't make him less competent.There has been and there never will be anyone quite like him..
There is not, for him, gratuitous use of blood and outlandish violence, what that observer failed to realise is that to be raped and murdered IS disgusting, and this is Hitch showing that many "horror" films are not horrific; this is.He clearly loved to be back in London, and this film has London as an important character, whilst a stylised mix of the London he remembered as a child and early 1970's London, it is never a caricature.In short, a wholly enjoyable suspense/horror, with some lovely light touches (I particularly enjoyed the long silence of the Sergeant watching his boss enjoying breakfast), some great performances, and a fine dramatic ending..
He is far from the Cary Grant-type of leading man Hitchcock was known for having in the past.Best scene has the killer searching desperately for his tie-pin in the back of a truck barreling down the highway hauling potatoes, and having to wrench his most recent victim's stiffened fingers open to retrieve it, and then still having to get away unnoticed from the truck.The violence is balanced with enough humour, particularly involving Chief Inspector Oxford, and his wife, who insists on feeding him the most grotesque looking meals imaginable.Oxford also delivers the brilliant final line, which would have been the perfect close of Hitchcock's career.Perhaps with the bombs that were his two previous films, and with his advancing age, Hitchcock thought "At my age, I might as well have a go at graphic horror"?
What Finch manages to do his very nicely implicate himself as the serial killer.Frenzy is a combination of a whole lot of Alfred Hitchcock chase movies like North By Northwest, Saboteur, The 39 Steps all involving wrongly accused men.
Hitchcock is playing with his audience, he's unmasked the killer, but you're not quite sure whether to hope he's caught or root for him to get away with it.Not the best of Hitch's later films..
After thirty years in Hollywood, a time which produced both Hitchcock's laziest, fluffiest films and his most personal and innovative, Hitchcock returns to the UK for "Frenzy", a grim and gruesome but ghoulishly comical thriller centered on a series of murderers by a 'necktie murderer', who rapes his victims before strangling them with, of course, his necktie.
It's not much of a mystery, as we discover the identity of the assailant around a quarter of the way through the film (not before Hitchcock attempts to deceive the audience through his construction of certain scenes visually), which leaves it largely a 'wrong man' sort of thriller, but one with a lot of gruesome and suspenseful moments, and one largely devoid of the gloss present in most of Hitchcock's Hollywood output.
It's grimy and gritty in a way few of Hitchcock's later films are, and is also Hitchcock's only film to contain an abundance of nudity and violence, which may to some seem unnecessary, but I found it added to the film's strength given the subject matter.One of several outstanding films scripted by Anthony Shaffer- "Sleuth", also released in 1972, "The Wicker Man", "Death on the Nile", "Murder on the Orient Express", "Frenzy" is typically well-written, with comic relief that doesn't feel even remotely misplaced (aside from one or two very slightly grating scenes featuring Inspector Oxford's wife) and an expert handling of the thriller aspects of the film, while also creating characters worth giving a damn about, so much so that when a certain death occurs one is far more affected than they would usually be by a film of this sort, where it is usually just another plot device.
Of course, "Frenzy" contains what is almost certainly the most horrifying and disturbing scene Hitchcock ever directed, an uncomfortably long and very graphic rape and murder scene, but one that is so beautifully filmed that a single shot of the victim reaching to cover her breast after he bra was ripped off is more effective than the entirety of something like Gaspar Noe's hilariously awful 10-minute long audience torture in "Irreversible", which was disturbing not for content but for how insipid and cinematically-retarded the scene was.The score by Ron Goodwin is excellent, and after hearing some of what Henry Mancini wrote for the film I have to side with Hitchcock.
The dialogue is intelligent but there is lots of black humour that manages to be hilarious without it detracting too much(the final line is a riot), and while the film is one of Hitchcock's grimmest with everyone and everything unattractive and genuinely terrifying rapes/murders it is still edge of your seat stuff as can be evident in the potato truck sequence.
Jon Finch does what he can with the man-at-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time sort of character he has, and the performance is good enough without being one of the all-time greats for a Hitchcock film.
"Frenzy" is a solid, if sleazy and dull slasher-thriller.**SPOILERS**Having been recently fired, Richard Blaney, (Jon Finch) searches the streets of London for work and comes across old friend Bob Rusk, (Barry Foster) and tries to offer him some help to get out of his predicament.
Frenzy, in a way, doesn't do a whole lot different entertainment wise for an audience what Alfred Hitchcock's (British) films did in the 30s.
The difference here comes in two important aspects- 1) the director himself, having created this kind of suspenseful, daring, but always with a certain degree of dark hilarity, has to go a little further with this kind of murder mystery, and as the second to last film of his career shows him reaching further into a bag of tricks not even to impress and entertain audiences but only himself.
Luckily there are two things that happen through the course of the film- Finch really gets further, and more believably as another 'Wrong Man' for Hitchcock, and there is the villain Robert Rusk played by Barry Foster.
Filming a movie in his native England for the first time in 18 years, Alfred Hitchcock - watch for him as the man in the crowd at the beginning - tells the story of several bizarre murders in London.
I think what impresses me the most about "Frenzy," though, is the way Hitchcock reveals the murderer's identity in the first 20 minutes, but maintains a high-strung suspenseful atmosphere for the rest of the film (which runs about 2 hours); there's a lesson to be learned here, especially when modern filmmakers can't lend their culprits 5 minutes of credibility without having them blather a long, tacky monologue about the nature of their evil.
I've yet to see all of Hitchcock's films, but Frenzy has surely got to be his most brutal and shocking, a daring psycho-sexual thriller which, to the best of my knowledge, is the only one of his films to be released on DVD in the UK with an 18 certificate.Unlike 'vintage' Hitchcock movies such as Rear Window, Vertigo and Psycho, this film is far less focused on impressing the viewer with impeccably staged, cleverly edited, edge-of-the seat set-pieces and more concerned with bringing a sense of realism to proceedings.
This means that there are no glamorous, big-name Hollywood stars—the relatively unknown British actors he uses look just like 'real' people—and the whole film is staged in the shabby, working-class surroundings of London's Covent Garden market.Hitch makes matters more gritty by pushing his film as far as possible in terms of sexual violence, with the first murder in particular proving extremely harrowing due to its explicit execution; it's a bold move from a long established director not afraid to change with the times.
The director's black sense of humour is also very much in evidence and serves to make the movie an even more uncomfortable experience, the deliberately awkward juxtaposition of the horrific and the comedic making the viewer feel bad for laughing.This shift in style from Hollywood gloss to British realism might be a step too far for some fans of the director, but I found the change to be rather refreshing, and despite the occasional flaw in the plot (police procedure is particularly shoddy), I reckon that this is one of the director's more accomplished films, a delightfully twisted tale from an undisputed master of the macabre..
As a proud Englishman it gave me great pleasure to see the Master back in England capturing the English time frame of London perfectly, for the film to work we really need to get the vibe of the place and to believe in the characters who frequent the area, I feel Hitch delivers this no problem at all.The story stands up as genuine thriller material, some crazy fruit loop is strangling women with neck ties and the police are trailing the wrong man...Sound familiar?
Well yes it is, but Hitch being Hitch, he manages to bring dashes of humour to go with the tense taut terror unfolding on the screen.The cast do fine here, and I do believe that the fact that none of the actors are top draw names actually helps the film bring out an uneasy feel, here the interesting fleshing of the characters is one of Hitchcock's great strengths in this particular piece.
The villain of the piece stands up as one of the best because he could easily be your best mate, someone you readily turn to in times of need, yet strip away that facade and you get the savage murdering rapist that Hitchcock takes great delight in assaulting our eyes with.Lovely...Lovely...LOVELY....LOVELY !Although its rating on IMDb hovers around 7.5 I have always been led to believe that Frenzy wasn't all that well thought of, tales of America refusing to embrace the film because of its London sensibility, and tired old arguments about the great man being past his peak etc.
But what I personally know is that Frenzy is a very good film that has me squirming and laughing in equal measure, so with that it's just shy of being a Hitchcock classic, but still it stands up as better than what most other thriller directors could ever have hoped to have achieved back then.
Getting laughs from a killer's attempt to recover evidence from a dead body.Like "Frenzy's" Richard Blaney, a decorated ex-military man now scrounging for decent work, Alfred Hitchcock was on a losing streak when he made this, his darkest, toughest film, counted out by even some who loved him most.
Hitchcock is out to shock, and shock he does in a rape/murder scene that's as harrowing as anything coming out of "New Hollywood" at the time, then shows the young turks how it's done the next time the serial killer strikes, in a virtuoso sequence that doesn't allow us to see or hear a single second of the second attack but still manages to be almost as upsetting as the first.This film really underscores how much the modern "thriller/horror" genre owes to Hitchcock.
The film 'Frenzy' is about a normal seeming man named Robert Rusk(Barry Foster) that goes on a murderous rampage around London raping and killing women by strangling them with neckties after he violates them.
Alfred Hitchcock directed this violent thriller set in London that stars Jon Finch as Richard Blaney, an unlucky and unpleasant man who becomes the chief suspect in a rash of brutal murders of women called the Necktie Killer.
Really, this is an incredibly bleak and unpleasant film when you really get into it, with Hitchcock seemingly free of the interference of Hollywood producers and the rigid confines of American censorship and finally able to present his ultimate treatise on murder at its most basic and disturbed.The helplessness of the central character, as played vividly by Jon Finch, mirrors our own helplessness when faced with Hitchcock's cold manipulation; confounding us with expectation and taking influence from the then quite radical exploitation cinema to confront the depiction of violence in a way that had rarely been presented in a mainstream thriller.
For those of you who haven't seen this, I won't spoil the "surprise" for you, except to say that I've owned FRENZY on VHS for two years now and it is quite a powerful Hitch murder thriller, making extremely fine use of its Central London locations and featuring many suspenseful moments which are enhanced by excellent camera work.
FRENZY is Hitchcock back in his British origins with another tale about a serial killer, the kind he made films about when he began his career in the U.K. This time, it's in color, beautifully photographed, but just as grim (although laced with dark humor) as some of his B&W classics.And as usual, there are some marvelous set pieces...the famous tracking shot from the killer's apartment, down a hallway and then out to the street, all in one sweeping camera pan.
When his ex-wife Brenda (Barbara Leigh-Hunt) the police suspect Richard is the killer; but the police is after the wrong man.Frenzy is a bold film for time with Hitchcock being more graphic with violence and nudity without the need to overuse the then new techniques and less strict limits. |
tt0037522 | Back to Bataan | The film begins with the then-recent US Army Ranger raid at Cabanatuan prisoner-of-war camp. The film then flashes back to March 1942.
As the U.S. Army under General MacArthur struggles to hold on at Bataan against the Japanese, Colonel Joseph Madden (John Wayne) orders one of his officers, Captain Andrés Bonifácio (Anthony Quinn), to shape up. Bonifácio has been under a strain because his sweetheart Dalisay Delgado (Fely Franquelli) is apparently collaborating with the Japanese, broadcasting propaganda over the radio.
Later, Madden is picked to slip through the lines to organize Filipinos to fight as guerrillas against the occupying Japanese forces. His commanding officer lets him know that Delgado is actually using the propaganda broadcasts to secretly transmit valuable information to them, but he is ordered to reveal that fact to no one, not even Bonifácio.
Madden makes contact with one group of Filipino resistance fighters, but as they set out to on their first mission, they encounter middle-aged American school teacher Bertha Barnes (Beulah Bondi). She and her students join the guerrillas after the Japanese hang Buenaventura Bello (Vladimir Sokoloff), the principal of her school and a dear friend, for refusing to take down the American flag.
Setting out on their first mission to destroy a Japanese gasoline dump, Madden and his men stumble upon the Bataan Death March and realize that Bataan has fallen. Many of the Filipinos lose heart, so to fan their will to fight, Madden finds and engineers the rescue of Captain Bonifácio from the Death March. Bonifácio happens to be the grandson of Andrés Bonifacio, a national hero. It works; for the group's first mission the guerrillas come to the Flilipino village and hang the Japanese officer who ordered the killing of Bello; and over the next year, Madden and his guerrillas attack Japanese outposts, supply depots, military airfields and other installations.
Major Hasko (Richard Loo), one of the Japanese commanders, attempts to appease the local population by staging a semi-independence ceremony to reduce popular support for the Filipino resistance. Madden, Bonifácio and the guerrillas attack the ceremony, where Dalisay finally reveals her true alliance when, during her radio broadcast, she urges her people to rise up against the Japanese. Most of the Japanese troops are killed in the raid, but young Filipino boy Maximo Cuenca (one of Barnes' students) is captured. After being beaten, he agrees to lead the Japanese to the Madden's hideout. However, as they near the spot, Maximo grabs the steering wheel of the Japanese truck, sending it careening down a mountainside. He dies in the arms of Miss Barnes.
Later, Colonel Madden is ordered out of the field, leaving Captain Bonifácio in command of the Filipino resistance. Several months later in October 1944, Bonifácio and his group travel to Leyte, where rumors are circulating of the impending American invasion to liberate the Philippines. After arriving on Leyte, Bonifácio is reunited with Madden. They are given the mission of taking and holding a small village to block Japanese reinforcements from repelling the impending American landing.
By trickery, Madden, Bonifácio and their men engage and defeat the Japanese garrison in a fierce pitched battle. However, two enemy soldiers get away on a motorcycle to spread the alarm. Japanese tanks and soldiers attack. The defenders manage to knock out most of the tanks, but are on the verge of being forced to retreat. Just when all seems lost, American reinforcements and tanks arrive and turn the tide of the battle.
The film closes with another short montage of several of the actual released Americans from the Cabanatuan prison camp. | cult, violence | train | wikipedia | This film is totally unselfconscious in how it deals with the war, in one scene it features real Bataan POWs marching in a parade and introduces them documentary style with a narrator, and it hired Filipino extras and actors for important roles.
This is what really touched and surprised me, how it elevated and glorified Filipino nationalism, culture, and history (Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifácio are frequently quoted and reverently referred to throughout the film); and, in an age where African American actors still were unfairly stereotyped and Asian actors almost nowhere to be found in Hollywood films, this treated Pinoy characters as equals and as heroes.
Director Edward Dmytryk, later blacklisted, paid no heed to Production Code regulations for violence, and filmed scenes that were fairly explicit (for the time) in their portrayal of cruelty and violence inflicted on soldiers and civilians in an attempt to realistically dramatize some of the atrocities that occurred during the war which lends the film an air of impending danger and gravitas.From before the era of ambiguous and complex war stories (which is how I usually prefer my war flicks to be served), this one of the best "classic" war films I've ever seen.
In particular, other than IN HARMS WAY, this is John Wayne's best WWII film, as his acting is a little less "bigger than life" and more realistic.
The film "Back to Battan" starts and ends with the January 30, 1945 US/Filipino raid on the infamous Cabanatuan Japanese prison camp on Luzon Island as the allied troops rout the Japanese defenders, that number some 2,000 to 5,000 men, at the cost of only 4 killed and 21 wounded with not even a single US/Filipino POW being lost in the battle.
US Col. Madden, John Wayne, and his men are fighting for their lives holding back wave after wave of suicidal Japanese Banzai attacks as the lights slowly go out for the American and Philippine forces.
With the US general in command of the Philippines Douglas MacArthur being called back to Australia to regroup the battered and defeated US Army for another shot at the invincible army navy and air force of the Empire of Japan things look very bleak for the American and Filipino troops still left on the islands.The film almost entirely concentrates on the guerrilla war conducted by Col. Joe Madden and Capt.
Dolici puts secret code words into her commentaries to alert the US and allied, Philippine, troops where the Japanese Army is making it's next move.One of the better WWII Hollywood war movies with John Wayne needing help from the locals and also being berated and pushed around by who I at first thought was the leader of the allied troops on the Islands,she sure as hell acted like she was, history teacher Bertha Barnes, Beulah Bondi.
There's also a number of really exciting battle sequences between the US/Filipino troops and Japanese forces that didn't come across phony and overly one-sided, like in the battles of Battan and the Island fortress of Corrigidor,where the "Japs" actually won, like in most WWII movies coming out of Hollywood at that time.There were two scenes in the movie "Back to Battan" that really moved me and that had very little to do with any fighting.
The second scene was when 15 year-old Philippine high-school student Maximo Cuerca, Duckie Louie, was forced to betray, after being tortured by the Japanese, his fellow freedom fighters and American allies.
Maximo gave up his life taking the lives of his Japanese tormentors with him by forcing the truck he was on, by grabbing the steering wheel, to go off an embankment killing everyone on board in order to warn Col. Madden's men that they were soon to be ambushed.The real heavy fighting was saved for last with the return to the Philippines of the American forces under the leadership of "I Shall Return" General Douglas MacArthur in the invasion and battle of Latye Gulf in October 1944.
Few young Americans today have even heard of the Filipino and American disaster at Corregidor and the Bataan Death March that followed, during which numerous sick and hungry prisoners of war were beaten and killed by their Japanese guards.
Although the movie accurately portrays the spirit of Filipino resistance to the Japanese, the individual characters from John Wayne down are cut from the usual Hollywood cardboard.
Similarly, the guerrilla force led by John Wayne looks little the worse for wear even after two and half years of jungle warfare (whixh seem like about a week in this movie).The Japanese lynching of the school principal is well handled.
The invaders hang him as an example.Despite its weaknesses, "Back to Bataan" is still watchable and even enjoyable as a different view of World War II, especially if you're a high-schooler who hasn't yet become too cynical about Hollywood war movies.
John Wayne and Anthony Quinn are their usual solid selves, and Beulah Bondi (as a naive but tough American matron)is an unusual asset in this kind of action film..
A rugged war-time combat drama following the true story of a Colonel in the Philippines who fought with the resistance movement.
Classical warfare movie with big John Wayne and the flick talks about the Phillipines battle , during WWII , concerning on defenders and resistance fighters , but Japan has just invaded ; regarding events happened in Bataan , Corregidor and Leyte .
Exciting warfare movie about a tough Colonel who forms guerrilla army to raid Japanese and to help Americans landing on Leyte .
A small group of soldiers commanded by Colonel Joseph Madden (John Wayne , he's based on on a real-life American who fought with the resistance movement) are among the escaping survivors who are ordered by general Douglas McArthur to organize a guerrilla .
This classic warlike movie is nicely starred by John Wayne at one of his best roles as a two-fisted Colonel , he's accompanied by a plethora of first-rate secondaries .
Being stunningly supported by Belulah Bondi , Richard Loo , Lawrence Tierney Abner Biberman , Vladimir Sokoloff and Paul Fix as a grizzled as well as sympathetic veteran .This is one of a handful of feature films that have featured the story of the World War II Battle of Bataan , they include ¨So proudly we hail¡¨ by Mark Sandrich (1943) ; ¨Bataan¨ (1943) by Tay Garnett and ¨They were expendable¨ (1945) by John Ford .
He is a classic director , his films deal with a deep description of civilized societies , he believes that corruption is an essential part of it , that society punishes sincerity , innocence and love, vengeance and greed determine the behavior of people .The actual deeds about Bataan concern an unsuccessful attempt by US and Filipino troops under General Douglas MacArthur to defend the peninsular against the Japanese 1 Jan-9 April 1942 .
John Wayne and Anthony Quinn star in this important story about the Philippine resistance in WWII.Sure, you won't see the excitement of Pear Harbor or the Battle of Midway, but what you will see is a film dedicated to the Philippine heroes and patriots.
The resistance fought the Japanese until the Americans returned to Leyte.After over 100 westerns, this was one of Wayn'e first war films.
Realistic based movie which effecively encapsulates the brutality of the Japanese during that time in the Philippines.The Philippines had basic commonality with the U.S. in basic philosophies like CHRISTIANITY(Theology) and DEMOCRACY(Politics) and this was the reason why the Japanese miss-calculated when they thought they could win the Filipinos over to their side with the propaganda they spewed forth regarding the Japanese/Filipino Asian bond.It was a very big mess and the Japanese just could not figure it out.The Filipinos just despised all the Japanese stood for no matter how noble their cause was supposed to be.This movie delivers and is ahead of it's time with gritty battle scenes and not over doing the Hollywood compromise bit.The main flaw here was the casting of Quinn as a Filipino.I am sure even at that time there were a lot of able Filipino studs who could hadle the role of Andres Bonifacio's grandson.A movie like this which emphasizes Filipino freedom and equality should have at least casted Filipino's on equal terms.Quinn did a very good job of it though,amazingly capturing the mannerisms of a typical modern Spanish Filipino well enough to pull it off......
Back to Bataan is one of two films that deal with guerrilla warfare in the Phillipine Islands during World War II, the other being An American Guerilla in the Phillipines.
The more perspective one gets about an event like World War II, the more realistic the films will be.Nevertheless given the script and budget they had players John Wayne and Anthony Quinn do a creditable job in their roles.
Wayne does so and as a propaganda move rescues Anthony Quinn who is the grandson of Andres Bonafacio who was leader of Phillipine resistance to the Spanish in the previous century.It's a fact now acknowledged that the Japanese were seen as liberators in the Pacific war for most native populations.
John Wayne stars as an Army colonel who organizes guerrilla fighters in Japanese occupied Philippines with the aid of Spanish speaking Anthony Quinn.
John Wayne is mostly known for the westerns he starred in, like "Stagecoach" and "The Searchers" but during the WW II era he made some good war pictures.
It is the story of American and Filipino resistance to the Japanese' occupation of the Phillipines during WW II.
Wayne plays Col. Joe Madden, an American who stays behind when the US evacuates the Pacific islands at the start of the war and heads a band of guerrillas comprised of both American soldiers and patriotic Fillipinos.
One of men under Madden is Andres Bonifacio, the grandson of a famed Fillipino leader, who must accept that the woman he loves is giving aid to the enemy through radio speeches requesting that the island people submit to Japanese rule.
Sequels never are as good as the original, and that's true here - even with John Wayne in charge.This picture contains one of the most far-fetched sequences ever recorded on film, as Anthony Quinn gets permission to leave the tense Philippine jungle fighting to visit his girlfriend in Manila!
Back to Bataan is guilty as charged, yet such is the composition of Edward Dmytryk's film, and its focus on a part of the war we rarely have seen on film, it matters not.We are in 1942, and after the fall of the Philippines to the Japanese, U.S. Army Col. Joseph Madden (John Wayne) stays behind to lead the local guerrilla resistance against the Japanese army.
With that synopsis it isn't hard to figure out what sort of pic we are going to get, yet to purely consider this as a macho beefcake movie is a little unfair.Sure it's bookended by blistering action, as Duke Wayne (very restrained turn actually) and Anthony Quinn cut a swathe through the RKO sound stages, but there's lots of intelligent human interactions here to mark it as being in the least knowing of the campaign.It often grasps for the sentimental branch, while the racist barbs and portrayal of the Japanese does sting at times.
this is one grit filled action packed war film.the the fighting scenes are well done.the acting is very good,all around.the movie really flows very well,i thought.it also really captures the essence of how brutal the Japanese were,in several scenes.everything looks authentic and realistic.in think the filmmakers were going for a high degree of realism here,and for the most part succeeded.it's one of those movies where you can help but feel uplifted.you may even feel like cheering.it's that kind of movie.yet it isn't maudlin or sappy.it's a very brisk paced ninety five minutes.would i watch it again?absolutely.i'd watch it again in the near future.for me,Back to Bataan is a 7/10.
One of only two American war movies I saw that gives some credit to Filipino soldiers and guerrillas for their role in the Pacific War..
William Manchester, the biographer of Gen. Douglas MacArthur who was a Pacific War veteran himself recounted that he had the pleasure of booing Wayne as he made an appearance during a showing of the latter's film "Sands of Iwo Jima." Indeed practically all of John Wayne's WWII movies were acted badly.
Unfortunately, as a Filipino myself I must say he looks nothing like a Filipino.Few people know that the gallant defense of Bataan which upset the Japanese plans of going back to Pearl Harbor for a land occupation and then proceeding to Australia and later on to California was undertaken mostly by Filipino soldiers of the Philippine Army of the Philippine Commonwealth.
He replied :"Because the Filipino soldier is the bravest in the world." The Philippine Army was attached to the American forces upon agreement of the governments of the United States and the Philippines as soon as war broke out.
During the Death March, many Filipino soldiers escaped to fight on as guerrillas.As in most enemy occupied countries in WWII, the largest and most organized resistance movement in the Philippines was the front led by communist partisans.
Some clashes occurred between US forces and "Huk" guerrillas during the liberation of the islands by MacArthur as the Americans sought to disarm some guerrilla units because they were seen as communists, and thus, enemies.For many years during the American colonial occupation, Filipinos resented the loss of their independence and seethed at the betrayal and atrocities committed by American forces during the Philippine - American War (cf.
Manila's two main historical avenues are named after the two great American officials.Another film about the Pacific War in the Philippines is The Great Raid (2005) which is based on the true story of the rescue of American POWs from a Japanese prison camp in Nueva Ecija.
During World War II, the Japanese wrest control of the Philippines from the United States, but stalwart Colonel John Wayne (as Joseph "Joe" Madden) doesn't see things the "Jap" way.
The ending would have you stand and salute.**** Back to Bataan (5/31/45) Edward Dmytryk ~ John Wayne, Anthony Quinn, Beulah Bondi, Fely Franquelli.
During the World War II, in the Philippines, the ruler (Americans) and the ruled (Filipino) cooperated to resist the new ruler (Japanese).
Colonel John Wayne (Madden) stays to fight in Bataan against the Japanese who have conquered the region.
John Wayne is the big star of the film, with Anthony Quinn starring also.
Any John Wayne war film is going to have lots of action and this one doesn't disappoint.
Even though the Japanese are show with early model Shermans (with the short M3 75mm gun, likely being used for training in the States), they did actually use captured American tanks against guerillas.To a modern viewer, Wayne's fondness for American cigarettes in the film is a bit ironic, since he died of lung cancer.The hanging of the school master came across to me as a rather well done and dramatic moment.
Basically an unofficial sequel to the Pre-Bruckheimerish 'Bataan' from '43(Lloyd Nolan/Rod Taylor/Desi Arnez), this time showing John Wayne and Anthony Quinn leading an insurgency against the occupying Japanese forces 'til MacArthur could, indeed, return in '45.
You have familiar faces ala Paul Fix, Lawrence Tierney and Buelah Bondy along for the ride, real POW's shown marching in front of the camera, and (of course) the usual studio gimmickry, bushes and oddly stagey handling of the combat scenes.In short, a typical WWII era lower-budgeted war-movie.
John Wayne is again on top form and Anthony Quinn is brilliant.The film is packed full of ear blasting battles, explosions and shootouts and there is a lot of action.
One for war movie and John Wayne fans..
It's a colonialist tale about Filipinos having to choose between the Spanish, the Japanese and the Americans, who on the face bring weapons, food and freedom (but Dmytryk hijacks this message, as the Yankees also raise hell and instigate actions which bring catastrophic retaliations).I didn't understand the topography of the itineraries, but the same characters met everywhere (the annoying kid, the gloomy Quinn, the colonel, the starlet
).
A few things are exposed neatly: the colonel doesn't care about the consequences of his encouraging guerrilla fight, and he doesn't hesitate to open fire on a bunch of Filipino kids waving Japanese flags.Wayne was eager to have a military outlook, once he graduated from the B westerns, sports movies and comedies.
The characters have a funny way of pronouncing guerrilla, as if a cousin of gorilla; and all mispronounce Spanish names.In another war movie, made later, where Wayne was playing a lieutenant on a submarine in the Pacific, he got a better role; here, his delusions of military glamor are subverted by his director.
The Filipinos have been sacrificed for a guerrilla war meant to weaken the Japanese and to rescue the Yankee prisoners.
Very uplifting WWII action film starring John Wayne as Col Joseph Madden, who volunteers to stay behind after the fall of the Philippines in the early months of war.
For one thing, the soldiers shown released from a prison camp in an opening scene, and those viewed during the Bataan Death March didn't resemble fighting men who'd been imprisoned and tortured by the Japanese.
What the story does convey well was the courage and conviction shown by the Philippine people to resist indoctrination by the Japanese and side with their American counterparts to achieve their own freedom and independence.One of the things that bothers me about war films in general is when a romance between principal characters is introduced.
A better one featuring John Wayne in a lead role also taking place in the Pacific Theater was "Sands of Iwo Jima", which also paid tribute to soldiers of that conflict with the appearance of three survivors of that battle during the raising of the American flag on Mount Suribachi. |
tt0043744 | Lightning Strikes Twice | Once a rancher, Richard Trevelyan (Richard Todd) is now on a Texas prison's death row. But he wins a new trial, then a complete acquittal when a lone juror holds out.
Actress Shelley Carnes (Ruth Roman) is on her way to a Texas dude ranch for a rest. Along the way, she meets ranchers J.D. (Frank Conroy) and Myra Nolan (Kathryn Givney) and ends up borrowing their car. Lost in a storm, she encounters Trevelyan by chance. It turns out he knows J.D. and Myra.
The dude ranch is closed when Shelley gets there. Liza McStringer (Mercedes McCambridge), who runs it with a younger brother nicknamed String (Darryl Hickman), explains that she was the juror who let Trevelyan go free. And now she's being shunned by neighbors and friends.
Shelley bonds with the troubled String, so she is invited to stay a while. She learns that Loraine, the late wife of Trevelyan and murder victim, was a rather wicked woman, loathed by many. There is reason to believe Loraine once had an affair with J.D.
Returning the car, Shelley spends a night with the Nolans and is introduced to Harvey Turner (Zachary Scott), a neighbor who is immediately attracted to her. Harvey, too, speaks ill of the late Loraine and describes himself as lucky to have escaped her clutches.
Shelley again meets Trevelyan and the two cannot resist each other. A jealous and spiteful Liza turns out to be the one who murdered Loraine, and now she nearly does likewise to Shelley before a last-minute rescue. Liza and String flee in their car, but don't get very far. | murder | train | wikipedia | McCambridge, Roman stand out in King Vidor's overloaded desert melodrama.
Richard Todd sits on death row, waiting execution for his wife's murder.
At the eleventh hour, a reprieve and new trial come through; he's acquitted, thanks to one holdout juror (Mercedes McCambridge).
Enter Ruth Roman, a touring actress in search of the desert's restorative climate.
En route (in a scene prescient of Janet Leigh's flight from Phoenix in Psycho), she gets lost in thunderstorms and takes refuge in an abandoned house -- where Todd is holed up.
Run by McCambridge and her emotionally disturbed young brother (Darryl Hickman), it has closed down, but they agree to put Roman up for a few days.
Director King Vidor and scriptwriter Lenore Coffee, having goaded Bette Davis to pull out all the stops in Beyond The Forest two years earlier, here take on another overloaded melodrama, with mixed results.
But the movie's biggest stumble lies in the casting of Richard Todd.
Remembered if at all as the title character in that echt-1950s biopic of pious patriotism A Man Called Peter, here his stiff British accent and acting falsify the whole Southwestern milieu (Lightning Strikes Twice, like Desert Fury of five years earlier, evokes the new Sunbelt of money and leisure).
Ruth Roman, on evidence of this movie and Tomorrow Is Another Day, had more range and subtlety than she was let display in her best known role as Farley Granger's mannikin-like fiancee in Strangers on a Train.
Ruth Roman is a big city actress looking for a bit of rest in the wilderness and finding little.
Next thing you know she's neck deep in contretemps with suspected murderers and intrigue!
The movie is a routine Warners programmer but given some snap by the quality performances of Ruth Roman, subtle and dignified, and Mercedes McCambridge, controlled for most of the film but she gets her chance to do some florid emoting later in the picture.
Another crazed logic-free over-acted melodrama in the same late Forties/early Fifties hothouse mode of Warners' Beyond The Forest, The Damned Don't Cry and This Woman Is Dangerous, this time sans the stellar fuel tank of Bette Davis or Joan Crawford.
. .stormy weather indeed.No need to rehash plot revealed by earlier posters, a Texas-set dramatic chile con carne liberally laced with murder, unrequited love and dark secrets set in one of those those only-in-the-movies remote desert communities where people live miles apart in remote rancheros.
. .but still show up in gowns and white dinner jackets at swank poolside barbecues that would put Manhattanites to shame.Although the smoldering-yet-vanilla Richard Todd, underused Ruth Roman and Zachery Scott(in a "hey-it's-a-paycheck" role that comes out of nowhere and getsthere fast) are ostensible stars, show is stolen by cactus-chomping Mercedes McCambridge in (apparently unintentional) schizophrenic role as a butch desert denizen (think of her role in Johnny Guitar, only less feminine) who not only has inexplicable crush on charmless Todd after he has allegedly killed his wife.
Things go off-cliff (as does at least one vehicle) from there.Whatever film lacks in reality, it more than makes up for in implausibility and psychological chaos that would baffle Freud.
Immediately following his "Beyond the Forest" and "The Fountainhead" (also Warners), this Vidor film is somewhat less feverish and over-the-top than those two, and accordingly does not pack the same punch, but still has a nice erotic frisson.
Mercedes McCambridge does some of the same kind of scenery chewing that Davis did in "Forest," while Zachary Scott reprises his charming scoundrel from many Warner's films..
All the correct elements for a romantic murder mystery suspense.
A dark mysterious man who looks tortured by his problems and associations, a lively woman who is willing to try and believe a man who might be a murderer until the temptation of her imagination overcomes her, an unknown factor of the other woman who is extremely jealous and doesn't want anyone else to have the man she has always wanted, a emotionally disturbed brother who is a reactionary to events in life, and finally a secret that you are not sure you believe any more than the heroine.
After getting an Oscar nomination for The Hasty Heart, British actor Richard Todd did a few more American films before returning to the United Kingdom.
Some like A Man Called Peter were top rate and some like Lightning Strikes Twice fall right apart at the beginning.
There is no way that Mercedes McCambridge would ever have gotten on a jury where Todd was the defendant.
As someone who knew the defendant that is impossible.McCambridge is the reason to see this film, her intense style of acting carries it over a lot of rough patches, but not enough.
Ruth Roman on vacation for her health gets involved in the local controversies where Todd's arrest and trials for murdering his tramp of a wife are the number one subject of local gossip.
Roman stays at a dude ranch run by Mercedes and her brother Darryl Hickman.
And she falls for Todd, but soon the doubts appear.Zachary Scott is on hand as well in a surprisingly small role as a rather sleazy playboy.
Scott is always good, we should have seen more of him.Lightning Strikes Twice has not worn well over the years..
Ruth Roman is stuck starring in a rather dopey movie.
The acting is generally good and the atmosphere also quite good...but the plot is just stupid.The film begins with a man being re-tried in court for murdering his wife.
In the next scene, a New Yorker, Shelly (Roman), travels to the desert on a vacation to a dude ranch.
The lady in charge was apparently a friend of the accused murderer and was also on the jury at his trial*.
Some other stuff happens and soon she's in love with this man for no apparent reason...and then they get married!
My problem is that no matter whether or not the acting and direction are any good or not, the story is so full of dumb holes that I found myself just wanting the film to end.*Someone who is a friend of an accused killer would NEVER be allowed on a jury...never.
This made even less sense than the other woman almost instantly falling for Richard and marrying him..
I won't do it here."Lightning Strikes Twice" stars Ruth Roman, Richard Todd, Mercedes McCambridge, and Zachary Scott.
Roman plays an actress, Shelley Carnes, who has been sent out west for her health and is going to a dude ranch.
The talk on the train is about Richard Trevelyan who was convicted of murdering his wife and received a death sentence.
He was given a stay of execution pending a new trial and freed because the jury had one holdout who thought he was not guilty.When her car gets stuck in the mud, Shelley is helped by a man in a house nearby, who turns out to be Trevelyan.
She is invited by the caretakers Liza and String (McCambridge and Darryl Hickman) to stay for a few days anyway.
Liza believes in his innocence.Shelley meets Richard again, and the two of them fall in love.
This noirish film was a nice diversion thanks to the acting, but it had a few problems.
Roman and Todd are madly in love after one kiss and a couple of days.
Third, why was Zachary Scott in this film?
Talk about being superfluous, and he was hardly in it anyway.Richard Todd is miscast as Trevelyan.
He and Roman make a beautiful couple, and Todd was a good actor, but he is out of place in the west, given his accent and bearing.
As someone on the board suggested, Scott may have been a better choice for the role, or Jim Davis.The rest of the acting is very good, with a strong performance by Mercedes McCambridge and a solid one by Roman.
While staying at a deserted dude ranch, a woman (Roman) gets involved with a man (Todd) suspected of murderApparently, the movie was intended to showcase rising stars Roman, Todd, and Mc Cambridge.
Too bad because it's a waste of some fine performers like Conroy, Givney, and especially Scott.There is one ridiculous scene almost worth the overlong 90-minutes.
That's where Todd and Roman decide to have a romantic interlude perched atop a narrow cliff.
Now, why a woman would choose a drop-off as a trysting spot with a suspected wife killer remains the movie's biggest mystery.
Richard Todd's blazing eyes, all two of them.
This is a superb King Vidor film noir, made only two years after his ultimate masterpiece, THE FOUNTAINHEAD (1949).
The female lead in this film was that very fifties woman, Ruth Roman, who appeared in film after film in those days.
All of her mannerisms and assumptions positively reek of the Eisenhower Era. The mesmerising performance of Richard Todd is what really makes this film work.
His eyes blaze with ambivalent intensity, like two searchlights, as he stares at Ruth Roman and we and she try to guess is he a good guy or a bad guy.
Scott keeps 'lech-ing' round Ruth Roman, can't keep his eyes off her, and that goes for his hands too.
The film has a strong, tormented performance from Mercedes McCambridge, in only her fifth role.
She had commenced her film career in the hit ALL THE KING'S MEN (1949) only two years earlier, and five years after this she was to play perhaps her best known role of all in GIANT (1956) with James Dean.
(Don't over-pious, patronising priests like that make you sick, especially when they have pet Hispanics hanging around to prove how broad-minded they are?) This film is set way out West somewhere, where the desert is threatening.
This murder mystery is a twister, and it wriggles like a rattler..
You know something's wrong with a film when you keep asking yourself, in the middle of plot complications, where is Zachary Scott?
And after watching the film, it's clear that he would have been a better choice than Richard Todd to play the man suspected of killing his wife, rather than the playboy cad he always played.Richard Todd almost sleepwalks his way through his miscast role as a newly released jailbird exonerated of being guilty, except when staring intensely at Ruth Roman.
Poor Ruth Roman has a heck of a time trying to decide which side to take in the stories she's heard about a man suspected of killing his wife.
She meets that man (Richard Todd) on a dark and stormy night and from that moment on it's anyone's guess as to whom the real culprit is.Is he going to tell her what really happened to his murdered wife or is he staying mum to hide the truth or shield someone else?
Roman's character accepts Todd's innocence long before she has any right to do so, and the Mercedes McCambridge character is never given enough depth to suddenly change and revert to someone else for the final showdown.Everyone acts with their face toward the camera rather than facing each other whenever there's a moment of confrontation or even an intimate chat taking place.
Unfortunately, it comes across as making the acting seem ludicrously over-the-top--no subtlety at all.Ruth Roman and Mercedes McCambridge, more than anyone else in the cast, uses this emoting device throughout.
This seems to be a trademark of '50s acting--or at least it is under King Vidor's direction.Despite its faults, LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE remains watchable and taut as it winds its way toward a twisted resolution.
Richard and Shelley?No, Harvey and Liza!.
King Vidor's movie are at their best when they depict greed,passion,mad love ,hate: so are "Duel in the sun" "fountainhead" "beyond the forest " and "Ruby Gentry" .Jennifer Jones was par excellence the romantic actress ,Bette Davis ("Beyond the forest") was at her bitchiest .Ruth Roman is too cold and too emotionally remote to convey such feelings.I'm much more interested in Mercedes McCambridge's Liza but sadly her part is underwritten and except in her final scenes she is not given a single chance to shine.Ditto for Richard Todd as Richard: we want more of Zachary Scott ,whose character is much less bland than the hero.Todd/Roman are an unexciting pairing.That said,it is a well-told story even if there are plot holes .But the film lacks focus ,intensity,madness,Vidor's trademark..
The beginning pulled me in, Ruth Roman shows a nice soft-yet-spunky ingénue side here, a little different from some of her other work, where she seems more hard-edged.
Overcooked Melodrama that is Quite Silly at Times and the Plot is Contrived to make things Come Together and the Result is Manufactured Suspense.
The Cast is a bit Offbeat with Mercedes Cambridge Chewing the Scenery and Ruth Roman Looking Confused most of the Time.
Zachary Scott shows up to make things Interesting but is mostly there to just Paw the Reluctant Lead Actress.It is Heavy Handed Stuff with Thunder Crashes and Telegraphed Terror (a spider on the bed is mistaken for an attempted murder), but it is Professionally done by the Filmmakers.
For a start we have the solid mahogany Richard Todd leaving a trail of sawdust in his wake whilst Zachary Scott who can and does act Todd off the screen doesn't even appear until about reel #6 and is woefully under extended.
Ruth Roman might have done really well as the femme lead - if she wasn't in the same movie as Mercedes McCambridge - things are tough all over, it would seem.
Plot-wise it's as hokey as they come; we open with Todd on Death Row on account of a little matter of murdering his wife then, with no groundwork/back-story to help us he is awarded first a stay of execution and then a re-trial which leaves him a free man.
Enter Ruth Roman, actress on vacation/convalescence who falls instantly into fascination with Todd.
This is noir-lite with two excellent performances from Scott and McCambridge, a solid one from Roman and Todd having a laugh..
Terrible movie.McCambridge was all but chewing on the curtains.
Richard Todd looked good as usual but deserved a better script.
Ruth Roman was pretty good but must have needed the paycheck badly.
She goes to find Richard Todd and does a very poor job of acting like she is afraid of heights up on the cliff.
How come he is riding the same horse that Ruth was on at the dude ranch.
He takes Ruth for a car ride acting very menacing, so of course we suspect he may be a killer.
He takes Ruth to see Todd and drives off.
Later Todd takes Ruth home in the same car.
Sadly Ruth marries Todd after knowing him for only a few days.
A low-budget murder mystery and undemanding time-killer – which is a real shame.
The characters are both realistically written and tautly played by a well-night perfect cast: Richard Todd, in his first American film, plays with customary charm and stolidity – although not always photographed from the most flattering angles, particularly in his reverse shots.
Ruth Roman is delightfully sultry even in what – despite the movie's poster art – is decidedly a goody-two-shoes role.
Mercedes McCambridge is her usual neurotic character.
Zachary Scott makes a late entrance – 60 minutes late to be precise – but proves a diverting red herring at a point in the narrative where interesting was just beginning to flag.
With just a little bit more money up front, this could have been a high-class mystery yarn, even though the identity of the killer is obvious..
The film should have concentrated more on the Mercedes McCambridge character and for what love of Richard Todd forced her to do.
Rather, we're focused on the quick romantic situation between Todd and Ruth Roman leading to a quick marriage.
Of course, Todd has been acquitted of killing his trollop wife but suspicion of him remains.Nothing is elaborated regarding the Hickman character, brother to McCambridge and prone to outbursts.
Ditto for the usually suave Zachary Scott, a lover of the murdered girl.Who is that woman loaning out her car?
Why not talk more of the Roman character's acting on the New York stage?.
As plenty of reviewers have said, the plot doesn't add up: Liza (Mercedes McCambridge) magical appearance on Richard's (Richard Todd's) jury, and Shelley (Ruth Roman) falling in love with Richard as though he were the last man on Earth make Texas-sized loopholes.
I agree too with those who mention that most of the performances are quite good, the atmosphere has a rustic-noir cast to it, and there's a consistent tone.Particularly interesting is Zachary Scott's Henry, a sort of playboy foil to the stoic Richard.
Liza caught him messing with Lorraine, the murdered wife in question.
That she makes herself relevant by falling in love with Richard is merely convenient for the plot.There ought to be a nefarious reason to use Shelley; if she had been from the town she might be usefully framed for Lorraine's murder.
Actually, the murder mystery is pretty good as is.
In fact, the tarantula-in-the-bed looks like a ploy for a psychopathic Richard if his intent to kill Shelley backfires.
At that point, he acts like a murderer.
Since Liza has been chewing things up for most of the movie, it's not surprising that she's involved.
As a whole, though, Lightning Strikes Twice does get some things right.
Shelley's approach to the house on that first rainy night has Richard's wonderfully creepy reflection appear behind her in the window.
Plus, it's not really his house, the dude ranch is not really open, and Richard, as a foster child, is something of a stranger-in-a-strange-land.
The priest's flasback gives us a good set-up of the murder scene.Unfortunately, the Hispanic characters mostly function as useful ornaments, barely even two-dimensional.
She could've been woven into the plot; maybe there's another angle in the mystery for one of the ranch hands...in any case, Tumble Moon is an excellent name. |
tt1421378 | Scooby-Doo! And the Samurai Sword | At a Tokyo museum of ancient history, Mr. Takagawa, the curator, and Kenji, a janitor, witness the resurrection of The Black Samurai, an ancient Japanese warrior whose armor was to be the newest exhibit at the museum. The next day, the Mystery Inc. gang arrives at Tokyo, where Daphne is to participate in a martial arts tournament at a prestigious school. The gang meet Daphne’s friend Miyumi, who explains the difficulty of winning the tournament and entering the school as a student. The gang and Miyumi take a fully functioning robotic plane to the school, which is run by Miss Mirimoto. After Daphne defeats Miss Mirimoto’s bodyguard, Sojo, and almost defeats Miyumi, Mirimoto tells her she shows promise as a fighter. Also at the tournament is Mr. Takagawa, who explains to Mirimoto that the Black Samurai has risen and will be after the Destiny Scroll, which is at the school. That night, during a feast, the Black Samurai and his Ninja warriors attack the school and steal the scroll. But Mirimoto explains the scroll was only a copy, and shows the gang the real one. Mr. Takagawa explains to the gang the legend of the Black Samurai.
The Black Samurai was an ancient warrior who asked the great swordsmith Masamune to craft a powerful sword. The sword maker agreed, but told the Samurai it would take a year to make. Masamune’s evil apprentice Muramasa offered to make another sword for the Samurai in only half the time, which the Samurai accepted. But when the Samurai took the sword, the evil of Muramasa was transferred to him, and he became the Black Samurai, wielding the Sword of Doom. When Masamune finished crafting his sword, the Sword of Fate, he presented it to the Green Dragon, who used it to fight against the Black Samurai. After a long battle in the sky, the Green Dragon successfully defeated the Black Samurai and imprisoned him in the Sword of Doom. The Dragon then hid the sword, and put its whereabouts in a riddle on the Destiny Scroll.
Velma is able to solve the riddle, and Miss Mirimoto instructs the gang, Miyumi and Mr. Takagawa to find the Sword of Doom before the spirit can. The gang finds the sword in a cave on an island in the Pacific Ocean, where they deal with a tribe living on the island and are attacked by the Black Samurai. During the fight, the Black Samurai is revealed to be Sojo. But once the gang brings Sojo back to Miss Mirimoto, she and Miyumi capture them. Miss Mirimoto explains that she staged the tournament to bring the Mystery Inc to Japan so that they would find the Sword of Doom for her. She also reveals she plans to release the Black Samurai so she can use him to return Japan to the way it was in feudal times. The ninja army is revealed to be robots in which Miss Mirimoto planted the various fighting techniques of her students (including Daphne's). She then locks Fred, Daphne, Velma and Mr. Takagawa in the museum, but not before Daphne kicks the Samurai's sword from Miss Mirimoto's hand into Scooby and Shaggy's possession.
Scooby and Shaggy manage to escape Miss Mirimoto with the samurai sword, but are chased by the ninja warriors. They are saved by Matsuhiro, a sushi shop owner and Samurai (but also lose the sword to the ninja warriors in the process), who trains them as Samurai and who also is aware of the legend. Matsuhiro instructs Scooby and Shaggy to pass through the gates of earth, air, fire and water in order to find the Green Dragon and the Sword of Fate. When they do so, the Green Dragon enters the sword and takes them back to the museum to combat the Black Samurai. Kenji frees Fred, Daphne, Velma and Mr. Takagawa, and they, plus Miyumi, who decides to fight with them, attempt to stop Sojo and Miss Mirimoto from resurrecting the Black Samurai, but failed. After reviving the Samurai, Miss Mirimoto tries to make him her servant, but the villain throws her against the palace stairs, knocking her out (leaving her and Sojo's fate unknown). Scooby and Shaggy arrive riding the Green Dragon and, along with a little encouragement from Matsuhiro, defeat the Black Samurai by using the Sword of Fate to destroy the Sword of Doom, breaking the curse on the Samurai, who finally passes on to the afterlife. The gang later attends the newly renovated museum, where a statue of Scooby is erected in his honor. | violence | train | wikipedia | null |
tt3433074 | Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie | Agnes Brown (Brendan O'Carroll) is an independent market trader, selling fruit and vegetables on Dublin's Moore Street market. It has been under attack from P.R. Irwin (Dermot Crowley), a TD (PRIC) who is in an arrangement with a ruthless Russian businessman who wants to put all the market stalls out of business and open a shopping centre on the site. Her stall is the next to be targeted, being sent a bill for unpaid tax left by her grandmother, and a man (working for Irwin) appears offering to buy her stall and make the bill disappear. Agnes nearly accepts, but Winnie (Eilish O'Carroll) reveals this news to the locals, forcing Agnes into defending her stall from the developers while they look for ideas on how to raise the money. Agnes’ friend Philomena Nine Warts informs her that her grandmother, Mary Moccasin, was next to Agnes’ grandmother at the tax office when she paid the bill and therefore no money is owed. Unfortunately Philomena's grandmother is hit by a bus on the way to the courtroom before she can testify.
Agnes' court case attracts a lot of attention from the media, portraying her as the greatest mother in Ireland. This leads her to go to confession, where she admits (unknowingly also to a Russian mobster) that she briefly put her children in care when her husband died, but continued to claim the child support money. This is used against her in the witness box during questioning by Irwin in court (Irwin being the opposing Barrister), and she runs out in shame. Eventually being found by the river by her daughter Cathy (Jennifer Gibney), she admits all in a tearful moment on the Ha'penny Bridge, telling her how she told the nuns that she thought she could look after two of the six children, but when asked to pick she was unable to.
Meanwhile, Buster (Danny O'Carroll) and Agnes’ son Dermot (Paddy Houlihan) try to get the receipt. After failing to break into the restricted area of the NRS they recruit a troop of blind trainee ninjas, led by Mr. Wang (also played by O’Carroll). The Russians have already found and destroyed the original receipt, but Buster and Dermot learn the receptionist that took the payment was blind, so that there exists a braille version of the receipt. They find it and let Agnes know, telling her Tourettes-suffering barrister (Robert Bathurst) to stall the case. After navigating air ducts out of the NRS, Agnes, Buster and Dermot are chased by the mobsters and the Garda, jumping in the River Liffey. Agnes separates from the pair and returns with the "receipt" but it turns out Buster accidentally gave her a betting slip instead. At this point Cathy stands up and gives a speech on how special Moore Street and its market is, and her intention to run her mother’s stall when her time comes, to Agnes’ joy. After their pursuit continues in a Nissan Navara and finally a dash on a stolen horse, Buster and Dermot deliver the receipt to the court room just in time to have the case against Agnes dropped. They all celebrate by dancing on the steps of the courtroom. | comedy | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1104733 | Hamlet 2 | Dana Marschz is a recovering alcoholic and failed actor who has become a high school drama teacher in Tucson, Arizona, "where dreams go to die". Despite considering himself an inspirational figure, he only has two enthusiastic students, Rand Posin and Epiphany Sellars, and a history of producing poorly received school plays that are essentially stage adaptations of popular Hollywood films (his latest being Erin Brockovich). When the new term begins, a new intake of students are forced to transfer into his class as it is the only remaining arts elective available due to budget cutbacks; they are generally unenthusiastic and unconvinced by Dana’s pretensions, and Dana comes into conflict with Octavio, one of the new students.
Dana is floored when Principal Rocker notifies him that the drama program is to be shut down at the end of the term. Seeking to inspire his students, Dana undertakes to write and produce an original play: a sequel to Hamlet featuring time travel to avoid the deaths of the characters, and new, more controversial content, including the introduction of Jesus Christ as one of the characters, complete with a song-and-dance number titled "Rock Me Sexy Jesus". The kids gradually warm to the project, but Rand – cast as a bi-curious Laertes and overshadowed by Octavio as Hamlet – storms out of the drama group and provides a copy of the play’s script to Principal Rocker, who orders Dana to stop the controversial production.
Dana is further traumatized when his wife Brie leaves him for the uninteresting, but fertile, boarder Gary they had taken into their home to supplement their modest income, and reveals that he himself is infertile. Despondent, Dana falls off the wagon and tries to abandon the project, but his students encourage him to continue, arranging an abandoned warehouse and rave spot, technical assistance, and security being provided by the high school's football and wrestling teams. Dana also learns that the cancellation of the play has become a civil liberties issue encouraged by fanatical ACLU activist Cricket Feldstein. As a result, the play opens to a sold-out house, including a critic from The New York Times. Rand returns to the group, apologizing for his desertion; Dana allows him to return to the role of Laertes.
The play itself initially meets with a mixed reception, due to its controversial content and mangling of the original play; in keeping with a running joke throughout the movie, much of the content revolves around the characters using time travel to mend their troubled relationships with their fathers; it ends with both Hamlet and Jesus forgiving their fathers for the wrongs done to them. Although initially reluctant to engage with the play, with several protesters infiltrating the audience to stage a direct protest, the play gradually wins the audience over. The film ends with Dana and his favorite actress, Elisabeth Shue – whom he is now dating – meeting Dana’s students to prepare for the show's Broadway opening, complete with original cast. | romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0271678 | No: 20 Madras Mail | The train No.20 Madras Mail to Madras starts from Trivandrum Central. R.K. Nair (M.G. Soman), a Kollam-based businessman takes the first class coupe of the train to Madras with his wife Geetha (Jayabharathi) and daughter Devi (Suchitra) from Kollam Junction. Tony Kurushingal (Mohanlal), along with his friends Hitchcock Kanjikuzhi (Manianpilla Raju) and Kumbalam Hari (Jagadish) boards the same coach from Kottayam. Tony is the son of a wealthy businessman, Kurishinkal Kariyachan (Jagannatha Varma), Kanjikuzhi is a detective novelist and Hari is a young politician. The three of them are going to Madras for seeing a cricket test match and to make attempts to make Kanjikuzhi's novel Vaazhikuzhiyile Kolapathakam a movie. All the three are heavily drunken while boarding the train. After entering the train and seeing Devi, Tony and friends make several attempts in getting a seat for Tony in the same coupe of Devi, with the help of TTE officer Nadar (Innocent) but with little success. While doing so Tony gets into heated arguments with RK Nair and Sunil (Ashokan), who has a reserved seat in the same coupe (from Ernakulam) as that of R.K. Nair. Actor Mammootty boards the train from Thrissur and gets into the same coach. Nadar leaves the train at Palakkad after giving company with Tony and gang and the new TTE Chokalingam a.k.a. Choki (Jagathy Sreekumar) enters the train. Tony and his friends visit Mammootty in his coupe and soon become friends with him. Meanwhile, Tony tries to flirt with Devi while she returns from the toilet, which causes Tony to land in trouble with R.K Nair but on Mammootty's intervention the matter is settled.
In the morning, as the train reaches Madras, Devi is found murdered in the toilet. Suspicion lands on Tony and friends and they run away from the spot in fear. The investigation is carried out by the Police led by DySP Murthy (V.K.Sriraman) who comes to know via TTE Chokalingam that Mammootty had taken photos of the suspects while in the train. He visits Mammootty and gets the photos. The suspects photos are publicly displayed.Tony and friends seek Mammootty's help and he helps them to return to Kerala secretly. Back in Kerala, they are confronted by Sunil, who was actually the lover of Devi. Both had actually planned to escape from the train at Erode, but was failed as Sunil could not get out off the train in time during the halt . Devi, with the help of station master had then taken a taxi to the next station (Salem) in order to get back in the train. Also, from Sunil, they learn about Sr. Gloria (Sumalatha), who tells that Devi gave her diary before leaving for Madras. After acquiring the diary from the convent, they come to know that R.K Nair is not Devi's father and that he is the one who killed her father in her childhood. On learning that RK Nair might be the possible murderer, Tony calls RK Nair by phone impersonating Mammootty's voice and says that he has got the diary with him and blackmails him to give Rs 20 Lakhs in return for the diary. Tony informs Mammootty and convinces him to proceed with the play. Mammootty and RK Nair meet and agree to fix the deal on the same No 20. Madras Mail on 21 December (Wednesday). Mammootty boards the train at Palakkad on which RK Nair has already booked an entire bogie. Mammootty says that the diary is not present with him and he would hand it over at Salem when Tony joins the train. Nair leaves the train at Erode Junction railway station and goes to Salem station via taxi to find Tony but Tony enters the train in between and with Mammootty's help they power down RK Nair's henchmen. Meanwhile, Nair renters the train at Salem Jn and finds that Tony has already entered. Mammootty and Tony attacks Nair and make him confess the truth. R K Nair revealed that he killed Devi after she caught up the train at Salem, fearing that Devi would inform the police about her father's murder. The next morning, when the train arrives Madras, DySP Murthy, who had already been informed of everything by Hari and Kanjikuzhi, arrests RK Nair. On 1 January while boarding the No 19 Trivandrum Mail to return home, they find Mammootty again in the same train. Mammootty tries to leave the train only to be stopped by Tony and friends who promises a happy and safe journey back home. | murder | train | wikipedia | Laugh riot and suspense. One of those movies aimed solely at entertaining the viewers. No. 20 not only has a fair share of comedy but also sustains the suspense through.Mohanlal and two friends are a group of moneyed vagabonds who get trapped in a murder that takes place on the train from Trivandrum to Madras. How they manage to prove themselves innocent and also identify the murderer forms the crux of this movie. Mammooty makes an appearance as himself (the star) and helps the three prove their innocence. Mammooty's role is a highlight of the movie along with Lal's effortless comedy track. Watch out for the scene where Lal tells an enraged Soman that he was only asking Soman's daughter what brand of soap she uses.Acting-wise there is nothing extraordinary in the film, since it relies on slapstick humor and a fast paced story. The music is also regular stuff and nothing special. Commercially the movie was very successful and added to Lal's start value.Watch it when you are in the mood for entertainment. |
tt0200027 | Riding in Cars with Boys | In 1961 eleven-year-old Beverly "Bev" Donofrio (Mika Boorem) and her father Leonard (James Woods) are preparing for Christmas when Leonard asks Bev what she wants this year for Christmas. Bev says she wants a bra in order to get the attention of a boy she likes. Leonard tells his daughter that she is too young to be thinking about boys, and ends the conversation. Four years later in 1965, Bev (Drew Barrymore) is now an intelligent, but naïve teenager. Her dream is to go to college in New York and become a writer. She and two friends Fay (Brittany Murphy) and Tina (Sara Gilbert) attend a party one fateful evening where Fay finds her older boyfriend Bobby (Desmond Harrington), who is about to be deployed to Vietnam, while Bev gives a love letter to a popular football player named Sky. Sky reads the contents of the letter aloud to his buddies, and they laugh at her. Bev flees to the bathroom, where she is consoled by a friendly stranger named Ray (Steve Zahn). Ray defends Bev's honor and fights with Sky. They are chased from the party and joined by Fay and Bobby during their quick exit. The four go to a lookout where Bobby and Fay have sex in the backseat. Bev is overcome by Ray's kindness and also has sex with him. Leonard, who is a police officer, drives up and brings them to the police station, where Bev claims that they only kissed.
Sometime later, Bev discovers that she is pregnant. She tells Ray, who proposes, but Bev is reluctant to get married. She admits her pregnancy to her parents, who are scandalized by her refusal to get married. Bev hastily agrees to a wedding. At the reception, Bev is upset, because everyone is avoiding her, prompting Fay to publicly announce that she is also pregnant. Afterwards, Fay explains to Bev that her father wanted her to put the baby up for adoption, but she and Bobby will be getting married instead. The two girls, although initially upset, celebrate the fact they will be mothers together.
As the months go by, the girls realize they are missing out on three things: their childhood, prom, and an education. Bev gives birth to a son, Jason, whereas Fay has a daughter, Amelia. Bev is dissatisfied with her married life and continues to pursue her education. When Jason (Logan Arens) is three, she wins the chance for a college scholarship, but her interview goes badly when she is forced to take Jason along. The interviewer praises Bev's writings, but informs her that she will not get the scholarship, because the school fears that she has too many distractions. Later, Fay confides in Bev that she and Bobby are getting divorced, because he met another woman while stationed in Hawaii. To cheer themselves up, Bev and Fay take Ray's hallucinogenic mushrooms. Bev tells Fay that she's not sure if she loves Jason, because she's had to give up so many things for him. When Jason (Cody Arens) almost drowns in Fay's pool, Bev vows to be more attentive to him.
On Jason's seventh birthday, several people from Bev's high school show up to his party: old friend Tina is now engaged and going to NYU; and Tommy, who had a crush on Bev, just graduated from Berkeley and is going to pursue a Master's degree. He suggests that Bev move her family to California and pursue her education there, since the state offers financial aid. Ray agrees to the plan, but on the day they are supposed to leave, he goes missing. Bev's mother calls Bev to their house, where Ray is. Ray confesses that he is a heroin addict and spent their savings on drugs. Bev tries to help him detox, but Ray sneaks out while she is sleeping to get more drugs. When he returns, he tells Bev that it's impossible for him to quit. Bev decides that since Ray can't quit, he should leave the family instead. Ray agrees and Jason attempts to chase after him. He tells Bev that he hates her for making Ray leave.
Two years later, Bev and Fay still want to go to California, so they agree to let one of Ray's friends, Lizard, use Bev's oven so he can dry out weed. Jason (Logan Lerman) tells Leonard who arrests the group. Fay's brother bails them out, but uses their savings for New York to do so. Additionally, Fay reveals that her brother only agreed to bail her out if she moved with him to Arizona and cut off contact with Bev. Jason confesses he was the one who got them arrested and Beverly harshly tells him off that he ruined their lives and it's his fault Fay and Amelia moved away.
In the present day (1985), Beverly and Jason (played as an adult by Adam Garcia) are driving to see Ray. Bev has finally achieved her dream of publishing a memoir and since most of her book focuses on her life with Ray, she needs him to sign a waiver or else her book will not be published. Jason tells Bev that he wants to transfer from NYU to Indianapolis, but Bev refuses to let him, saying that he is getting the education that she never could. Jason calls his girlfriend Amelia (played as an adult by Maggie Gyllenhaal) and delivers the bad news. Amelia assures him that she is not angry, but worries that she can't make him happy like his mother can. Jason and Beverly finally arrive at Ray's trailer. They explain why they are there. Ray's wife, Shirley (Rosie Perez), tells him not to sign it and demands $100,000. Outraged, Beverly screams at him that she'll never forgive him and storms out. Jason follows her and calls her selfish for only caring about her book when he finally got to see his father again. He accuses her of being a bad mother and she storms off.
Ray comes outside and has a heart to heart with Jason. He reveals that leaving was the best thing he could have done for Jason and he believes it's the only reason Jason turned out to be a nice man. He secretly passes Jason the signed papers to avoid angering his wife. Jason finds Bev and they get into another argument. She insists that she was a great mother, because she sacrificed everything for him. Jason reveals that he wants to transfer to be with Amelia and apologizes to Bev for ruining her life. Bev softens and tells Jason that she proud of him and thinks of him as the best thing in her life, and that Jason never ruined her life and she holds herself responsible for her mistakes and poor choices and she never meant to blame Jason for them. She gives him her blessing to transfer and gives him her car to drive to Indiana.
Beverly is forced to call Leonard for a ride and she complains to him how Jason blames her for everything wrong in his life. She then realizes that she has done the same to her father and together they sing a song from her childhood as they drive away. | dramatic, romantic, comedy, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0184858 | Reindeer Games | Nick Cassidy and Rudy Duncan are cellmates in prison two days away from release. Nick has been corresponding with a young woman named Ashley Mercer, who is waiting for him on the outside. After Nick takes a shiv in a prison fight and dies, Rudy, who just wants to have a cup of hot chocolate after he reunites with his family a week before Christmas, takes his place and lets the beautiful Ashley think he is the one who has been writing her. Gabriel, the leader of a gang who assaults Rudy and Ashley in their cabin, is Ashley's brother, telling "Nick" that the gang, with Nick's help, will rob the casino he used to work at. Rudy reveals he is not Nick, but Ashley continues to confirm he is and that she wrote to him knowing Gabriel was going to kidnap and force Rudy to assist in the robbery. Rudy, while furious with Ashley, is reluctantly forced to go along with his ruse.
Using the information from the real Nick’s prison cell stories, Rudy is able to devise a robbery plan and informs Gabriel that the biggest loot is hidden inside a safe in the manager’s office (the "PowWow" safe). On the night of the robbery, Rudy breaks out of his holding in order to find a way to arm himself as he knows Gabriel will kill him after the robbery. He stumbles upon Gabriel and Ashley and learns that they are lovers and partners in crime.
The group robs the casino, each dressed as Santa Claus. Rudy, forced to take part in the robbery, hides the fact that he knows Ashley’s secret. Shots are fired and security guards and Santas are shot. Ashley drives into the Casino and lets Nick/Rudy know she is in on the heist. All meeting in the manager's office, Gabriel introduces Rudy to the casino manager as Nick but the manager recognizes that he isn’t Nick and Rudy confesses. Gabriel, furious at Rudy’s deception, spares him for a moment when he demands to know where the "PowWow” safe is. When the manager opens the safe, he grabs guns from inside and kills one of the robbers as the rest flee. The casino manager dies during the shootout. Rudy kills another one of the robbers and is then grabbed by Gabriel and Ashley who tie him up in their 18-wheeler truck.
They plan to drive him off the edge of a cliff in a burning vehicle with a little of the money so that officials will guess all had been burned. After accidentally revealing too much information during an argument with Rudy, Ashley shoots and kills the now suspicious Gabriel. Shortly after, Nick appears, having staged his death at the prison. It is revealed that Ashley's real name is Millie Bobeck and Rudy learns that the two had collaborated to rob the casino using Rudy and Gabriel and his gang. Ashley had known the entire time who Rudy truly was. Nick also informs Rudy that the prison stories were part of a set-up.
After they tie Rudy to the steering wheel to drive off the cliff, he produces a knife he had gotten earlier, cuts his bindings, hot wires the car, sets it to reverse and crushes Nick. With Ashley firing at him, he rams the fiery car into her and dives out as the car and Ashley go over the cliff. Nick tries to convince Rudy that they can share the money but Rudy locks him in the truck and also sends it over the cliff. Rudy picks up the stolen cash and begins distributing it in mailboxes he comes across on the way home to his family, and he eats a Christmas dinner with them. The film closes with Rudy smiling. | violence, neo noir, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | I can imagine the pitch for "Reindeer Games" being thrown at the execs behind the picture..."Okay, it's about this guy, who's not who he says he is, who everybody thinks he is, who fools these guys who thinks he is, falls in love with this girl who thinks he is, even though he isn't, and they try to pull a heist with his expertise, even though he has none."Nick (Ben Affleck) has just been released from jail for defending his girlfriend in a fight prior to being thrown into the slammer.
Nick was killed before his release in the jail cafeteria, and so Nick took his identity so that he could meet up with the infamous Ashley he kept hearing about, forming a mental picture of her in his head.If you stop to take the time and think through all the minor details of the film's plot (especially given the "twist" ending), you'll probably arive upon the conclusion that it's all a bunch of bull.
It simply doesn't make sense if you really take the time to think it through.If you don't put your brain to work, however, you'll find yourself having fun watching director John Frankenheimer's last film.
Frankenheimer was a talented director, the man behind such films as "The Manchurian Candidate," "Seconds" and "Ronin." His last feature was one of his most stylish and brutal, fast-paced, funny, and often just fun to sit through.Gary Sinise ("Forrest Gump," "Ransom") is his usual villainious self, while the real surprise comes from actress Charlize Theron, who switches character a lot through the film, especially towards the end, and is a real beauty and delight to watch.
She's the film's high point, and though people criticize the plot, I found "Reindeer Games" mildly inventive with its shifting twists and turns, even if they aren't always so believable.The film's downfall is its ending, which feels as if the filmmakers got caught up in all their twists and turns and unconsciously wrote themselves into a wall, then suddenly slapped on a cheesy, cliched ending with a sentimental good guy closing scene.
Burdened with a base knowledge of Nick's Indian casino employment past, Rudy finds himself in too deep with Ashley's brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise) and is violently forced to cooperate with a casino robbery that Gabriel and his gang have been planning with Nick in mind.From an original screenplay by Ehren Kruger, REINDEER is very much in the same vein as his last script ARLINGTON ROAD.
Helmed by esteemed director John Frankenheimer (THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, RONIN), REINDEER seems keenly aware of it's inane story, yet he keeps pushing the proceedings along briskly, trying to keep this casino heist plot afloat with good actors and a passable script.
It isn't the best performance that's come out of him (I'll save that honor for DOGMA), but Affleck is a likable enough guy and makes Rudy a character you want to see save the day.
I though REINDEER GAMES was a pretty good movie, especially compared to some other movies of the year 2000 so far, but I think there should have been a little more action than there actually was.
Just when you think you've identified all the twists, there's another one right there.Rudy (Ben Affleck), a car-thief, and his cellmate Nick (James Frain), a guy who killed another man while defending his girlfriend, are both about to be freed from jail when Nick is murdered during a lunch fight.
The two really hit it off and things are going well, until Ashley's brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise) finds Rudy and threatens to kill him if he doesn't help them get into and rob a casino, which the real Nick previously worked at.The plot is actually pretty cool, but it's hard to believe that this bunch of idiot-thieves would really believe that this was the real Nick, even after he told them time after time that he wasn't.
The characters are pretty cool, about half of which turn out to be different from whom you originally thought.Ben Affleck, new to the action genre, did a pretty good job.
Gary doesn't do as well as the villain as he did in SNAKE EYES or RANSOM, but he still did a very good and believable job.The main flaw in this movie was the lack of action until the end.
John Frankenheimer follows up his great comeback film, "Ronin," with "Reindeer Games," a flawed but efficient thriller that recalls his earlier "52 Pick-Up."Freshly paroled ex-con Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) assumes the identity of his cellmate, Nick (who misses out on his parole when he is taken out during a prison riot), when Rudy falls for Nick's gorgeous pen-pal, Ashley (Charlize Theron).
The ruse goes awry when he is also mistaken for Nick by a gang of thugs (headed by Gary Sinise) who recruit him in their planned heist of an Indian casino at which Nick had been employed.Like "52 Pick-Up," "Reindeer Games" has a central character whose flawed behavior puts him at the mercy of dangerous individuals who conceive a scheme that spins out of control.
I don't feel it's one of those so-bad-it's-good sort of movies, but the script relies quite a bit on chance and one of the plot twists, though quite fun and unpredictable, is a bit on the implausible side.
The likelihood of this situation panning itself out the way it did here isn't very high, but the film works because of John Frankenheimer's direction, the charismatic cast, and the dark humor.Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck), a car thief, and his cellmate and best friend Nick Cassidy (James Frain) are two days away from being released from prison.
Unlikely or not, there's no denying that last twist is a lot of fun.Director Frankenheimer and screenwriter Kruger also seem to know what the audience wants from this sort of movie, and they fill it with everything they can, including violent action, the dark humor, the twists and turns, as well as a good dose of sex and nudity, provided mostly by Charlize Theron.
Not even a pretty good (not great, mind you) performance by Charlize Theron (Cider House Rules) could save this flick.The premise is bad: Gun-running bad guys decide they want in on the big money, so they decide to turn to armed robbery their first job an out-of-the-way Indian casino in a remote part of Michigan in the middle of a snowy winter that for some reason has millions of dollars in its vaults when it has trouble attracting customers.The acting terrible: Ben Affleck proves he can't act and this pretty boy can't get away with playing an ex-con.And a new low in incredibly dumb crooks: Gary Sinise snarls through the whole movie, playing a cold-blooded killer who could have put us all out of our misery if he had just put a bullet through Affleck's head in an early scene.
Yes, he could have notified security in the casino.Yes, he could have called the police while he was "trapped in the hotel" even though he was walking around.Yes, he could have escaped during his outing into the parking lot at night front he bedroom window.Yes, he could have told the guy in the casino bathroom what was going on and to call the cops.Yes, there were so many ways to get away and deal with the sh1t that was going down, but he didn't and I still love this film.Maybe it's because I have a Charlize Theron fetish and addiction.Maybe it's because it's a unique Christmas story and it's not sappy like the Frosty and Jesus stories.Maybe it's because Charlize looks so damn hot.
(Perhaps because he appears to have been working out and wanted to show off?) The entire plot consists of a juvenile mistaken identity gag, played over and over as Sinise holds a gun to Affleck's head every fifteen minutes and threatens to kill him before instead changing his mind and agreeing to let him live.
"Reindeer Games" may not go down as one of the best written or brilliant films ever made (and truth be told be it not for the fact that it was directed by the late, great John Frankenheimer, and starred Ben Affleck or Charlize Theron, it wouldn't have nearly been as noticed on this site as it is), but that doesn't mean it's without its merits.
At heart, it's a simple story: prison convict Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck)and his cell mate Nick Cassidy (James Frain) are two days away from being released around the holidays when Nick is killed in a prison riot.
Rudy tells himself that it's only until after New Year's but unbeknownst to him, he gets a lot more than he bargained for when Ashley's brother, Gabriel (Gary Sinise with Lt. Dan's hippie hairstyle) and his crew of gun running thugs force him into robbing a Indian casino (disguised as, of all things, a group of Santa Clauses!) because they think him to be the actual Nick Cassidy, who, just happened to have worked for that very casino as a security guard.
But along the way, Rudy will see there are a couple of twists and turns and despite his best efforts, he may spend Christmas in the morgue.What makes "Reindeer Games" as watchable and decently entertaining as it is would primarily be the direction of the master thrill maker John Frankenheimer.
Also noteworthy is Charlize Theron as the seemingly innocent Ashley, Gary Sinise's performance as gun running truck driver turned robber Gabriel, who does a decent job of being the bad guy of the film - even if the character is one dimensional - as well as the fact that there are a couple of note worthy actors playing his henchmen, such as the always dependable Danny Trejo, the underrated but solid Clarence Williams III, and good old natured Donal Logue.
"Reindeer Games" may not reinvent the wheel, but with Frankenheimer's direction (his final feature film), some good acting, decent action, and few decent plot twists here and there, it's not a bad way to waste some time.
The film gets shat on a lot, especially by star Charlize Theron who famously said she only did it to work with Frankenheimer, but I think it's way more fun than people give it credit for.
She turns out to be a sweetheart in the form of Theron, and things look up for old Ben. Until, however, her volatile, psychotic gangster brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise) shows up with a pack of thugs who have a notion to rob a casino that Nick used to work at, using him as an inside man.
Obviously though, Rudy knows nothing of this casino and faces a no-win scenario of coming clean about is identity (and being killed) or giving them false information about the layout (and being killed).Despite the arresting opening scene that sees a group of dead Santas lying in the snow, this "job gone wrong" thriller actually is pretty ordinary and perhaps it is understandable why it made comparatively little money at the box office.
But Rudy doesn't realized that Ashley's criminal minded brother (Gary Sinise) and his gang (Donal Logue, Danny Trejo and Clarence Williams the Third) wants Rudy to rob an Casino during Christmas Eve. Since his recently dead best friend was working as a security guard.
Affleck is certainly fun in the lead role, Theron is certainly sexy and an joy to watch in this film (Although she claims it is her worst film) and while actors like Sinise, Logue, Trejo and Williams the Third seems to be having an great time playing bad guys.
I thought the actors were great; Theron is beautiful and talented as usual, Sinise is evil and comical as the appropriately named "Monster" and Affleck has great comedic timing and should stick to playing roles like these.
REINDEER GAMES is a must see for all fans of Charlize Theron and Ben Affleck and it could work for an entertaining evening.
Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise sizzle as they star in "Reindeer Games.""Reindeer Games" is one thrill ride that is sure to entertain.
I like the actors in it.This is my 1st favorite movie from John Frankenheimer and the best screenplay by Ehren Kruger making up for some of Scream 3s mess.Ben Affleck is likeable in this movie and so is Charlize Theorn and Gary Sinse the bad guy can't go wrong there.my grade:A-One last thing this movie has some cool action sequences..
The 2 main actors in this film-Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron-who are my personal faves-should have made this movie absolutely outstanding.
Somebody of her beauty and stature would not be writing a prison seeking romance from an inmate.All in all..I would love to see Charlize Theron and Ben Affleck together in another film, hopefully of a little better quality.
From my very limited acquaintance with the genre, it seems the attractiveness of these films was their inanity and their craziness, along with their often far-fetched plot-points, far-from-realistic instances, and technical and aesthetic imperfections that are now widely different from the glossy, overly-polished action filmmaking techniques we're used to today.But who would've thought the actor to jump on this train would be Ben Affleck and the director to capture this moment be John Frankenheimer?
Preferably, but not restricted to, those starring Ben Affleck.Reindeer Games takes the cake for being one of the most asinine films I've seen this year in terms of plot, twists, and character motives.
"Some goddamn hot chocolate and some pecan f****** pie." You couldn't find a better line in this film (although Gabriel referring to Rudy's stalling as "reindeer games" comes pretty close).Besides the film utilizing intriguing settings, such as a large hotel and a spacious casino, with a nice sense of placement and activity, the film can be known for having some at least above average performances, particularly from Gary Sinise.
I get the feeling Kruger once said "I want to write a movie with a big, surprise twist at the end and "Reindeer" was his warm-up for "Road." I'm really fearful now for two more films he has coming out this year: "Impostor" and "Texas Rangers."Ben Affleck, who should have been a good choice to play a car thief, is expected to inhabit a character who is much harder than he can pull off.
There is also a nice performance from Dennis Farina who plays a Las Vegas high roller who can't make a go of managing the Tomahawk and just wants to go back to Vegas.There's lots of action in Reindeer Games with some interesting character development and plot twists that would be worthy of Hitchcock.
Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise sizzle as they star in "Reindeer Games.""Reindeer Games" is one thrill ride that is sure to entertain viewers.
Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise sizzle as they star in "Reindeer Games.""Reindeer Games" is one thrill ride that is sure to entertain viewers.
The best part about "Reindeer Games" is that it is not all action or all drama or even romance, but that it is an equal balance of all three, which is very nice to see in a movie like this.I was extremely impressed with Charlize Theron's performance because she proved she had the stuff to make it on her own.
The best part about "Reindeer Games" is that it is not all action or all drama or even romance, but that it is an equal balance of all three, which is very nice to see in a movie like this.I was extremely impressed with Charlize Theron's performance because she proved she had the stuff to make it on her own.
The best part about "Reindeer Games" is that it is not all action or all drama or even romance, but that it is an equal balance of all three, which is very nice to see in a movie like this.I was extremely impressed with Charlize Theron's performance because she proved she had the stuff to make it on her own.
Upon release from prison, Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) impersonates his cellmate Nick (James Frain) in order to get with Ashley (Chalene Theron), his lovely pen-pal girlfriend.
Sucks for Rudy!I liked Reindeer Games, it was full of action, guns, and a little bit of comedy....this is my type of movie!!!
Duncan is forced to take part in a casino heist, and amongst the film's run time, there are enough double crosses, chases, nuded scenes, suspense and plot twists for several movies!
I had a good time watching this film, the cast pull off a great job and Frankenheimer continues his recovery from The Island of Doctor Moreau.Reindeer Games won't win any awards, but there's no reason why you can't enjoy it.
I do recommend this film to anyone looking for a good night in!The acting was great, and I think that the direction given to the actors by John Frankenheimer was excellent.
It reminds a lot those exciting and explosive masterpieces of the 70's like The French Connection.Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) is a tough but good-hearted con who is going to be released soon from prison after doing his time and wants to start a new phase on his life, completely devoted to his family.
Ben Affleck is solid as Rudy, Charlize Theron is suitably sexy as Ashley and Gary Sinise is delightfully over-the-top as Gabriel.
As its Christmas, six Santas go in to rob the casino.The plot has a lot of standard thriller concepts and you always anticipate a few twists and turns even those relating to the dead cell mate's ultimate motives as to why he wanted Affleck to hook up with Theron.The film kind of looks cheap, it was mainly shot in Canada.
Gary Sinise is an excellent bad guy, although I feel like his character whimpered out as the movie progressed.Overall, Reindeer Games is entertaining enough as it is despite some incredibly ridiculous moments.
Gary Sinise is a great actor but he doesn't really play a good and strong enough villain in this movie, also because of his crazy look perhaps. |
tt1625150 | Noordzee, Texas | A young Pim and his mother, Yvette, live in the Belgian countryside with their dog, a Miniature Pinscher named Mirza. The mother, a lonely divorcee, plays a piano accordion, and patronizes a local bar called Texas. One day Pim and his mother attend a fair, where they meet a traveling carny named Zoltan. Zoltan is kind to the younger Pim, and Pim is infatuated. Zoltan rents a room in Yvette's home intermittently, but later stops coming to town. Meanwhile, Yvette begins spending time with a man named Etienne, who is brutish and macho, and whom Pim immediately despises.
As time passes, Pim develops a close friendship with the slightly older Gino, who becomes his best friend. Pim falls in love with Gino, and Gino explores his sexuality with the adoring Pim, and the two become increasingly intimate. They both agree to keep their sexual relationship a secret. Meanwhile, Gino's sister Sabrina develops feelings for Pim, and Gino nearly spends the night with a girl he is seeing named Francoise. Pim, seeing Gino kiss Francoise, commits an act of vandalism as revenge and a rift forms between the two friends. Sabrina subsequently finds out that Pim is gay, and Yvette breaks it off with the boorish Etienne. Around this time, the enigmatic Zoltan unexpectedly returns. Gino, growing uncomfortable with the complicated circumstances, begins pushing Pim away. Compounding the emotional roller coaster for Pim, he goes to Zoltan's room one evening, hoping to spend the night with him, only to find Zoltan out of his room and down the hall having sex with Pim's mother. Having long wanted Zoltan for himself, even before he fell in love with Gino, a distraught Pim runs off into the night. Devastated that he cannot be with Zoltan, He returns home to find his mother has left with Zoltan and left him a note. Pim takes Mirza and moves in with Sabrina, while Gino is living out of town with Francois.
Following the funeral of Gino and Sabrina's mother Marcella, Pim and Sabrina are seen living together, although the living arrangement is clearly platonic. On a rainy day, Gino returns. After Pim tells Gino that his sister isn't home, Gino tells Pim that it was he who Gino came home for. Gino gently grabs Pim and moves him against the wall. Gino returns a cloth with special meaning to them both to Pim, telling him to tie a knot in it so that he will never forget him. He then proceeds to kiss Pim on the neck and the two embrace one another passionately. Pim tells Gino to "stay," and the film ends with the two of them embracing each other, suggesting a happy ending for the young couple. | flashback | train | wikipedia | I think just about every gay man can relate to this movie, and remembers what it was like to have that first crush on someone.
North Sea Texas is a beautiful, well-crafted and well-shot film.
I'm not gay but regardless I fell in love with this film so much that I sat down to write a review here.So the premise goes like this...
Its about a boy named Pim (I'm not familiar with Dutch/Flemish culture but having seen a few of their films I think a lot of guys are named Pim) who is kind of an introvert, a dreamer, doesn't talk much and spends a lot of his time drawing the things he loves.
Young Pim meets a guy nearby, Gino who is three years older than him and eventually falls in love with him.
There is also Gino's sister Sabrina, who is the same age as Pim and their mother.Pim's mother, Yvette, on the other hand is a feckless woman who spends most of her time drinking, singing and playing accordion at a local bar.
These troubles cause him to hang out at his best friend Gino's place all the time; and also at a local drinking hole called Texas, after which the movie's named.
Gino's mother treats Pim like family and understands the fact that he is not lucky to have Yvette as his mother.If a write more I might just end up telling the entire story and BTW I didn't spoil anything for you.
The entire film rests on the character, Pim and his life and he just makes the character come alive.
Its a refreshing break over films where the characters indulge in a sleaze-fest all along and then, at the end, realise that love was here all along.
The 'coming-of-age' genre is really too broad to describe North Sea Texas, the first feature film from Belgian Director Bavo Defurne.
There have been many films which portray the highs and lows of adolescent gay love, but few which do so in a way which draws you into their world in such an imaginative and creative way.
The awkward silences, deserted roads and the long empty beach are symbolic of the emotional isolation of "dreamer" Pim. His only refuge being the place where he feels acceptance and understanding is with his 'surrogate' family - single mother Marcella, her daughter Sabrina, and son Gino - the subject of his love.Jelle Floorizoone, (Pim) carries the film with incredible maturity and professionalism, helped by an excellent cast of characters who add to the film's charm and depth.
As the boys grow older Gino drifts away from Pim, into the arms of a French girl, culminating in a confrontation of rage on an empty wind-swept beach.
Sometimes it takes the love of an understanding mother, through a simple gesture, to show that her son's choice may not be the right one.Having first seen North Sea Texas in the cinema earlier this year, and now again on DVD, it's a film that warrants repeated viewings.
Emotional and uplifting, North Sea Texas is one of the most engaging & original films about adolescent gay love since Danish Director Lasse Nielsen's ground-breaking "You Are Not Alone".Included on the DVD is a short but excellent Premiere Featurette and film trailer.
Compare it with 'Get Real', and 'A beautiful Thing' but better.It give an excellent idea how gay's explore their world in the 1950-1960's in Belgium..
This film is about a quiet and introverted young boy in Northern Belgium, who falls in love with the boy next door."North Sea, Texas" is a slow moving film, but it captures your attention by its great story telling.
For example, the film tells viewers that the town is underprivileged by minor details such as Gino's mother pouring sugar sachets into a jar, and Pim's mother wearing the same dress almost every time she goes out.
Towards the ending, there are scenes open to interpretation, leaving viewers to discuss what really happens."North Sea, Texas" is more of a film to feel and empathise.
It is a story about a gay boy (Pim) living with a negligent mother that is still trying to be young and free.
The boy develops a crush on this neighbor (Gino) who looks a lot like Harold from "Harold and Maude".
I ended up finding this dutch movie called North Sea Texas.
You have a teenage boy named Pim. He has mother who is a singer and accordion player.
Pim likes to dream about things including drawing pictures of Gino.There are some loves scenes in this movie between Pim and Gino.
This is an interesting movie about teenage boys who fall in love.
This movie shows a gay teenager named Pim whois a lot stronger that most people.
This reviewer draws a nice clear picture of the characters and plot in this odd Belgium indie film.
At the beginning I was not compelled to watch this movie due to the weird little boy but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did.Pim (the main character) is so sullen you'll wonder what's to become of him as his mother expresses no parenting skills and the only positive influences in his life seem to be the mother of his friend Gino and Pim's own imagination.
A young boy of maybe 10 or so, Pim, dresses up as a beauty queen, naked all but for a sash, his mother's jewelry and perfume.
His single mother, who likes men, maybe a bit too much, and to hang out in the local bar, Texas, doesn't scold him nor do the friendly neighbours he spends so much time with.
It is clear they, like us, can see the man the boy will become.When we next see Pim he's just turned 15 and is infatuated with the neighbour's 18 year old son, Gino, and we know his future is already mapped out.
Well, let's just say there are plenty of bumps along the way in his film "North Sea, Texas".In this country, of course, such stories of gay teenage sexuality would be virtually taboo where almost any depiction of sex in which either of the parties involved is under the age of consent is considered child abuse but those pesky foreigners have always lead the way in matters of the flesh, (remember Louis Malle's "Les Amants"?).
Here, we might describe this film as brave, even daring, but it's probably quite commonplace in its native Belgium.All the performances are good with Jelle Florizoone and Mathias Vergels as the teenage lovers, Pim and Gino respectively, slipping into their roles with remarkable ease while Nina Marie Kortekaas as Gino's younger sister, who has more than a crush on Pim, is also excellent.
After finding this movie on complete accident through IMDb's "People who liked this also liked
" thing, I figured I'd give this film a shot.
Director Bavo Defurne has had a pretty successful career in writing, directing, and producing short films with the kind of active cinematography and intimacy his first feature film North Sea Texas has.
And let me say, North Sea Texas is no "Campfire." The story concerns a fourteen-year-old named Pim (Jelle Florizoone), who lives in the West Flemish area of France, circa 1970.
A neglected and unnoticed Pim begins to develop feelings for his seventeen-year-old neighbor, Gino (Mathias Vergels), which quickly turn sexual in the wake of Gino moving away with his girlfriend.
It just so happens that Pim leaves his mother to live with other relatives and be closer with Gino and his ultimate goal is to try and make their star-crossed relationship work in the long run.Coming-out cinema is beginning to grind not only its own gears together, making for many awkward, too little too late films, but my own personal ones too.
Just having gay characters and a gay love story doesn't make a film edgy, exciting, or visceral on its own merits.
All we're given is a very fragile, loose gay relationship between two young boys, and because of the lack of development we haven't become invested enough to truly care or even worried that something may not work out.But it appears I'm being too hard on a film, whose good intentions are noticeable and somewhat credible.
Jelle Florizoone is a fine, subtle screen presence, excelling at a role that is certainly brave for his age, and likewise for Mathias Vergels, whose older character has even a little more to thing about than his lover.
Quite possibly the most electric scenes in North Sea Texas are when Pim and Gino are confronting their repressed sexual tendencies in a tent in the woods, which involve many intimate sequences and alive emotion.
These scenes alone make the film hard to dislike in many ways.Yet the problems in North Sea Texas are a bit too big to ignore.
There's careful directing, beautiful cinematography (if we're comparing it to other works of queer cinema, it's about half as good as the kind we see in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain), and bold performances, but there's also methodical writing, too many characters, slow progression, and an achingly minimalist style present.
All I can hope is that one day, the youth of France get a gay movie that could very well represent their culture in a more intricate, sophisticated way.Starring: Jelle Florizoone, Mathias Vergels, Eva van der Gucht, Katelijne Damen, and Noor Ben Taouet.
what a beautiful , touching gay love story.
i can say that i've cried about 3 times while watching this specially at the end , which is satisfying compared with other German gay movies i have seen such as : summer storm , land of storms , free fall , sasha , beach rats ....
The main character, a teenage boy Pim, lives with his single mother and older brother by the sea.
Pim is a person a few words, as are several of the film's characters.
I enjoyed watching the new and budding relationship between Pim and the neighbor boy, which they are of course compelled to keep hidden.
It is clear that the director is just accumulating things for Pim to put in his collection box, but with little reason to do so except fulfill a director's plot device at the end of a movie.
The beginning has lots of quick cuts, that end abruptly & leave things unexplained, then the film ends with longer shots in which very little happens.
Pim's love interest runs off with a girl, and then all of sudden he comes back....no explanation, no development of the characters means the viewer has no explanation for why things happen except that it's just a series of random events a director tried to string together.
From Belgium comes this coming of age film which is not about Texas.
It also has some loose laws regarding the age of consent because there's no way a film like this would be made in the USA with such young participants in even tastefully done sex scenes.The two main participants are played by young actors different at different ages.
Young Pim who is the only child of the town tramp starts having is gay feelings awakened by a slightly older neighbor boy Gino.
Gino's sister likes Pim, but he can't see her at all.How does it all come out?
When you do you will a nice coming of age film for gay youth that would be banned in Dixie..
Noordzee, Texas includes multiple topics uncommon in most films: gay coming of age, life in the middle of nowhere governed by winds, dunes and tides, irresponsible way of living in a closed community, for example.
Performances are good, realistic (particularly Jelle Florizoone as Pim, Eva Van Der Gucht (as Yvette, Nina Marie Kortekaas as Sabrina), but due to the complexity and versatility of elements, the plot is not seamless, the balance between slow and fast scenes is odd sometimes.
As the film plays at the sea side, it makes the accent even more unrealistic.The movie is based on a novel and it feels like the dialogs have been taken literally which doesn't take into account how much more tolerant written language is compared to spoken.Further, it feels like the scenes chosen drop a bit out of context, with little introduction as to why the characters feel towards one another like they do.All in all, I found it mechanical and I didn't manage to feel with the characters..
This is the story of Pim, a quiet, reserved gay Belgian boy, from the age of about ten (my guess, although he may be as young as seven or eight) to 17.
It is a very well made and well acted movie that really must be seen to be appreciated, but since this seems to be the first review, I'll give it a shot.Pim lives with his bawdy, busty, blonde, unmarried mother Yvette near the North Sea and the French border.
As a result of her haphazard parenting, Pim spends considerable time on his own, often sitting quietly at a table by himself in a seaside roadhouse named Texas (which gives the movie its title) while Yvette plays and parties with her friends.
They are tender yet passionate and very, very beautiful; and I never once thought, "I've seen this before." In fact, I never thought that at any point in the movie; it was as if I were watching a movie about gay teenage love for the first time.Gino is the one who has trouble coming out, and eventually he moves to Dunkirk to live with a French girl.
(Except when the actor playing Pim changes, the passage of time is not clear in this movie; and when Pim and Gino next meet, the only way we know it's two years later is that Gino mentions that Pim will be 17 soon.) Pim is devastated that Gino has abandoned him with no warning.
The entry of a young Gypsy named Zoltan distracts Pim from his grief momentarily, until it becomes obvious Zoltan prefers Yvette.I'm making this wonderful movie sound trite and dull, so I'm going to quit trying to tell what it's about.
But I will limit my praise to the actor who plays the older (14-17-year-old) Pim and the director who encouraged him to give such a strong, courageous, subtle but stunning performance.I believe the actor (whose name is Jelle Florizoone) was around 15 when the movie was made, and although he had worked on TV a little, this seems to be his first movie.
It would be a beautiful performance from any actor at any age, but the fact that he's 15 years old (when even great child actors start to falter) makes it even more impressive.I've learned not to predict future stardom for young actors who give extraordinarily powerful performances in gay movies, because it never happens.
A wonderful film about growing up gay and straight: discovering who you are, what love might mean, and learning to deal through trial and error with the world around you.Set in a lower class neighborhood near the Belgian coast sometime around 1960, the story follows a boy, Pim, and two slightly older neighbor children Gino and Sabrina, from about the age of six or eight until their late teens.Neglected by a mother who dreams of being swept off to romantic places, the younger boy is more or less adopted by the mother of the two neighbor children.
The performances of Ben Van den Heuvel and Jelle Florizoone (PIm); Nathan Naenen and Mathias Vergels (Gino); Noor Ben Tahouet, and Nina Marie Koortekaas (Sabrina) as the young / teen aged children are incredible, especially given the age of the actors.
A beautiful coming of age film.
What beautiful film about love in all its forms.
At one point she is going out and for dinner she just tells him to open a can of sardines.He becomes infatuated with the handsome slightly older boy next door and at one point even jumps at the opportunity to move in with his family when his mother runs off with a new man leaving him behind only to find out that the boy he loves has grown up and also moved out of town.It does tend to be slow but I thought the slow build up just adds to the story.
Pim, Gino, and Sabrina, are entering a period of sexual awakening and the movie is very much about finding love, first love, and heartbreaks.
Pim cannot seem to catch a break in this film, when he's starting to get over Gino, here comes another heartbreak.
There're subtle changes throughout the movie showcasing that change is part of life, something that we have to deal with.North Sea, Texas has beautiful photography, great visuals and score that add an eerie feel to the movie.
I also didn't understand the whole alphabet reciting thing but it sure added to his creepiness.Finally, for a film set in the 1970s with gay characters, it was refreshing to see that the whole shame, self-loathing and guilt of being gay was dismissed for a coming of age story.
Treating Gino and Pim's story as the most natural thing.If you haven't seen the movie please watch it and if you want to talk about it tweet me @wornoutspines..
...partial spoiler about general themes.You've heard this film is about a gay boy named Pim. That label is cargo in our societal theories of life.
So that moral tone does not mislead a person who watches this film to understand themselves.What Pim, like many young persons, does not yet know is, how to grow relationships which really blossom into a friendship that lasts.
I loved the fact that Pim could walk into the house of his neighbours and be like one of the family; it was even more emotional when he was crying when his mother left and also when his 'surrogate' mother got ill and died, I felt the symbolism of all the teenagers' white shirts was very powerful and her gesture with the boys' hands made it a beautiful scene. |
tt0066434 | THX 1138 | In the 25th century, sexual intercourse and reproduction are prohibited, whereas use of mind-altering drugs is mandatory to enforce compliance among the citizens and to ensure their ability to conduct dangerous and demanding tasks. Emotions, coitus, and the concept of family are a taboo. Everyone is clad in identical uniforms and has shaven heads to emphasize equality, except the police androids (who wear black) and robed monks. Instead of names, people have designations – reminiscent of licence plates – with three arbitrary letters (referred to as the "prefix") and four digits; shown on an identity badge worn at all times.
At their jobs in central video CCTV control centers, SEN 5241 and LUH 3417 keep surveillance on the city. LUH has a male roommate, THX 1138, who works in a factory producing android police officers. At the beginning of the story, THX leaves the job while the loudspeakers urge the workers to "increase safety", and congratulate them for only losing 195 workers in the last period, to the competing factory's 242. On the way home, he stops at a confession booth in a row of many, and mumbles prayers about "party" and "masses", under the portrait of "OMM 0910". A soothing voice greets THX, and OMM ends every confession with a parting salutation: "You are a true believer, blessings of the State, blessings of the masses. Work hard, increase production, prevent accidents and be happy".
At home, THX takes his drugs, and watches holo-broadcasts while engaging with a masturbatory device. LUH secretly substitutes pills in her possession for THX's medications; whereupon THX eventually suffers physical discomfort (vomiting) along with mental/emotional changes (confusion). The drug substitution also leads to LUH and THX becoming involved romantically, resulting in the two engaging in intercourse. THX later is confronted by SEN, who arranges THX as his new roommate, but THX files a complaint against SEN for the illegal housing mate change. Without drugs in his system, THX falters during a critical and hazardous phase of his job, and a control center engages a "mind lock" on THX which raises the level of danger. After the release of the mind lock, THX makes the necessary correction to that work phase. THX and LUH are arrested. THX enjoys a brief reunion with LUH, disrupted shortly after she reveals her pregnancy.
At THX's trial, THX is sentenced to prison, alongside SEN. Most of the prisoners seem uninterested in escape, but eventually THX and SEN find an exit; they are later joined by hologram SRT 5752, who starred in the holo-broadcasts. During the escape, THX and SRT are separated from SEN. Chased by the police robots, THX and SRT are trapped in a Control Center, from which THX learns that LUH has been "consumed", possibly for organ reclamation, and her name has been reassigned to fetus 66691 in a growth chamber. SEN eventually escapes to an area reserved for the monks of OMM, where a lone monk notices that SEN has no identification badge. SEN attacks him and later wanders into a child-rearing area, strikes up a conversation with children, and sits aimlessly until police androids apprehend him. THX and SRT steal two cars, but SRT crashes his into a concrete pillar.
Pursued by two police androids on motorcycles, THX flees to the limits of the city and escapes into a ventilation shaft. The police androids pursue him on motorcycles along the ventilation shaft to an escape ladder but are ordered by Central Command to cease pursuit, on grounds that the expense of his capture exceeds their budget by 6%. It is then revealed that the city is entirely underground, and that THX has escaped onto the surface; he then witnesses the Sun setting as the end titles roll. The music played at this point is from the St. Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach. | avant garde, suspenseful, murder, neo noir, psychological, cult, psychedelic, romantic, sci-fi | train | wikipedia | Duvall gives a good performance (his breakthrough role in "The Godfather" would come next year) but the real surprise here is Lucas, who goes for a Kubrick-like edge to his film that really separates it from his later work.
You won't believe this is from the guy who created Jar-Jar Binks.If anyone accuses George Lucas of being the schmaltzy sell-out he has now become, direct them to this film in order to prove that, at one point in his life, he really did have a bleak outlook on life and the future, and it didn't start with the words "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."..
If you remembered it at all, it was for the use of white space and the long periods during which almost nothing discernible happens.Well, it is almost 35 years later (35 YEARS!) and for reasons best known to film and DVD marketers, George Lucas has pulled it out of the vaults.
It actually looks like this is the only film she did, according to IMDb.The extra features on the DVD are interesting and bring a lot of new information for fans of science fiction, of the 70s films and of Lucas.
The special effects in this movie were also surprising good especially when considering that this movie was made in 1971.The movie also knows to be tense at the right times and the end chase is pretty spectacular and nicely done.I for one truly love this perfect piece of visual art.
With the exception of those cheezy action scenes (which I'm sure Lucas added ex post facto, like he did with Star Wars + CGI) it is reminiscent of the old Michael Crichton films (Andromeda Strain, Westworld) with maybe a dash of Rollerball.The early 70s was a wonderful time for scifi, because all the directors were scrambling to emulate Kubrick's masterpiece.
This movie, like Lucas, like the failed nebula, is the big one that got away.P.S. George, if you're listening, please stop adding "new" special effects to the old films!
The motion picture was well produced by Francis Ford Coppola , his first film for American Zoetrope , and compellingly directed by George Lucas , pre-Star Wars , and he considers to be one of the greatest achievements of his career .
This is a superior science-fiction movie that will appeal to cinema buffs and interested in to watch an example of the kind of work filmmaker Lucas was doing at the beginning ..
Personally, I think that George Lucas should've went into this direction instead of the direction he chose with his "Star Wars" films, which, many (legions of geeks) would argue, is his best work.
George Lucas made a thoughtful, intelligent movie called THX 1138.Those who prefer space opera to genuine science fiction will be disappointed.
"Why WASN'T he on drugs?" others will protest.The future dystopia is a staple of the science fiction genre, including such greats as Fritz Lang's "Metropolis," Truffaut's adaptation of Bradbury's "Farenheit 451," and Jean Luc Godard's "Alphaville." THX 1138 belongs in this group of classics.If you are enough of an immature male to truly enjoy Lucas's interminable "Star Wars" series, you probably will be bored to death with THX 1138.
It's obvious that Lucas wanted to throw in as much Sci-Fi as possible into the film, and this has resulted in the movie resembling a mish-mash of science fiction orientated sequences, which comes very much at the expense of the story.
The people in the film all sport white uniforms and shaved heads and while this enables Lucas to present a regimented vision of the future that compliments the plot and style of the movie, it also means that none of the actors stand out, and since all of them, even the great Robert Duvall and the normally solid Donald Pleasance, find themselves with not a lot to do; it can't be said that this is an actor's movie.
George Lucas made his feature film directorial debut with this dystopian sci-fi movie about a depressing conformist future where people are bald and not allowed to have sex.
This movie is probably the best movie George Lucas has done, not saying that Star Wars wasn't a masterpiece and even though both movies are science fiction they are are way too different and that might be the reason this movie is (i believe) underrated and has such a low rating in IMDb.What i can conclude from what i've heard, read and seen is that people often see this movie waiting to see something similar to Star Wars.
Those are aspects that George Lucas shows in a lot of his movies but in a soft and shaded way.In conclusion: This is not a commercial movie for "Comercial" people.PS: I'm a big fan of all Star Wars movies..
Lucas manages to bring his concept to life, even if it's not exactly as thrilling or interesting as what the Star Wars saga would be.THX 1139 (Robert Duvall) is an ideal member of this "utopian" community where religion means stay calm and do as you're told.
The film therefore drags at points not necessarily because what's going on isn't interesting, but the viewer is missing contextual help to illuminate the action on screen.Fans of the genre will appreciate Lucas' contribution and his imagination, but probably not love it.
THX 1138 (1971) ** (out of 4)Set in the future, George Lucas' feature-length debut as director tells the story of a man (RObert Duvall) and woman (Maggie McOmie) who decide to rebel against the rules of not experiencing love/sex.
With that said, as much as I enjoyed certain aspects of this film, at the same time I'm not going to lie because it bored me pretty bad.On a visual level THX 1138 is quite amazing because you really do get the feeling that you're viewing something set in the future.
All Lucas' efforts to create a mythology gave way to childish stories with monotonous, extravagant actions sequences.Most of "Star Wars" lovers forgot that prior to this cultural phenomenon and even before he embarked on a fruitful career as a producer, George Lucas had signed a personal, pessimistic science-fiction work that showed a more adult direction from him: "THX 1138" (1971).
The great irony is that Lucas has just signed a deal to build a new studio in the one government in the world which most resembles that of the culturally manipulated monolithic oligarchic tyranny of THX 1138- Singapore!P.S. At the beginning of the Directors Cut version, there is a montage of scenes from the real Buck Rogers serial but the soundtrack has been modified so that every time the voice over is supposed to say 'twenty fourth century' it actually says 'twentieth century' as if to emphasize that THX 1138 truly is another view of the future that exists well in the past..
The greatest problem was the lack of dramatic value underscored by low contrast in all the visual elements.THX attempted to reveal a clean and cool futuristic hell dominated by big-brotherism, the extinction of personality values, and minimal sensory experience with humans being robot-like and robots being people like, creating an oppressive sense of sterility.Unfortunately the film itself became what it was about: control, sterility, lack of personality.
While the film is not without humor, it seems to truly think that it's presenting a grim look at a terrifying future society, when in fact its visual devices and clumsy ideas are just funny in their transparency.Watch "A Boy and His Dog" for a funny, entertaining '70s post-apocalyptic movie.
Originally released in 1971, this particular version of THX-1138 was George Lucas's "Director's Cut" which, in 2004, was given something of a face-lift where new CGI footage was added to its storyline to give its claustrophobic settings and bleak backgrounds more pizazz.Unfortunately THX-1138's story was such an awful bore from start to finish that any visual improvements only proved to me what a hopeless dud this futuristic tale actually was without these modernizations.To me, THX-1138 was one of those super slow-paced movies whose story was so utterly absurd (and the dialogue so demented) that I swear they were actually making this idiotic nonsense up as they went along.
Yes. It was really that bad.I certainly wish that I wasn't speaking so negatively about this picture (which I think had a lot of potential), but I'm certainly not going to tell you a pack of glowing lies about a movie that I thought was just a huge heap of pure Sci-Fi excrement.If nothing else - THX-1138 certainly proved to be an excellent sleeping pill for this disappointed viewer..
Society BAD!); others are challenged (Drugs BAD?), all with a faithful Orwellian dystopian cast.There's something disturbingly Orwellian about "THX 1138," alright, namely the pathetic history-bending way director George Lucas has visually tampered with the legacy of his landmark first film.
Inserting odd creatures and more impressive special effects here, like an assembly line blowing up, feels like Lucas is expecting viewers to think he really did all that back in 1971 with his under-million budget.Very avant-garde, both for its time and today, "THX 1138" tells a simple story of head-shaven humans living in an oppressively conformist society, seeking escape.
It's interesting to note the importance of sound in Lucas's body of work, not just the obvious clever exotica employed in the "Star Wars" series but the radio bursts in "American Graffiti."But getting into "THX 1138" is hard to do.
"THX 1138" is fascinating more for showing the reason why such change was for the better, and revealing Lucas's vision in a more starkly experimental, low-budget mode.If you like the movie, do get the DVD, which has a wonderful documentary on the early history of American Zoetrope, for which "THX 1138" was the first and nearly only product, and a more engaging commentary from Lucas than he offered for any of the "Star Wars" films.
When you are about to watch a movie, and you know what a lot of things are gonna be like (not story-wise), you can't enjoy it in the same way.
For some reason, it caught my attention, so I rented it.I'm not a fan of Indiana Jones or Star Wars at all, but I guess Lucas' name might have played a bit, so did the date of the original version (I thought it would be interesting to see Lucas' early work).So the movie takes place in this undated, unsettled underground (literaly) society.
It's like he forgot the viewers have their own imagination after making a few good movies.The whole bleakness of the film is surprising for Lucas.
If you are an original Star Wars fan (IV, V, VI) you can appreciate where George Lucas came from , but there are painful reminders of Lucas' idea of making old films better by adding in unnecessary CGI that parallel painful memories of integrating Jabba the Hutt into A New Hope and altering "Han shot first" Overall this movie is not terrible, if you enjoyed the books 1984, Brave New World, or more recent film 'The Island' you will enjoy this as much as I did.
The titular THX 1138 (Robert Duvall) strongly functions within the society, until his partner LUH (Maggie McOmie) takes him off his pills, so that she would no longer be lonely...As is easily noticed a lot of the story seems to have borrowed strongly from the classic novel "A Brave New World", but although the basic ideas are similar, the movie situates itself as a different story within the same universe.
Once THX 1138 drops out of the system and meets other 'rebels' contacts between people remain undeveloped - best captured in a group scene, where several such people sit around each other, but each seems to talk to himself, making the sequence bring to mind a lunatic asylum, underlining their social ineptness.Dominated by the white (all surroundings, background, clothes and so on are in that colour) Lucas manages to immerse us into this weird and whacked out world, but unlike his future blockbusters he refrains from offering fairy tales, instead sticking with a bleak outlook of humanity with a strong art-house feel to the story.
Many people forget that George Lucas, years before he became the "Blockbuster dude" with his "fantasy stories", he considered himself an abstract filmmaker, more interested in visuals and concepts, rather than storytelling (which is why he has manifested so low levels of that in the Star Wars Prequels).
Another good sci-fi from that time period, with brilliant effects and a very white overlay throughout the film, the story was just missing a bit for me and needed a bit more persuasion but over the whole, good acting by the three of them and a good early work of George Lucas.I find this a much better film than the Star Wars trilogy, the only reason I chose to see another Lucas film was because it was recommended when I saw Blade Runner, Brazil, Logans Run etc.
(It's a much funnier film than even its admirers acknowledge -- its chase finale is called off by government functionaries due to budget overruns and the protagonist is tormented by off-screen torturers who are having a hard time figuring out their new electronics.) As George Lucas' first feature, it marks not only a remarkable debut that experiments with both the graphic possibilities of cinema but explores a soundscape (designed with Walter Murch) that fully immerses the viewer in an environment as nightmarish as it is officiously bland and white-limboed.
Nowadays, it's hard to believe that a George Lucas movie would have been a "small" flick seen by only a few people, but that's the case with "THX 1138".
Whether you liked it or hated it you will probably remember this movie.Thx is filmed to resemble a candid documentary of a future human society (or a society in a galaxy far, far away.) It's interesting to note how bleak Thx-1138 is compared to Lucas's more colorful films such as American Graffiti, Star Wars etc.
Getting top actors like Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasence also helps a great deal.As a futuristic film, Orwellian in its presentation, Lucas tries to show what might be one day so we can strive to avoid it.
The motion, cutting, and timing of the film feel something like Musique Concrete- a collage of image and sound, while throughout a very simple, understandable story is told.But something very intriguing has happened: Lucas has boldly re-released a film that he had previously buried with the failure of American Zeotrope, and more, has given it some new attentions in an incredibly intelligent production slight of hand.
Set in the 25th century, the story centers around a man and a woman who rebel against their rigidly controlled society.George Lucas is, of course, best known for "Star Wars", and some also know him as the man behind "American Graffiti".
But every director has to start somewhere, and George Lucas' feature debut is a dyspotic sci-fi film based on of his student films.In the future mankind is living in an underground city, where they are constantly watched by a Big Brother like system and people take drugs to suppress emotions: already there are ideas taken from 1984 and A Brave New World.
Lucas is a film making genius - he needs to end Star Wars and try something new.
Then they start to feel, to want, to think...The first film written and directed by George Lucas - of the "Star Wars" saga - tells the history of a society ruled by a rigid machine totalitarianism.
Robert Duvall was the star in these film [the THX 1138 of the heading ] and for the release in DVD the movie was digitally restored.
As he made with the original trilogy of "Star Wars", Lucas brought up to date the film with modern visual effects and new scenes.
Recently my dad told me about a film called "THX 1138." Maybe you haven't heard of this film, but it was one of George Lucas's first films made in 1971 based on a short film he made in college.Set in the future, the world has turned into a surreal underground city where its citizens are drugged with mind controlling pills and are under constant surveillance.
I have never been a huge fan of George Lucas (over-produced) productions, but seeing this gave me pause to re-think the special-effects guru as an artistic FILM-maker.THX 1138 is sublime in its simplicity and delivers the viewer images that come back to haunt your subconscious later.
A film that was an experiment in mise-en-scene is given a budget and increased to a full-length feature, and as a result we have this little gem, THX 1138, wherein an Orwellian-like dystopia is the white-washed emotionless setting that our hero, THX, tries to escape.The imagery is more powerful than it seems it would be with such minimalism, and forgive my comparisons, but just compare a frame of this movie to a frame of anything from the Star Wars prequels, and you see exactly where Lucas lost his touch.
I did like how the sound effects and music played a pivotal role in the film.George Lucas film is about a man who is named THX-1138.
A story of a couple's bittersweet romance but is caught up in a highly controlled society.Do not expect this George Lucas film to be anything like his famous "Star Wars" saga - because it is not!
You will forget all about "Star Wars" while watching the movie THX 1138 (1971) and may find yourself debating which is Lucas' better sci-fi film.The movie THX 1138 (1971), in a way, puts me in mind of "1984" so if you liked one of the two films or stories then you might like the other.
This film is an original work directed by George Lucas (you know, the guy who created Star Wars).
In a way, in the context of the story, LUH is the most important character and McOmie deserves praise for her performance.THX 1138 is a unique film exhibiting George Lucas' philosophical ideas and opinions. |
tt0108395 | A Troll in Central Park | The film begins in a Kingdom of Trolls, where Stanley (Dom DeLuise) has a magical green thumb with the ability to bring flowers and plants to life at a touch. When he is discovered doing so, the other trolls take him as prisoner to Gnorga (Cloris Leachman), the Queen of the Trolls, who concludes that Stanley "gives a bad name to trolls everywhere" and demands that he be turned to stone. At the behest of her consort King Llort (Charles Nelson Reilly), Gnorga instead banishes Stanley to Central Park where, after a series of mishaps, Stanley hides himself under a bridge. In New York City, two young siblings named Gus and Rosie (Phillip Glasser and Tawny Sunshine Glover) learn that their father Alan (Jonathan Pryce) and mother Hilary (Hayley Mills) cannot take them to Central Park. While left alone with their nanny, Maria, Gus takes Rosie to the Park himself. While playing with Gus's toy boat, which is later accidentally smashed, Rosie befriends Stanley. When Queen Gnorga discovers Stanley happy in exile, she creates a flood to drown them by making Gus cry, but Stanley enlarges Gus's toy boat to escape. Soon after, Stanley shows the children his own ideals, depicted as a world of his own.
Determined to suppress Stanley, Queen Gnorga sends a tornado to destroy Central Park, and kidnaps Rosie. After failing to persuade Stanley to help, Gus faces Gnorga by himself. In the resulting fight, Gnorga transforms Gus into a troll. Stanley suddenly appears to rescue Rosie and challenges Gnorga to a thumb-wrestling match. Stanley manages to win, and plants roses all around Gnorga's body. As Stanley, Gus, and Rosie escape and celebrate their victory, Gnorga uses Gus's thumb to turn Stanley to stone. Gus and Rosie fall into their apartment and the last of Stanley's power changes Gnorga into a rose bush. Gnorga, Llort and their dog then return to the Kingdom of Trolls, while Gus returns to his human form. The next day, Gus, Rosie, and their parents enter Central Park. Gus and Rosie place the petrified Stanley on a makeshift pedestal. Gus attempts to revive him and appears to fail. They find him revived after a moment's pause. Restored to life, Stanley recreates Central Park and covers the entire city of Manhattan in vegetation and flowers.
In the Kingdom of Trolls, Llort takes Gnorga's place as a kinder ruler. Llort is last seen reading a newspaper with "Gnorga: Queen of Posies" written on it; as he read the headline, Gnorga's dog bites him. | cult, psychedelic | train | wikipedia | The cute plot line and message that you can do anything and be yourself makes it a cute movie for young kids.
Overall, I don't think this is Don Bluth's worst film, but it's just an unfocused mess in the animation industry.
The story has some motivational lessons at first, but the first forty minutes had little to do with it until the climax, the characters are completely uninteresting especially the villain who came across as generic, there are some cutesy filler that got on my nerves, and despite it's beautiful music score, the songs themselves are really forgettable.
Granted, the animation is beautiful with lots of nice backgrounds and good character designs and the voice acting is excellent, but those two flaws are outweighed by the flaws that I've already stated.I've seen Bluth's better films, but this one, although not the worst, is a terrible movie.
The animation is a step down from Bluth's previous films, and the character designs and animation are just terribly loose.
The only real positives about this are the voice over acting, and the lively musical score, despite only having bad songs.Stanley the troll (Dom Deluise) is unlike the other trolls.
When Queen of the trolls, Gnorga (Cloris Leachman), finds out about Stanley being a good troll, she shoots him up in the air, and he lands in Central Park.
They meet Stanley, and go on a stupid adventure with him, while Gnorga is hot on their tail, and for some reason wants them all out of the picture.Babies will probably have a good time watching this, though some parts may be too scary.
If it wasn't for Don Bluths outstanding animation and the good voice acting, this would be completely painful to watch.
The moral of the story (you have to be brave to fulfill a dream) comes in way too late, by this point my mind had already melted from boredom.There's no animation so beautiful I could watch an hour of things bouncing around and smiling.
Gus is a spoiled annoying brat who spends most of the movie arguing with people and shouting "Rosie!".
Gnorga was the only somewhat entertaining character, but she doesn't spend much time in front of the screen despite the fact that she is the villain.There's also a big lack of humor, remember-able moments and inspiring dialog.
Not even a little.I cannot believe I watched this movie as a kid.
It's horribly written (I think Bluth got help from a few five-year olds to write the script.), there is no good moral, and it is sometimes confusing!Before you rate this comment negatively, let me explain the thing that gets to me most about this movie..."Why is the moral so bad?" There were actually two "morals" in this atrocity.
After all the chaos he went through, what does he teach the children watching this movie?"Dad...maybe we can do what I want to do?"Let it sink in.
But this piece of dreck marks the only time he has truly hit rock bottom.I hesitate to use the word "movie" to describe this bomb because this is not really a film.
Stanley, the troll, loves flowers, is cute and so are Gus and Rosie.
It will not be a waste of time if you like movies such as frosty the snowman and other Christmas stories of the past!.
The music makes you want to sing along but not in a cheesy, corny kind of way, the animation is grilled to perfection, and the plot is brilliant for toddlers, which we all know have active imaginations.
Having looked at titles such as The Secret of NIMH, The Land Before Time and An American Tail, this entire film is complete garbage.
It may not be ranked with the best animated classics, but the animation's strong as usual in this Don Bluth production, the story of Stanley (Dom DeLuise), a good natured troll who prefers planting over destruction, and the positive influence he has on two kids and vice versa.Sure it might be corny or silly in spots, but it's a harmless, inoffensive piece of fluff that will probably appeal more to the little kids than anyone else, but older folk with a kinder, more forgiving critical heart - as well as a soft spot for sugar coated fantasy - should find it a brisk viewing..
The issue is complex and I will explain it in my upcoming review of "The Pebble And The Penguin", which was the following Don Bluth film.Now, I will talk about "A Troll In Central Park".Well the technical features are high-quality, one of the things that Don Bluth kept in all his filmography no matter if his films were bad.
The film has a colorful, contrasting, lavish animation, one of the things Don Bluth never compromised.
Rotoscoping, employed in the children's parents, is also a nice thing to watch.The music also saves what otherwise would be a forgettable film.
"Gnorga The Queen Of Mean" surprises the public with the sudden modernity of a Pop rock tune like those of the '80s and '90s (why is it that most of the times, the villains have the best songs in a film?).
Gnorga has the absolutely best performance of all the film, with an outstanding job of Cloris Leachman in a rather weird role, who clearly enjoys being so hammy and troll-like.
I liked the original one for the voices of Stanley, the kids and their parents, but the Spanish dub is way better for the voices of Gnorga and Llort.
The film has many scenes and passages that seem shallow and simply don't go nowhere, plot-wise, such as Gus and Rosie playing in the park with balloons, boats or butterflies.
But you don't see in "A Troll In Central Park" the gracefulness in which Miyazaki could present those kind of stories.The film also seems to lack more soul, "Rock-a-Doodle" and "Thumbelina" are also among the failures of Don Bluth, but it was their loads and loads of characters that helped to give more substance and charm to the films.
This was one of the lowest grossing films of all time, one of the most notable box-office bombs (though not the greatest bomb of Don Bluth)So, even with the animation, the music, and Gnorga to redeem the film and lift the rating, this is such a poorly executed, so underwhelming film, with so many fails and lacks, and such a failure for costing $23.5 million and only making 71 thousand dollars, that I will rate it 3/10.
The reason I'm not rating this 1/10 is because of the aforementioned lifting factors.But luckily, even if this is the worst Don Bluth film, both critically and financially, "A Troll In Central Park" will never be among the 10 worst animated films of all time, not even among the 20 worst ever...
This movie is what gives young child audiences a bad name.The character's voices are hideous and will haunt you in your sleep, and the plot seems like something torn out of a fairy tale book for being too corny.Maybe if I were 2 years old, I'd have a different opinion, but as of now, this is one of the worst animated movies I've ever seen.This just goes to show where Don Bluth's career went after making classics such as "All Dogs Go to Heaven", and "An American Tale".My rating: 1/2 a * (out of 5 *'s).
A friendly troll called Stanley is banished to Central Park for having a green thumb.
But the evil troll queen, Gnorga, arrives to spoil their fun.Stanley, voiced by Bluth stalwart, Dom Deluise, is a sweet enough character, if sometimes a little irritating.
I would just like to say that this movie is beautiful -- Stanley is one of the best leading characters of an animated film ever!
funny story: when i was a child i would always wish for a green thumb on every birthday --- the of the film is the most touching thing you will ever see EVER -- I recommend this movie to the whole family --- The thing that really surprises me is that fact that not many people know about this movie ....
It should also be said that Don Bluth who was the director of this film is also the director of my favorite none Disney movies.....
mine are 10 & 11 and still don't understand what, why and how somethin happened in an animated movie made for children.
I still want to see this movie any given day just because it makes me feel like a kid again...
There's no denying that Don Bluth has always been very talented, with so many great films like "The Land Before Time" and "The Secret Of Nimh", but there's one film that is a huge low in his career, and that is, of course, this garbage.
Also, this whole film has a slew of events that just have little to no reason of happening, since this movie absolutely fails in constructing any sort of cohesion whatsoever, because there are so many holes in the plot, that it starts to not make any sense and becomes very muddled.
Do yourself a favor and stay away from this piece of hot garbage, as almost every other animated film around the time is better than this in every way.
The overly cute filler will do nothing but anger parents, and the lack of cohesion and good takeaways makes this a far from ideal film for kids.
Now that I've watched it, it deserves the hate it gets from critics.The best way to describe this film is it's Don Bluth's "filler" movie aimed at a young demographic (from ages 0-3).
The middle of the film is basically just one long scene with the main troll character and the two kids.While I wasn't as infuriated with this as Rock a Doodle, it's still a really terrible movie.
Secret of NIMH is still one my all-time favourite animated movies.
But this looks like the table scrapings from the studio dog.I'm sorry Mr. Bluth, but my soul died a little bit with this film.
A very good voice cast and some nice music save an otherwise forgettable film!.
I don't think that Troll in Central Park is as bad as people make it out to be, as a matter of fact it's very sweet, but anyone who loved Secret of Nimh and Land Before Time like I did, will be disappointed.
All in all, one of the weaker Don Bluth films is redeemed by a very good voice cast, and some nice music.
As a Don Bluth film it is among his weakest, because he goes against his own philosophy of making bleak movies where he did not hide sad or brutal sides of things, but challenged kids' patience and intelligence and then rewarded that with a happy ending.
He is banished from the kingdom of trolls to Central Park in New York for being too nice and wanting to grow flowers by the evil troll queen Gnorga.
The time with the kids and Stanley is a lot of cutesy filler which will make Bluth fans vomit.
I was close to, but through out the movie the rather nice animation and the fine character designs were kind of redeemable.
I see why fans of Bluth hate this movie, but even though I don't like it, I would slightly prefer it over Thumbelina and Rock-A-Doodle due to its nice animation and character designs..
I still have an imagination so I liked the movie despite being at the troll age.
The loss of a point is because the animation may not have been first rate.This movie is nothing more than a harmless piece of fluff at worst or a mirror to look at yourself at its best.
Now if you say that movies must have story lines I can sympathize with you but for animated fantasy films you are some times supposed to provide some of that yourself.
Immorals maybe but no decent good morals.The movie starts when Queen Gnorga catches the troll named Stanley creating beautiful flowers.
"A Troll in Central Park" looks great thanks to Don Bluth's animation style, but there's nothing else going on in the movie that's worth noting.
Ask yourself if you really remember this movie as fondly as beloved animated films like "Snow White", "The Little Mermaid" or even Don Bluth's own "The Land Before Time" and I think you'll find that you can't recall very much about this movie at all.
When there are other, genuinely good movies you could be showing them, I can't recommend that you check out "A Troll in Central Park".
Sure it has its flaws, but overall it's still a very enjoyable movie with great animation, musical score, voice acting and presentation.
I found myself sympathizing with Stanley (Dom DeLuise) as he is banished from the Troll Kingdom into New York City and later pursued by Queen Gnorga who wants him turned to stone.The songs are beautiful, especially Absolutely Green.
For example quite a bit of it consists of filler scenes such as flowers dancing and Stanley showing the children Gus and Rosie his magical dream boat.
But unlike others, I wasn't too bothered by these flaws.Overall, I found A Troll in Central Park to be a lovable, entertaining children's film.
I am currently scouring numerous kids' movies I've seen and determining whether they're good or bad for children, much less YOU.This one...
Like many children of the 1990's, I grew up with awesome animated movies for children, such as The Lion King, The Land Before Time, Aladdin etc.So we have a friendly troll named Stanley who lives in a land where trolls are mean and scary (think The BFG), and it is ruled by none other than a no-nonsense evil queen who believes bad is good and good is bad (Geesh, that sounds hard to say).So the message in this movie is "If you believe in yourself and dream well enough, things will magically happen." which I really am struggling to look at without upsetting fans of this movie.
In fact, the animation is good, the voice acting is not bad, I did mention in one of my other reviews that one of my favourite actors is/was Dom DeLuise, and of course Cloris Leachman as the evil queen Gnorga, whose name I recognize from Castle in the Sky.But the story seems a little rushed, some moments are drawn out and the story was just a little bit too simple for me, but it's aimed at kids so I'm not irked over that.
So, if you want to show it to your kids, then I think it would be a good idea to talk with them afterwards and explain to them the true meaning of "believing in dreams"..
This movie suffers the most attacks among Don Bluth's films, and it's not hard to see why.
Tots movies are often filled mindlessly with clichés and treacle, but Bluth, a passionate animator, was never one to resign himself to that.The settings are a kingdom of trolls, where bad=good and vice versa, and New York city.
The main character is Stanley, apparently the only good troll, who can magically grow things with his literally green thumb.
And take a good look at the main character, Stanley.
A Troll in Central Park also known as Stanley's Magic Garden is one of those film, that I watch as a child and really didn't like it, then.
I think the movie was unintelligent, too cutesy pandering, and just not what I wanted from a Don Bluth film.
The reasons why 1982's The Secret of NIMH, 1988's Land Before Time, and 1986's American Tail; works, is because it had a complex story with depth that makes it watchable for both adults and children.
If the movie target audience was toddlers, sure it was success, but if the target audience was kids like myself, at the time, it sure was a failure.
The movie is about Stanley (Voiced by Dom DeLuise) whom been exile from the Kingdom of Trolls by Queen Gnorga (Voiced by Cloris Leachman) & King Llort (Voiced by Charles Nelson Reilly).
I have to say, I do love Queen Gnorga opening song 'Queen of Mean', you truly get why trolls like upsetting people.
Not knowing of them, Stanley finds himself in Central Park where two children named Gus and Rosie (Voiced by Phillip Glasser and Tawny Sunshine Glover) help him find his happy place.
That the movie waste so much paper to animated this film, to bring a message of saving trees.
The movie wants you to dream for a better world, but the film doesn't give you, any tools or life lessons to make that happen.
The movie kinda underhand the song message, by having Stanley go as low as Gnorga, by doing violent acts toward her.
Don Bluth had to be trolling when making this movie..
Though it was not the final nail in the coffin for Mr. Bluth's animation studio - that came with "The Pebble and the Penguin" - "A Troll in Central Park" certainly was the handwriting on the wall, with it's terrible reviews and a horrible box office take.
I don't think ANYONE would have any confidence in the film, when it looks so sappy it makes "The Secret of NIMH 2" look like the original!
In this movie, a troll called Stanley is sent to Central Park for being too nice, and spends the day with a baby called Rosie, and her big brother Gus. I'm not kidding.
Building the movie, A Troll in Central Park taught us this lesson, but indeed the hard way.
Young children under the age of 7 would probably fall asleep or not pay attention to the film until they start screaming at Gnorga rocking up at New York's Central Park to turn Dimitri's son into a troll, thumb wrestle Stanley and turn him into stone (I'm not joking, thumb wrestling is the real climax of this film). |
tt2467046 | Left Behind | University of Central Arkansas student Chloe Steele (Cassi Thomson) has flown in from college to surprise her father, pilot Rayford Steele (Nicolas Cage), for his birthday party. However, her mother Irene quickly calls to inform her that her father cannot make it. While at the airport waiting for him, Chloe meets up with investigative reporter Cameron "Buck" Williams (Chad Michael Murray).
Rayford shows up on his way to a flight and apologizes to Chloe for missing his birthday party, insisting he was called in to pilot a flight to London at the last minute. He also assures Chloe things are fine between himself and his wife, who recently had become an active believing Christian, much to Chloe's chagrin. Chloe suspects things are not fine between her father and mother – she had seen him flirting with flight attendant Hattie Durham (Nicky Whelan) and notices he has removed his wedding ring. Her suspicions soon are confirmed when an airport worker hands Chloe two hard-to-get U2 concert tickets in London that Rayford had ordered, indicating his trip to London and possible extramarital fling was planned all along.
Chloe brushes off another one of her mother's preachings about Christianity and takes her brother to the mall. While there, her brother suddenly vanishes, leaving only his clothes behind. Chloe is shocked and notices this same thing has happened to numerous others at the mall. Mayhem breaks loose as shoppers begin looting the stores. A driver-less car plows through the mall windows, and a small plane without a pilot crashes in the mall parking lot. Chloe sees television reports of children and some adults disappearing, as worldwide panic sets in.
On Rayford's flight, the same strange event has occurred – several people, including his co-pilot Chris Smith (William Ragsdale), Kimmy (Stephanie Honore), one of the flight attendants, and all the children on board, have simply disappeared, leaving their clothing and personal effects behind. The remaining passengers panic and demand answers. Rayford does his best to reassure the passengers he will pass on information once he has any. Rayford has difficulty getting radio or satellite phone contact with anyone on the ground, until he is finally informed that people have disappeared everywhere and the world is in uproar. Soon a pilot-less jet approaches directly into Rayford's flight path. He narrowly avoids a midair collision, but the jet damages Rayford's fuel line. He decides his only option is to return to New York and hope his fuel holds out.
On the ground, Chloe hears her father's mayday call on her cell phone and assumes his plane has crashed. She later finds her mother's jewelry left behind in the shower, as she has also disappeared. Chloe makes her way to New Hope Village Church to discover the family pastor Bruce Barnes (Lance E. Nichols) who explains God has taken his believers to heaven, and the rest have to face the end of days. The pastor explains he was not taken because he did not really believe what he had preached. Rayford comes to the same conclusion by examining his copilot and stewardess' personal effects. He tells Hattie the truth about his wife. She is initially upset as she did not know he was married, but Rayford convinces her to be brave and to help calm the passengers down until they can safely land.
Chloe climbs to the top of a bridge, intending to jump off it and end her life, when she gets a call from Buck, who is in the cockpit with Rayford. Rayford explains to Chloe all the New York area airports are closed and the streets full, and he is low on fuel and has nowhere to land. Chloe finds an abandoned Ford truck and uses it to clear away the equipment from a bridge under construction in order to create a makeshift runway. She uses her compass app and tells Rayford the coordinates of the landing site. Rayford is able to glide to a rough landing, saving the passengers, who leave the plane only to see the world aflame. Buck mentions that it looks like the end of the world, while Chloe informs him that it is just the beginning. | suspenseful, melodrama | train | wikipedia | Isn't it curious that the movie tried so hard to portray all of those that were left as bad messed up people?
The acting is bad , Cage tries hard to make work out of a script that was seemingly penned by 8 year old's .
This movie epitomizes the problem with religion in general.It starts with a conclusion, so it's tediously predictable & boring boring boring, strictly by-the-numbers fluff for the easily entertained.As demonstrated the featured review, the only people who will like this dog are those who take a creepy satisfaction in their belief that they alone will get sucked up to heaven while everybody else fries in hell.As a result, it's aimed at a narrow audience of knee-jerk true believers who would like it no matter how awful it is.And this was awful, folks.
Now if we could simply ignore the horrendous script not to mention the awful acting, we still have a movie full of stereotypes regarding non-Christians, Christians, Muslisms and even smaller people (just trying to be politically correct) which got old very fast.But believe it or not, this is not even the worst part of the movie!
This is my first review, I had to get an account to verbalize how horrible this was, it just leaves you grasping at straws why you watched this and anything good there was in the movie is not enough when you reach the end.
From the start the movies direction, plot, acting and music all give the impression of a day time drama but much much worse.
Too much emphasis is placed on the religious aspects of this story making it feel like a veritable propaganda flick, ruining all chances of immersing in the story-line.Do not waste your money on such a poorly produced movie.
Acting is terrible, effects are cutting edge (if this movie had been made in the 1950s), lines are cheesy, plot is crap.
that was full of predictable scenes and ridiculous religious conversation.i'm shocked that nicolas cage agreed to act in it.anyway this movie made me and my boyfriend laugh.
Directed by Vic Armstrong, this Christian thriller stars Nicolas Cage as Rayford Steele, an airplane pilot who is unexpectedly called into work on the day his daughter Chloe (played by Cassi Thomson) arrives home from college for his birthday, much to their disappointment.
Those people left behind scramble to make sense of what happens, as Ray struggles to land his damaged plane safely back to New York.Academy Award winner Nicholas Cage once again majorly disappoints with his hammy and florid performance in this film as Ray here.
If "The Remaining" had a horror approach to depicting the Rapture, "Left Behind" played like a bad B-action film, down to its fiery, explosive, down-the-wire, narrow- escape type finale.
The first Left Behind movie, starring Kirk Cameron and based off of the same book series as this one, was bad but the bar was also pretty low on it.
1.) A soundtrack that sounds like bad elevator music 2.) Maybe it was just my theater but the dialogue was also difficult to hear 3.) Casually calm characters on the airplane after one of the most horrifying events known to mankind has just occurred 4.) Out of place comedic relief and 5.) So-so acting.To be fair though, there were some improvements from the original movie.
Many of the airplane scenes felt overly contrived with stilted acting.The movie doesn't necessarily follow the plot of the Left Behind book as it's merely inspired by it but it doesn't matter with all the aforementioned problems.
There's also a lot less preaching in this film than the original but frankly could have used more as to convey some message of inspiration.If you're a fan of the Left Behind series I wouldn't say completely disregard this film but please don't have high expectations that this movie will deliver and improve on the original.
If you're one with the big man upstairs, if you agree with his mysterious ways, if you think for a second that he actually exists and controls the horrors of natural disaster and in this flick ethnic cleansing, then hands down it's going to be a favorite to the bible basher.What a disappointment, a waste of money and more so a terrible addition to Nick Cage's impressive history within the movie industry, the one out of ten is for Nick and Nick alone, the rest, storyline, acting, if you can call it that, pitiful....
Sure there are some parts that are a bit cheesy, but that's to expect in a Nicolas Cage movie.
IMDb Left BehindSigh - this is the 'mildest' - and I use this term VERY mildly - of the 3 iterations of a religiously - Christian, or, more, accurately, an American, paranoid, 'born-'again,' religious, extremist story.Saying this does not prepare one for the over-the-head religiousness, and all the ickyness (hatred, paranoia, 'everything is OK, just as long as YOU think the 'right' way - 'OUR' way nonsense) possible.Here's the EXTREMELY simplistic plot, from a VERY simplistic screenplay, based on an even-more simplistic story: all of the sudden, people - but, primarily, children (why?
Well, as Christian doctoring espouses, they're 'innocent.' Right), but, others - mainly those, who are elderly, espouse a lot of 'come and pray with me, to Christ'-type nonsense.'Lft behind?' Well, everyone else, including those on a plane piloted by Nicholas Cage (who I do like, and realise he appears in anything which sounds 'interesting,' and he gets paid to be in), and a plane full of 'non-believers,' which in this case, is so-so myopic; the Muslim, the angry, almost hello sh dwarf, and others.Typical dialogue is the Muslim gets up and says 'we should pray,' to which the dwarf - his anger so visible, says, hostility 'pray?
It is next-to-impossible for anyone other than a child, who doesn't (YET) have the 'us-or- them'-type thinking which makes such trash, unwatchable.The only audience for such dreck is paranoiac, under-educated 'born-again,' American, religious lunatics, and before I leave, let me remind you; most wars fought during humanity's time on this planet have been fought over, in the 'name of' ONE thing; religion.The problem with ALL region are people - trying to say 'mine's better than yours.'Well, for those who have a belief in a 'higher power,' other than themselves, for those who find comfort in not having to take responsibility for ANYthing, so long as they can invoke 'god' in it, this bile's for them, and their 20+, 'home-skooled' offspring.Anyone with a brain, save your money, and do ANYthing, watch ANYTHING BUT this dreck..
Where Abraham did not refuse God's demand to sacrifice his only child, after only one hour of watching this terrible movie I had to let the good lord down, I could not do it.
Like watching an 80's movie, witch horrible acting.
I started watching this cinematic abortion on Netflix after '2012', a MUCH better movie about the world ending.
The film had one great special effects moment with the characters Chloe and Ramie, and that was the high point of the whole movie.
I'm not ashamed to say I actually got of the couch and the others, still hoping it might get better, were left behind(see what I did there, that's the only joke I can make from this movie, seriously).
I officially gave up, have never done that before, I can usually find something that is at least a little bit interesting to keep me through even the worst of movies, may it be a characters personality or just a really good looking actor but this movie didn't even bring that, not that there weren't some people I wouldn't mind looking at for a bit more but I just couldn't take it anymore.
I know you can do better.I didn't read the books but so many people liked them that I'm sure there's a big difference.You may want to watch it on DVD...
A very insulting movie to non Christians(Especially to Islamic followers).Cant believe they actually belittle other religions on the big screen.
Seems like the director is using famous names like Nicholas Cage and Jodin Sparks to lure people into watching this movie.
Awful!The sound track, I think was provided by a Monkey wearing gloves trying to play Chopin.Its almost like they actually couldn't be bothered to make the movie and borrowed some kids toys for special effects..
What pisses me off is he's the only reason I watched it.I know about the 'Left Behind' series and what to expect as far as a story.But for Cage to attach his name to something that is 1,000 times worse than the Kirk Cameron version from 14 years ago is unforgivable.I had high hopes that were immediately diminished in the opening scene.
And then it just got worse...and worse...and worse...and I can't believe I was still watching when it got even.....worse.This was such a missed opportunity for the "Christian Family Apocalyptic Genre." I'll venture to guess that 99% of the budget for the film went to that Devil Nic Cage!.
Oddly enough, it turned out bad, but not THAT bad.Here's the thing: It's decently casted (Cage of course being the lone big name, and sadly he delivers a performance sub-par his other movies), fairly (if mostly over)-acted, well shot, good choice of locations and good FX...
I think Nicholas Cage is a good actor and have enjoyed some of his movies as well.
I like the actor who played Buck (the original Kirk Cameron part) as well as the actress that played Chloe.For once Christianity Today got it right they state "Christian magazine Christianity Today heavily criticized the film, saying, "Left Behind is not a Christian Movie, whatever 'Christian Movie' could even possibly mean.
The worst part of this movie was the poor devout Muslim man who believes in THE SAME GOD as the Christians who were "saved" through evaporation who gets left behind because he is brown.
Excellent teaching material for film students: HOW TO DELIBERATEDLY MAKE THE WORST FILM POSSIBLE.Without a doubt Nicholas Cage's WORST movie ever, but it is THAT bad, that it becomes funny again.
I like Nick Cage as a rule , but this his worst film ever and in my bottom 10 of all time.
I am not sure what sort of audience this could possibly attract, as even the highly Christian audience would have to be those who would enjoy terrible acting and plot line anyway.A ridiculously stupid concept of a movie based around Christian myths causing most of the world to lose all of their children for no reason.If you want to laugh at this movie, then go ahead, but this movie has terrible acting, terrible storyline, terrible believability, terrible explanations.
Nicholas Cage is one of my favourite actors and I am hoping this film does not mean a steep decline in the quality of movies he is part of from now on.
This movie is so bad it will probably be famous from be listed on top of a lot of turkey lists.The acting is terrible, only hire $1 actors is the trick apparently but they could have acted better if the script was better but it's horrible, the dialog is dug up from the 80's.
But why didn't they hire an acting coach at least, looks like they got Nicolas to do that job too.The plot is half way stolen from a bunch of other movies like The Langoliers and Flightplan but it's like they heard the script from a drunk guy, wrote it down on a napkin, dropped it in the toilet and then tried to put it all together to a full length movie.Lots of bloopers too :) The main broad that Nick is dating has different make up all through the movie.But one positive note..or should I say Consistent note is that Nicholas Cage finally has a cast of his own caliber.
Left Behind is definitely character driven rather than special effects driven, and although the special effects in this movie were good (but not great), I more enjoyed watching the characters meet and learn about each other and develop genuine relationships in the middle of a very intense and scary situation.
People should be able to make mistakes and live morally but not religiously without being judged bad people.So many mothers shown on the movie having lost their children but surely not all of the mothers were sinful.
There is nothing and I mean nothing that is memorable about this movie.What I can not believe is the actors such as Nicholas Cage, Lea Thompson and others lent their names to this idiotic piece of trash.It's not that it is a religious movie, it's that every one of these types of movies, that have the potential to be extremely good because of the subject matter are really stupid.If I could, I would give this a minus ten..
Instead of letting his wife convulse in skimpy outfits onstage to convince people into embracing Christianity, the pastor in question could have used the funds to make a movie on hindsight like what Stoney Lake Entertainment has done here.For the uninitiated, Stoney Lake Entertainment is set up to produce faith-inspired films for the masses and their intention is to create a franchise for Left Behind which in turn is based on a series of popular books by Jerry B.
This is not the first time Left Behind is being made into a movie however, in actual fact it was originally done in the year 2000 and followed by two other sequels.Lake's CEO Paul Lalonde co-wrote this remake that involved the biblical Rapture where faithful believers are taken up to heaven before the apocalyptic end of days.
I seriously couldn't hold it in; I laughed so loud at how goofball-ish that moment was that I actually received nasty looks from people whom probably thought I was simply there to make fun of the movie for being Christian.
The only reason this movie deserves a star at all is because the acting actually wasn't bad...but that's it.
This movie perfectly portrays what a lot of christians think of non believers or followers of a different faith.
This movie was so, so bad and even Nicholas Cage couldn't make the film work.
He really looks like a man who's seriously questioning the choices that have led him to this - not in the movie, but in his actual life.Not good, not "so bad it's good".
So Left Behind is the remake of the original Left Behind which was based in the book about what happens to those left behind when every Christian and baby go to heaven during the Rapture.-So as great as that concept sounds, the film was just bad.
The daughter was a bit over the top heroic, but, nonetheless an important and timely story.Best line in the movie is when Cage tells his passengers as he is trying to land a plane without fuel or a runway, "If you would like to pray, now would be the time."The passengers were all good characters and cast well.
I like Nicholas Cage - he has been on some good movies, and this exemplifies that he has been in some shockingly bad ones too.
Having Nicolas Cage on the poster of a disaster movie is a juicy temptation like an anglerfish luring in its prey before consuming them without conscience or mercy.The ONE thing in the film that I actually got some entertainment from was the dwarf punt for no reason at the end.To the producers: You should be ashamed.
LEFT BEHIND is a big-bucks Hollywood adaptation of a popular Christian novel dealing with the Rapture (you know, when 'good' souls are sent up to Heaven, leaving all the bad eggs behind).
The script is trite, the CGI plane effects look like they belong in your average SyFy Channel movie, and the film as a whole suffers from a general trite feeling.
Absolutely not on special effects or locations (the whole film feels as though it's set in one part of plane) and not on actors, unless Mr. Cage charged an exuberant fee in another one of his incredibly bad movie roles.Not sure if we'll ever now see the end of Cage's tax woes, Cage here as flirtatious U2 loving pilot Rayford Steele can't even summon up the looney energy he is known for to save Left Behind in any way shape or form.
(It may have to do with an annoying guy at work being a fan of the book.) I'm a fan of most of Nicolas Cage's movies so I finally gave "Left Behind" a try.
I can't believe I was conned into buying this DVD in a store...the only reason this film got my attention was because of Nicholas Cage...shame on that man for putting his name to this utter garbage!It's preachy...but not just normal self righteous preachy you get in normal life...it's BADLY WRITTEN preachy.Bad acting, bad direction, bad script...worst un-special effects I have seen in 20 years....I felt genuinely embarrassed that I had bought this for the family to watch.
I watched this film recently on Netflix and thought it would be a decent actioner given it's star Nicholas Cage and the write up.
I can honestly say that this only further highlighted how bad this movie really is.I could tell from the cheesy music score and terrible acting right at the beginning of 'Left Behind' that this was going to be a dud.
This film looks very much like an amateur production and the actors no matter how hard they tried couldn't pull the movie around.
Nic Cage tried his best as did Cassi Thomson and Chad Murray but the poor filming, cheesy music and bad directing just made this movie a complete flop..
Bad,even for a Cage movie..
This movie is almost totally incoherent.Cage either doesn't care anymore and is just content to collect a check or his good performances were a fluke.I remember times when he might have been bad but at least he was enjoyable to watch. |
tt0096218 | Tales from the Gimli Hospital | The film opens on two young children whose mother is dying in the present-day Gimli, Manitoba hospital. During a visit to see her, the children's Icelandic grandmother launches into the grim and convoluted tale of Einar the Lonely, a patient in a far-distant-past version of the same hospital—in "a Gimli we no longer know," as the grandmother puts it. The rest of the film consists of Einar's story.
Einar (Kyle McCulloch) succumbs to a smallpox epidemic and is admitted to the Gimli hospital for treatment, where he meets his neighbor Gunnar (Michael Gottli). While both are at first pleased to have a friend nearby in their time of illness, the two men soon begin competing for the attentions and affections of the hospital's beautiful young nurses. Gunnar outperforms Einar in this regard, given his storytelling abilities and his skill at carving birch bark into the shape of fish. The hospital is built above a stable (for heat from the animals) and director Maddin appears in a cameo as a surgeon who operates while patients are told to observe a badly-acted puppet show as a sort of anesthesia.
Gunnar borrows Einar's fish-carving shears and recognizes the decorated pair of shears as uncannily similar to those he buried with his wife Snjófridur (Angela Heck). Gunnar recalls the story of their courtship and her death from smallpox she contracted from Gunnar. His aboriginal friend, despite Gunnar's protests, then laid her body to rest in the traditional aboriginal manner, on a raised platform with tokens and gifts including the shears. Einar relates to Gunnar the story of how he came to possess the shears: while wandering in the dark one night he discovered the corpse of a beautiful woman on a raised burial platform (who he now realizes must have been Snjófridur). Einar stole the tokens buried with her and had sex with her corpse.
Gunnar is furious but too weak to take immediate revenge on Einar, and coincidentally a fire breaks out on the hospital roof. The Icelanders put out the fire by pouring milk over it, which then drips down into Gunnar's face and blinds him. A blackfaced minstrel is buried and Einar contemplates further destroying Gunnar through carving him up with the selfsame shears stolen from his wife's corpse. Einar and Gunnar exit the hospital and wander around feverishly. Einar observes Lord Dufferin giving a public speech. Einar hallucinates that Lord Dufferin is the mythical Fish Princess. The men end up in a field together along with a Shriners Highland Pipe Band and begin to Glima Wrestle—a traditional competition where fighters graps each other's buttocks and take turns lifting one another up until one collapses. They tear each other's clothes and claw at each other's buttocks until they bleed, then both collapse.
Einar is later back in his small shack/fish smokehouse and is visited by a recovered and no-longer-blind Gunnar and his new fiance. They happily saunter along the beach of Lake Winnipeg while Einar regards them jealously, still Einar the Lonely. The scene returns to the present-day Gimli where the children are informed that their mother has died. They ask the storytelling Amma to be their mother and she says "no" but that she will still visit "if your father lets me." They ask about heaven and she prepares to tell another story as the film ends. | absurd, cult, comedy, psychedelic | train | wikipedia | The narrative is a bit of a problem but like most Maddin films, there is plenty to carry the load.
In the modern town of Gimli, two young children watch their mother dying in hospital.
To distract them they are told a story of old Gimli by their grandmother.
In the story it is Gimli years ago when live was disrupted by an outbreak of smallpox.
With poor medical facilities available to him, Einar finds himself in a nightmarish half-waking state of "care" with other sufferers, including his friend Gunnar, who are somewhere between life and death.
The two friends grow close but shared secrets threaten to tear them apart as the world around them changes quickly.As someone who actually likes Guy Maddin I still have to be honest and say that, while my favourite films of his have narratives I like, usually his work is not where you want to come for stories that grip you and make a lot of sense.
And so it is with his first feature film, a story that is being told to two children who, for some reason, are in the room where their mother is dying; it sounds strange and indeed it is.
The narrative is interesting enough but if that's all there was here of value then you'd have given up quite quickly; happily there is enough of interest going on to engage the audience despite the narrative being rather incoherent at times.
This is not to say that it will appeal to all viewers because of course it will not, but for those that "get" his other films, the story will not be a problem.The reason for this is that his unique style is fully on display here (albeit with a lower budget) and this makes it interesting if not totally engrossing.
At times the style overwhelmed the lesser substance to such an extent that it did feel rather hollow but this was a rare feeling for me.
Normally I have that problem with his shorts but, with a low running time, it usually doesn't matter so much.
With his features it can be a problem but he mastered it with the wonderful Cowards Bend At The Knee and he does enough to cover it here.
It did feel a bit sparse at times although that is probably more to do with me being used to his bigger budget films (bigger being a comparative term) rather than the film being weak visually.
The cast don't really give much in the way of performances so much as be carried along with the direction but this isn't that much of a problem since the film was never about them.Overall this film is an acquired taste that will not appeal to those who dislike other Maddin films.
Compared to his later films, this feels a lot less flashy and sparse but it still works and will please fans of Maddin.
Narrative-wise it has some problems that viewers may find difficult to get past but the many strange and imaginative touches to the overall delivery of the film more than cover for these issues and, while not an equal to some of his recent work, this is still worth a watch..
Truly surreal and grotesque film..
Guy Maddin is a truly unusual filmmaker.His movies are black comedic and supremely bizarre excursions into silent black-and-white cinema."Tales from the Gimli Hospital" is possibly his most famous and creepiest work to date.This is a wonderfully strange and puzzling movie filled with haunting and disturbing imagery.The action takes place in the small fishing town of Gimli,Manitoba, in some indeterminate time in the early part of the 20th Century.Einar and Gunnar,two men afflicted with the deadly smallpox virus,are housed in the small Gimli Hospital,their bodies covered with the scars of disease,their minds slowly slipping into paranoia and fear.Much of the film is silent,only archaic soundtrack is used regularly.The film is shot in equisite black-and-white and looks terrific.Give it a look,if you enjoy watching surrealist cinema.8 out of 10..
Unpredictable and evocative.
Here's a movie that took its miniscule budget and really made the most of it.How?
Well, take a look at the looping synchronization.
It can't be done well without being expensive, so they do very little of it, and get around the problem by shooting characters from obtuse angles that hide the problem.
Color's expensive too, so it's in black and white.
And music?
You can hear the needle drop on the record.But the money they spent went in the right areas.
The visuals are so strong and the camera placement sometimes so unexpected that you find yourself wondering what it is you're looking at--and then something moves, and the tableau breaks apart into a conventional scene.
The opening sequence, a long sfx pan down to the Gimli hospital, going through clouds and angels, evokes the 1940s so well that you halfway expect to see William Bendix in one of the beds.
The costuming is strange and the plot seems totally unworkable, and yet it pulls you in and keeps you there, never seems to make a horrible misstep, and at times hits exactly what it's aiming for.Sure it's an amateur film.
But look at the nice smooth camera work, the well-paced editing, the good choices in music for mood.
While it's all too easy to cite Cocteau, Blood of a Poet comes to mind often while watching Tales from the Gimli Hospital, thanks to the surprising interruption of the narrative by little bits of surreal magic.
You don't walk away from this one saying that it could have been done better--instead, you wonder how it was done so well for so little..
Not necessarily as strange as it seems....
I picked up this movie since I live in Gimli, and have heard interesting things about Guy Maddin.
Though certainly a strange and surrealist film, it is also a monument and critique of Icelandic culture, and Gimli, where he had a summer cottage.
If you know the history of Gimli, and are familiar with Icelandic culture, certain parts of the film do not seem strange at all.
I would be interested in knowing how people not knowing these things interpreted things like the marriage across the river, or the food served at the hospital.
I am in love with the aesthetics of it.
He has been able to capture the exact look of early films, right down to actors and costuming, yet this doesn't seem to take over the film.
Though I am personally a bigger fan of Maddin's short films, I enjoyed trying to work my way through this..
Welcome to the world of Guy Maddin.
I can't think of a better introduction to eccentric Canadian auteur Guy Maddin than "Tales from the Gimli Hospital".
Maddin's feature debut is as ingeniously bizarre and surreal as many of his later followings and despite being a bit rough around the edges it is more than deserving of its devoted cult following which regard it as one of the best films of the 80's.
I can't agree with that particular statement but it is unquestionably one of the most unique and interesting films of the decade, and certainly among the more memorable Canadian films to emerge during the time period.While two children are witnessing their mother's slow death in a modern-day hospital in Gimli, Manitoba, they are told a story by their grandmother set in Gimli many years before.
The story is a fascinating and complex one, echoing a parable at times and at others simply bizarre.
Often compared to David Lynch's "Eraserhead", "Tales from the Gimli Hospital" is a far more straightforward film, actually, and one with a narrative that requires interpretation but can be followed quite easily.
It is an interesting parallel to Lynch's debut, however.As noted previously the film is rough around the edges in terms of budget and other constraints and Maddin isn't as comfortable and confident a director as he would later become, but the film works wonderfully as a whole and comes highly recommended.8/10.
The darkly surreal world of the Gimli Hospital.
This is a surreal film from Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin, his first feature.
The story focuses on the town of Gimli, Manitoba, a long time ago, during an outbreak of smallpox.
Two patients in a strange hospital become friends, then deadly rivals.
The film is in its own surreal world, with the town of Gimli featuring unconventional behaviour, like the people washing their faces with straw, squeezing the insides of fish onto their heads, rubbing dead birds onto patient's wounds, a weird black-faced minstrel, a cow that lives under a bed, and many fishes that are present in most scenes.
It really is a special piece of low budget surreal filmmaking, and is deservedly compared to David Lynch's Eraserhead..
Unexpected pleasure.
The comments made above by "Spearin" express my own reaction to this film.
I rented it on DVD because it sounded intriguing, but fully expected to yank the disc before it fairly got underway.
To my pleased surprise, I was caught up in the story and captivated by the photography from the first seconds, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience--so much so, in fact, that I immediately replayed the movie with the director's often droll narration superimposed.
Also on the DVD I rented was a short film by the same author, "The Dead Father," which is well worth watching.
It, perhaps even more than "Tales from the Gimli Hospital," evokes early French surrealist film, but not in a slavish way.
Both films gave me food for thought--about film and about human relationships.
I guess this "nourishment" aspect of film-viewing is my basic criterion for judgment.
On that basis, I voted an "eight" for "Tales from the Gimli Hospital."By the way, I was very interested to learn (from the director's commentary) some of the actual history of Gimli and its settlers.
These were tough, courageous people..
a "6," just for the images.
Guy Maddin's "Tales from Gimli Hospital" is a surreal locomotive of a film that never for a second pretends to make a lick of sense.
Characters and events lack logic and motivation, leaving the proceedings within an oddball world of duck feathers, Indian burials, and mute men (some in blackface).
The result is intriguing yet pretentious and too deliberately ambiguous (while "Eraserhead" made less narrative sense, its 'clues' were more meticulously assembled), but shows promise from writer-director Guy Maddin, who successfully invokes the classic styles of German Expressionism and even "Hour of the Wolf"-era Ingmar Bergman..
a custom-built cult item.
Fans of David Lynch and early Luis Buñuel will find plenty to admire (or scratch their head at) in this esoteric, shoestring budget mock Icelandic folk tale, set in a bleak sub-arctic village where victims of a mysterious plague are treated by having their sores caressed with dead seagulls.
Winnipeg director Guy Maddin borrows extensively from the primitive vocabulary of the early sound era (with grainy photography, a scratchy music score, and crude post-dubbed dialogue) to create a nonsensical 70-minute punchline with no joke attached.
The antique style of the production would have to be considered its own reward, especially since the story itself (involving incest, hints of necrophilia, and a mysterious butt-grabbing duel to the death) leads nowhere in particular.
The awkward emoting by Nordic characters named Gunnar, Snjofridur, and Einar the lonely; the Louise Brooks look-alike nurses; and the cameo appearance of a black-faced vaudeville minstrel are all reminiscent of some nightmarish, early 1930s melodrama, but Maddin's aesthetic is aimed squarely at today's midnight cult audiences..
A great, strange, unique little film..
As strange and surreal as this movie is, I just love it.
Shockingly enough I seem to be quite fond of this strange, art-house type of movies.It's a very surreal movie, that is shot in 1920's/1930's style.
It means that the entire movie is black & white and even old fashioned looking, with all of its sets, costumes and make-up effects but also its style of acting and the way some scene's are being set up and executed.
It's also a throwback to old European surreal and more stylish type of movies, from the '50's and '60's.
Movies that were not just style over substance but also ones that had a good effective story in it, no matter how well it got hidden all underneath its surreal images and strange moments.And yes, this movie as well has a very strange but fascinating story, set at a strange hospital, about patients with a strange disease, in a strange time, in a strange far off place.
It's apparently set in Gimli, Canada, which is also know as the capital of New Iceland, despite it being a very small town.
It also explains some of the strange Scandinavian names and accents the characters have.If you just happen to stumble upon this movie somewhere and decide to watch it, without knowing anything about it, you would not believe that this movie got actually released in 1988.
It's that good looking in its very old fashioned way.
It's amazing the amount of detail they spend on this movie and director and writer Guy Maddin truly managed to capture an unique, old fashioned, grainy type of atmosphere.
But it's also thanks to the casting of some old fashioned type of looking persons, that makes the movie and its story work out convincing as an old one.Clearly, it's a movie that will not appeal to every person and some mind find it just a bit too strange and not fascinating enough.
This movie is really a matter of taste, more than anything else but if you're fond of some surreal type of films (like David Lynch movies), European type of old films (lets say Ingmar Bergman type of movies), or some of the movies from the 1920's and 1930's, this movie is really worth a watch and changes are you might end up really liking it.8/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
Hmm. If you are looking for something unorthodox and bizarre and very arty, you should look into this.
Guy Maddin turned his obsession with silent movies, surrealism, Luis Bunuel, David Lynch and god known what else into...something.
I probably don't possess enough movie knowledge to competently judge this one or grasp everything that's going on, but I suppose that Maddin has something going here.
Not that I had a lot of fun watching it.
This is for an exquisite taste only.
Nonetheless, it still left me curious about Maddin's other works..
Guy Maddin's breakout genre bending horror classic!.
On a second viewing, my appreciation for this 80's oddity has grown significantly.
I have not really "understood" it more per se (I'm not sure if I will ever truly be able to entirely "understand" this film and I do not think that I'm supposed to), but I certainly have found more moments to cherish, tiny details that add to the overall absurdity that this work of art so gloriously embodies.Bending and twisting genres and genre conventions, "Tales from the Gimli Hospital" is the greatest (and probably the only) black tragicomedy-horror-melodrama-avant garde- slapstick-thriller-love story I have ever seen, one that bathes in its gloriously Gothic and often sad atmosphere.
Melancholy soaks the movie's rather scary surface, but this melancholy is also accompanied with a sharp sense of humor largely encompassed by witty and surreal visual gags, moments so absurd you cannot help but laugh.
Despite its massive and bizarre combo of varying genres, "Tales from the Gimli Hospital" never feels jumbled because its style always has the same bite.
The music and performances do not change, and the overall mood doesn't either, the only thing that changes is the audience's reaction, which I feel is the best way to mix and combine genres.
Guy Maddin uses his signature, silent-film-mimicing style to great effect, capturing the charm of oldie horror films and classic slapstick with a totally weird and somewhat manic twist!.
8 stars..
This is the first Maddin film I've seen, and it seems like a great introduction.
The other reviewers have already touched on the plot and the mix of surrealism and silent film that Maddin brings together so I won't reiterate.
I'll add though that Gimli actually *is* comparable to Eraserhead besides just being low budget and in B&W.
(SPOILER AHEAD....) The "fish princess" that Einar sees can be compared to the "lady in the radiator" from Eraserhead, but different in appearance.So, to make this short, pick it up if you're a fan of Luis Bunuel and B&W era Lynch.
This should also appeal to the silent film enthusiasts as Maddin is a big one himself. |
tt0060086 | Alfie | Alfie (Jude Law) is a Cockney limo driver who regularly beds and discards beautiful women. In addition to maintaining a casual relationship with a single mother named Julie (Marisa Tomei) that he refers to as his "semi-regular-quasi-sort-of-girlfriend thing", he also sleeps with various girls on the side, such as the unhappily married Dorie (Jane Krakowski). At the first inkling Dorie wants something more than casual sex, he decides to block all contact.
Alfie wants to go into business with his coworker and best friend, Marlon (Omar Epps), but Marlon is preoccupied with trying to win back his ex-girlfriend, Lonette (Nia Long). Marlon asks Alfie to put in a good word with Lonette. Alfie meets with her at a bar to persuade her to get back together with Marlon - and ends up having sex with her on a pool table. Alfie meets with Marlon the next day, terrified that he knows about their indiscretion, but is relieved when Marlon says he and Lonette got back together.
Alfie goes to Julie's place for another booty call, but she throws him out after confronting him about his affair with Dorie, which she learned about after finding the other woman's panties in his laundry. Alfie soon gets another unpleasant surprise: Lonette is pregnant with his child. Without telling Marlon, they visit a clinic and arrange for her to have an abortion. Soon afterwards, Marlon and Lonette unexpectedly move upstate without even saying goodbye to Alfie.
Following repeated failures to achieve an erection with various women, he visits a doctor who tells him he is perfectly healthy, and that his impotence is due to stress. However, the doctor also locates a lump in Alfie's testicle that may be cancerous. Alfie immediately has a test run at the clinic and spends a few anxious days awaiting the results. During one of his trips to the hospital, Alfie meets a widower named Joe (Dick Latessa) in the clinic bathroom. Joe imparts some life advice to the depressed Alfie: "Find somebody to love, and live every day like it's your last". Soon afterwards, Alfie finds out he doesn't have cancer.
Believing he's been given a second chance, Alfie decides to "aim higher" in his love life. To that end, he picks up a beautiful but unstable young woman named Nikki (Sienna Miller), and they quickly embark on a passionate, turbulent relationship. They move in together, but Alfie finds it hard to put up with her mood swings, especially after she goes off her medication. He begins to distance himself from Nikki, and sets his sights on an older woman, Liz (Susan Sarandon), a sultry cosmetics mogul. Alfie becomes infatuated with her, but she wants to keep their relationship strictly sexual. Alfie then breaks up with Nikki.
Alfie runs into Julie in a coffee shop, and finds that he still has feelings for her; to his dismay, however, she's now happily involved with someone else. A trip upstate to visit Marlon and his now-wife, Lonette, reveals that she never actually went through with the abortion. Alfie also learns that Marlon knows that Alfie got her pregnant, but nonetheless raises the child as his own. Marlon then cuts all ties with him. Alfie calls Joe, who tells him that he needs to get his life together. Alfie turns to Liz for comfort, but is crushed to discover that she has a new man in her life. Alfie demands to know what her new boyfriend has that he doesn't; Liz replies, "he's younger than you".
Alfie has a chance meeting with Dorie late one night. He tries to get back into her life, but she says that she wants no part of him. The film ends with Alfie talking to the audience about changing his ways. | romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0073640 | Rudolph's Shiny New Year | A year after delivering Christmas presents, Santa Claus receives a letter from his friend Father Time asking for help to find Happy the Baby New Year before midnight on New Year's Eve, or else it will be December 31 forever. Santa sends Rudolph out to find him. An evil vulture called Eon the Terrible is supposed to live for exactly one Eon after which he will turn into ice and snow and disintegrate. As his particular Eon will end January 1 of the New Year, he plans to kidnap Happy to keep the year from ending and stop time, thus preventing his predestined death.
Father Time speculates that Happy, who ran away due to his big ears being laughed at, is hiding out in the "Archipelago of Last Years", where the Old Years retire and rule over an island styled to resemble the year over which they ruled. Sent to assist in this journey are some agents of Father Time including General Ticker (a military clock), The Great Quarter-Past-Five (a camel with a clock in his hump), and Big Ben (a whale with a clock attached to his tail).
Upon arrival in the Archipelagos, Rudolph first travels to the island belonging to a caveman named One Million B.C. ("O.M." for short). O.M. inhabits an island anachronistically inhabited with friendly dinosaurs and other prehistoric and long-extinct creatures. As Rudolph and his friends search for Happy (who left after his hat accidentally fell off and revealing his big ears, causing the dinosaurs to laugh), they repeatedly encounter Eon.
After other off-screen visits to the islands of 4000 B.C., 1492, 1893, and 1965 have been completed without success, Rudolph and O.M. head for the island of 1023 (pronounced ten-two-three), belonging to a knight named Sir 1023, whose island is filled with medieval trappings along with several fairy tale and Mother Goose characters. Meanwhile, Happy managed to befriend the Three Bears, but becomes saddened when he removes his hat and exposing his big ears to them, causing him to leave again.
The group then travels to the island of 1776, which reflects Colonial America and is ruled over by "Sev" (AKA 1776) who resembles Benjamin Franklin. Following Happy's seeming rejection on the Island of 1776, Eon kidnaps him and takes him to his lair on the Island of No-Name which is said to be located "due north of the North Pole".
The group now leaves the Archipelego in pursuit. Catching up to Eon, they attempt to rescue the baby. However, Eon (upon being awakened by the sound of O.M. tumbling) thwarts them by sending an avalanche down on the group and trapping them inside giant snowballs. Managing to melt his way free using his nose, Rudolph climbs up to Eon's nest where he finds Happy, who refuses to leave. Rudolph shows Happy his nose and tells him his own story of being bullied because of his nonconformity before asking Happy to let him see his ears. Happy does so, and Rudolph, like everyone else before him, laughs at the sight. Happy once again gets upset, but Rudolph explains that the sight of Happy's ears had made him feel so wonderful that he had to laugh out loud, just like it had done with everyone else. With this declaration, Happy shouts out with joy, but causes Eon to awaken. Rudolph quickly tells Happy to take off his hat and leave it off for good. At the sight of Happy's large ears, Eon bursts into uncontrollable laughter which sends him tumbling down the side of the mountain and into the three remaining snowballs, freeing O.M., 1023, and Sev. Rudolph realizes that Eon is now so full of warmth and happiness that it would be impossible for him to turn to ice and snow.
With Santa's help, they return to Father Time's castle with Happy just in time for the beginning of the new year, which is designated "Nineteen-Wonderful". After the celebration, everyone wishes Happy a happy new year and Rudolph proclaims to the viewers that it may be shiny, too. | fantasy | train | wikipedia | Rudolph's Shiny New Year can be striking, and entertaining, if you're watching it when you're little - little enough that by the time you're my age you have no clear memory of the first time you watched it, just that you did over and over.
The story of Rudolph saving the "baby new-year" from the clutches of Eon, a vulture looking to keep December 31st on a loop, is pretty simple, with conflicts and characters that are typical and funny enough to take.
But what can be memorable for a child is how some of this special is dark (with Eon) when it's not cute (most scenes with the baby).
It's also interesting as a kind of sequel-cum-remake of the original Rudolph story, as the baby has to contend with having big ears- something that a child might find more relatable than a shiny nose.
The songs are also a bit of a treat, if dated, and Red Skeleton does a fine double-job with the voicing of Father time and the little Bear on the island.
Basically, it's the kind of special that is worth checking out with the kids for a few minutes, and if they get into it, it may prove a treat, and if not, there's still Nickelodeon..
Rudolph's Shiny New Year is a classic!.
I grew up watching Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer for a very long time.
Rankin Bass and of course Romeo Muller have made such a great icon that was a classic for a very Long time.
And Rankin Bass Jr. also helped out on the production and as it seemed i enjoyed this forever.At Christmas time i watch many classics such as Frosty the Snowman.
But Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer has been my most favorite that i have watched.
I went on to seeing Rudolph's Shiny New Year because i thought it was a great masterpiece.Of course being that.
Rudolph has to save Baby New Year's Eve who is also teased because of how large his ears appear to be by the other kids.
But also that they have to avoid the vulture who is mean and really is not nice at all.Even though Rudolph is my favorite character since childhood and when i was a child watching the stuff before.
- Rudolph's Shiny New Year deserves to be on the most great holiday Christmas masterpieces of all time.
And may i say the characters such as Father Time and Rudolph himself will.
The story was great, The animation was dazzling, And the concept and the look of the characters was awesome.
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" was a nice sequel to the previous Rankin/Bass claymation special.
Just finished this, the sequel to Rankin/Bass' "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
With Red Skelton as narrator Father Time as well as the Baby Bear, Frank Gorshin as the knight Sir Ten-To-Three, Morey Amsterdam as the caveman-O.M.
(One Million), Hal "Great Gildersleeve" Peary as the whale Big Ben, Paul Frees as various voices, Don Messick as Papa Bear, Iris Rainer as Mama Bear, and, returning as Rudolph, Billie Mae Richards.
Written once again by Romeo Muller, "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" is a wonderful Tall Tale about how the reindeer with the shiny nose managed to make sure that it didn't become December 31st forever.
Even as an adult, I was enthralled by the way Muller kept making things up as the story went along and didn't care a lick about logic or stuff like that as long as it was still believable.
Although when Red said this story took place just after the events in the previous special, I did question why Rudolph's antlers had shrunk to when he was a kid.
Other than that, I still highly enjoyed "Rudolph's Shiny New Year".
While not as good as either "Year Without a Santa Claus" or the original "Rudolph", this was still must-see TV when I was growing up.
Since it's one-hour long (when broadcast), you get more bang for your buck than the many half-hour Christmas shows.When watching this recently, it seems to me they cut one of Red Skelton's songs.
Wasn't there a song titled "The moving finger writes...", where Father Time explains to Rudolph how Baby New Year grows into an old man by the end of the year?
The characters are great and the story is very entertaining.Baby new year is lost and time is running out to find him, the only one that can save the day is Rudolph.
Baby new year runs away because he has giant ears and everyone makes fun of him except Rudolph cause he know's what it's like to made fun of for his red nose ...
A classic moment is when Aeon the Terrible, big-beaked monster bird, captures baby new year and he almost dies laughing when the baby new year takes off his hat and reveals his giant ears.There's some other great characters too, i remember an knight that helps Rudolph and an eskimo, a giant whale, the abominal snow man, and of course old man last year who is about to croak which is why they have to get baby new year back.
And the kid with the huge ears too...Well, it's not bad-Santa mixed with New Years and whatever-it doesn't quite hold up as well's 'Heat Mizer' or the first Frosty, but it's a fun watch for the family.*** outta ****.
Happy New Year with Rankin/Bass.
Of their specials my favourites are Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Comin' To Town.
On the most part I did like Rudolph's Shiny New Year.
Of course it is not as good as Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, but considering how timeless that is I wasn't expecting the same kind of quality.
I do think that some parts did feel stretched out and Rudolph's Shiny New Year could have been told quite easily in half the running time.
It does look great though, a lot of detail went into the visuals and stop-motion animation and it really shows, managing to be both enchanting and wonderfully twisted.
The score is fitting and whimsical, and while the songs are not among the most inspired or memorable from the Rankin/Bass specials- I personally did find Raining Sun Shine instantly forgettable- there are some pleasantly upbeat ones, the best being Hap-Hap-Happy New Year.
The writing has its charm and fun, if not as fresh, witty or touching as some of the best Rankin/Bass specials.
The story is interesting, the scenes with Happy are very sweet and what initially seems mean-spirited(I'm talking about Happy having big ears) comes across as touching in the end(I can also see a lot of people relating to Happy for this).
Of the characters, all of which are engaging with some endearingly quirky names, my favourites are Rudolph, Father Time and Big Ben, though it is difficult not to love adorable little Happy and Aeon is a decent enough villain(even if there are better Rankin/Bass villains around, namely Burgermeister).
Overall, not one of the best Rankin/Bass specials but has a lot of good things.
8/10 Bethany Cox. Rudolph Saves the New Year, Too. This was included on the same DVD as "The Year Without a Santa Claus," and I must say that I don't remember this one at all from my childhood.
Rudolph has successfully saved Christmas, so he's charged with saving the New Year as well, sent off into the night by Santa Claus (who's really good at delegating, by the way), to find the New Year's baby, a bizarre little tyke with enormous ears who looks like Harpo Marx and wears a giant top hat.
He's run away because everyone laughs at his ears; who better to find him and teach him the value of not taking life so seriously than Rudolph, he of the drunkard's nose?
There's also a gloomy camel and my favorite character, a great whale who gives the group rides around the ocean and helps them chase down the scary monster bird (that's really its name) who wants to kidnap baby New Year so he can stop time and prevent himself from turning into ice (don't ask).
Last but not least, Red Skelton fills narration duties as Father Time.Like all of these films, even if they're not that great, they provide a certain nostalgic satisfaction to those of us who remember a time before computer animation.Grade: B+.
Rudolph searches for the New Year Baby..
This is one of the series of clay-animation movies starting with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
In this one, Rudolph agrees to help Santa Claus find the New Year Baby that ran away.
Rankin/Bass sequel to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer doesn't come close to that classic but has charms of its own.
The story is that Happy, the Baby New Year, has run away and unless he is returned by Dec 31st the current year will not end.
Rudolph with his glowing red nose and Happy with his huge ears.
It's a running gag throughout the special that every time someone sees Happy's ears they burst out laughing.
It seems a little mean after awhile, to be honest.The most interesting part of the story to me was the Archipelago of Last Years.
It's a neat idea that allowed Rankin/Bass to toy with various characters from different times.
So we get to see Rankin/Bass animate characters like the Three Bears and Cinderella.
Throughout the story, Rudolph picks up various allies and must contend with an evil vulture named Aeon.The stop-motion animation is, as usual, excellent.
Red Skelton voices the narrator Father Time, as well as a short bit as Baby Bear (using one of his old standard voices from his radio & TV shows).
Also, as mentioned, the constant laughing at the baby for his ears is a little rough and the "moral" at the end, as stated by Rudolph, doesn't seem to fit.
It's not one of the best but it's Rankin/Bass so it's solid entertainment despite its flaws..
I've been trying to get myself to like this Rankin/Bass production now for about four years since obtaining it on DVD and may officially be throwing in the towel here.
Just being a nerd by pointing it out.What does matter is that this time out the story is too oblique for its own good, a complex matter involving Rudolph brought in to find the infant New Year baby who decided it didn't like having its big ears made fun of and sports off in search of his own destiny.
Red Skelton's crooning of "Turn Back the Years" doesn't rate on the same scale as the accursed "Holly Jolly Christmas" or even "There's Always Tomorrow", my most hated of all the Rankin/Bass songs.
At least those songs were worthy enough to inspire genuine disgust, the ones presented here are merely tedious or perfunctory.In the end what may be condemning the effort in my eyes may be a lack of recollection of seeing the special as a kid.
The other Rankin/Bass heavyweights were routinely screened on the big three networks during my coming of age years but this one seems to have slipped through the cracks.
Parents would find themselves in court these days.Then again my folks probably conceded that Rudolph, Burgermeister-Meisterburger and Heatmiser were too cool for them to deny us a look every year.
Our devotion to that special was supposed to fuel by rote an equal devotion here but the effort falls flat with a complicated story (how again does the caveman end up in a snowball fight with Ben Franklin while the giant buzzard fights with the whale?), tepid songs and a general lack of inspiration.
There isn't even a decent parody website sending the premise up, a key indication that it sort of flunked where general audiences were concerned.Hence the special doesn't get its own DVD but ends up as a bonus feature on the "Year Without a Santa Claus" disc where it probably belongs, with the dreadful "Nestor the Christmas Donkey" which is a downright depressing bit of holiday drivel.
Devotees of the Rankin/Bass formula will certainly want to seek it out but the prospect of it becoming a tradition in its own right is fairly low even with a lack of holiday specials specific to the new year.
Maybe some holidays just don't inspire the same kind of outrageous imagination which resulted in the Heatmiser or the Grinch.Though I will concede that lack of contact with the special as a kid likely played the determining factor here.
Indeed if there is a new year holiday viewing tradition I do recall fondly it was the yearly screenings of "Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World".
Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Mildly entertaining animated film from Bass and Rankin starts off where the previous film ended.
This time out Santa gets a call saying that baby New Year has gone missing and without him there will be no new year.
With bad weather out Santa decides to send Rudolph who goes out to search for the kid.
This film falls well short of the original movie but I think there's enough here for adults to enjoy.
I say adults because I think there are quite a few dark moments here that might scare young kids and I'd also say that the movie contains some rather mean-spirited moments that really aren't good for them either.
I say this because the entire thing is about baby New Year having large ears.
The kid goes from one island to the next but he's constantly being laughed at for having big years.
The "moral" of the story is obvious but with Rudolph you had other kids making fun and laughing at him while the majority of the people laughing at New Year are adults.
As you'd expect the animation is very good and there's no question that Rudolph is a very good and entertaining character.
The original "Rudolph" was a lot of fun, stressed "Rudolph's growing up and taking on responsibility, and had superior songs.
Not so with "Rudolph's (Less Than) Shiny New Year".This attempt to milk the story should have been abandoned.
The story badly mixes characters from other stories, has songs that just are not memorable, animation that differers dramatically from the original, and, frankly, its villain is not villainous enough!This show reminds me of how I enjoyed the charming animated "The little Drummer Boy" but not its horrid sequel "LDB, Book Two".
Sometimes, one has to make a good movie and remain happy itch one has made,rather than trying for a sequel..
This time, Rudolph has to save the new year.
In conclusion, Rudolph's Shiny New Year is a lsme sequel to the original 1964 Rudolph..
Happy the Baby New Year had runaway due to teasing about his big ears.
After saving Christmas, Rudolph is the only one who can save New Year.
Aeon The Terrible is after Baby New Year to stop time.
Rudolph searches for Happy in the Archipelago of Last Years.It was over a decade since the first Rudolph first aired.
While it's great to have new characters, I don't understand why so many of them seem to drop off.
There are some new songs but it's always the classic that is truly great.
I think "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is classic television.
An evil buzzard steals Baby New Year, so Father Time sends Rudolph to the Archipelago of Last Year, which are ...
Father Time is voiced by Red Skelton, and they made him look too much like him.
A typically charming holiday TV special by Rankin/Bass.
Rudolph has to find the missing Happy, the big-eared Baby New Year, prior to the end of New Year's Eve or else the old year will go on indefinitely.
This really sweet and delightful holiday television special boasts the usual appealing attributes which make these shows by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr. so utterly charming and irresistible: a catchy and jaunty soundtrack of infectiously bouncy songs, a giddy, upbeat tone, cool stop-motion animation, likable and colorful characters, an amusing sense of gentle good-natured humor, and an engrossingly simple and straightforward story.
Red Skelton makes for a warm and folksy narrator as Father Time.
It's pretty obvious that the producers of the original Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer TV special were trying to milk the concept once more.
They should have quit while they were ahead.As another person pointed out in their comment, at the end of the original Rudolph show, he had become a young adult.
That's just the beginning of the weirdness.The plot is quite confusing and muddled, including numerous character names that relate to dates and times.
But, I cannot imagine trying to explain the plot and the characters to them.You know a show is odd when you see a scene with Rudolph standing there with a Ben Franklin-lookalike, a caveman, and a knight in armor.This story concept might have worked well on its own without Rudolph, playing on the "travelling through time" angle.
But, what it has to do with Rudolph and the Christmas holiday, I'm still trying to figure out..
misses the point of original Rudolph Christmas special.
**POSSIBLE SPOILERS ABOUT THIS AND OTHER CHRISTMAS SPECIALS AHEAD**While I can enjoy the cheeriness of the tale, and Red Skelton is always a joy to behold, this special fails for me on two levels.A minor quibble is the nakedly derivative storyline.A serious quibble is that Rudolph is de-evolved from a young adult deer back to a child.One of the wonderful aspects of the original "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" special is that it functioned as a fairly honest coming-of-age story, a simplified but genuine bildungsroman for modern American children.
All this is negated when he suddenly reverts to childhood in this special in order to save the New Year.I am disappointed when an emptily cute story constitutes the sequel to an intelligent coming-of-age fable, and that is what has happened here. |
tt0210843 | El mismo amor, la misma lluvia | In 1980, Jorge Pellegrini (Ricardo Darín), a young and talented Argentine writer, upon returning from a trip to Europe, is forced to write short love stories for "Cosas", a local, light-themed magazine, to aid his dire financial situation. His boss and best friend, Roberto (Eduardo Blanco), constantly censors Jorge's stories, by deciding which parts to take out or which stories not to print. Jorge's friend and mentor, Mastronardi, often visits the magazine HQ asking Roberto for work, but due to his history of courageous confrontation against the last military dictatorship in Argentina, he finds himself blacklisted and therefore cannot find work.
In the showing of a short film, based on a story by Jorge, he meets Laura (Soledad Villamil), a passionate, beautiful and charming young girl who works as a waiter in a restaurant. He is instantly smitten by her, and she gives him her card. Days after, he receives news of the death of Mastronardi, and begins to write a story about his deceased friend. However, he experiences writer's block, and cannot get around to finish it. Jorge then finds the card Laura gave him, and decides to go the restaurant where she works. They go on a date to a bar, and they display chemistry and understanding, and Laura reveals that she has a boyfriend, an artist on a tour in Uruguay. Things go awry when the police raid the place and take Laura to jail, as she did not have her documents. Jorge then decides to be taken to jail himself in order to oversee Laura's safety. Upon their release, Laura and Jorge spend more and more time together, and Jorge reveals his feelings for Laura. She then tells him that she currently does not reciprocate, but she will call him if she "figures out any context" in which she could.
Months go by and Jorge buries himself in his work, starts a diary (which he then throws away) and loses hope of receiving Laura's phone call. However, she then calls him and they arrange a date, at which she reveals that she wanted to be sure of not waiting for her boyfriend anymore before starting a new relationship. They kiss, make love and start a relationship. The first months are full of romance and passion; however, when Laura decides to quit her job to work for free at a local radio station, Jorge begins to lose interest in her, and is constantly bothered by the monotony of their relationship. To make matters worse, Laura has decided to make a great writer out of Jorge, and constantly pressures him to stop writing the short and simple-minded love stories and focus on a powerful book.
When Jorge reaches the breaking point and cannot stand the current status of his relationship with Laura, he cheats on her with Carola. Laura finds out and leaves him immediately. Jorge, once again, buries himself in his work, until he receives news from Roberto that, due to restructuring, the magazine will no longer publish his stories. However, he is offered a job as the movie and theatre critic of the magazine, which he angrily refuses. He then finds the inspiration to finish Mastronardi's story and take it to the theatre. However, the play is a failure, and because of the effort he put in it, Jorge is heartbroken. Jorge then receives an emotional visit from Mastronardi's spirit, who asks him to look after his son, Sebastián.
In 1987, things have changed: Jorge has accepted the job offer as the movie and theatre critic, and Roberto is engaged to Marita, a friend of Laura's whom he met in a double date set by Jorge and Laura years before. Jorge is in a relationship with a new girl; however, he finds himself shocked when he receives news that Laura is to be married to her old boyfriend. This prompts Jorge to track Laura and, after spending a day together, they make love, and Laura then decides that she will get married anyway.
Once again, years go by, and in the 1990s, a bitter and disillusioned Jorge, still works as a critic. However, due to his failures and disappointments, and to the loss of his spirit and morals, we learn that he now asks for money in return for writing favourable reviews. This works against him when Laura, one of the producers of the movie he asked money to write a favourable review for, personally delivers him the money, and looks at him with disgust.
One day at the office, due to a disagreement, veteran political journalist Márquez (Ulises Dumont) has a heated exchange with his boss, young Micky (Rodrigo de la Serna) and is fired. This then prompts Sebastián, Mastronardi's son, to blame Jorge for his father's death. Unable to cope with guilt, and after realizing how much he has changed, Jorge attempts suicide. This attempt, however, is frustrated by Roberto, who arrives just in time to save him. After the suicide attempt, there is a surprise party, at which the employees of Cosas decide to donate one twelfth of their salaries to Márquez. Laura and Jorge meet once again, and share a long talk about their lives, hopes and crushed dreams.
The movie ends with a hint that Jorge and Laura will give their relationship one last chance. Jorge, reinvigorated, and looking like a happy man for the first time in years, watches her taxi depart with a broad smile. He is then greeted by his friends, Márquez, Sebastián and Roberto, and tells them of the new love story he is planning to write. | flashback | train | wikipedia | This is life.
If you enjoyed "El hijo de la Novia" ("Son of the Bride"), you must go for this one.
The same rock solid characters with a better script.
A story you can believe in, a group of characters you laugh and suffer with..
Even better than "El padre de la novia".
A new star is born.
Campanella offers in El mismo amor la misma lluvia an artwork full of sensitivity and love.
Most american directors should learn from Campanella the characters he makes, real and tender and the script.
Nothing to see with the big american productions, Campanella gives a lesson of how to make a love story interesting and absolutely unartificial.
Very good!!!
a younger and weaker version of "el secreto de sus ojos"???.
I first was interested in this film after seeing "El secreto de sus ojos" (which I loved) because it had the same director and leading characters and told a seemingly similar tale of a difficult love story and the protagonists' struggle with internal conflict surrounding his own ambition and inhibitions and his struggle with an overbearing government that often leads him to find himself crippled in his work.
I didn't find this movie quite as intriguingly complicated and intricate as "El secreto de sus ojos," but still found the movie compelling and impressive.
Jorge is a struggling writer in Argentina who falls quickly for the young and beautiful waitress, Laura.
The pattern of an on-and-off-again relationship begins with a smitten Jorge and unavailable Laura.
The climax of their relationship occurs when Laura and Jorge are finally together and Laura attempts to spark Jorge's ambition and pushes him to write with more significant substance with a meaningful and powerful book.
It is really sad how Laura repeatedly becomes the victim of male inadequacies and weaknesses causing her hurt and heartbreak--one of many controversial and compelling themes that Campanella plays with in this film.
I would definitely recommend the movie, and am very interested in his following movies "El hijo de la novia" and "Luna de Avellaneda".
good love story.
Jorge is a famous Argentinian writer, but famous means that he is know but has no money, so has to live by writing short love stories in a magazine for young people.
One day he knows one women and they fall in love, but life is hard and during 20 years, we can see how they manage to survive in the difficult days they spend in Argentina.
A precious acting, really, really good of all the actors, specially Ricardo Darín, one of the best actors I've seen.
The story is very touching and it quickly catch you, unfortunately, it has a low rhythm, so, sometimes, can result a little boring, as things happen so slowly...
Despite that, this is a good film, recommended for those who want to see great actors in scene..
remake.
I don't know if somebody noticed it before, but, El mismo amor, la misma lluvia, is almost a remake of a Brazilian film, from the sixties, called "Todas as mulheres do mundo"(All the Women in the World) by Domingos Oliveira (1966).
A comedy that perpetuates the talent and charm of Leila Diniz, who died prematurely in a plane crash.The plot is similar to the Argentinian movie: Paulo is a famous flirt known for picking up beautiful women on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro.
This professional seducer finds true love when he meets Maria Alice, a young teacher.
From then on, he confronts the dilemma of whether to give up "all the women of the world" to live with only one.
The film deals with the conflict between old and new social roles women in the '60s had to choose between, and is based on the true story of the director's relationship with the leading lady.
The film had a strong impact on contemporary Brazilian film, and is the most well-known role played by legendary beauty Leila Diniz.
What a wonderful movie!.
This movie has everything and its a real treasure to find it..
Nice Argentinian Film.
Not the best film directed by Juan Jose Campanella, but it is unquestionably a good offering.
The thematic of love is present and, as opposed to his other efforts, where love occupies a place in the plot, but it is actually not the main theme, here it represents the core of the film and functions as the main subject.The story centers on two people, Jorge and Laura, who will eventually fall in love after some time of knowing each other.
Laura would, however, find it difficult to start a relationship with Jorge, as she already had a compromise with another man who had traveled to Uruguay, but had not heard a word about him since his departure.
With this in her way, she asks Jorge for time and, if she decided that it was right to start a new relationship over his current one, she would give him a call.
She then, in fact, decides to let go of the past and goes on with her new relationship.
They will encounter many difficulties on their path, just like all relationships, and eventually will arrive at a point of problematic situations that may cause the breakup.Regarding character background, we find that Jorge is a devotee of writing; he really is passionate about it, but the company for which he works does not appreciate what he writes, so he pretty much ends up writing for himself and refuses to write what the company would have him do.
One of the main reasons why Jorge is infatuated with Laura is that she actually is the only person that appreciates his art and interprets it differently from the average folk.
Laura, on the other hand, is an enthusiastic, friendly, sympathetic woman who aspires to be a professional painter and that is able to appreciate art in general.The atmosphere of the film is occasionally sustained by dialogs, whose only purpose is to simply make you laugh.
Dramatic scenes do not get left behind; they are also important pieces of the film.
The camera-work is nothing of great complexity nor is it and essential part of the film; it only aims to portray the story.
Finally, the acting does not stand out and it actually sometimes seems forced and dull; nevertheless, it does not deter the film from being appreciated.In conclusion, the film is highly recommendable for those who like Argentinian humor and romantic movies.
Likewise, fans of the director should not hesitate to give it a try.My Score: 8.6/10.
Beautiful film with terrific performance of Darin.
Don't miss this film This is the second film by Argentinian-born living in USA for more than 20 years, Juan José Campanella, that I watched.
The first was "El Hijo De la Novia" (Oscar-nominated).
I liked this one better.
Argentinian movie critic Guillermo Ravaschivo (from "cineismo.com") didn't like it at all in spite of his reckoning of the film's good values...but I suspect he is too bitter a person to like this film (or many others, for that matter).
This is a wonderful film.
The political issues (as well as the rest) are just a backyard scenery for the close-up given to this particular LOVE of Jorge Pellegrini to Laura throughout more than 20 years, having met intimately but briefly twice after the first passionate and longer lasting time.
I do agree the idea of people rebelling with strong verbal innuendos to their bosses would not yield the results herein depicted (i.e. the employee either remains employed or the employee is a "friend" of his boss and after his quitting still remain friend and in the job).
But everyone, EVERY ACTOR in this movie is about perfect, and so is the idea and script.
Juan Jose Campanella did absorb some Hollywoodish (especially TV-dian) mannerisms which show.
But then, it is NOT a Hollywood film.
Jorge Darin's performance alone is worth the whole films.
Admittedely, both scripters wrote the script only with him in mind, all the time..
Singin' in the rain.
I'm not sure I liked this film by the talented, and versatile Argentine film director, Juan Jose Campanella, as much as his other pictures and television work.
On the one hand, this is a love story between Laura and Jorge, seen through about twenty years of history of the country.
They meet, they fall in love, they break up when Laura finds out about Jorge's betrayal.
Then years go by and they are reunited for what appears to be for keeps.
It is a love story that takes the viewer through different periods of recent Argentine history that sometimes has nothing to do with what the lovers are experiencing at any one of those turbulent times.For a moment, we thought this was going to be another account of the "dirty war", but lo and behold, it is basically not so.
The story takes place at the headquarters of a magazine, with a format much like the New Yorker.
Jorge contributes short stories that blend well within the content of the publication.
It is a left of center periodical with a political slant, something that probably was not appreciated by the military regime, in power at the beginning of the story.
Basically it is the tale about two young people, that loving each other so much, it's inconceivable how their romance fizzles.
Jorge, a struggling writer, has a lot to say, but unfortunately, he is not given the opportunity to do so.
Laura eventually finds her own voice and goes on her own after the traumatic breakup.Juan Jose Campanella is a director that works well with his leading man, Ricardo Darin, one of the best actors from that country working in films today.
Director and actor clearly understand what is demanded from each other and the film is a tribute to their collaboration.
The screen play owes a lot to both Mr. Campanella and Fernando Castets.
The cinematographer, Daniel Shulman, has worked with the director before.
His take of Buenos Aires is a city that comes alive after dark.
The soundtrack by Emilio Kauderer is pleasant and blends well with the action.Laura Villamil, who plays Laura, is a gorgeous creature.
She projects intelligence and wit.
Under the director's guidance she gives a good performance.
Same could be said about Ricardo Darin, a welcome addition to any film.
This actor makes us think his Jorge Pellegrini is real.
Eduardo Blanco has worked for Mr. Campanella before.
His Roberto is kind of a goofy guy with the heart in the right place.
The late Ulises Dumont gives a marvelous reading to his tragic Marquez.
Others in the cast are Rodrigo Dela Serna, Alicia Zanca and Alfonso DeGracia, among the supporting roles. |
tt0084781 | El tesoro de las cuatro coronas | The movie follows J.T. Striker, a Soldier of Fortune (Tony Anthony), who has been hired to assemble a group of professional thieves to retrieve the gems which are hidden inside two of the remaining four Mystical Crowns. Striker braves a mysterious magical cave in which skeletons and spears appear and jump out at him. He discovers a scroll in one of the crowns in the cave, which tells him that the fourth crown had disappeared long ago. He denies that the gems are magical or even valuable. He succumbs to the belief eventually and sets off to find the last two crowns, which are being held inside a heavily guarded compound that is the home of a cult led by the evil Brother Jonas. Striker's team suffers casualties from booby traps as it performs a dangerous acrobatic commando raid on the room where the crowns are kept. Striker retrieves the gems from the two magical crowns, and the magic makes his head literally spin. His face becomes half deformed, like that of Two-Face. Striker shoots fire from his fingers, melting the henchmen, their weapons, and Jonas. After, the film cuts to a shot of a boggy swamp, where a large pile of slimy brown sludge rises from the swampy water. A head like that of a moray eel with crystal blue eyes shoots towards the screen for a 3-D effect, setting up for a sequel that never happened. | gothic, violence, cult, cruelty, sadist | train | wikipedia | When I was a kid, I saw this movie and I loved it.
I thought it was one of the best movies I'd ever seen.
Ten years later, I picked it up at the video store to take another look.Ouch.OUCH!This is a bad movie!
The climax is hilarious!One good thing about the movie: Ever reliable Ennio Morricone gives the movie a good score..
I remember this movie coming on numerous times on HBO and Cinemax when I was a kid and I watched it every chance I could.
I know now that it was a cheesy movie and if I watched it again it would probably be not as good as I remembered, but I did like it when I was a kid.
Even though during one scene of the movie you can see the string on the "flying" key.
The lead guy in the first part has to get through various traps to retrieve this key thing.
The middle just consists of him recruiting people to help retrieve the two crowns.
Then it is like a spy movie as they break into some cults palace that has numerous traps.
And yes there were only three crowns, one only had paper, the other two had gems, the forth one supposedly was broken by someone who tried to open it without the key.
J.T. Striker (Tony Anthony) is an adventurer / fortune hunter hired by his associates Edmond (Gene Quintano) and Professor Montgomery (Francisco Villena) to get his hands on the legendary Four Crowns, which when obtained can make a person all powerful.
To accomplish his task, J.T. gathers together a bunch of his old friends: the weary old Socrates (Francisco Rabal), the drunken Rick (Jerry Lazarus), and the super sexy Liz (Ana Obregon).You know you're in trouble when the opening "Star Wars" style crawl is sorely lacking in any sort of punctuation.
Its extreme crudeness and cheesiness (one can clearly see the strings that are manipulating objects) could have been forgiven if only the movie had more energy.
The filmmakers thrust as many objects into the camera as they can.Helping to uplift "Treasure of the Four Crowns" (starting with that title, it's all too obvious which hit movie was a big influence on this one) to a degree are its WTF moments, its admittedly amusing opening set piece that goes on for over 20 minutes without dialogue, its absolutely priceless climax, and a wonderful, stirring Ennio Morricone music score that truly deserved a better movie.This just isn't as much fun as this viewer would have liked.Five out of 10..
Treasure of the Four Crown in 3-D is the heartwarming story of a man suffering from impotency (Tony Anthony) who races through Southern California with the government closing in.
Only then do the strings attached to the "floating key" and the fact that there's only two crowns shown in the movie (though a third is briefly mentioned) truly jump out a come alive for the viewer..
I remember seeing this movie when I was 11 with my brother, 14.
This was just a bad movie.
Not even good for a " bad movie night." Just stay away from it.
This movie would have been a perfect feature for Mystery Science Theater 3000.I saw this in the theater when it came out.
I remember being really excited about getting to see a 3-D movie.
I guess I was somewhere around 10 years old.Even at 10, I thought it was one of the most ridiculous things I had ever seen.
I did enjoy it though, as my friend and I sat in the nearly empty theater making fun of the movie, I enjoyed a real-life MST3K moment.Serious scholars of horrible cinema should seek this movie.
I remember this movie being shown endlessly on HBO on Saturday afternoons in the 80's.
Clearly trying to cash in on "Raiders of the Lost Ark", the only thing this film had going for it was the 3D and this is sadly missing on the video version.
Strings are completely visible, repititous scenes of objects being poked at the camera and bad dubbing make for a difficult watch.
Watching this movie in the theater as a teenager with my friends was great fun - we howled and made fun of the film all of the way through, which was okay because everyone in the room was doing the same thing.
That should tell you just how bad this movie is: so bad it's good.
The thing is, I think the people responsible for this trainwreck meant for it to be a serious action film.
Instead what we got was really fake-looking special effects, bad acting and a story that barely held together.
The Treasure of the 4 Crowns, a low budget Raiders of the Lost Ark ripoff, was part of a brief 3D revival in the early 80s; on video, shorn of the novelty of an extra dimension, the film loses any impact it once had and ends up a tedious and unexciting affair.Tony Anthony, the rather piggy-faced star of Comin' at Ya!
T. Stryker, a treasure hunter who gathers together a group of fellow adventurers to steal some mystical crowns from a heavily guarded fortress (owned by a strange cult).Opening with a scene in a deserted castle, where J.T. faces deadly booby-traps in order to find a magical key, director Ferdinando Baldi makes known his intentions from the start: to steal liberally from Spielberg's movie whilst dangling everything possible into the foreground for maximum 3D effect.The story is quite simply awful, the acting rather poor, and the special effects lousy.
Scenes specially shot to make the most of the 3D technology look quite ridiculous, and the wires supporting many of the objects 'floating' in the foreground are clearly visible.The finale, which sees J.
The main bad guy, cult leader Jonas, has his face sliced up by lasers and then gets roasted by J.
Bizarre.And as if that wasn't enough, a final shot sees a strange snake-like creature leap out of a swamp, for no apparent reason.On a positive note, Ennio Morricone's score is pretty good (well...
far too good for this tripe, anyway!).Even if Treasure of the 4 Crowns received a proper 3D release on DVD, I would still think twice about watching it again!.
Raiders of the Lost Ark Wanna Be. This movie is absolutely awful.
As a kid of 8 years old, I saw this at the movies with my brother.
I remember being bored during it then, but the idea of fantastic powers from crowns appealed to me.I recently found it on Ebay and was excited to get it.
Now, I look back on this movie as just trying to make a buck off of Raiders of the Lost Ark with the additional gimmick of 3D.There is not character development.
You can see all the strings used for the fireballs, darts, and the flying key.I can just imagine the "creative team" thinking this movie up.
"If one rolling ball was good for Indy, why not create 2 or 3 flaming rolling balls coming at the lead character."This movie isn't even bad funny.
Was there a story line to this movie?
A bad movie with cheap 3D tricks (a spear in your face, looking at a rope hanging down).
Now, I saw this when it originally came out, but I seem to remember that there were only three crowns.
Diabolical cult leader Brother Jonas (a rabidly hammy portrayal by Emiliano Redondo) gains possession of a set of mystical artifacts that gives him the power to lord it over his mindless followers.
It's up to devil-may-care mercenary J.T. Striker (blandly played with stunning blankness by Tony Anthony, who also co-produced) and his motley crew who include a drunken dude (insipid Jerry Lazarus), a strongman brute with a weak heart (brooding Francisco Rabal), and, naturally, a token feisty babe (fetching Ana Obregon) to retrieve said artifacts from Jonas's heavily guarded fortress.
Boy, does this hilariously horrendous clunker possess all the so-wrong-that-they're-paradoxically-right stuff to qualify as a real four-star stinkeroonie: Ferdinando Baldi's ham-fisted (mis)direction, the plodding pace, a plethora of shoddy (far from) special effects (you can clearly see all the obvious strings that levitate various objects throughout the picture!), the cardboard characters, the maladroitly staged action set pieces, the laughably terrible acting, the ratty cinematography by Marcello Masciocchi and Giuseppe Ruzzolini, and the jaw-dropping outrageous climax all give this delectably dreadful doozy a considerable amount of lovably cruddy charm.
Moreover, not only does this movie hurl every possible object at the camera (arrows, spears, snakes, birds, keys, flames, and much, much more!), but it also boasts more than enough explosions to make even Michael Bay green with envy.
TREASURE OF THE FOUR CROWNS may not be the best, but it's certainly the bizarrest of the various European Indiana Jones rip-offs that followed in the wake of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.
This totally madcap film is bookended by two incredible scenes of action that will have you shaking your head in disbelief, whereas the slow middle section is for courageous viewers only who don't succumb to boredom too easily.
It's rip-off time from the start with this movie, which opens with some yellow scrolling introductory footage which will no doubt make any STAR WARS fan feel a sense of déjà vu.
Immediately afterwards we're introduced to J.T. Striker, our red-quilted jacket wearing hero who has to brave the dangers of a booby-trapped castle in the search for a hidden key.
As well as rabid dogs - who know what they survive on in a deserted castle in the middle of nowhere - Striker must face jumping snakes, opening pits, a fair quantity of dry ice, moving skeletons and suits of armour, loud wailing, and, most hilarious of all, a vulture - made of CARDBOARD - which comes flying at him on a plainly visible string!
If this wasn't enough, as soon as he retrieves the key, flying bolts, spears and rockets (!) are launched at him, the building burns down and Striker must escape from burning wooden spheres which roll after him and threaten to engulf him (let's see if anyone can spot the influence of this last bit).
The most incredible thing about all this action is that this all takes place in the first TWENTY minutes.Well, it's a good thing that the film settles down at this point for some plot exposition or I might have had a heart attack from watching all that excitement!
Basically, Striker must travel to a remote mountain-top castle which is inhabited by a religious cult led by the insane Brother Junas; there, he must retrieve three crowns which contain the power to stop evil in the world (one of the crowns is already owned by his local museum).
For some unexplained reason, Striker must assemble a team of five to infiltrate the castle, get past the guard and booby-traps and steal the treasure.The director is Ferdinando Baldi, who was responsible for some enjoyable peplum epics back in the early '60s.
Baldi's direction is adequate and he keeps the film lively at all times; on occasion he inserts lots of slow-motion in an attempt to emulate fellow Italian action director Enzo G.
This is one of those movies made to cash in on the short-lived 3D craze of the early '80s, so they really go overboard with things flying at the camera; we've got ropes, hands, traps, flames, crossbow bolts, harpoons, knives, candles, feet, snakes, and you name it at various points; the most hilarious bit is when two people constantly pass things to each other, towards the camera every time!
If you're a fan of cheesy, low-budget rip-offs then TREASURE OF THE FOUR CROWNS (that should read THREE, because there's no sign of the fourth!) is the film for you..
Oh sweet irony, thy name be "Treasure of the Four Crowns"
This movie revolved its entire promotional campaign on the unique selling proposition of 3-D effects, but it's this exact same gimmick that continuously muddles up the pacing and negatively affects the script's coherence.
It sounds like a rookie mistake, but in fact director Ferdinando Baldi and co-writer/main star Tony Anthony should have known better.
The duo previously made the underrated but splendid spaghetti western "Blindman", and that movie strangely enough revolved entirely on detailed character drawings and story building instead of on effects.
As you can undoubtedly derive from the title and cover image, "Treasure of the Four Crowns" is another Italian attempt to cash in on the huge success of early 80's adventure movies, more particularly the Steven Spielberg classic "Raiders of the Lost Ark".
Tony Anthony pretends to be a genuine Indiana Jones and the adventurous opening sequence lasts at least three times as long as the intro of "Raiders".
Anthony plays J.T. Stryker, a professional adventurer hired to recover two out of four magical crowns from the malicious hands of the occult sect leader Brother Jones.
According to the assignor, these Crowns hold the power to solve all the earthly issues like war, poverty, famine etc
only it's never really explained HOW.
The evil Jones keeps the crowns in a hi-tech secured temple with laser alarm systems and deadly booby traps, so Stryker and his team of hired circus artists spend the majority of the film climbing walls and hurling on ceilings.
Heroic characters die in the most ridiculous ways imaginable, faces get deformed and go back to normal and the fate of the titular crowns is inconclusive.
I wished I could have written better things about his movie, but it's simply not very good.
The Movie is horrible, but the story is there (you just have to look real hard).
This movie was horrible and everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves for ever having been associated with it.
Having said that, there were a few aspects of this movie that appealed to me, namely that there was a history behind the crowns.
I saw this a few years ago, so some of my details may be a little off, but you'll get the idea of just how horrible this movie is.The movie opens with J.T. Striker (Tony Anthony) approaching some old castle.
We quickly learn that this castle is booby-trapped to the max and our hero has to dodge everything from darts and flying buzzards to ancient torture racks to reach his goal, which is the coffin of some long-dead king.
He collects the key and then escapes, as the entire castle starts to "come to life" and eventually explodes.
Just where this explosion came from is a mystery.Back to the world goes our hero to meet up with Ed, who takes him to a museum where they hand over the key to Prof.
Montgomery and Ed tell the story of the crowns, which they key will unlock.
I found this to be the best part of the movie and the only true attempt at meaningful dialog.Ed speaking, as the crown slides out of its container: "This is one of the Four Golden Crowns created by the Visigoths in the 6th Century some time after the conquest of Spain." Prof.
Montgomery: "Legend held that the gold balls on top three of the four crowns contained secrets to unleashing incredible powers of good and evil.
Three years ago I learned the location of the key, but saw no sense in retrieving it since the other crowns were missing until this crown, reportedly the one containing the scroll surfaced.
And now, we shall see." The professor opens the crown and there is the scroll and now the enlist Striker to help them steal the remaining two crowns from a cult leader who uses them to control people (we are never told just how the crowns help him do this).
Striker reluctantly agrees and assembles the team of Rick The Drunk, the dying old clown Socrates and his daughter Liz, and Ed.The hapless crew infiltrates the secure room where the crowns are kept and are very close to getting them without incident, but then a piece of equipment that is supposed to knock out the security systems, fails to function and J.T. decides to go for it anyway.
Before the entire ridiculousness of this scene can even be comprehended, J.T. who has been blinded by some steam that shot out of the statue (and set off the alarms), regains his feet and opens the crowns (I guess all of the security mechanisms had been exhausted at this point).
The crowns (the green one evil, the gold one good) make breathing noises at him.
He takes them in his hands and his head spins around a la The Exorcist and then his face is divided between good and evil, with the evil side corresponding to the hand he is holding the green ball in and the good corresponding with the had he is holding the gold ball in.Brother Jonas, the cult leader, has by this time burst into the room with his machine-gun toting, mask wearing followers and J.T. shoots fire out of the two crowns and kills them all.
He snaps back out of it after they are all dead and he and Liz are lifted out of the room by the professor, but not before he throws the crowns into the fire.There is a final scene which makes no sense.
We see this blob rise out of a swamp and snake-like thing shoots out.
But I want to point out that there were THREE crowns shown in this movie.
People seemed to forget about the one with the scroll.O.K., that's basically the movie.
Strings are visible everywhere, much of the 3D was wasted on things that didn't need it, and nothing was really explained about how the crowns could help mankind, even though this why they were all risking their lives for them.None of the characters were complicated or compelling.
Why didn't he just go through that window in the first place instead of risking his life maneuvering through the booby-trapped castle? |
tt0331334 | Satan's Playground | Donna (Felissa Rose) and Frank (Salvatore Paul Piro) Bruno have decided to take a trip into the Pine Barrens with their autistic son Sean (Danny Lopes), new mother Paula (Ellen Sandweiss), and her baby Anthony (Marco Rose). When their car breaks down in the middle of the forest Frank goes off to find help and comes across the house of Mrs. Leeds (Irma St. Paule), a palm reader that lives there with her mute daughter Judy (Christie Sanford) and her son. Mrs. Leeds rushes him into the house, insisting that the Jersey Devil lives in the forest. However, despite her concern, it soon becomes apparent that her family is just as dangerous when Judy murders Frank.
One by one the people remaining in the car go out to search for their lost family members. Donna goes off in search of Frank and is assaulted and captured by the Leeds. Sean wanders off and gets lost in the woods. Paula initially tries to stay in the car and keep her baby safe, but inevitably leaves the car to investigate a police cruiser. However rather than containing help, it contains the corpse of an officer killed by the Jersey Devil. When she returns to the car she finds that Anthony has been taken and she goes off in search of him, which takes her to the Leeds house, where she's killed by the Leeds. Sean eventually makes it to the Leeds house where he is given a palm reading and then sent back into the night, where he gets sucked underground by what appears to be quicksand. This leaves only Donna alive, who manages to escape by bribing the Leeds son with diazepam. She eventually makes it to safety and wakes up in a hospital bed, where she is told that the Leeds house has been abandoned for years. Donna manages to persuade the police to check out the Leeds house in the hopes of finding Anthony, only for the Leeds to murder the police officer accompanying her. Terrified, Donna flees the house and tries to once again make it to safety, but is then killed by the Jersey Devil. | good versus evil, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0457229 | Brotherhood | Frank (Jon Foster) is an active member of fictional fraternity Sigma Zeta Chi, and hazes pledges for initiation by forcing them to believe they are going to rob convenience stores. Adam (Trevor Morgan) and Kevin (Lou Taylor Pucci) are pledges who go with Frank to rob the stores. Before they enter the store, another active brother gives them the money and reveals it was a break designed to test their bravery. However, due to confusion over which stores to stop pledges, Kevin is not stopped and actually tries to rob the store; Kevin is shot in the shoulder as a result. Frank finds out of the mix-up and attempts to stop Kevin but is too late. With Adam's help, he subdues the store clerk, Mike (Arlen Escarpeta), who is a high school friend of Adam. They return to the fraternity house and clear a party to take care of Kevin's wounds, but Frank orders Adam and Graham (Luke Sexton) to go back to the store, recover the security tape, and check on Mike. When returning to the store, they find that the security camera does not work, but Mike is reluctant to tell the police a lie to cover their tracks.
Scared by Mike's attitude, Adam and Graham kidnap him and take him back to the house. Frank refuses taking Kevin to the hospital, fearful that the police will learn about the night's actions, and instead calls Bean's (Jesse Steccato) medical professor to take care of Kevin. Adam tries to blackmail Mike by secretly recording an elicited confession, but Mike stops talking once he discovers the recorder. Kevin's sister Emily (Jennifer Sipes) appears and angrily threatens to call the police over an unrelated prank. As she leaves, she is involved in a car accident with Bean's professor, who suffers a concussion and is rendered unable to help Kevin. With time running out and Kevin losing blood, Frank orders Mike's torturing to ensure his cooperation. At the same time, Officer Jennings (Jeff Gibbs), who is a former member, discovers Kevin but decides to stay quiet. Adam becomes insistent in taking Kevin to the hospital and tells Frank he can get leverage on Mike after hearing money is missing from the store. Adam is able to get Mike to admit he stole the money, but Mike will only cooperate if they return the stolen money and clear his name. After a tense standoff with a nervous clerk, Adam and Frank succeed in returning the money, and Frank allows them to drop off Kevin in the hospital; they claim it is a hunting accident.
Frank says the night is a victory but Adam sees otherwise and decides to leave the fraternity, angry at their arrogance and callousness. After Adam punches Frank, the other members catch Adam and begin to beat him harshly, as Frank claims that their brotherhood and loyalty helped them get out of trouble. Another fraternity member, Jackson (Chad Halbrook), returns to the house and remembers that a pledge was locked into the trunk during the party; when they open the trunk, they discover the pledge has died from alcohol poisoning. Adam finally calls the police and tells them everything, which leads to the arrest of Frank and others. | violence | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0221097 | Cry Baby Lane | Andrew (Jase Blankfort) and his older brother Carl (Trey Rogers) enjoy listening to ghost stories that the local undertaker, Mr. Bennett (Frank Langella), tells them. One night Bennett tells the tale of a local farmer whose wife gave birth to conjoined twins, one being good-natured while the other was clearly evil. The farmer, ashamed of them, kept the twins locked in their room. Eventually the twins got sick from a liver disease and died together, so the farmer sawed them in half and buried the good twin in a cemetery and the bad twin in a shallow grave near the house, at the end of an old dirt road called Cry Baby Lane, as whoever is caught out there at night will hear the cries of the deceased twin. Later, Andrew, Carl, and a group of friends decide to hold a séance in the cemetery where the good twin is buried, but soon after the seance, a creepy phenomenon occurs around the town. When Andrew consults Mr. Bennett about it, he confesses that when the twins were separated, the farmer mixed up the twins and tossed the good one in the field and that the good twin is crying for help, not vengeance, and the bad twin possesses nearly everyone in town, and it is up to Andrew to stop him.
However, during the time Andrew and Carl journey into Cry Baby Lane, the evil twin intervenes and possesses Carl who then tries to attack his brother. The evil twin, speaking for Carl, tells Andrew he can't stop his doing as the cries of the good twin become louder and more desperate. Andrew eventually escapes the car and journeys into the good twin's grave where he must cut a root that was wrapped the good twin's skeleton in order to regain peace. The evil twin showers dirt onto the grave, attempting to bury Andrew alive, but Andrew manages to cut the root and save the good twin. The evil twin disappears in a flash of light and everybody returns to normal.
The next day, Andrew wakes up outside of the grave where he finds the good twin's grave with flowers, alluding that the twin is now at peace. Andrew then picks a flower from the grave and gives it to Kathy as they leave Cry Baby Lane. | horror | train | wikipedia | Inept in every way you can imagine.. When a film gains a certain reputation, it makes many curious to see it, to find out whether it lives up to the hype or not. This is especially true of previously banned or lost films, as being allowed to see them for the first time makes you interested whether the fuss surrounding it is truly worth it or rather a means to an end. The latter can definitely be applied to this film, as it's inept in every way possible, with its awful storytelling, characterization and a lack of truly anything scary.Ironically, its supposed reputation of being too scary was what originally got it lost/banned by Nickelodeon in the first place. Initially, this TV movie was meant to be a children's horror movie, in similar vein to other 90's children's horror shows like Goosebumps or Nickelodeon's own Are You Afraid Of The Dark? However, the film became controversial when many parents complained that the film's content was too scary for children, and because of this, Nickelodeon never re-released it again. No re-airing, no VHS/DVD release, nothing. Because of this, many became curious to see the film again, and many sought after it, even leading to an awful creepypasta story being written about it. It took 11 years for the film to resurface, after Nickelodeon reaired it after it was leaked online. But sadly, that backstory is far more interesting than the film itself. Firstly, the story (whereby two brothers resurrect an evil twin who possesses people and causes chaos in their town) is quite weak. Despite a strong and quite spooky opening, the story is very poorly written, with plot holes (e.g. why does no-one question a semi-naked child running through the streets? why does someone try to run over a possessed dog despite it being on top of someone?) and how it rips off many other films for its story, whether it be Evil Dead (the twin being resurrected by a tape recording), Village of the Damned (the possessed having bright blue eyes) or Invasion of the Body Snatchers (some of the possessed change personality into a duller version of themselves). It's a shame, as for every original idea the film has (i.e. the spirit being released through a root growing out of the grave), it steals 2 or 3 from somewhere else, with little subtly.Another problem is that not many of the characters are likable. The main character is alright, if nothing special, but his arrogant, borderline abusive brother is absolutely hateful, and you'll want him to die as soon as possible. His parents are awful too, the mother being too overprotective, the father being too liberal and neither of them caring about their children much including never checking on them when they're in their room for a few hours at the least. The supporting cast aren't great either, and mainly consist of stereotypes that you'll bore of quickly. Whether this would be the attitude-filled girls that the main characters have a crush on, the young Lord of the Rings nerd or an elder character who is so prepared to prove himself to be tough but turns out to be even more frightened than his younger companion. The only character you'll gain any sympathy for is Frank Langella's undertaker. He gets the movie's best lines (his "run" joke is genuinely funny), is the warmest character & Langella plays it very well, becoming the best thing in this by a country mile. It doesn't help that for something like this, the film isn't scary at all. I assume that those who complained were a fascist Mary Whitehouse/James Ferman type group, as despite the dark backstory of the evil twin (having been kept hidden away all his life for being a Siamese twin and being sawed off and buried after death), there is nothing scary in this film. This is mainly due to how lame the twin is. Firstly, much of his attack consists of knocking over letter boxes and throwing fizzy drink bottles at cars, which while a nuisance seem more suited to Dennis the Menace than a scary villain like this, and his attacks against the main characters (i.e. a bull attack and a combine harvester) while threatening, aren't particularly scary, or worse than anything seen in an Indiana Jones movie. It also doesn't help that when he is encountered at the film's end, it's an anticlimax, as his character's OTT acting seems more fitting if he was in the 1980 Flash Gordon film and his behavior is more odd than spine chilling, as he just eats worms all day, and possesses people through said worms. The content is no worse than the aforementioned 90's children's horror shows or the 80's children's horror films like Gremlins or The Goonies, for instance. Quite frankly, the worst this movie ever gets in terms of content is when a kid says that they would like to raise Princess Diana from the dead, which feels slightly tasteless (I'm a British viewer after all) and out of place with the rest of the film.It's a shame, because this movie does have a lot going for it. The film is still very well-made for a TV movie, the opening is very spooky and gets you interested in the story, the music by Andrew Barrett (no relation to Syd, I can assure you) is quite good (despite occasional out of place metal music here and there), the acting from the cast is top-notch for the most part, some of the ideas are quite clever, and Frank Langella is the standout in this film, and his bits of the film are usually the best. However, despite these standout elements, they don't form to create a whole, and the movie is very problematic otherwise, and is mostly inept because of it. Despite its controversy, it isn't a good film, and the fact that Nickelodeon buried it for this long tells you all you need to know. Avoid.. Too scary? Not quite.. "Cry Baby Lane" originally aired on Nickelodeon in 2000. Odds are the movie would have been forgotten by all but the most dedicated nineties nostalgist if something funny hadn't happened. It was never aired again. Rumor has it, the film was pulled from rotation because parents complained it was "too scary." "Cry Baby Lane" became sought-after by Nick devotees. The widely unseen film even spawned a (badly written) creepypasta. Finally, in 2011, a copy emerged and got plastered all over the internet, prompting Nickelodeon to reair it for the first time in ten years. Because I work at my own pace, I'm just now getting around to watching it.Too scary? Not quite. As far as content goes, "Cry Baby Lane" is on par with an episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" Like that fondly remembered show, "Cry Baby Lane" has an impressively creepy opening. Frank Langella recalls an urban legend about conjoined brothers kept in captivity by their father. As with most fictional twins, one is good and other is evil. When the boys die, the father separates the children, burying the good child in the public cemetery and the evil one in an isolated grave along the titular road. The story, darkly intoned, is played over images of black-and-white graveyards, abandoned homes, torn up stuffed animals, and bloody saws. This is doubtlessly the spookiest thing about "Cry Baby Lane." The rest plays out more typically. After hearing about the legend from the friendly mortician, ten-year old Andrew and his older, wrestling-obsessed, borderline abusive brother decide to perform a prank séance for the girls they like. A fake séance works as well as a real one, resurrecting the spirit of the evil twin. The ghost wreaks havoc on the small town, possessing most of the residents. This is a kid's movie so the evil manifest as petty prankery. Graffiti and mailbox tag are annoying but not exactly evil. The most malevolent actions are a burning boat and potentially deadly, if non-lethal, encounters with a bull and a harvester. Also, because this is a kid's movie, the story is primarily concerned with Andrew proving his courage to his bully brother.The blatant attempts at horror fall flat. An encounter with a possessed cop doesn't pay off. The final, underground confrontation with the evil twin is hopelessly lame. "Cry Baby Lane" is probably more valuable as comedy. The apathetic father provides a few laughs, as does the overprotective mom and lazy gravedigger. The older brother's attempt to retell the legend while the girls interrupt him got a chuckle out of me. Other comic relief is less amusing, like the belligerent "Lord of the Rings"-obsessed kid or a giant girl-scout. The movie doesn't address a young boy spending so much time with a strange old man, even when the kid ends up in his underwear. I guess that's to be expected. Overall, the cult of "Cry Baby Lane" is mostly undeserved, even if that opening is still aces.. If you're a kid who loves Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps, it's a pretty decent film.. To me, this movie wasn't all that bad for Nickelodeon's standards. It's like a longer version of a AYAotD episode, and for young children, it's fairly spooky (but not downright nightmare inducing). If you can't handle a spider crawling out of a girl's mouth, glowing yellow worms, a boy who eats one of the said worms, everybody in the city becoming possessed and having full on white eyes, and a story about Siamese twins being sawed in half as one was evil and the other was nice, you shouldn't watch it. If you're a kid who doesn't really care much about how well the actors acted, and how well the storyline and effects are for a 2000 low-budget movie, this movie is great for entertaining yourself with a decent movie for Nickelodeon's standards on a Halloween night or any night in which you wanna have a little spookiness before you go to bed. If you are a typical person wanting to see this movie after it never showed up on Nick's schedule since 2000, you should enjoy it if you're not too harsh. If you're a pretty harsh critic on a made-for-TV Nick movie (which could've been made into an actual movie for theaters with a much better budget and production value and possibly make it a better film but a forgotten one at the least), you might not enjoy everything, but it's good for a night of kicking back and seeing what this now infamous movie has to offer. I recommend it if you're pretty young. I still recommend it if you are looking to see this controversial cult followed flick. I know I enjoyed it. Then again, I also enjoyed Good Burger countless times. :/ |
tt0125037 | Xiao Qian | Ning Choi-san is a timid debt collector whose job requires him to travel to rural areas. He arrives at a town but is forced to seek shelter in a deserted temple in the forest on the outskirts because he ran out of money due to his inability to collect the debts as initially planned. That night in the temple, Ning meets a beautiful and alluring young maiden called Nip Siu-sin and falls in love with her. However, when he later recalls that night's events the next day, he becomes increasingly fearful and superstitious because a Taoist mystic told him that the people he saw at the temple were ghosts. That night, he returns to the temple to spend the night there and confirms his theory that Nip is actually a spirit.
Nip tells him her story of how she became eternally bound to the servitude of a sinister Tree Demoness. She explains that as long as her remains are buried at the foot of the tree, her spirit will be forever enslaved by Tree Demoness. Ning attempts to free her from her suffering. He seeks the help of a powerful Taoist priest and master swordsman called Yin Chik-ha, whom he met earlier. Yin battles the Tree Demoness and attempts to free Nip's soul but fails. Nip's soul is taken to the underworld for betraying her master.
Ning is unwilling to give up on Nip and insists that Yin help him. Yin manages to open a temporary portal to the Underworld. Ning and Yin enter the Underworld and attempt to free Nip's soul from suffering. They are unable to find her in the midst of thousands of other spirits. Eventually, Ning and Nip are able to see each other briefly near dawn when they come back from the Underworld after the fight. Sunlight shines on the urn containing Nip's cremated remains, but Nip cannot be exposed to sunlight or her soul will disintegrate. Ning holds on to a curtain to shield the urn from sunlight as he has a final conversation with Nip. Nip tells Ning that the only way to save her soul is to place her remains to rest at another more auspicious burial site before she returns to the darkness. Ning follows her instructions and with Yin's advice, Ning buries Nip's remains near the crest of a hill. He burns a joss stick for her and prays for her soul while Yin watches solemnly behind him. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | This is one strange film..
Even allowing for problems in translation, Chinese Ghost Story is thoroughly odd.
It may well take you more than one viewing to figure out everything that is going on.
I wouldn't even posit on where they got the theology behind it.However, it is still a highly entertaining film.
It is a love story that appealed even though I despise love stories and a comic adventure such as I've rarely seen.
If you don't mind things not entirely making sense, you should love this film.Chinese Ghost Story uses an interesting combination of computer and cell animation.
The combination is not seamless as in more recent films, resulting in a very interesting look.
Meanwhile, Chan experiments with the possibilities offered by the combination (look near the beginning when the camera cranes through solid ground).Best line in the movie 'Scissors of Heaven.'.
enchanting tale & animation.
Reading all the reviews of "Don't expect to understand this one", I went in the theatre expecting another trashy eyecandy-piece...I came out loving it!
The fact of the matter is, if you aren't already familiar with the Chinese folklore or myth of the love story between Xiao Qian and the tax collector Ning, you WILL find some ideas like the "ghost-busting" strange to comprehend.
Actually the so-called ghostbusters have supernatural powers well-associated to Taoist masters, or elites of the popular rituals and religion in Chinese communities.
(The other two "ghostbusters" recall wuxia/martial arts heroes in popular literature.)This animated version is quite enjoyable as far as visualizing these stories well-known and dear to many Chinese.
Having said that, there are also a lot of contemporary touches (e.g. the abusive boyfriend-ghost who seems a parody of the various Cantopop megastars giving another one of his "idolize me" concerts!)and musical numbers that are sometimes "Disney"-ish (having a song for the sake of the Disney-mation convention perhaps?) and at others really really gorgeous pop.So, eyecandy it is but with very creative camera angles and enchanting colors.
Very ambitious and hilarious!
Recommended even if you don't want to mess with the subtitling (which reads rather strange anyway due to cultural relativism etc.) The luscious images and love story are "universal" enough to understand by anyone..
Very funny and ORIGINAL anime!.
I finally got "A Chinese Ghost Story" on DVD and is well-worth it too!It has everything I can hope for in animation:a strange,un-predictable storyline,bizarre characters,off-the-wall (and sometimes sick) humour,rock-opera-like music score(it is NOT Disney-like!)and interesting and successful combination of CG and Traditional Animation(which is a nice first in Anime).If you want an Anime worth your time,please,get this classic now.But personally,I'd prefer the DVD version,since you can get Cantonese and Mandarin dialogue on it(personally,I prefer Cantonese) and you don't have to get stuck with the horrid English version(sorry,but the English "vocal-talents" need to take some singing lessons!)..
Rainbow hued HK Anime fun!.
"Xiao Qian" seems to be one-of-a-kind Asian anime films of the late 20th Century, a sucessful mixure of CGI and Hand Drawn animation.The plot follows a young boy named Ng (pronounced Neeng) and his dog, Solid Gold, trying to recover from breaking up with Ng's ex-girlfriend, Ran. As the two converse, two ghost hunters appear at his village, wiping out living skeletons and flatuent, smelly spirits.
Then, Ng is sent on a special derilvery course through China, stumbling into a city of ghosts and the living dead.
Here, he falls in love with the title character (Xiao-Qian, meaning Sunshine in cantonese) and try to escape the ghosts hunters, Xiao-Qian's selfish boyfriend and cruel mistress whom eats the souls of male humans to become young again, as well as the repenting of the mistress' left hand girl, Zhiaodee (Butterfly Cantonese).
I also love how the film pokes fun at Disney movies and satirizes mass-media sell outs.Xiao-Qian gets five kisses.
Pure classic and fun!.
Interesting plot.
This animation starts extremely lame.
That is, compared to the rest of story.
At first I thought I got some kind of cheesy ghost-busting anime with weird-looking synthesis of computer graphics and regular animation.
But if you can accept (or endure) occasional splashes of barrel and spell fighting you'll find in this movie an engrossing love drama with interesting plot turns and a bunch of original art.
Although the mage characters seem to be low grade in comparison to two main ones the battle system mechanics is pretty interesting too and quite detailed.
So after all 'low-gradeness' of mages could be a trick to make main characters stand out.This version of the story is WAY better than any real movie interpretations.
Very recommended. |
tt0095877 | Platoon Leader | Lt. Jeffrey Knight, a new officer from West Point, is airlifted to an outpost in Vietnam, where he meets his platoon, a group of tough witted veterans of the war. Platoon Sergeant McNamara explains to Knight that the platoon does not need a leader that follows rules. Lt. Knight's actions are also frowned upon by all of his men except for Pvt. Parker, the radio operator.
On one of his first patrols, Knight stumbles carelessly over a trip mine and is nearly killed. Parker then radios for an evac and McNamara orders the troops to move to an LZ for an extraction. Later, while Lt. Knight is recovering from his wounds in an Army hospital, Major Flynn asks him if he is able to take command again and Knight agrees. Knight is airlifted back to his platoon's outpost but is not greeted by his men and finds his gear missing from his quarters, as they did not expect him to return. When they realize Knight has returned, the soldiers rush to return his property outside his office before he comes back out. Knight realizes that he must take a different approach to have his men's respect.
Back on patrol, the platoon is attacked by heavy Vietcong (VC) forces and Parker is hit by mortar fire. Knight calls up his Medic to save Parker, but Parker's wounds are mortal and he dies in Knight's arms. McNamara then arrives with his squad and the group repels the enemy who retreats towards Sergeant Roach, who carries a shotgun and is considered the platoon's toughest soldier. Roach then kills the remaining VC easily. A week later, Major Flynn gives Knight 3 new replacements including a rebellious Private named Don Pike. Knight finds Pike's demeanor disruptive and sends him to Sergeant Roach's mine sweeping detail. Roach then has Pike hold his trigger finger on a live mine while Roach takes a break to urinate. Later, Knight finds Private Bacera getting high in his barracks when he was supposed to be leaving on patrol. Knight confronts Bacera and dumps out the drugs he found and personally leads the patrol the next day, keeping a close eye on Bacera. Even so, Bacera sneaks a hit when recusing himself to urinate. Knight finds Bacera expired with a needle still in his arm, having suddenly overdosed, causing Knight to be angry with himself.
Late at night, Knight wakes to find an enemy in the camp, killing him and alerting the men that the outpost will be attacked. The platoon prepares for the attack and shoots off flares to illuminate the battlefield showing the VC advancing on them with an enormous force. The base is hit hard. Sergeant Hayes uses his claymores and Knight calls for an airstrike to repel the enemy, but the platoon suffers heavy casualties in fending off the attack.
The next morning, Knight confesses that he feels that he can't be a leader, but McNamara tells him that he got them this far and can do the rest. Knight is then met by Captain Killinski, Lt. Riley and another Lt. Captain Killinsky explains the rest of the VC battalion they fought off during the night is nearby, and outlines a plan to attack the enemy. Knight counters with an idea he believes work better, and after consulting with the other two Lieutenants, Killinsky agrees to the new plan, trusting in Knight's experience.
Knight's platoon moves to their position in the jungle and Knight orders McNamara to scout ahead to bring another platoon into position. McNamera is ambushed before reaching the other platoon and severely injured. Knight and his squad fight to reach McNamera and bring him to an LZ to evac him via helicopter. Captain Killinski tells Knight that a company of VC slipped through and are attacking the village. Knight's platoon arrives at the village and kill off the VC company. The platoon is then attacked by Mortar fire and Knight is hit by shrapnel, damaging his eye, but Sergeant Roach applies first aid. Roach brings a baby from one of the destroyed huts and explains the VC were after the villagers not the soldiers.
After the battle, Knight visits McNamara and sees he's okay. He explains to him they lost the village, but they fought off the VC. He then says that he's starting to understand the meaning of this war and lets McNammera rest. A couple months later, McNamara returns to the base with Knight greeting him saying "welcome back to the country club" as they embrace. | violence | train | wikipedia | If you want to see the Vietnam War as it was experienced by a real Platoon Leader, this is it.
Authentic, down to the mannerisms, slang, terror and disillusion of it all, this film has none of the wierd phantasms of Apocalypse Now or the left wing political hype of Oliver Stone's Platoon.Richard C.
Caporiccio, LTC, US Army, Retired, former Platoon Leader, 3rd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne), LZ Uplift, Republic of Vietnam from Jan 2 to December 24, 1969..
Most of Cannon Pictures' product is pretty much junk (they make Chuck Norris and J-C Van Damme movies, so what do you expect?), but this one is different.
The story concerns a young army lieutenant on his first combat assignment in Vietnam, and how he comes to earn the respect of his men.
Michael Dudikoff is surprisingly good as the young officer who arrives at his post not knowing quite what to expect but determined to do his duty, and Robert F.
Lyons is outstanding as the platoon's veteran sergeant who doesn't want a new lieutenant to get any of his men killed.
I read the book "Platoon Leader" by James McDoughal (I'm not sure if that's how you spell his last name), and it's one of the best "Vietnam experience" books I have ever read.
Especially when compared to a movie like Apocalypse Now (which is in my opinion one of the worst depictions of the situation in Vietnam ever produced).
It realistically depicts the trials of a new infantry platoon leader in Vietnam as he arrives fresh out of West Point and must quickly learn the ropes of being a PL and at the same time earn the respect of his men.Bottom line: this is a damn good movie.
If you have any interest in Vietnam or war movies in general, I highly recommend it..
This movie is underrated probably because of the prejudices held by critics against Michael Dudikoff.
It is, in fact, entertaining and is required viewing for any fan of action movies.
PLATOON LEADER is one of Dudikoff's best movies, perhaps because, since it was a rare theatrical release, more attention was given to make sure it was well-done.
You really get a sense of what the war in Vietnam was like for the soldiers there, with hair-raising jungle ambushes and close calls.
Naturally, the guys at the base don't take too kindly to Dudikoff when he first arrives, but ultimately grow to respect him, something I've really grown tired of seeing in the movies.
But the battle scenes are well-executed, the direction by Aaron Norris (Chuck's brother) nothing special but good, and the music heroic and uplifting.
After making his directorial debut with his brother Chuck Norris with "Braddock: Missing in Action III" (1988), his follow-up would be another Vietnam War feature with Cannon productions starring Michael Dudikoff.
Norris' presentation might feel like a poor man's version of Stone's "Platoon", but it turned out to be a very solid nitty gritty portrayal of a war that was hard for the soldiers to come to grips with (nothing but pure propaganda).
The performances are acceptably creditable (Robert F Lyons, Michael DeLorenzo, Brian Libby and William Smith chew it up in a major role) and a convincing Dudikoff actually brought across some emotional weight to the part.
The script really does illustrate the dramas along with the horror in some arresting scenes ("What do you say to a girl with her arm shot off?") --- especially the transformation of Dudikoff's character throughout his duty, where at the beginning he was naïve to how things work but after an incident that sees him hospitalized he returns an improved soldier, better equipped for the experience and from this starts to gain respect.
Norris' direction moves at a fast clip, if quite clichéd (cue in the patriotic sounding score) but the impulsive action is competently staged and fairly exciting in its tension fuelled fire-fights with glorious slow-motion and graphic violence.
Originally entitled "Nam," this film was released as "Platoon Leader" to cash in on the success of "Platoon," which had been released the previous year.
The film covers a new U.S. captain joining a platoon that is set up on a hill with orders to protect a small village.
The story of how he must earn the right to be called the captain of such a motely group, and how the men themselves must struggle about just what they are fighting for in this war, is extremely moving.
Each character is painted vividly and with wonderful acting, and through their tragedy and suffering, the viewer gets a better understanding of what went on during America's darkest hour.On the other hand, this film also contains some nicely-directed action sequences that know how to get the heart-beat going.
It is the essence of these action scenes, combined with the human characters who have to pick up the pieces of each battle and move on with their daily, emotional struggles, that really makes this film tick.This film was directed by Chuck's brother Aaron Norris, who lost a brother to the Vietnam War. Indeed, this must have been a difficult film to shoot because of that, but he certainly paid his brother a fitting tribute in this underrated war epic.**** out of ****.
you would have had to be there to appreciate that fact.i (or any other vet) hardly expects the great unwashed masses that's never been to a hell hole like that or never been fired at or never picked up a weapon to do battle against a merciless foe to understand it.
so naturally bad comments like, Worst Movie Ever, etc, etc...are to be expected.
:-( MD did a good, solid, very realistic job of portraying a young, green, Platoon Leader barely hanging onto his job AND his life (and that of his platoon's)in a VERY frightening (read impossible) situation...so good in fact that he reminds me of several of my own "Lutes" that i fought with (most of them died, sadly.) no, the film isn't perfect, but it's good solid fare for people REALLY interested in how it was in 'Nam. the rest of you clueless cats can eat it and die...who cares anyway what "YOU" think.
Having seen many war flicks (including the Cannon Group's Chuck Norris attempts) about the Vietnam War, this one tops them all.
- no one should question their expertise and thumbs-up on this movie.I wasn't sure when I saw this, but I thought, "Man, this seems so realistic, I wonder if things were like this over there?" The vets' comments here confirm that.I only add my comments here to bolster this great war movie and commend the vets for confirming my thoughts.
a war movie worth seeing.
Originally filmed under the title "NAM" before being changed to "Platoon Leader" to cash in on the success of Oliver's Stone "Platoon".
A young officer, just out of West Point is sent to Vietnam, where the men don't respect him until he gets wounded and returns to be a wiser soldier and a better commander.
Sound's like a good idea for war movie , right ?
Sadly this is a dreadful movie Some people who defend this garbage claim that this is a good movie , because it's a realistic description of Vietnam War , compared to the "Apocalypse now " .
As a work of art it has every right to take some liberties to send it's message ."Platoon leader" does have some good scenes in it .
Dudikoff tries , hell everyone tries , you can easily see it , I like the ambition , but the most dramatic scenes in the movie are so badly acted that it's just painful to watch .
Nothing really happens and I 've got a feeling that I was watching an action movie somewhat camouflaged as war drama.
I could see potential here and there with some scenes , but it really felt like poor man's "Platoon" .
And the very ending scene feels like it belongs to buddy-cop comedy.Interesting thing - this is the only film directed by Aaron Norris to not have his brother Chuck Norris in it.I give it 1/10.
If you want to see a good and little known war movie better watch "Bat 21" with Gene Hackman and Danny Glover or "Siege of firebase Gloria" with R.
Michael Dudikoff stars as Lt Jeff Knight a new commander in charge of the platoon who fight in Vietnam in this really bad and very tedious drama.
The problem with Platoon Leader is that nothing happens, the drama is poorly done and Michael Dudikoff isn't the best guy to go with in this type of movie.
Golan/Globus Cannon Pictures nonsense pretending it's a serious film about the Vietnam War. The American Ninja, Michael Dudikoff, plays a young officer (not a ninja), just out of West Point and sent to Vietnam.
Nothing you haven't seen before and done much better, but on the plus side, there is a small role for my all-time favorite character actor, William Smith, as a commanding officer.
I guess to capitalize on the critical and financial success of Oliver Stone's Platoon, this other film Platoon Leader was made.
Though hardly a classic, Platoon Leader is a film with grit and guts like it took to be in Vietnam and never knowing who to trust.Michael Dudikoff is the newly minted lieutenant straight from West Point where classes on classic military theory don't prepare you for jungle warfare in Vietnam.
But he's a quick learner and not eager to breakdown and spend the war in the dugout the way his predecessor did.Like Platoon the men don't respect the newby until he's bloodied.
The night attack on the base by the Viet Cong scene is almost a copy of one from Green Berets.I should also single out Michael DeLorenzo who gets through his days in Vietnam with a little help from illegal pharmaceuticals.
He's a most unmilitary soldier and his is a tragic end.The best war films are usually with lots of historical perspective after the conflict.
Frequent Cannon Group hero Michael Dudikoff does fairly well in the role of Lt. Jeff Knight, an officer fresh out of West Point who is immediately sent to Vietnam.
While it might not take its place among the truly great 'Nam based films, it's still not bad at all, and is worthy of some respect.
They are well supported by Brian Libby ("The Shawshank Redemption"), Michael DeLorenzo ('New York Undercover'), Jesse Dabson ("Death Wish 4: The Crackdown"), Rick Fitts ("The Hanoi Hilton"), Tony Pierce ("Stone Cold"), and the legendary movie tough guy William Smith ("Any Which Way You Can").It's often at its most effective when it reminds us that these soldiers ARE human beings and not machines, and that they WILL show emotion at times of stress.
The battle scenes are horrific in their realism and the technical aspects of this fine film are superior to many others that attempt to capture the hell our soldiers went through in Viet Nam. Working with a small budget but a stunning script, this is a film that deserves to be recognized along with Apocalypse Now, Go Tell the Spartans, and Hamburger Hill.
Where Oliver Stone failed to really communicate the reality of war, Platoon Leader nails it with no compromise.
While it stands in the shadow of big studio releases and never received the attention or accolades that should have been afforded it, Platoon Leader is possibly the definitive motion picture depiction of the American soldier's brutal experience in that horrific jungle conflict..
American Ninja's Michael Dudikoff branches out to make a war movie about Vietnam and falls extremely short of making anything worthwhile, enjoyable or even interesting.
The story follows Dudikoff as a tough new commanding officer who must win the respect of his men and wax philosophical on the war itself, while drugs and the Viet Cong are all around are soldier boys.
Michael Dudikoff is certainly a credible action star with some screen presence and low key charisma but this type of movie requires an actor who can pull of emoting as well.
Lyons comes off best but really this is a repetitive war movie with no sense of excitement, authenticity or even a point.
Really one is better of seeing Platoon or Full Metal Jacket for authenticity, while for entertainment one should look to Rambo or Missing In Action.
STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsBefore he went on to direct brother Chuck in the tremendously exciting action sequel Delta Force 2,Aaron Norris fools the potential punter with this totally unengaging and thoroughly cliched account of the true story of the 173rd ''Airborne'' Brigade in Vietnam,despite most of the action taking place in the jungles of South East Asia.No disrespect to the American GIs forced to participate in this no doubt barbaric sector of the Vietnam war,but it makes for rather tepid screen viewing,and the noticably charisma stripped Michael Dudikoff headbilling the show only adds to the unrelenquishing tedium.*.
It isn't authentic in the slightest.However for all this, it is dreadful example of film making and war film making in particular, one which I would try and make everybody watch at least once all the way through.
Surprisingly emotional B-movie and a fresh take on Vietnam!.
"Platoon Leader"...what a generic and terrible name for a fairly emotional and deep war film.
I'm sure the film's title, in addition to starring Michael Dudikoff and being released by Cannon, turned a lot of people off from checking this movie out.
But Aaron Norris does a superb job of balancing B-movie action with harrowing and emotional drama.
Dudikoff is passable (as usual) as the lead platoon leader...but Paul F.
The budget was surprisingly solid for a B-movie and the supporting cast was great.
War movies tend to have a repetitive nature about them...but "Platoon Leader" features some impressive and original moments.
I was surprised to be as invested in the soldiers as I was and "Platoon Leader" was a solid war film that deserves a better known reputation..
with relatively real combat depictions (from friends who were there).As a new soldier in the Army of the 80s, this was the best view back into my father's Army available to me until the release of Mel Gibson's "We Were Soldiers." In many ways, it is still a better presentation for a young soldier, specifically because it highlights the roles of different individuals that make up an infantry platoon.STILL not on DVD.
Above AverageWar Film, That's At Times Intense And Well Made, With An Excellent Lead Performance From Dudikoff!.
This is an above average war film, that's intense and well made, with an excellent lead performance from Dudikoff!.
It's got lots of great war action, and all the characters were great, plus i really enjoyed the musical score!.
It did take a little while to get going, and some of the dialog was bad, however Dudikoff is quite intense as the lead, flick, however it is quite entertaining, and even exciting at times, plus the ending was cool and very emotional.
This is an above average war film, that's at times intense, and well made, with an excellent lead performance from as he carried the film, it also helped that the rest of the supporting cast was solid as well!.
Granted it's your typical low budget War Dudikoff!.
Aaron Norris does a good job here, with good camera work, during the war scenes, good angles, and keeping the film at an interesting pace!.
Michael Dudikoff is FANTASTIC as always, and is fantastic here, he is extremely likable and intense, had good chemistry with Robert F.
Lyons is great here, as the Sarge, he is very likable, and had good chemistry with Dudikoff i liked him lots.
Platoon Leader reminds me a lot of the book Sand In the Wind by Robert Roth because there is a body going over a waterfall scene in both.
Check out the better Vietnam War film Hamburger Hill..
As another reviewer states, the producers of this movie regrettably changed it's title from ''Nam'' to ''Platoon Leader'', as it was released just a year after the epic Vietnam staple, ''Platoon''.
One thing that does annoy the hell out of me when it comes to 99% of war movies, is that the explosions and gunfire are horribly inaccurate.
I wish the visual effects people that make war movies would actually go and study real period-correct combat footage.
If you like war-action movies, especially Vietnam, you'll enjoy yourself if you watch this movie, because it's actually very much full of action from start to finish.
It also does better than average in depicting real Vietnam combat, and is closer to being realistic than the vast majority of Vietnam movies.
The acting, while not spectacular, is still above average compared to the usual Vietnam movies, and the continuity is also slightly above average, and many of the details of uniforms, guns, weapons, speech and the compound is quite accurate.
American war movies were ten a penny in the 1980s and this low budget addition to the genre doesn't really achieve all that much.
It was made by Aaron Norris - his only film not to feature his brother Chuck - and put out by Cannon Films, but it's one of their less entertaining products.
Michael Dudikoff is the restrained hero, a young lieutenant striving to win the respect of his men, but for an action star he gets very little to do, physically.
The plot is cliched and predictable and the action scenes are anything but exciting; this is one of those films that's content to go through the motions rather than offering up anything decent in terms of entertainment..
Surprisingly tough-minded Vietnam war film from Cannon.
Earnest, but inexperienced West Point graduate Lt. Jeff Knight (a solid and credible performance by Michael Dudikoff) gets put in charge of a platoon that has to keep a village safe from the Vietcong. |
tt0050512 | Hit and Run | Charlie Bronson (Dax Shepard) is enrolled in the Witness Protection Program, staying in Milton, California under the supervision of incompetent U.S. Marshal Randy Anderson (Tom Arnold). Charlie's girlfriend Annie Bean (Kristen Bell) is a professor at Milton Valley College and has a doctorate in Non-Violent Conflict Resolution from Stanford University, a major she created herself. Annie's supervisor Debbie Kreeger (Kristin Chenoweth) calls Annie in for a meeting, where she tells her that the University of California is starting a Conflict Resolution program and is interested in interviewing her. The interview is scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles at 4:00; Annie balks at the idea saying she needs to talk to her boyfriend about it first, until Debbie tells her to live for herself instead of boyfriends, and that she will be fired if she does not make it to the interview.
A perplexed Annie returns home and tells Charlie of the job interview, upsetting him since Los Angeles is the area he lived in prior to enrolling in Witness Protection and can't return to. Charlie insists Annie interview for the job for her own sake, even though he would be unable to follow her, but Annie instead returns to the college the next day to beg to keep her job. While she is gone, Charlie decides he would return to L.A. after all, and picks up Annie in his souped-up, restored Lincoln Continental, promising to take her to her interview.
Before they leave town Annie realizes that the teaching certificate she needs is at the home of her ex-boyfriend Gil Rathbinn (Michael Rosenbaum). She had previously told Gil that Charlie is in Witness Protection, and he urges Annie not to go with Charlie, who he is certain is a criminal who will chop her up. Annie blows him off and leaves with Charlie; Gil memorizes Charlie's license plate and asks his gay police officer brother Terry (Jess Rowland) to look up the plate, who finds that the vehicle is registered to "Yul Clint Perkins" — Charlie's real name. Gil uses the name to look up Charlie's past, discovering he is a former getaway driver who testified in an ultimately unsuccessful bank robbery case against his accomplices, one of whom shot the bank guard. Gil finds the Facebook page of one of the defendants, Alexander Dmitri (Bradley Cooper), and leaves a message saying he knows where Yul Perkins is for the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Randy calls Charlie after discovering he is not home. Charlie tells him he is returning to L.A., and Randy insists on accompanying him per Marshals Service policy, leaving Milton in order to pursue Charlie. A short time later Charlie and Annie discover Gil following them in his vehicle. Charlie pulls over, intending to beat up Gil, but instead tries to non-violently resolve the situation at Annie's insistence. Gil is unmoved, and reveals that he both knows Charlie's real name and has Alex Dmitri as a "Facebook friend". Charlie and Annie then flee from Gil in the Continental, in the process running Randy off the road as he arrives, but ultimately losing Gil. Elsewhere, Alex sees Gil's Facebook message, gathers his fellow bank robbers Neve (Joy Bryant) and Alan (Ryan Hansen) and heads to meet Gil.
Annie and Charlie gas up the Continental, where the vehicle's engine is admired by a redneck named Sanders (David Koechner). The two then make their way to a motel, where they are unknowingly followed by Sanders. In the morning, Charlie tries to start the vehicle, only to discover that the engine has been stolen in the night. Gil arrives shortly after, ambushing Charlie with a golf club, but Charlie distracts him and knocks him out, placing him in his vehicle. He quickly discovers that Gil was also accompanied by Alex's crew, who are at the front desk. Charlie grabs the VIN Number of a Corvette in the parking lot, makes a duplicate keyless entry for the vehicle using the former tools of his trade, and then leaves with Annie, Gil and Alex's crew in hot pursuit, with Randy joining the chase. During the chase Annie and Charlie argue over his past, where he reveals that he was a getaway driver who participated in 13 bank robberies, and that Neve was once his fiancee. The two ultimately escape their pursuers again.
Afterward, Annie demands Charlie pull over, where she confronts him for lying to her about his past. She decides to proceed to L.A. without Charlie; Gil arrives shortly after, and agrees to take Annie the rest of the way. A short time later they are run off the road by Alex, who takes Annie hostage and calls Charlie, telling him to meet at a nearby diner. Charlie arrives and Alex demands money in exchange for Annie, then argues about Charlie's betrayal, cut short when Alex reveals that he was raped in jail and blames Charlie for it. Charlie agrees to take him to a hidden stash of bank robbery money located at the home of his estranged father Clint (Beau Bridges). While in transit he surreptitiously places a call to Randy, now in the company of Terry (who's attracted to Randy) and his partner Angela Roth (Carly Hatter), and gives Randy his father's address. The three pick up Gil along the way.
At Clint's house, Charlie digs up a bag of money he hid in a pasture with his father, at the same time reconciling with him. His father carefully mentions he owns a Class 1 Off-Road racing vehicle; shortly after he knocks Alex down with a shovel, then fights with Alan as Charlie and Annie make their escape. The two get in the racer and flee just as Gil, Randy, Terry and Angela arrive. Alex and Neve attempt to follow, but Randy manages to shoot Alex as the latter fires at Charlie, forcing them to stop and placing the two under arrest. Two Marshals (Jason Bateman and Nate Tuck) later arrive and take Alex and his crew into custody, complimenting Randy and Terry on their work.
After their escape, Charlie tells Annie he is committed to getting her to the interview still, wanting to keep his word despite the fact that she no longer loves him. Annie responds that she still loves him, and the two reconcile before continuing the trip. Charlie makes it to the University of California campus in time for Annie to make her interview. Before she leaves, Charlie offers to spend the rest of his life with her, which Annie accepts. The final scene cuts some months in the future, showing Randy and Terry, now in a relationship, giving each other a brief pep talk before heading to take the Marshals' exam.
In a stinger segment, Annie makes her interview with Professor Sandy Osterman (Sean Hayes), interrupting him as he is smoking from a bong. After a rough start due to Osterman's embarrassment at hotboxing his office and confusion at him not being a woman as Debbie had described, Osterman reveals that Debbie is his sister and she has jokingly called him a girl since he was 9. Annie expresses sympathy for how this must make Sandy feel, earning his approval and an immediate job offer, which she accepts. | murder | train | wikipedia | Cleo Moore's Last Movie. Cleo Moore was one of the sexiest blonde starlets of the 1950's but sadly this 1957 release was her swan song. She had starred in around ten films and was well known by the public but I guess there was just too many beautiful blondes around at the time. She's the best thing in this standard little film noir of the beautiful young wife, middle-aged husband, and the young hunk who comes between them. Looking fantastic as a platinum blonde, Cleo gives an excellent performance and her love scenes with hunky Vince Edwards are fairly torrid. Director-costar Haas seems a little too sympathetic to his own character for my liking, a boisterous auto repair shop owner who woos option-less showgirl Moore. Never a particularly good director (to say the least), Haas notably wastes the potential in one scene in the wrecked car "graveyard" beside his repair shop which manages an eerie touch nevertheless. The movie quite low budget but that proves to be an asset in capturing the angst of low-income 50's America.. First half...not bad. Second half...pure crap.. Cleo Moore and Hugo Haas starred in a terrific and very original film, "The Other Woman". Well, three years later they're back and starring in "Hit and Run" and they are joined in the leads by Vince Edwards (of "Ben Casey" fame).Gus (Hugo Haas) Owns a garage and asks a young and pretty woman, Julie (Cleo Moore), to marry him. Soon after they marry, their employee, Frank (Vince Edwards) begins making passes at the missus. She never encourages him...but she also doesn't tell her husband. Frank takes that to mean she loves him and has come up with a scheme to kill the old man and then dismantle to car for scrap so there is no evidence! She is horrified when she is in the car with Frank and Frank runs over Gus! She had no idea about Frank's plans...but when the police later notify her of his death, she says nothing about Frank's actions. Clearly she has very mixed thoughts about what has happened.So far, so good. While the plot isn't wholly original (with films like "Therese Raquin" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice"), it's not bad and interesting. The problem is what comes next....it's really, really nuts. A new plot involving an identical twin brother that no one knew about comes into play...and the film basically goes into the toilet. Rarely have I seen a film where the second half simply goes 100% wrong like this one!. Why would I kill her! I wasn't in love with her!. ****SPOILERS**** The usually ending up with the short end of the stick Hugo Haas ends up on top here for once. Haas plays a duel role as twin brothers Gus & David Hilmer who ends up confusing his wife Julie, Cleo Moore, and her boyfriend Gus's ace car mechanic Frank played by a pre Ben Casey Vince Edwards to which of the two twin brothers he is and which one they ended up murdering! The confusion sets in when Gus is run down and killed by Frank with a terrified, in not knowing what her boyfriend was up to, Cleo in the passenger seat.With Cleo expected to end up with Gus's gas station as well as house and some $50,000.00 in cash up pops his twin brother David looking for a piece of the action or of Gus' estate! Gus who treated his brother David like dirt when he was behind bars in the joint-San Quentin- for forgery had a change of mind when David was released from prison and sought out his help. Sadly for David Gus, before he could thank him, was killed in a hit & run by Frank whom just the day before he put David into his will! When David showed up at the lawyers office his resemblance, even though he was Gus' twin, to his dead brother was astonishing! To the point that he not only looked like a carbon copy of his dead brother Gus but has all of his quirky mannerisms as well! It slowly became obvious to Cleo that it was David that her boyfriend Frank ran down and that her husband Gus took over his identity! With David messing up Frank's plans he now decides to leave Cleo for circus lion tamer Miranda, Dolores Reed, who developed a crush on him and checks out with her to Mexico. That's as far away from the very unstable Cleo who's about to crack under the pressure and spill the beans, in him killing her husband, on him to the police!****SPOILERS**** Never a dull moment her with director and star Hugo Haas keeping everyone on there toes to who of the two, or even both of them, brothers he supposed to be playing here in the movie. This drives Cleo almost over the edge in hitting the bottle and getting herself smashed while Frank, who was only using her, tries to check out of town with Miranda as well as from the police! ***MAJOR SPOILER*** David who in fact was the supposedly murdered Gus played it both cool as well as a bit stupid which got both Cleo and Frank to drop their guard and expose themselves as David's, not his, murderers. And he did it so skillfully that even at the very last moment of the movie until he took off his shirt, and revealed a scare on his cheat, no one in the audience as well as the cast in the movie was quit sure who he was! |
tt0130444 | Aimée & Jaguar | The film explores the lives of the characters Felice Schragenheim (Maria Schrader), a Jewish woman who assumed a false name and who belongs to an underground organization, and Lilly Wust (Juliane Köhler), a married mother of four children, unsatisfied with her philandering Nazi officer husband.
The film begins in 1997, with an 83-year-old Lilly (played by Inge Keller) taking up residence in a dilapidated flat that once served as an underground hideout. Brought to a retirement home, Lilly encounters her old maid Ilse (played by Johanna Wokalek in the 1940s, by Kyra Mladeck in 1997), who was rounded up during 1945, and is already a tenant.
In 1943, Felice, assuming a false last name and working as a journalist at a Nazi newspaper, meets Lilly via her friend and sometimes lover Ilse, who works as Lilly's housekeeper. Instantly smitten, she takes the initiative in the love affair by sending flagrant letters to Lilly and signing her name as Jaguar, much to Ilse's dismay. One fateful afternoon, Felice, Ilse, and their friends Klara and Lotte are accosted by German soldiers, and all but Lotte manage to escape. Shot down by the soldiers, they find no identification on Lotte's body except for a photograph of her and Felice. Lonely due to the constant absence of her husband, Lilly engages in a series of affairs with other men, but is disillusioned by the callous treatment of her latest tryst with another Nazi officer. She grows closer to Felice, who attempts to kiss her during a New Year's Eve Party in her Berlin apartment after Lilly discovers her philandering husband with Ilse, but rejects her. As her husband tries to make amends with her the following morning, Lilly realizes she has never loved him and reconciles with Felice.
With her husband again away at war, Lilly and Felice begin a shaky but intense relationship. The film features both erotic encounters and sentimental love poems (quoted from the book), and during one love scene Felice proclaims Lilly is an Aimée to Felice as Jaguar. On Lilly's birthday, Felice and her friends throw a party in her apartment that culminates in a lesbian orgy. Lilly is mortified when she sees Ilse and Felice kissing drunkenly, and further disillusioned when Felice rejects her advances for the night. The next morning, Lilly’s husband arrives on special leave for his wife's birthday only to witness the aftermath of the previous night's events. Although enraged, he vows to not punish her for her indiscretion so long that their marriage and life remain intact, but Lilly instead surprises him by asking for a divorce. Afraid that her husband may turn them in, Felice and her friends stop seeing Lilly for the sake of their own survival. Heartbroken, Lilly holes up in her apartment, eventually sending her children away to safety, and erupts in anger when Felice finally visits her after several weeks. Felice reveals the truth that she is Jewish and feared for her life, and the two make up.
After the 20 July Plot, Felice and her friends fear for their lives and arrange to flee Germany before they are rounded up. At the last moment, Felice decides to stay in spite of the danger so that she may remain with Lilly. After a day of frolicking in the countryside, the two return to Lilly's apartment where Felice is captured by the Gestapo, using the photograph of her and Lotte to identify her. She is sent to the Theresienstadt concentration camp from where the two still manage to correspond, but all contact is lost by the end of 1944.
Lilly and Ilse reminisce about times past as the film ends. Lilly, though saddened by the tragedy that she caused her friends and lovers, is unable to imagine how her life could have been any different, given her obsessive live-for-today-for-tomorrow-we-die mentality, common among besieged Berliners. Lilly Wust lived in Berlin until her death on 31 March 2006. The tagline of the film is "Love Transcends Death". | violence, queer, murder, romantic, flashback | train | wikipedia | A True Unconventional and Sensitive Love Story, In a Sad Period of German History.
In Berlin, along the Second World War, Felice Schragenheim (Maria Schrader) is a bright Jewish lesbian working in a Nazi newspaper under a false identity and being member of a resistance organization.
This true unconventional and sensitive love story, in a sad period of German history, is a wonderful movie.
Although dealing with lesbian love, this powerful, unforgettable and touching romance is one of the most beautiful film I have recently seen.
Surprisingly enough Lilly loves her back and they begin an irresistible and passionate affair, which at the time and circumstances back there was like dancing on a volcano
Of course the film deals with WWII and the holocaust here but the best thing about it is that it's only done on the side.
It's all so intensive and it's not all about two suffering girls who lived in a horrible time and were not allowed to love each other, it's about two strong women with a lust for life who tried not to care too much about the Nazi regime, but to concentrate on seizing the day.
Later, yielding to her needs, Lilly goes to bed with Felice, who makes gentle love to her and suggests that Lilly be "Aimee" while she, Felice, be called "Jaguar." I must say that this scene, which is no more erotic than it should be, is a tour de force on the part of the actress playing Lilly.
This is a beautiful story and a haunting film, set in crumbling Berlin near the end of Germany's second run at world domination.
She runs with a pack of party-girls, lesbians all, who butterfly their nights away living for the moment in the face of destruction, persecution, and death.Lilly is a German housewife with four children and a husband on the Russian front.
She is introduced, however, as a mistress to a Nazi officer, and the viewer sees immediately that Lilly is simply lost...dutifully serving out her role(s) to the men in her life, yet stricken with a suspicion that love has escaped her.Then she meets Felice...The affair transforms both women.
Lilly finds love and discovers who she really is, while Felice finds a reason to stop running.It's easy to forget that bravery in wartime is not reserved solely fo combat soldiers.
As one of the minor characters points out late in the film, love should be appreciated wherever it can take root---especially when times and situations seem impossibly chaotic.This director offers an underlying gentleness that makes the movie all the more effective.
An impressing love-story in war-time Berlin..
She finally finds love in Felice (brilliant: Maria Schrader), a Jewish girl, part of the Berlin Lesbian scene.
This wonderful German production, based on fact, tells the story of a lesbian love affair at the height of the war in Berlin, between a Jewish woman concealing her identity from the authorities and a loyal German mother of four whose husband is serving in the army.
And this near-normal background throws into sharp relief the ghastly horror of the Nazi regime, its vain pursuit of total victory, and its fanatical hatred and persecution of Jews.The acting of principals Maria Schrader as Felice Schragenheim (Jaguar) and Juliane Köhler as Lilly Wust (Aimée) has an integrity and intensity which has almost disappeared from Hollywood, but it never lapses into melodrama.
Outstanding in the large supporting cast are Johanna Wokalek as Ilse, a rival with Aimée for Jaguar's love; and Detlev Buck as Aimée's husband, Günther, who manages to elicit our sympathy for his personal predicament, while repelling us with his Nazi arrogance and cloddishness.A notable feature of the movie is that it reminds us that, like London and Paris, wartime Berlin still had a thriving nightlife, with Beethoven concerts, well dressed women and officers drinking in luxury hotel lounges, and smart receptions.
These scenes give the film colour and style, features sometimes missing from movies set in time of war.This is one of those very rare movies in which not only every element - scenario, acting, camerawork, effects, interior and exterior locations, music etc - is almost perfect in itself, but in which they add up to a true work of art.
Jaguar, or Felice Schragenheim, is played by Maria Schrader, a painfully slender, winsome, enigmatic, and devastatingly beautiful actress whose character rolls through this story like a loose cannon.
She is well matched by Aimée, or Lilly Wust, played by Juliane Köhler, attractive but older, by turns lustful and distraught.To survive in difficult times, young Felice poses for nude photos, works in a newspaper office, and gives dance lessons.
She entertains single men while her children go to the zoo "again?" Felice conceives a passion for Lilly from afar and writes her a romantic letter, signed "Jaguar."I don't want to spoil the story, so I will say no more about it.
"Aimee and Jaguar" tells of the love which blossoms between two women, one married with four children and one a Jewess, in 1943/44 Berlin.
By night, she's Jaguar, the assertive, insurrectionist fighter for the German Resistence.The movie also does a great job of portraying lesbian love as just as valid and intimate as heterosexual love.
What sets this apart from your typical Jew/Nazi movie was that it was a love affair between a wife of a Nazi hero and a Jewish girl who does not wear a star and is an assistant to the newpaper editor of Berlins biggest paper.The courage and nerve these young kids had is breathtaking and the disaster that they befell at the hands of the Nazis devastated me more than most typical Nazi movies.
There is a line in the movie where one girl is telling another girl who is reprimanding her for something, "You did not create the world - God did." Wonderful way to say - you can't judge me.The love making scene is hard to watch.
Although I love the movie (I've seen it 4 times.), it's true that the book is better (as with any film based on a book), one is able to understand the depth and complexity of the relationship much more in Erica Fischer's book.
Maria Schrader's Felice is so right and so penetrating--think the scene where she tells the "girls" goodbye and walks away one of the most moving bits of acting ever.
however, what I saw touched me so deeply, both in the reality of the story as well as the reality of what life was like for many Jews, as well as Germans, during that time,1943, Battle of Berlin.This is a story of "Love", of "Courage" and of "History".
It is a story of a Jewish woman who is living in the time of war...of the Nazi repression and extermination of Jews (and others).
I rented this movie thinking it was a history lesson, but I soon find out that this was a true love story.
This movie was about these two people's time of falling in love, though it was a bit short for them.P.S. Hollywood don't make it like these anymore..
More than just a love story or a history film or a coming-out film, this movie combines the best aspects of all three genres.
Set in World War II Germany and it deals with a love affair of a Jewish underground lady with a wife of a German officer (not a Nazi officer as other summaries seem to suggest).
Set in World War II Germany and it deals with a love affair of a Jewish underground lady with a wife of a German officer (not a Nazi officer as other summaries seem to suggest).
Fascinating (And true!) story of two women that fall in love during WWII Berlin and how they try to maintain their love during that chaotic period.
This unconventional German film is set in battle-torn Berlin in the final months of World War II, as a Jewish lesbian woman falls in love with the wife of a Nazi officer.
It is a very sad movie but at the same time a beautiful love story and also the story of a woman overcoming her fears and freeing herself.
i was very doubtful whether this would be another of those "let's get over it" movies of our neighbours, but was positively surprised when i finally got to watch it.the characters are played absolutely convincing and compelling, the plot is both thrilling and deriving compassion for this misfortunate true love story enfolding in the berlin of world war II.both juliane koehler and maria schrader are at their best, showing all aspects of the love story (jewish - aryan; lesbian vs.
"straight", danger-passion) in a way, which takes the viewer into a different world, forgetting his now and here, diving in into this nazi-era, full of war, destruction, yet again lust of living life to the fullest and enjoying every day of survival.all in all, a movie to be recommended highly to anyone really, who likes to forget his world for a few hours and see a women's love story that endures war and holocaust.GREAT!.
This time, however, it's different: "Aimée und Jaguar", a tender and subtle love story between two women, is at the same time a realistic and thought-provoking reconstruction of what it was like to live in Berlin during World War II.
Maybe all the painfully bad and boring German movies that try to copy Hollywood are the price we have to pay for occasional gems like "Aimée und Jaguar".
But the two doomed lovers never really seem truly passionate, nor is there any sense of danger and terror all around.Maybe this story would have worked better if it had been set in the Weimar Republic instead of Nazi Germany.
Brilliant German war love story.
The German movie "Aimee & Jaguar" is a real love story between two very different women in the Berlin of the early fourties during the Third Reich dictatorship.
Unfortunately Jaguar is Jewish, and the Nazi and war terror of that years devided the love of these two women.
Jaguar was somewhere killed during the Holocaust, while Aimee is still alive and is living now in a senior's home in a Berlin suburb.That's the real story and the plot of the film, and it's brilliantly shot, edited and casted.
AIMEE & JAGUAR tells the tragic story of a doomed love affair between a Jewish lesbian and the wife of an SS officer.
Highly recommended to those who like WWII movies, particularly dealing with unorthodox/uncommon subjects, and anyone who likes a good love story..
It tells the story about a 30-year-old housewife and singer named Lilly who lives in Berlin, Germany with her daughter, three sons and husband whom is fighting for his country in World War II, whom is having an affair with an SS-Officer named Ernst and who through her friend named Ilse meets an audacious woman named Felice.
Distinctly and engagingly directed by German filmmaker Max Färberböch, this finely paced and somewhat fictional tale which is narrated by one of the main characters and mostly from the two main characters' viewpoints, draws an increasingly dramatic portrayal of a German wife and mother of four who falls in love with a 21-year-old Jewish resistance fighter who works part-time as a model with her three girlfriends named Klara, Lotte and Ilse and for a newspaper.
This historic, at times charmingly humorous, conversational and prominently romantic drama triangle from the late 1990s which is set in the capital city of the Germany in the 1940s and 1990s and where a woman's infatuation with her friend turns into jealously after she introduces her to another woman whom her friend finds so interesting that she decides to write an anonymous love letter to, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, subtle continuity, distinctly natural reactions by Juliane Köhler, scenes between Lilly and Felice, comment by Felice : "Say whatever you like.
"Aimee and Jaguar" depicts a Lesbian Jew living in WW II Germany who falls in love with an ostensibly straight Nazi.
An example: the scene where Lilly, the German Nazi, and Felice, the Jewish Lesbian, first make love.
Lilly meets one of her lovers while wearing stockings and wool socks and a sloppy slip – but the movie makes the point that even homeless Jewish Lesbians can look soignee in wartime Berlin.
Set in Berlin during what appear to be the latter years of World War II, this movie follows the developing relationship between two women.
Maria Schrader played Felice (Jaguar) a young Jewish woman who's also a lesbian, who meets up with Lilly Wust (or Aimee, played by Juliane Kohler) who's married to a German officer (and who's having an affair with another German officer.) The story of their relationship as it develops from cautious friendship into a full blown love affair is told in a non- sensationalistic way, and it manages to offer a glimpse of what life in Berlin might have been like during those desperate years.What I really liked about this movie was the fact that it avoided the opportunity to be exploitative on at least two fronts - both the Holocaust and lesbianism were simply a part of the story, but they weren't THE story.
Both Aimee and Jaguar (as Lilly and Felice nicknamed themselves) come across as people struggling - as Berliners were in those days - to survive the madness of Nazi Germany.
To be honest, I wasn't sure that the movie needed to include those bookends - the story could have been told well enough without them.This is intriguing because it's a true story; Lilly Wust herself apparently vouched for its accuracy, and because it's different than most of the "set in Nazi Germany" stories you come across.
It is a story about love in a time of war, with the complication that it is lesbian love and 'Jaguar' in the film is a Jewish woman, passing herself off as Aryan and surviving by being a secretary for the editor of a Nazi Newspaper, and keeping close to officers in the military.The acting by the two lead women is quite exceptional, capturing the great contrast between their personalities and revealing a relationship that is entirely believable.The sets, scenes and costumes are authentic and create the era really well; the camera work is excellent.
This film took home a basket full of German awards and a Golden Globe and GLAAD nomination.A beautiful, and true, story of a Jewish lesbian (Felice/Jaguar (Maria Schrader) who is attracted to an officer's wife (Lilly/Aimee (Juliane Kohler - Downfall, Adam Resurrected, A Woman in Berlin).Of course, things don't go smoothly at first, as Lilly is not aware that Felice and her friends are lesbians.
She slaps her the first time they kiss.Lilly finally accepts the fact that she loves Felice and there is a beautiful and transformative love scene.Both Schrader and Kohler were amazing.
They have assumed the role of survivor in this memoir of Lilly's, aka Aimee, obsession of her love for Felice Schragenheim, a queer Jewess in Berlin in the Third Reich.
Then I realized it is the story of Lilly's lover and her memory of Felice's greatness and her charm that we are seeing.
It ends not long after the attempt to assassinate Hitler in July 1944.The doomed lovers are Felice Schragenheim and Lilly Wust; Jaguar and Aimee were their pet names for one another.
The story is framed by a present day encounter between Lily and Ilse in a Berlin old-age home, in which Felice's two former lovers come to terms with each other.
Fifty years on, Felice is still the one and only love of Lily's life.
We then flash back to the war years where we meet Lilly Wust, married with four children, with a German soldier husband who occasionally comes home from the front.
Most of the conflict within the relationship is primarily centered on Lilly's confusion about her sexuality, self-worth and decision to involve herself with Felice whose sensitive side is repressed due to her constant fear of being arrested by the Nazis.While the relationship between the two lovers is at times compelling, it also becomes a little tiresome due to the fact that it's unnecessarily drawn out."Aimee and Jaguar" is also a subtle Holocaust-related story, focusing on how ordinary German civilians reacted during the Nazi horror.
Yes, this film is probably one of the best love stories out there.
I will give the makers of the movie the benefit of the doubt that they were probably working on a small budget and there may have been restrictions with filming in certain places at the time.------ The first half of the movie seems to be all over the place, with no real chronological series of events (the book is chronological, but wavers between the Nazi threat and the love between 2 women).
It is a great subject, with only "Bent" being the other well known movie (off the top of my head) about homosexuality and Nazi persecution.----- I do give a nod to the director for the pond scene near the end and the capture the same day of Felicity, which is not only noted in the book, but the re-creation is very well done.
"Aimée & Jaguar" is a German movie from over 15 years ago about two women, one of them a Jew, having a relationship during the years of World War II.
What also certainly did not help was that none of the characters were particularly likable.All in all, I cannot recommend this movie unless you are really really interested in German films set during war time or Lesbian movies.
("Aimée" was Felice's pet name for Lilly and "Jaguar" Lilly's for Felice).Felice, who worked as a journalist on a Nazi newspaper, may also have seemed like the ideal German woman, but again she was not everything she seemed. |
tt0097779 | Looking for Miracles | Set in the summer of 1935, 16-year-old Ryan Delaney (Greg Spottiswood) wants to go to university on a scholarship, but his struggling mother (Patricia Phillips) wants him to stay home, find work, and take care of his 10-year-old brother Sullivan (Zachary Bennett). Due to circumstances relating to the Depression, the brothers were separated and have recently reunited. Ryan is easily annoyed by his little brother. Desperate to find a job, Ryan manages to gain a position as a counselor at Camp Hochelaga despite the fact that he is not qualified; he is too young, has never been to camp, and cannot swim, none of which he reveals during his interview with the camp director, Chief Berman (Joe Flaherty). The ruse is so effective that Ryan is offered the lead counselor position for the group of age 10 boys. After his mother tells him that he cannot go to camp without Sullivan, Ryan convinces Chief Berman to allow the young boy to attend. Being age 10, Sullivan is assigned to Ryan's group.
At the start of camp, Ryan struggles in his position. When he is asked to move a vehicle on the first day, he does not reveal that he cannot drive and ends up having a minor accident. A counselor in Ryan's group named Mo (Hugh Thompson) quickly becomes suspicious of him and comes to realize that he is not qualified. However, he keeps Ryan's secret and the two become good friends. They work together to manage their group of campers, which includes a troubled brat who goes by the nickname of Ratface (Noah Godfrey). Ratface initially is a constant behavior problem for the counselors and is mean to Sullivan. Eventually, though, they come to understand Ratface's troubled home life and the two boys become friends.
The film is a story of growing up. By the end, Ryan and Sullivan develop a close relationship. | depressing | train | wikipedia | Memorable performances in a true to life film.
This movie has been a personal favorite of mine for a long time.
I first watched it on the Disney Channel when I was young.
It took me a long time finally get the video and hope it will be released on DVD soon.
I believe the reason why I admire this film so much is that the story portrays a very real relationship between two brothers.
The older brother Ryan, (played wonderfully by Greg Spottiswood) is really irritated when he has to accomodate his plans to fit in with taking care of his little brother, Sullivan (a charming performance by Zachary Bennett) .
He feels more like Sullivan is a nuisance more than a brother.
This is a scenario I can realate to being the oldest of many younger sibs.
When they get to camp is where the characters really develop and the scenes are well done.
They go from being really funny and embarrassing to heart warming and tender.
Ratface was a wonderful character too and I'm suprized the boy who played him (Noah Godfrey)was not in more films.
The supporting cast were all fabulous and I also like the scenes where it's just Ryan and the other councelors he's over was well, especially where he and Moe sneak off to the girl's camp.
Uplifting movie with a beautiful message and excellent acting.
This film was also set in the 1930's and I found the clothing, scenery and dialogue to very historically accurate.
Terrific movie directed by the same man who gave us the wonderful saga of Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea.
A real pleasure to watch and I recommend it to everyone..
Genuinely touching, realistic - A true winner!.
"Looking for Miracles" is quite simply one of the best coming of age/family films of its ilk.
Made in 1989 and set in the 30's, this made for TV movie is outstanding.Greg Spottiswood is perfect for the lead role, and is very strongly backed up by Zachary Bennett who plays his younger brother, Sullivan.
The basic premise behind the film is a story of a 16 year old (Spottiswood) who scores a job as a counsellor at summer camp.
Also worthy of a mention is Noah Godfrey, who plays the misunderstood "Ratface".
The gradual development of friendship between him and Sullivan, as well as Sullys relationship with his brother is portrayed with a tenderness that is probably only matched by such films as Stand By Me. This is one seriously touching film, with some very sad moments, which will bring a tear to even the most hardened of eyes.
It isn't all doom and gloom though - it's a heart-warming story in the long run, filled with emotion all the way.
Funny, sad or just plain old fashioned adventure, this film delivers the goods every step of the way.
You can truly empathise with the characters - they are portrayed with such realism and feeling.
This film could not have been better cast - I know Stand By Me is regarded by many, including myself, to be one of the best coming of age dramas around, but this film is most definitely a worthy contender.
Greg Spottiswood took an Emmy for Best Actor, and it is not difficult to see why.
It is now available on DVD, in PAL format, and is region free.
If you are able to watch it, and it isn't already gracing your shelves, then it should be!
I pretty much guarantee that you'll enjoy it.
If you've already got it, watch it again and remind yourself just what a cracking film it is!
Please bear in mind that the above is only my opinion, for what it's worth - if you buy it, and hate it - don't blame me!
Very, Very touching movie!!!!!!.
This is one of the BEST Disney movies I have ever seen!
I rank it right up there with "Old Yeller"!
In fact I have trouble deciding which of the two I like the best!16 year old Ryan Delaney desires to go to college so that he can support his family.
He is determined to find a job to finance his schooling.
His mother (although loving) does not support his desire.
Her opposition only becomes stronger when Ryan's younger brother Sullivan (Zachary Bennett) is re-introduced into their lives.
She tells Ryan he must look after Sullivan, so Ryan resents Sullivan, however Sullivan loves his big brother and will do anything to help him find his dream!Ryan's big chance comes when he gets the opportunity to be a camp counselor.
He registers Sullivan as a camp attendee and believes it will all work out.
Woe unto quick optimism, as both brothers have a lot of struggles to endure, and they will need each other!
Sullivan knows this, but can he convince his older brother (who feels the need to separate himself from his young brother).I want to make this note: Zachary Bennett's performance is among the best.
As well as Henry Thomas in E.T. and Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense!.
A Wonderful movie.
This is such a wonderful movie that really evokes your sense of humanity.
A touching tale about the relationship between two brothers while on a summer camp, set out in the 1930's era.
A film that really comes out as somewhat 'real' and heart-warming.
I was fortunate to watch this movie on the Hallmark channel in 2000, but didn't quite get the name until this day after a long search-it is a must-keep which really brings to mind the essence of family and life I think in general.
Brilliant performances from the cast.
The budding relationship between the younger brother and the much older lady camp owner really had a sense of originality and realness.
I strongly recommend this film to all those who are interested in films that remind us of the adversities that we are all prone to and the determination of the human spirit to overcome these..
One of my top ten favorites!!!!!!!!!!.
I saw this film when it premiered on the Disney Channel in 1989.
It is definitely a sleeper, as none of he actors are superstars.
I could not believe the depth of character each actor brought to this film.
I never had any brothers, so this film showed me and my daughter, who is an only child, the gifts siblings can give to each other.
I would love to read the novel to compare; Kevin Sullivan was an instrument in this adaptation to screen, nuff said.
This is a four star film and should be part of every school and home film library.
I had a heck of a time finding a DVD format, but it is one of my top ten treasured films!
Any person from any age group,any faith, ethnic background or family background, would love this film over and over again. |
tt1415283 | Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang | On a farm during World War II, while her husband is away at war, Isabel Green is driven to her wits end by her hectic life. Between trying to keep the family farm up and running and her job in the village shop, run by the slightly mad Mrs. Docherty, she also has three boisterous children to look after, Norman, Megsie, and Vincent. When her children's two wealthy cousins, Cyril and Celia, also then come to live with them, Isabel requires childcare help.
When Nanny McPhee arrives, the children at first do not listen and carry on fighting, which she soon puts a stop to. Meanwhile, Isabel's brother-in-law, Phil, has gambled away his half of the farm, and is being chased by two hired-assassin women under casino owner Mrs. Biggles. He desperately attempts to make Isabel sell her half of the farm, using mean and spiteful schemes to leave her no choice. Isabel takes the children on a picnic during which an ARP Warden, Mr. Docherty, warns them about bombs and how he imagines a pilot might accidentally release his bomb. At the end of the picnic, Uncle Phil delivers a telegram saying Isabel's husband has been killed in action. Isabel and everyone else believes the telegram, but Norman says that he can "feel it in his bones" that his father is not dead. He tells this to Cyril, who at first says it is just because he is upset, but then agrees Norman might be right, so the two boys ask Nanny McPhee to take them to London, where Cyril and Celia's father works.
There, Nanny McPhee and the boys ask Cyril's father Lord Gray, who is very important in the War Office, what has happened to Mr. Green. At first Lord Gray sneers at Norman's disbelief at his father's death, but after Cyril blurts out that he knows that his parents are getting a divorce, Lord Gray checks what has happened. While he is gone, Cyril tells Norman that he and Celia have been sent away because their parents will be splitting up, and Norman asks where Cyril and Celia will live. When Cyril replies "with Mum, I suppose, not that it makes much difference, she only ever really sees us when she wants to show us off", Norman tells Cyril that he and Celia are welcome to live on the farm with the Greens. Lord Gray returns and tells Norman that his father is not dead, but missing in action, and that there is no record of a telegram being sent to his mother. After the boys leave, Norman deduces that Uncle Phil forged the telegram.
While the boys were at the War Office, Megsie, Celia and Vincent were trying to stop Isabel from signing the papers and selling the farm. Just as Isabel is about to sign the papers, a German pilot accidentally drops a huge bomb; it shakes everything but does not explode and is left sticking out of the barley field. When Nanny McPhee returns with Norman and Cyril, the children go out to watch Mr. Docherty dismantle the bomb, but he falls from the ladder. Megsie takes over, and succeeds with the help of the other children and Nanny McPhee's raven, Mr. Edelweiss. After Nanny McPhee helps to harvest the barley, with a little magic, it is revealed that old Mrs. Docherty is in fact baby Agatha from the first film and that Nanny McPhee has been staying with her. As Nanny McPhee walks away from the now happy family, the children and Isabel chase after her, only to see Mr. Green, in army uniform and with an injured arm, making his way to them. He runs to his family and they all hug. | comedy | train | wikipedia | Meanwhile the children's' vile London cousins come to stay - two little brats who bawk at the state of the earthy farm abode.Enter Nanny McPhee - an otherworldly being who appears when a family needs her most - squashed-nosed and snaggle-toothed, she calmly teaches the children five important lessons, though when things get out of hand she must employ the same supernatural technique of setting down her walking stick as she did in her previous adventure, and to spectacular effect.
Nanny McPhee attempts to set the household to rights using these very methods, while the family struggle on with their visitors and hope against hope that their father will return.Thanks to Emma Thompson's involvement, the film boasts a impressive array of British thespians including Maggie Smith, Ewan McGregor and Ralph Fiennes as a senior WW2 army officer.
The film whisks along at a nice pace and never gets bogged down in one place - Thompson's adaptation is wrought with real warmth and wit, and once again she works wonders on-screen under layers of prosthetics, with every wry glance and raise of the eyebrow worthy of a laugh.Setting the story of against the backdrop of World War II is very smart move - the 'big bang' in the title referring to the imminent threat of bombings during this time period.
This gives the film a foundation of realism that the previous movie lacked....however, there's little room left for war time misery in the thematic threads of this story - you're more like to find a group of piglets doing synchronised swimming than any sign of a swastika.Ultimately this is a family film, written for children - talking to them, not at them and carrying a very sensitive message at its heart.
In short, this is a lovely, well-written, beautifully cast film that's executed with great affection and makes maximum use of its chocolate-box locations.Emma Thompson, aside from having no little talent for scriptwriting, is savvy enough to understand that the real stars of this film are the children and, in particular, Asa Butterfield and Eros Vlahos as Norman and Cyril respectively.Rhys Ifans shows what an accomplished comic actor he is, even if his performance as Uncle Phil seems to draw much, both in characterisation and delivery, from that of Matt Dillon's portrayal of Healy in There's Something About Mary.There's a lovely turn from Maggie Smith as Mrs Docherty and a reassuringly exuberant performance from Sam Kelly.If there's a lull, it's when the action moves away from its countryside setting, although the scene played between Vlahos and Ralph Feinnes works nicely.At a little under an hour and fifty minutes, it's quite long for children, yet my five- and eight-year-olds sat transfixed throughout.
If you've seen the first Nanny McPhee movie, then you know the premise of the second: A harried single parent (this time a woman played by Maggie Gyllenhaal) is overwhelmed by her three children plus two cousins from London who come to stay at her small farm.
World War II is raging, her husband is somewhere in the battle theater, and her brother-in-law (Rhys Ifans) wants nothing more than to sell the family farm out from under her.Just as poor Isabel Green wonders how she'll manage to make a payment on the tractor, get the crops in, keep her senile boss (Maggie Smith) from destroying the store, fend off Phil Green's efforts to get her to sign away her rights to the farm, and still take care of five children, Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) arrives on the scene.Nanny McPhee, of course, takes the children promptly in hand and wastes no time teaching them the lessons they need to learn.
While I can't recommend this movie for your own grown-up (or even teen-agers') night out, your younger kids will just love it.POLITICAL NOTES: Although Nanny McPhee Returns takes place during World War II and mentions of the war feature prominently, no details of the reasons for the fight or any political judgments whatsoever are made.
FAMILY SUITABILITY: Nanny McPhee Returns is rated PG for "rude humor, some language and mild thematic elements." Frankly, children young enough to enjoy this movie take especial delight in rude humor like that exhibited here, and the mild thematic elements will likely be largely above their heads.
Not having seen Nanny McPhee 1, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised.The film was very easy to get into and the story and plot were well written and set.The actors young and old performed brilliantly making the whole thing enchanting and a highly believable fantasy.The special effects were very well done and the comedy in it was delightful.
Having not seen the previous Nanny McPhee movie, what I got was a pleasant surprise watching this funny and touching sequel starring and written by Emma Thompson.
We were quite ready to suspend reality and enjoy a magical nanny, but we didn't find the movie to have the humor and general upbeat styling we were expecting.This film seemed to be in a great hurry to finish all the lessons Nanny wanted to teach without us ever knowing what they were.
Part of the charm in the first movie was that you were left to wonder if the lessons were learned due to the children learning and living them or from the magic of Nanny McFee. In the second movie, there is no question that magic has changed behavior, not a realization of why this new behavior is proper.Less than half way through the movie, my 10 year old daughter leaned in to me and said, "This one isn't funny like the first one, is it?" She was quite right, as a whole, this wasn't a funny movie.
The immensely talented Emma Thompson returns to play and write the story of the ultimately wonderful yet outwardly repulsive nanny of the film's title, who assists another desperate single parent by taming their mischievous bunch of spirited youngsters.The lovely Mrs Green (a perfectly charming Maggie Gyllenhaal) becomes burdened with looking after the family estate, a farm in the English countryside, and her sister's children (Eros Vlahos and Rosie Taylor-Ritson) as well as her own (Asa Butterfield, Oscar Steer and Lil Woods) when her husband (a wordless yet productive Ewan McGregor) goes to war.The children take advantage of her current frenzied state by squabbling, playing dangerously, making a mess of the house and just generally misbehaving.
There is also her scheming brother-in-law Phil (Rhys Ifans at his erratic, despicable, scraggly best) seizing opportunities to prise the ownership of the farm out of her hands, and into those of two ghastly female brutes (a spine-tingling pair of Katy Brand and Sinead Matthews actually evoke sympathy for the villainous Phil) who are relentlessly terrorising him.To add to her stress, her elderly employer Mrs Docherty (a delightfully senile Maggie Smith) cannot be left alone in her own shop, for fear of disaster.These are all perfect conditions for the snag-toothed hag with that distinctive silhouette to walk into, and she does just as things are at their most chaotic.There is no doubt that the cast are superb, and the undisputed highlight of the whole picture.
Indeed the incorporation of World War II shows enormous misjudgement, with the heavily restricting boundaries of a film for small children preventing the huge event from being done justice.The nauseatingly corny and clichéd excuse for a climax is the icing on the cake of Susanna White's horribly naive direction, which unfortunately – together with Thompson's rather sloppy script – represses her and the rest of the remarkably adept cast, tragically capping their potential.Still, it makes for some amiably enjoyable kids fodder, and thankfully it did not keep Thompson from finishing her role in the Harry Potter series..
I didn't have high expectations for this movie going in to watch it and it was predictable for any problem that came about.The storyline was good with the stuck up,rich kids eventually warming up and becoming humble,the whole farm story and the role Nanny McPhee played.
I liked Nanny McPhee very much because of its naughty sense of humor, honest emotions and excellent performances from actors who did not underrate their presence in a family movie.I guess I was not the only person who thought like that, because the film had an unexpected economical success, which is the reason we now have its obligatory sequel, called Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang.And even though it lacks of the refreshing originality from the first movie, I have to admit this sequel kept me entertained, although it did not find it to be very memorable.Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang feels like a rehash of Mary Poppins, even though it is inspired on the literary series of Nurse Matilda, written by Christianna Brand.But in the hands of Emma Thompson in her screenwriter facet, Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang has a likable balance of politically incorrect humor and a sincere didactic message of an innocent intention and invaluable utility.Having said that, I found the structure from the film to be a bit modular, with a parade of comical routines, domestic crisis and family dramas solved by special effects or by the expected morals that teach the children a lesson of moderation, cooperation and discipline.As for the actors, Thompson always feels credible in her character, something which is enriched by the subtle expressions she has on various scenes.Maggie Gyllenhaal is perfect as a British woman, and not only because of the accent she adopts, but also because of her general bearing and attitude.Maggie Smith, Rhys Ifans and Ralph Fiennes also bring competent performances, even though they do not have too much material to work with.In conclusion, I liked Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, even though it is not even remotely as funny, ingenious or subversive as the first film.Nevetheless, I think I can recommend it..
It's been 5 years since the first Nanny McPhee film burst onto the silver screen, and now a second film comes at a time during the school holidays to provide the little ones some entertaining, family friendly fare with good moral messages to boot.
Emma Thompson reprises her role as the magical nanny with facial disfigurements that disappear one at a time, each time she imparts values to children, and here she has 5 to teach the little ones to behave.Like its predecessor, Nanny McPhee appears to assist Maggie Gyllenhaal's Mrs Green, a war time wife whose husband (Ewan McGregor) has been off to war and has only corresponded back home through snail mail.
But not if Nanny McPhee can help it, and does so in a jiffy.Set mostly in and around the Green farm which the children's uncle Phil (Rhys Ifans) as chief baddie who tries hard to get Mrs Green to sell half her ownership so as to bail him out of gambling debts, McPhee gets to impart lessons learnt through manufactured incidents on the farm and allows her magic to be weaved even on piglets, which will probably delight the younger audience as they do strange things like climbing trees and synchronized swimming.
In some ways, the lessons here somehow paled from the earlier film, and the last lesson happened more like a matter of fact rather than one properly planned out, though they do enough to allow some nifty special effects laden scenes to be played out.The children in the film brought about fine performances and are able to hold their own against the likes of Maggie Gyllenhaal, and even the cameos of McGregor and especially Ralph Fiennes, who boomed with much stature as Lord Gray of the War Office and in that short scene, provided enough pathos and a key plot element as to why the Green's cousins came to live with them on the farm.
Luckily Nanny McPhee (Thompson) comes to disciple the children, teach them important life lessons and help save the farm from being sold by the dastardly Uncle Phil (Rhys Ifans).Nanny Mcphee and the Big Bang is clearly aimed for young children and director Susanna White (who is known for television work on Bleak House and Generation Kill) attempts to keep a childish, playful tone throughout the film.
Yeah, it's quite good.This time around, Nanny McPhee is called upon by Mrs Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal) to help her with her 2 children and another 2 she's looking after for her brother (a high ranking war official played by Ralph Fiennes) while her husband (Ewan McGregor) is away at war.
Instead it's Emma Thompson with unbelievably bad teeth, serious warts, and a socially incorrect pet crow, who appears when she's needed the most (and wanted the least) in "Nanny McPhee Returns".Maggie Gyllenhaal is Isabel Green, a harried British farmwife with a husband off fighting World War II, three unruly children and their two spoiled brat London cousins, and a farm she's about to lose, pigs and all.
The mini-war between city and country kids is out of hand when Nanny shows up, and she meets a lot of resistance from all sides, but remains snaggle-toothed and unfazed.Amazing things keep on happening: pigs not only fly, they perform a water ballet, and the children slowly learn some important lessons about sharing and caring and hope and faith.An excellent supporting cast includes Rhys Ifans as Isobel's gambling brother-in-law, Ralph Fiennes as the cousins' big shot War Office father and Ewan McGregor as Isobel's soldiering husband..
The plot is still Nanny McPhee coming to the aid of a distressed parent when she's needed and not wanted, teaching the naughty kids how to behave with a few personality lessons chucked in at the same time but the story this time is different.The story is mainly about the Green children trying to help Mrs. Green run the farm and trying to stop her from selling the farm to Uncle Phil, who tries everything to make life harder for them on the farm.
Although in the first one I laughed in a lot of its moments, in its continuation I only yawned (and laughter not one)."Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang" is a very nice continuation of that children movie of the year 2005 (although that was not the finished one either (it was just a foolish and foolish movie), at least it was fun at times and with embellish magic touches that made it bearable and enjoyable for the whole family ...
In "Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang" we find a rhythm too slow for a succession of situations too forced, a grace that does not make grace, a few educational moments less well-off with humor, and a few charming characters (children never they gain the affection of the spectator and do not dazzle as much as the first Maggie Gyllenhaal is not horrible as a burdened mother but, unlike Colin Firth in the first installment, his character never captivates or transmits naturalness in his oppression or in his love to the kids, anyway, even Thompson is not as fascinating as expected).And the main problem is not the script (which was not required much to be a children film), but some misplaced performances, a lack of chemistry between actors, a narrative rhythm not successful that will bore an adult, and some visual adornments that do not convince at any time.Unfortunately this continuation will only please the kids who, after all, are more conformist when it comes to watching simple movies (as nice as it is to say otherwise, I can say from experience that it is).The best: That will please the kids.
Also Isabel's gambling brother in law (Rhys Ifans) has amassed debts and wants Isabel to sell the farm which he owns a fifty percent share.Emma Thompson's Nanny arrives unwanted at first but her tapping of her magical cane soon starts to put things right as the kids learn some important life lessons but you feel the underlying issues are not dealt with such as the lying, cheating brother in law who is being threatened by two burly female debt collectors.There are some magical elements in this film such as flying pigs that also perform a water ballet that adds fun to the movie.It is a whimsical tale that kids will like, adults will find it rather contrived and light on plot.
Emma Thompson renewed her role as Nanny McPhee with a classic acting approach and that is what this movie needs to stay on point.The cast of the movie has one of my favorite actresses in Maggie Smith; she delivers a part that you would expect from her in a family movie.
Ugly-looking but wise and sweet-hearted nanny McPhee visits a mother and his three children and two nephews, who try to get their farm afloat and survive while the father is away fighting in WW II.The script, by Emma Thompson, is charming, witty and well carried on, with classical elements that will delight both children and adults, for whom there are very naughty things there.The acting is very good.
Featuring some truly funny moments delivered by some very good young actors and once again brilliantly performed by Emma Thompson, the second Nanny McPhee film is for me, as much in league with modern children's classics as the much hyped Harry Potter.
Thamkfully Nanny McPhee teaches them the benefits of everyone getting along together.Written by Emma Thompson the young ones will enjoy the slapstick and chase scenes but adults who have seen the first film may find it a bit repetitive.
So in comes Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) to teach the children the valuable lessons to behaving well and learning to get on with each other.
I saw an import DVD so its Big Bang World War 2 set sequel to the 2005 cult film has the Nannie who comes when needed and who leaves when she is wanted showing up to take care of a family who is trying to get by on their farm.
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (Susanna White, 2010) - Emma Thompson's wise, warty heroine returns in this enchanting children's film. |
tt0120522 | Winterschläfer | The film is set in the deeply snowy alpine winter resort of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria; the story begins shortly after Christmas Day, with five people returning, not all of whom are connected.
Laura, a surgical nurse, and Rebecca, a translator, live together in the house that Rebecca inherited from her great aunt. René is a projectionist in a cinema. Marco, Rebecca's boyfriend, is a skiing instructor who drives an expensive Alfa Romeo. Theo is a middle-aged farmer who lives with his wife Edith, their daughter, and two sons on a poor farm nearby.
When Marco arrives, he is greeted passionately by Rebecca, and tugged into the house. He leaves his car open outside, with the key still in the ignition. It is the early morning, and René, walking drunkenly home, passes the house, taking pictures, among other things, of Rebecca and Marco having sex inside. Finally, he climbs into the car and drives away. Theo, meanwhile, is taking his horse to the veterinarian, but doesn't let his daughter come with him. He doesn't notice when she sneaks into the horse box with the animal. Theo, distracted by his sons calling him on a walkie-talkie and driving on the wrong side of the road, almost collides with René. The Alfa Romeo crashes off the road and into a snowdrift and Rene is not hurt; however, the horse box is flipped over and the girl and horse badly injured. Theo is dazed, but René, rather than helping, takes a photo of him, and as he walks off, Theo is stricken by a strange snake-like scar on the back of René's head. When Theo is helped out of his truck by a passing driver, he shoots the injured horse on the spot and takes his daughter to the hospital where Laura works.
There, Laura hears Theo becoming obsessed with finding the man who caused the accident, to prove his own innocence: no-one believes that there was another car, because it is buried under snow. All he remembers was the shape of René's face close to him, when he took the photo. The young girl is operated-on and is in a coma, between life and death.
Meanwhile, Marco reports the car theft to the police and becomes exasperated by their lack of progress, claiming they aren't taking the theft seriously. Rebecca is becoming discontent with her relationship with him; she sees him as taking her for granted, jealous without cause, and lacking ambition. Outside of their passionate sex life, they argue constantly. Laura befriends René after a play in which she was performing; he gives her a free pass for the cinema where he works, and eventually he shows her his photos, which he keeps in an album with numbers and dates. The reason he takes them is his short-term memory problems which were caused by a head injury while serving in the Army; without photos he would have no way of remembering places or people.
Theo and Edith have to shut the farm down because of debt and move to a smaller place near the resort. Theo draws a picture of the shape he remembers, copies it and sticks them up around town, appealing for anyone to come forward if they recognize the scar on the back of the head (like that of René). But Edith takes down all his posters, believing he is only trying to escape his own guilt and explaining that she's ashamed.
Marco has started an affair with Nina, a young student from the skiing class he teaches. He invites her to his boss's house one evening while his boss is out of town, pretending it is his. Later, he has to go to the hospital after burning himself on the coffee machine and is treated by Laura. While he is there, Theo's daughter dies.
Theo, investigating the site of the car crash again, finds the buried car and comes across documents showing Marco to be the owner. Theo goes to Marco's workplace (the ski area) and is told Marco is skiing in the mountains, with Nina. They become separated in fog, and Nina injures herself by falling off a ledge and onto a tree. After falling out of the tree, Nina staggers to Theo's new residence and is tended to by Edith. Desperately trying to find Nina, Marco meets Theo on the mountainside where Theo sets his dog onto Marco. When Marco demands to know what's happening, Theo explains only "You killed her." Not knowing about Theo's daughter, Marco starts to panic about losing Nina. After injuring Theo's aggressive German shepherd, Marco manages to ski hurriedly away before going over the edge of a cliff, and he falls, seemingly forever, into a crevasse in the valley, to his death.
In another coincidence, Rebecca and the injured Nina depart on the same train, but don't know each other. The film ends with the birth of René and Laura's child. | romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0033110 | Strike Up the Band | Jimmy Connors (Mickey Rooney), a student at Riverwood High School, also plays the drums in the school band, but dreams of playing in a dance band. He and his "pal" Mary Holden (Judy Garland) sell the school principal the idea of forming the band and putting on a dance. The principal is initially doubtful, but then agrees to buy the first ticket. The event is a success and the school's debt for the instruments in paid off.
Famous band leader Paul Whiteman (played by himself) sponsors a contest in Chicago for the best high school musical group, and Jimmy decides the band must compete. In three weeks, the kids write, plan, and put on a show. The melodrama, called "Nell from New Rochelle", is also a success and raises the money to go to Chicago, but they're still short. A loan from Whiteman himself solves that problem. But when a member of the cast is injured and needs a critical and urgent operation, the band gives the money up so that the injured student can be flown to Chicago for the operation.
The band raises the money anyway, competes in Chicago, and wins the $500 prize. To Jimmy goes the honor of leading all the bands in a grand finale performance. | romantic | train | wikipedia | I can't help it, I love Mickey and Judy, and this is their best film together.
It has fun songs ("Our Love Affair" and "Do the La Conga" especially), good Busby Berkeley productions (both the aforementioned, especially the fruit-as-orchestra dream sequence!), but more importantly, it perfectly evokes the ideal small middle-American town, complete with understanding mothers and principals, swell fellas and gals, and a comforting everything's going to be just fine feeling.
I think Mickey Rooney outshines Judy Garland in this one (but that might be like comparing apples to oranges, which incidentally play a not incidental role in this movie).
Mickey plays the piano, the drums, sings, dances, pitches baseballs and jumps over fences and hedgerows....plus he's good to his widowed mother and turns up the "life's a gas" charm at the drop of a hat.
The teenagers in this movie, however, look like miniature adults, and moreover, some of Mickey's band members look a little long in the tooth.
Overlong but fun Mickey & Judy "let's put on a show" musical, directed by the great Busby Berkeley.
Drummer Jimmy (Mickey Rooney) and would-be girlfriend Mary (Judy Garland) try to make their high school band a success.
Along the way they deal with little personal dramas like Jimmy's mother wanting him to be a doctor, a new girl in town who captures Jimmy's eye, and one of the band members needing an emergency operation.
Mayer decided that a patriotic type theme was in order and after all MGM had bought the screen rights to the Gershwin musical Strike Up The Band.
Freed agreed, but in the Hollywood tradition only the title and the title song were retained for the screen.That was enough because the Mickey and Judy formula was by now established with Babes In Arms.
Here the two are a pair of talented musical kids and Mickey is the drummer in his high school band.
Mickey is filled with the new jive rhythms of the day and he'd like to use the other kids in the school orchestra to form a real band.
Leaders like Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and Glenn Miller all who were sidemen with Whiteman and who kids like Mickey and Judy and the rest of the cast were listening to.If Strike Up The Band isn't exactly let's put on a show, it still is let's put on a concert and Mickey and Judy do have some shtick to perform, their Gay Nineties spoof is quite good.
Also the fantasy sequence of the 'fruit orchestra' doing Our Love Affair is also nicely done, it looks very much like Ray Harryhausen's claymation figures, but he wasn't involved with Strike Up The Band.Strike Up The Band won one Academy Award for sound and was nominated for two others.
And Edens and Georgie Stoll were nominated for Best Musical Scoring.Busby Berkeley directed the film and in the finale shows his fine hand for spectacle.
Remember this was 1940 and a lot of people were very afraid the USA was going into another World War. The finale with the title song was the kind of rousing patriotic spectacle that Hollywood would be doing in every studio after December 7, 1941.With Strike Up The Band Arthur Freed proved he was no flash in the pan as a producer.
After 70 years the film holds up well and the talents of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland reign eternal..
I love the Mickey/Judy movies and this is a wonderful example of a superb one, but of the three "lets put on a show" type movies this is the worst.
Mickey and Judy Great but Film a Bit Too Much!.
"Strike Up the Band" is another teaming of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland who are of course put in the position of putting on a show to save a band, a school program for children, a school from closing, etc.
It is very enjoyable with great musical numbers for Mickey and Judy; but there's just so much of everything here, making it two whole hours, including a over-the-top tongue-in-cheek save-the-damsel production in the middle of the movie, lasting 15 minutes itself.
One of the many team-ups between Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland.
The great Busby Berkeley directed this 1940 installment which finds Rooney out of sorts w/the direction the school band is trending to.
Judy's songs " drummer boy" and "our love affair" are wonderful in this film.
And Judy doing "La conga" is great, and she helped open the doors for the Latin style music that was to come during the 1940s with musicians such as Xavier Couget, who was in numerous films with the wonderful Esther Williams.
Micky Rooney and the others, such as June Priesser are great in this film too, although Mickey gets a little too hammy in a couple of scenes, like in "Babes in arms" when he gets so hyper excited when the studio director offered him $100.
Judy's song "I've got nobody, and nobody got me" tugs at the heartstrings, sort of like "I'm just an inbetween" in "Love finds Andy Hardy" and "But not for me" in "Girl crazy".
& The BEST ENDING I LOVE seeing Mickey playing the Drums, i wish THAT he would have done it MORE often than in this film & in (1951)'s B-Movie "The Strip" which isn't a bad movie in itself either.
Despite the excellence of dance, music, singing, acting--though one always suspects the combination of Rooney / Garland was more being themselves than acting--the movie cannot transcend its severe limitations.
Despite Freed, Busby Berkeley, Paul Whitman, and the singing and dancing of Rooney & Garland-- the movie fails.
Of all the Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland musicals, this one does the least to effectively showcase their musical talent.
Mickey is allowed to conduct a band as if his life depended on it, even though he's shown to be an extremely talented guy with drums and other musical instruments.And the story is strictly '40s corn about a talented youth who wants to achieve success with his own band and succeeds in attracting the attention of Paul Whiteman who wants him for a big radio show contest.The songs are given short shrift in favor of a creaky melodramatic skit that is allowed to run far too long in the middle of the picture.
Only a couple of songs are given fair treatment by Judy and Mickey.A good script was badly needed to show these two performers at their best.
Being a huge lifelong fan of Judy Garland, with a voice that you can listen to for hours and tire of, and who likes her paired with Mickey Rooney (a multi-talented performer with a tendency to overdo it), 'Strike Up the Band' was definitely something that couldn't be missed.To me, 'Strike Up the Band' is the second best of their four "backyard" musicals.
The dialogue warms the heart and moves sometimes but the silly corniness of some of it is cringe-worthy.Lastly while the cast are mostly splendid, there is one exception and that is the terribly annoying June Preisser (just as much as in 'Babes in Arms'), enviously athletic dancing is not enough for an obnoxious character played far too broadly to unbearable degrees.However, even when not in Technicolor, 'Strike Up the Band' still looks lovely in crisp black and white and with elegant production design.
As said, on the musical front (production values, songs, vocal performance, arrangements, choreography and dancing) 'Strike Up the Band' fares significantly better.
The three best songs being the plaintive "Our Love Affair", the exuberant "Drummer Boy" and the barn-storming "Do the La Conga".Busby Berkeley's direction and how he stages the songs are not quite as imaginative, witty or dazzling as some of his other films, but it doesn't come over heavy-handedly and it has charm, tenderness and energy, particularly in the aforementioned three songs.
The story is unexceptional but is full of energy, fun, heart and charm, palling only in the non-musical moments of the middle third.Rooney and Garland make 'Strike Up the Band' especially worth seeing, they are both on top form and their chemistry irresistible.
From personal opinion, of the four Rooney-Garland "back-yard" musicals (despite 'Babes in Arms' being the one to get the Oscar nomination) this contains Rooney's best performance of the four, his role really plays to his strengths and even stretches him in showing more talents that one never knew he had (i.e. didn't know he could play the drum so well).
Garland is as ever radiant and deeply touching, "Our Love Affair" being one of the most poignant renditions of any song in a film she starred in (very near the top too, and the list is long).
When I decided to get this movie from Netflix, I think this was the only one of the Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland musicals I had yet to watch as I remember seeing the others of theirs years ago.
I loved the "Do the La Conga" number Mickey & Judy do.
This is a high energy film about music, talent, success, family, imagination, fun and teenagers growing up in a "typical" Midwestern town of the time.
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland were 20- and 18-year-old actors who had proved their talent.
She had some songs in a couple of small musicals and sang two numbers in the 1938 Andy Hardy film, "Love Finds Andy Hardy." Then she made the classic fantasy adventure musical, "The Wizard of Oz." To round out 1939, the two were paired as the leads of a comedy musical and they scored a smashing success in "Babes in Arms." So, MGM had all the proof it needed for future box-office success with this dynamic duo.
The talent in "Strike Up the Band" isn't only in the music – the performances and numbers headed by Rooney and Garland, or in Paul Whiteman's Orchestra.
It has a big-name band, great imagination, and wonderful musical numbers.
As for Rooney's high energy that some may find over the top at times – it was as much a part of the story and movie as all the other pieces that, put together, add up to a very good comedy musical.
Sadly, this is by far the best aspect of the movie and the rest is a dated film that pleased crowds back in 1940 but which is a much harder sell today.Jimmy Connoors (Mickey Rooney) is the drum playing leader of a swing band made up of high school kids.
Overall, this is my least favorite of the 4 B&W musical comedies, from '39 -'43, starring Mickey and Judy.
Hence, extensive portions deal with the teenagers, usually led by Mickey, with Judy's support, having to beg permission from authority figures, including their parents, to put on a musical or dramatic show, and the practical problems of securing financing and an adequate place to put on the show.In this one, Mickey, as the bored drummer for the High School band, leads a crusade to form a school-sponsored dance band, providing an opportunity for the other bored band members to play current pop music, and hopefully making some money for the school and themselves.
There would be the roughly equivalent manic production "Hoe Down" at this spot in the subsequent "Babes on Broadway" Meanwhile, Mickey talks to his 'pal' Judy about the problem of his mother expecting him to become a doctor, like his dad, while he thinks he's cut out to be a musician.
Later, when the Paul Whiteman band miraculously shows up in town for Barbara's birthday, Mickey is given an opportunity to turn professional when one of Whiteman's sidemen decides to form a new band.
Initially ecstatic, Mickey's mother reminds him that he is the leader of the HS dance band and their ambition to win Whiteman's content on his radio show.
Before this episode, her father arranged for Whiteman's band to play at Barbara's birthday party, giving Whiteman a chance to hear the dance band, who play "Drummer Boy" with Whiteman's instruments, Mickey being the manic drummer, of course.The biggest problem with the film is the long, mostly boring, New Rochelle archaic drama, in the middle.
The most popular original song in the film: "Our Love Affair" is redone, with 4 large harps near the relevant Mickey-Judy couple.
The first time this was played, Mickey wasn't thinking of Judy in a romantic context.
This earlier rendition also included an animated nuts and fruit orchestra: a rather novel gimmick for its day.This was the second and last time in this film series that dimpled, baby-faced, June Preisser played the obnoxious superrich siren competitor with Judy for Mickey's attention.
Her film career ended in the late '40s, when she was no longer wanted to play sexy high school girls.Ann Shoemaker switched from playing Judy's mother in "Babes in Arms" to being Mickey's mother in this film.Be sure to see the hilarious musical cartoon "Romeo in Rhythm", accompanying the current DVD..
In this one, they're high school teenagers who change their high school band to a dance band and then want to go to Chicago to enter a contest sponsored by Paul Whiteman.The directing by Busby Berkeley couldn't be better.
His discussions with movie mother, Ann Shoemaker, are memorable as well as poignant as they discuss the meaning of life, what's right and all that other stuff of the times.Garland looks and sounds like she just came out of Oz in 1940 clothing.
The drummer boy is of course Mickey Rooney who even today is still drummin' out small appearances in movies.
In fact, that cake, with a bunch of fruit ends up an orchestra of its own playing "Our Love Affair" in one of the most imaginative sequences on film.
After earlier dancing to the "La Conga" (where some of the high school dance band members appear to be a bit older), they now perform "Drummer Boy", and knock Whiteman's socks off.
Whiteman wants them on his show regardless for a contest of all the high school bands but when their pal Larry Nunn all of a sudden needs an operation for a broken arm, there goes to $200.
Those bosses must have been blind to really see how lovely she was, funny considering that half the movie, Judy is trying to wake Mickey up to see her for who she is over the rather obnoxious Preisser.
The recent TV movie about Judy Garland had director Busby Berkley demanding to see Judy's eyes, and she really shows them here.Most famous of course is the duet of "Our Love Affair", but the over-the-top finale even outdoes the one of "Babes in Arms".
Like many Broadway musicals, it even features reprises of most of the movies' songs.
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland are just superb and are helped by a sweet June Preisser.
Rooney and Garland make a good team in this fun musical..
But Jimmy really likes music, he is a percussionist with his high school band but really wants to be the leader of a dance band.
(Rooney was probably 19 during filming.)Judy Garland is Mary Holden, fellow high school senior and Jimmy's "best pal".
(Garland was probably 18 during filming.)In the high school band many are getting bored with playing marches and patriotic music, so Jimmy has the idea of forming a dance band, with Mary as their singer.
Famous band-leader Paul Whiteman (playing himself) and his Orchestra are holding a contest to find the best high school dance band in the USA and Jimmy thinks his band can win.
Here Jimmy must come to grips with balancing his ambition with his promises to his friends and fellow band members when he is offered an immediate job as a drummer with a new band.Good movie, and being a Busby Berkely movie, several very elaborate song and dance production numbers..
I do love the great Technicolor musical film extravaganzas, but this was not to be had, here.Mickey and Judy were childhood entertainers.
Of course, the parts where Mickey and Judy double dance together are quite excellent.
He was the real life father of Mickey Rooney.Finally, don't say that the U.S. thought a world war would happen soon.
World War Two ended the Great Depression.Mickey Rooney would join that war, and his later career would suffer because of his absence.Films like this one soon would be helping a war-weary America find some kind of happiness, in a growing dark and dreary time period.
1941 was war time for the U.S., not ending until 1945.You know that song and dance films are my utmost favorite, but I despise black and white -- ugh!!
Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, and the Oscar winning song "Our Love Affair".
Like Babes in Arms (1939), this musical comedy starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland was directed by Busby Berkeley.
John Monks Jr. and Fred Finklehoffe wrote the screenplay; the George and Ira Gershwin title song is used in the musical finale.James 'Jimmy' Connors (Rooney) is a high school drummer that's bored with playing the same old songs, like the national anthem; so he organizes late night jazz jam sessions with his friends.
Jimmy's widow mother (Ann Shoemaker) has always wanted him to go to college to become a doctor like his father, but his real passion is his music.
But Jimmy gets it together and, with Mary's and Phil's help, he and his Riverwood High School pals produce and act in a musical play for the local Elks Club, raising $150 towards the $200 they need to get to Chicago for Whiteman's contest.
The public wanted Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland so that's what MGM gave them.
All of their movies together were variations of "let's put on a show." At least this one has Gershwin's music which I love.The downside is Rooney has to be the center of attention.
Yes, he was the star but you'd think he was the only boy in town.......leader of the he band, lead in the school play, boyfriend of the most popular girl. |
tt0171433 | Keeping the Faith | The film begins with a drunken and downtrodden Catholic priest telling his story to a sympathetic bartender (Brian George). Father Brian Finn (Edward Norton) has been dedicated to his calling since he was a child and now shares the duties of a New York parish with an older priest, Fr. Havel (Miloš Forman). Rabbi Jacob "Jake" Schram (Ben Stiller), best friends with Brian since childhood, is the youngest rabbi at his Conservative synagogue; his lack of effort to find a Jewish wife often results in his mother, Ruth (Anne Bancroft) and other women of his congregation setting him up on blind dates, much to his dismay. The two men show a close bond, even in their professions, where the two are planning the opening of a jointly sponsored community center. In its earlier days, the friendship included a third party. Via flashbacks and reminiscent musings, Anna Reilly (Jenna Elfman) is introduced: she met Jake and Brian in middle school, after beating up a bully who was picking on them. The three became great friends, and enjoyed their childhood together. Unfortunately, Anna's father got a new job that resulted in the Reillys moving to California, and ultimately she lost touch with Brian and Jake.
Sixteen years later, Anna calls her old friends out of the blue and the friendship is rekindled when her company temporarily reassigns her to a New York position. Feelings quickly begin to run deeper than before, as Anna, despite her workaholic tendencies, is as vibrant as Brian and Jake remembered her; however, it is, ironically, the men's careers that prove to be the most problematic. She and Jake begin sleeping together, but he is reluctant to be involved in a serious relationship with her because she is not Jewish, a fact which could compromise his relationship with his congregation and also with his mother (who disowned her eldest son - Jake's older brother Ethan - for marrying outside the faith). Between the religious conflict and their desire to spare the feelings of their mutual friend, the relationship is kept mostly secret, resulting in both humorous and harmful complications. As the months pass, both Jake and Anna's feelings for each other become stronger but due to the aforementioned issues, Jake still refuses the relationship as a serious one, despite Anna dropping hints to him about her having been recently taking a class (but refusing to tell him what kind of class it is), and her becoming visibly upset when they run into members of Jake's congregation while on a date and Jake introducing her only as "my old friend Anna".
Meanwhile, Brian is involved in his own test of faith as he struggles with his feelings for Anna despite his vows. Apart from praying about the situation and discussing it with Fr. Havel, he keeps these thoughts mostly to himself. Brian begins misinterpreting Anna's words and actions (some of which are subtle signals to Jake as their affair is kept under wraps) and even has an erotic dream about her; he begins to seriously consider quitting the priesthood to pursue a romantic relationship with her. Anna tells Jake that she wants things to be more serious between them and he does not respond well. While the three have dinner one night with Jake's mother Ruth, Ruth has a private conversation with Anna, where she tearfully reveals that she knows about Anna and Jake's secret relationship. Jake and Brian walk in on the ladies having a tearful moment, and later Jake and Anna have an argument over the religious issues complicating their romance, which ends in the two parting ways in frustration. Anna calls Brian for comfort and he rushes over to her apartment. Still unaware of what's been going on, he takes her tearful ramblings to be a confession of feelings for him, then kisses her and admits his love. When she interrupts him, he first assumes it to be guilt based on his vows, but she tells him she is in love with Jake and finally admits that she and Jake have been seeing each other secretly for months. Feeling embarrassed and rejected, Brian raids Anna's liquor cabinet, angrily cutting off her attempts to re-assure him and apologize. He leaves and spends the whole night out drinking on the streets. The next day, still drunk, Brian stumbles into Jake's temple and interrupts a post-bar mitzvah gathering, resulting in a confrontation with Jake that ends with the priest punching the rabbi. He leaves and stumbles around the city, which brings the movie back to the very first scene with the bartender.
As the Community Center's grand opening approaches, along with the last days of Anna's East Coast assignment, the relationships begin to mend, first with Jake reconciling with Brian, followed by Anna reconciling with Brian shortly after. A discussion between the two men prompts Jake to go to Anna's office building, with Brian shouting encouragement at him as he runs down the street. Jake interrupts Anna's going away office party and manages to get her attention from a window in the building across the street and calls to explain himself and offer to set things right. Later that evening, they surprise Brian in the middle of his karaoke number at the interfaith center, which looks to be off to a successful start. Anna greets Rabbi Lewis (Eli Wallach) as he passes by and asks about their meetings together, referencing the class that Anna had told Jake briefly she had been taking, at which point it becomes clear that she had been taking classes to convert to Judaism. She tells him she hopes to pick it up again as she is also now staying in New York, with Jake clearly thrilled. The film ends happily with the three childhood friends posing for a photo together. | romantic, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1519664 | Ticking Clock | The movie opens outside a rundown suburban house. Inside, a woman is seen viciously murdered and partially dissected in the bath tub. As the killer, Keech (Neal McDonough), washes his hands, a baby starts to cry. Keech approaches the baby. Despite the savagery of his attack on the woman he is surprisingly gentle with the baby, by comforting him and saying, “she can't hurt you anymore”.
The movie jumps forward 11 years to April 17, 2011. Investigative reporter Lewis Hicks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is struggling with a failing marriage with his wife Gina (Danielle Nicolet); a dubious relationship with short time girlfriend, District Attorney Felicia Carson (Veronica Berry) and a slumping career. When Hicks pays a surprise visit to Felicia she becomes upset when she sees he is still wearing his wedding band. She tells him she is ending the relationship due to his unwillingness to make a commitment.
Later that day, Keech attacks Felicia in her home, expressing anger over a case she was involved in concerning a child being abused. When Felicia asks Keech if he is the boy's father, he replies "No, I am his guardian angel," before murdering her. Lewis arrives at Felicia's home but she is already dead and partially dissected similar to the woman in the opening scene. Lewis spots the killer and chases him into an alley where they fight. Lewis is knocked down but the killer drops a book.
The killer is seen checking a pocket watch then disappears. Lewis finds the book, which he discovers to be the killer's journal. However, Lewis takes the journal home and reads about Felicia's killing, as well as 2 more murders that the killer plans within the next 72 hours. He writes the other two names down, but the killer arrives inexplicably at his home and takes the journal back as well as the sheet of paper with the other two names.
Lewis tries to explain to the police investigating Felicia's murder, but the lead detective (played by Yancey Arias) doesn't believe him and actually suspects Lewis of the killing. Lewis discovers that he can read the names of the other two women due to the impression left by the pen on the second sheet. He tracks down the second woman: a school teacher named Vicki Ihling (Adrianne Frost). He wants to keep an eye on her and pretends to ask her for a date, but she changes her mind instead going to a local bar. At the bar she is approached by Keech.
As they make small talk she tells him she is a teacher, he states he knows one of her former students, an orphan boy that was returned to a boys' home after a teacher at the school reported him for abusing a stray cat. Vicki becomes nervous when she realizes she is the teacher that made the report and excuses herself to the restroom. In the restroom she is attacked by Keech who angrilly tells her "it was a just mangy little stray". Lewis is able to trace Vicki to the bar but again arrives too late, finding her murdered also. When Lewis tries to catch Keech, he disappears out of the window.
The police still doubt his story about the killer, Lewis' only evidence is a small piece of the killer's coat torn off during the earlier fight and a bloody fingerprint on a newspaper clipping. He sends both to a friend at a local crime lab. When he follows up she tells him the preliminary results from the DNA test on the blood only show one result. An 11-year-old orphan living in a local boys' home. She also shows him that the fabric of the coat reacts to heat, a quality she has never seen before in a fabric.
Believing that the killer may be a relative of the boy, Lewis goes to the home and introduces himself to the director Polly (Nicki Aycox) as a mentor for big brother program, and asks to meet the boy. Polly seems hesitant as the boy has had behavioral problem and been returned by several foster families, but agrees to let Lewis meet him. She introduces Lewis to the orphan, James Keech (Austin Abrams). James seems to distrust all adults and especially dislikes the nuns at the home (whom he referrers to as 'the penguins') and is at first unreceptive to Lewis but agrees to go to the zoo.
At the zoo Lewis asks James what he would like to be when he grows up, James seems unsure, but says he is good with math and would like to be an inventor, maybe even making a time machine so he could go back and fix his life. Back at the home James tells Lewis he wants to show him something, promising him to secrecy. Lewis promises and James shows him his 'private zoo'; a box with several small animals, including a mouse, a frog and a dragonfly that are all dead and partially dissected similar to the murder victims.
However, Lewis is shocked and James becomes very upset, yelling at him to leave. Polly hears the yelling and comes into the dorm where James angrily accuses Lewis of trying to molest him. Polly doesn't believe the accusation as James has a history of making similar claims. Lewis starts to tells Polly about the dead animals but James was angrily shouts that he promised not to tell. Lewis decides not to say anything and leaves.
Lewis deduces that the killer isn't a relative of James but rather James himself, having traveled back from the future to 'fix his life'. As Lewis continues to try to stop the killer, he tries to find the third woman from the journal. The evidence leads him back to the boys' home. While talking to Polly he sees her college degree on the wall and realizes she is the third woman on the killer's list, with Polly being a nickname. Lewis is then arrested at the boy's home and taken to the police station.
At the police station he tries to explain but the police still do not believe him. Keech arrives pretending to be Lewis' lawyer. During a private conference he reveals to Lewis that his theory is correct, showing Lewis the pocket watch from the alley revealing it to actually be a time machine, and that he is James from the year 2032 coming back to fix his life. James uses the time machine to transport Lewis and himself to the boys' home, where he has Polly tied up on the roof.
Keech demands that Lewis get the younger James from his room, threatening to kill Polly if he doesn't. Lewis quietly enters the dorm and prepares to kill the younger James hoping to set the time-line right, but can't bring himself to kill the sleeping child. Instead, he hides James inside a restroom, and goes to the roof. Keech explains that the woman from the opening scene was his mother who was abusive so he killed her, and he has been traveling through time, killing other people in an effort to set his life right.
Meanwhile, James leaves the bathroom and follows Lewis to the roof. James sees his older self and asks Keech if he is his father, but Keech tells him the truth about being his future self. James gets upset that Keech plans to hurt Polly, stating that she is the only person that has been nice to him, but Keech tells James that Polly is about to find his “private zoo” and will send him to a mental hospital where his abuse continues.
While on the roof, Keech reveals two more inventions: the small tazer like device from the opening scene is revealed to actually be a cutting torch, and the knife is shown to be an advanced motorized weapon with the serrated edge cycling like a chainsaw. During the struggle Keech drops the knife which James picks up and uses to slash Keech's leg. However, Keech pushes James away and accidentally knocks him off the roof. Keech turns to kill Lewis but as James dies from the fall Keech disappears.
During the closing scenes Lewis is seen driving. Using a voice over he explains that since James died at the age of 11 the time line was 'made right' and he never became the serial killer. Each of the killer's victims is shown to still be alive including James himself. We see Lewis driving past the rundown house from the beginning of the movie which we now know to be James's mother's house. However, James comes out the front door to take out the trash. The movie closes with Lewis going home to his wife and son. | murder | train | wikipedia | I so wanted this to be an enjoyable movie with Cuba Gooding Jr.Not the case.Although occasionally believable, on a whole the acting was way beyond par.
The storyline, although showing some potential, was far from well executed.I'm sure this made for a good movie if you'd just skimmed through the script.
An action/horror movie about knowing when a killer will kill and trying to stop it, good movie-great twist.
An investigative reporter (Gooding) comes home to find his girlfriend brutally murdered and chases the killer (McDonough).
A very original movie that has a huge twist in it that could have ruined it, but was done so well that it actually helped make the movie better then I was expecting.
Cuba Gooding Jr.'s previous movie, "Wrong Turn At Tahoe", was a surprisingly good movie, so my expectations were pretty high for "Ticking Clock".
The movie doesn't look very good for one thing, sometimes looking somewhat cheap and photographed in a way that gives the movie a muddy look.
And the big twist in the movie will become pretty obvious to just about every viewer long before it dawns on Gooding's character.
With this movie, it doesn't seem that any time soon that Gooding will work his way out of the straight-to-DVD sludge he's currently stuck in..
But only a few minutes into this and I was asking - can I stand to watch a movie where the main character is so unbelievably stupid?
It's not not the sort of twist one expects in a crime film so it could have been played for a major, "whaaaaa?" effect, but they tossed that chance away..
(Credit IMDb) Lewis Hicks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is a reporter and journalist specializing in writing about the crime of murder.
Lewis investigates the murder himself and finds the killer's journal with his past victims and a death list of his future prey.
Lewis believes that he is the only person who can stop the killer before time runs out for his next victim.Ticking Clock is certainly one of the better DTV films starring Cuba.
Neil McDonough provides a good antagonist to Cuba, and I loved the end showdown they had.
He makes for a formidable protagonist for McDonough, and doesn't succumb to moments of over-acting like he does at times in a lot of his DTV efforts.
Well I saw this movie about 3 months ago and as I am a big fan of Neal NcDonough, looked forward to it a lot.
I must say first of all that I thoroughly enjoyed the film, although Cuba Gooding Jnr was not the best actor for the main role, the story was great and the twist was enjoyable.
I think the last film i saw Cuba in was hardwired and I wasn't very impressed by his role but once again i did enjoy the story.I do believe that a big name actor in the main role would have made this a lot better along with some other recasting, but all in all very watchable, not B-grade by any means and definitely an enjoyable watch.
Im surprised this went straight to DVD as I think it would of done well with some good marketing at the cinemas, but none the less I hope lot's of people go out and hire or buy this one and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did.
What a Great story...too bad it is all I can say on it's behalf...very poor casting...lacking in color...intriguing; brings you to the end...not a movie I would keep in my library...I wonder if a Nicholas Cage or a Bruce Willis could of punched out the film...I believe so...Sorry Cuba...Not great...But an Excellent Story...Neil stole the lead role here and even there it was poor...I feel as though I was watching a B movie and was constantly waiting for a moment where I would of been surprised...did not happened...the surprise for me was not in the actual movie...but in the story...which is too bad because it is a great story...and had potential to be a great movie....
Lewis Hicks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is a boozing reporter who took for granted his ex spouse as well as his son who he misses weekend visits with because he's always onto the next biggest scoop.
From then on out it turns into a cat and mouse game of good vs evil before more victims' lives are claimed.The "big" twist in "Ticking Clock" is more related to science fiction than an action or thriller, and causes you to suspend your disbelief and except the facts at face value.
This direct-to-video feature comes across like a scraped episode for "Millennium," with a similar, strange tone of drama and horror, where everything is baked in shadows, panned to get atmosphere, time stamped and generates tragic piano pieces to build mood.
Not a bad movie, a polish on the script would have helped this and maybe even made this a blockbuster - rather than a straight to DVD release.The writing for the cops and the first investigation of a murder scene was really poorly scripted.It must be obvious that the writer has little knowledge of police interrogation and kinda missed the entire personal emotions for it.That aside, building it up could have been done better, but still I think that the story was alright.It certainly is no Back To The Future or Terminator.
Imagine two people creeping around a dark building hunting each other with guns trying to be as quiet as possible, that is when they'd play this stringy music, not when a detective is interviewing Hicks.
Unfortunately it is like this all the way through the movie and there aren't many scenes without music though it is such a relief when they do come along.
Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. has had one of the strangest acting careers in a long time.
This has sent the once-promising actor deep into the realm of straight-to-video nonsense, like his previous films 'The Devil's Tomb' and 'The Way of War.' Why he's been doing this is a mystery.
Maybe it's bad luck, maybe it's laziness, maybe Cuba just doesn't want the spotlight he deserves.Whatever the reason for his failing success, it has led him straight to 'Ticking Clock.' In it, he plays Lewis Hicks, a journalist who gets put on the trail of a sadistic serial killer after his own girlfriend is viciously murdered.
With the killer's journal in hand, Lewis must race against time to rescue the murderer's next victims.
As the path begins to weave its way around and to a young orphan boy, Lewis begins to discover a deeper mystery surrounding the murders.In the crime-thriller subgenre, there are really only a few good ways to go about writing a story.
This is a problem because the mystery is what is usually keeps a viewer watching in a film like this.
By the third act, the audience is fairly apathetic with the story & characters and will most likely not even care about the twist, which the entire film revolves around.This major flaw is not the only problem with the film.
No, a more detrimental issue to its success comes from the extremely amateurish direction by Ernie Barbarash, a man very familiar with mediocre straight-to-video thrillers with his work on 'Cube Zero' and 'Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming.' If you look at a film like 'Se7en' (which, by the way, 'Ticking Clock' actually compares itself to on its DVD sleeve along with 'Silence of the Lambs'), you will see a perfect a example of how to craft a stunning & dark crime thriller.
With 'Se7en,' David Fincher used the gritty city setting as almost another character, having the actors play off the direction in a way that added a deep realism to the film.
Add this to the rather annoying cinematography by Phil Parmet and 'Ticking Clock' is just all around unpleasant to watch.Unfortunately, there isn't much else to cling onto to try to save the film from being a total disappointment.
The lack of mystery & thrills for the first two acts gives no real drive to continue watching for anyone but completionists who don't like to leave a film unfinished.
Even the ridiculous, supernatural twist isn't original, and ends up hurting the film anyway due to the number of plot holes it creates.
For being so crucial to the film's success, one would think the filmmakers would be willing to do what they can to seal plot holes (like a simple case of incorrect eye colour, for example).
Add in some shoddy gore FX, CGI that looks like it should be in a mid-90s sci-fi flick, and a mundane cast of supporting actors, and you have nothing more than a sad excuse for a crime thriller here.Overall, 'Ticking Clock' is just one of those films that will be stuck on the Blockbuster® shelvse for a few months trying to bait renters into biting onto the former star power of Cuba Gooding, Jr. Sadly, it will do nothing but disappoint with its unoriginal & unthrilling story and amteurish filmmaking.Final Verdict: 3.5/10.
On 17 April 2011 the life of the investigative reporter Lewis Hicks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is a mess: he misses his son and his wife, from whom he is separated; he is stalled trying to write a book about murders; he has refused a position of assistant professor in the university; and his relationship with the assistant DA Felicia Carson (Veronica Berry) is not working well.
The stranger has dropped his journal on the alley and Lewis finds the diary and discovers that the man has planned several murders of women on the next following days.
When Lewis unsuccessfully tries to save the next victim, he finds evidences that the killer and James is the same person.
But the police led by the resented detective Ed Beker (Yancey Arias) believe that Lewis is the criminal and are chasing him."Ticking Clock" is a flawed film with a story with great potential and also full of inconsistencies but paradoxically is also an enjoyable B-movie.
The screenplay deserved a better development and the character Lewis Hicks takes the worst attitude for each situation.
But using the words of Lewis Hicks, time traveling is complex and the best thing to do is do not think in the plot holes and you may have a good entertainment.
The film follows Cuba Gooding Jr. playing a Private Investigator who's girlfriend gets murdered by some guy who reminds me of a younger Malcolm McDowell.
Seriously, I give the film props for having this guy play the villain because he was good at it.
Coincidentally enough, it lists all the people he is going to kill and what date.So Cuba takes it to the police, the police investigates it, finds the woman he is about to kill, and arrests him before it happens.......
Oh, I'm sorry, that would have been too logical and the movie would have been over: Instead, he takes it to his best friend who doesn't even acknowledge the fact that Cuba showed it to him, the bad guy magically transports to Cuba's home to get the book back, and the cops think that Cuba is the murderer.
Imagine the movie Se7en, with all those seven deadly sin murders and who it could possibly be.
At that point, you would ask yourself, "When did this movie start becoming science fiction and why?" Ticking Clock is the same way.
***SPOILERS*** Both confusing and dreadful film that incorporates science fiction like the movie "Frenquincy" into a psycho serial murderer movie like "Se7an" and comes out looking like neither one of them.
You have to give Cuba Gooding Jr as investigative reporter Lewis Hicks credit in him being able to keep a straight face in all the scenes he's in the movie.
I can just imagine how many takes to took Gooding to achieve that which should have at least gotten him, even though their not haded out until the spring of 2012, an Acdemey Award nomination if not the Award itself for best actor of the year 2011.The story itself,psycho on the loose in the big city, is really nothing new here but there's this twist added in that makes the film at least watchable.
That's to find out if the mad dog leather clothed killer in the movie Keech, Neal McDonough, accomplishes his mission that he's planned for at least 30 years since his birth.
***SPOILERS*** Hicks does get the drop on Keech when he investigates the orphanage that 11 year old James, no last name, played by Austin Abrams is confined to.
Those that were murdered besides what seems like James mom, Erica Bardin, as well as school teacher Vicki Ihrling, Adrianne Frost, and news reporter Felica Carson, Veronica Berry, had some influence on James' life that wasn't at all good.The big mystery in the movie which if you put two and two together wasn't that much of a mystery at all is what exactly did Keech have to do with James in the first place!
We as well as Lewis Hicks get the big surprise or answer well before the movie ends.
Cuba should be saying "show me the better movie scripts".
John Turman takes a break from writing comic book and cartoon based movies to pen this tale of Lewis Hicks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) a newspaper reporter who gets drawn into the homicide investigation of his mistress and finding the killer's diary/sketchbook.The film starts off well enough, nothing to special, but watchable enough.
But as the movie goes on, the plot unravels more and more with each subsequent ridiculous twist.
In this film, Cuba Gooding Jr. plays an investigative journalist so moronic he might be fired even by Fox News.
Blame writer John Turman, who did not think believability was required so long as the "suspense" was maintained.Crazy psycho serial killer "Keech" is played by Neal McDonough with all the woodenness, but none of the humor, of Arnold Schwartzenegger.
When the plot veers out of basic suspense and into science fiction, one begins to wonder if some thoughtful serial killer might not wander out of the future and knock off John Turman before he writes this bomb..
If it weren't for Neal McDonough and Cuba Gooding's participation I would not have bothered watching.
Usually McDonough is the believable villain and Cuba G.Jr. is too sympathetic not to like and they were both that.
The movie starts off with a killing of a woman that takes place 12 years ago.
She is also the gf of Cuba Goodling (Lewis Hicks) an investigative crime journalist who is separated from his wife (6 months) and he likes his liquor.Lewis comes into the home of his gf in time to see the killer.
(He does this several times in the movie and the killer tosses him around like a rag doll.) The killer drops a book with dossiers on everyone who he plans to kill, how he will do it, and the date he will do it.
Lewis copies down the names, fails to turn the book over to the police, and then the killer comes and gets the book back.The killer seems to vanish into thin air at times.
Since he knows who is going to get killed next, he shows up just in time to be the prime suspect- no surprise there.The movie does have a twist that didn't seem to fit well into the genre of the film.
The murderer turns out to be a guy from the future who wants to give his younger self a better life than he had.
In the end, the time-traveling murder ends up killing his younger self, which in turn kills the future self and rights everything.
The Sci-Fi Twist Added Little Of Importance To A Less Than Impressive Movie.
It was shaping up as a pretty standard story of a serial killer case being looked into by an investigative reporter (Lewis Hicks, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.) At some point, it becomes an open question whether there really is a serial killer, or whether the serial killer is a fiction of Hicks' imagination, and Hicks is really the serial killer.
Posing as someone from a "big brother" type agency, Hicks is able to convince a social worker to let him leave an orphanage with a young boy?
This will be the last Cuba Gooding movie I watch.
Where is the Cuba Gooding that acted in A Murder of Crows, bring back the Cuba and maybe he'd get some better roles.
TICKING CLOCK is a shabby straight to video serial killer thriller in which a slumming-it Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a reporter investigating the journal of a crazed killer, played with customary relish by Neal McDonough.
As the story gets more complex and Gooding Jr. befriends a twisted young boy who has an unusual link to the crimes, things take on a sci-fi twist that reminded me a little of the ones in FREQUENCY or DEJA VU.
When he finds a killers book with names and dates in it he goes after him, trying to stop his next attacks.When the movie started I laughed, I'm sorry but does anyone notice that each one of Cuba's movies start off with him drinking or him sweating?
The movie goes at a pretty good pace.
The storyline is OK, you may figure out what's going but if you don't the twist in the movie is a half decent one but could have been done a little better.The acting is a always a problem in Cuba's movies and it was suspect again in this one.
I did enjoy Mcdonough's acting, it gave support to Cuba and added interest to the movie.Overall you may like this if your a Cuba fan but don't expect anything mind blowing and don't expect anything better than an average straight to DVD release.
I give this a movie a 6/10 because I give credit to Cuba for improving since his last performances but he still has a ways to go.--Forza Azzurri |
tt1213648 | London Boulevard | The film opens with Harry Mitchel (Colin Farrell) (convicted of GBH under never-explained circumstances) leaving prison. He is propositioned by his friend and former partner-in-crime, Billy Norton (Ben Chaplin), to live in a nice 'acquired' apartment, but on condition he work for Billy's criminal boss. On his way to a 'welcome back' party, Mitchel saves a woman, Penny (Ophelia Lovibond), from being mugged. At the party, Billy propositions Mitchel again. Mitchel is told by Billy and their contact, Danny (Stephen Graham), that his sister, Briony (Anna Friel) is in the basement, and he "saves" her from being raped by a drug addict. Mitchel meets Penny for a drink elesewhere, and she offers him a job to help her friend, a reclusive famous 'retired' young actress, Charlotte.
Mitchel goes to a train station to visit his friend Joe, a blind homeless Big Issue salesman and gives him a knife to protect himself. The next day, Mitchel meets Charlotte (Keira Knightley) and her friend, Jordan (David Thewlis). Charlotte is constantly hounded by the paparazzi perpetually stationed outside her home, taunting and photographing anyone who enters or leaves. Mitchel is offered the job to 'assist' and Jordan gives him a tour of the mansion, including a collection of paintings that look like Francis Bacon's studies on Velazquez screaming Popes and a garage full of Charlotte's ex-husband Tim's cars. At his apartment, corrupt police Detective Bailey (Eddie Marsan) visits Mitchel and tells him to avoid Billy and forces a small bribe from Mitchel.
Mitchel talks to Billy about Detective Bailey, whom Billy can't stand. Joe is mugged, then brutally beaten by two 16-year-old footballers from the estate and left for dead; and one of the boys takes Joe's knife. At the hospital, Dr Sanji Raju (Sanjeev Bhaskar) lets Mitchel visit Joe, who wants Mitchel to avenge his death. The next day, Billy tells Mitchel that he knows about the car collection and that his boss wants to steal them. At Joe's funeral, Dr Raju tells Mitchel that he wants to date Briony, which Mitchel accepts. Mitchel goes to the pub and asks Danny to find out as much as he can about the two footballers. That night, Mitchel is kidnapped by Billy and taken to his boss, Rob Gant (Ray Winstone), who insists that Mitchel collect money for him.
Charlotte and Mitchel escape from the paparazzi to her mansion in the countryside. Charlotte mentions to Mitchel that something happened to her in Italy, which is implied to be a drug overdose. Jordan reveals to Mitchel that in this incident she was raped by a drug addict, who never got caught but is currently on life support after overdosing on quaaludes, administered by Jordan.
Gant threatens Detective Bailey to stop him making Mitchel pay bribes. Later that evening, Mitchel and Billy meet Gant in a garage, where Gant shoots a black man, whom Gant was led to believe by Billy to be one of the Nation of Islam members who beat up Mitchel and scared off Billy while earlier collecting for Gant. Gant yells at Billy, but Mitchel protects Billy and yells at Gant, who claims Mitchel said to kill anyone. Gant tells Mitchel he is now an 'accessory' to the killing, and to meet him at Criterion Restaurant the next night, for an unknown arrangement.
Charlotte tells Mitchel she loves him. Later, Mitchel and Gant meet and Gant assigns Mitchel to collect money in Streatham, Clapham and Kennington. Gant reveals that the main mugger-footballer has a future and is being scouted by professional teams, and implies that Mitchel had best leave him alone. Mitchel tells Gant that if he were a gangster, Gant would be the first person he'd kill and would take everything Gant has, but claims he isn't a gangster and walks away. Gant, to put Mitchel in trouble, waylays the doctor who owns Mitchel's apartment and after Gant rapes him, he orders his henchmen, Fletcher (Matt King) and Beaumont (Nick Bartlett) to kill him. Mitchel learns who the footballer is and follows him into a tunnel, planning to shoot him, but has a change of heart at the last moment, and lets the young man walk away unaware.
Mitchel visits Charlotte and tells her that he loves her; the two sleep together. Mitchel sees Billy's van and attacks Billy, who says that Gant sent him to kill Mitchel; he warns Mitchel to look for "a big Bosnian fucker". Mitchel borrows one of Charlotte's husband's Rolls Royces and confronts Billy at a pub. He beats Billy, who says Gant will kill everyone whom Mitchel loves, and Mitchel steals the money Billy collected for Gant. Mitchel meets his sister at a restaurant in order to persuade her to get out of the country so that she is out of Gant's reach. He gives her a train ticket and money, but she belittles his worry and ignores the warning. Mitchel and Jordan find Billy's dead body in the front garden of Charlotte's home, and the Bosnian, named Storbor, standing outside the gate.
Mitchel asks Jordan to help him kill Storbor and the two follow Storbor to a nightclub where they meet him and the drug addict from the party named Whiteboy (Jamie Campbell Bower). In the final scenes of the film, the story is resolved as Mitchel and Gant each race to prevail over the other. | revenge, murder, violence, romantic | train | wikipedia | Because I could not stop if I started."I mainly wanted to see London Boulevard because of the pairing of Keira Knightley and Colin Farrell, and that part of the movie certainly didn't disappoint me.
Beyond Farrell and Knightley's hounded actress, Anna Friel, David Thewlis, and Ray Winstone each help carry the story along with interesting roles that they play just perfectly.
The movie had promise - directed by The Departed's writer William Monahan and starring an eclectic bunch of British stars Colin Farrell, Keira Knightly, Ray Winstone, David Thewlis and Anna Friel.
Needless to say, Winstone doesn't take kindly to being refused and sets his sights on hurting Mitchell as revenge (hasn't he got better things to do?) The movie doesn't ring true at every juncture and the only pleasure the viewer grab, is when watching Thewlis's thinly veiled Withnail impression or with the music on show.Do yourself a favour and watch Layer Cake instead..
Monahan manages to assemble a pretty interesting cast for the job matching big name attractions notably Colin Farrell for the lead of Mitchell an ex-con trying to place his life on the straight and narrow who finds complications aplenty but centrally in the shape of Keira Knightley playing Charlotte, a reclusive actress in need of Mitchell's muscle in order to fend off pesky paparazzi, perform some odd jobs around her abode whilst also seeking comfort in his softer side when making use of Mitchell as a confidante.The strength of the piece is in the supporting cast who mainly transpire as conduits for Mitchells struggle with the temptations of a potential return to his old ways.
There are also roles for Ben Chaplin as a blundering hood whilst Stephen Graham and Eddie Marsan are shamefully under used in their minor roles.As you might be thinking there is a lot a going on here and that's sort of where Monahan gets into trouble, the narrative is littered with plot-holes and semi developed ideas and characters such as Anna Friel who pops in and out the story as a Mitchell's troubled sister, this is largely a product of the derivative nature of the project.
It's not a perfect film by any means, but capable direction, and solid performances from a primarily solid British and Irish cast, create a competent directorial debut for Monahan.Mitchell (Colin Farrell) has just been released from Pentonville after a three year sentence for assault, when he exits the prison he is picked up by long-time partner in crime, and local enforcer, Billy (Ben Chaplin), who takes Mitchell to a party in his honour.
But when the leading figure in the London underworld, Mr Gant (Ray Winstone) comes looking to place Mitchell high up in his crime organization, he must find a way to refuse the advances of such a dangerous man, while also protecting those closest to him.For the first ten-to-fifteen minutes of the film, Colin Farrell's forced middle-class cockney accent takes centre stage, but once he settles into the role, his performance takes limelight as a sociopathic criminal with somewhat of a heart.
Monahan really missed a trick, by failing to provide Winstone's character with any further depth.Also beside the main story as Mitchell battles his growing love for the reclusive actress and the life of a straight man alongside that of his violent past, and potential gangster future, is the sub-plot of Mitchell's old homeless friend Joe (Alan Williams) who is killed ruthlessly by a couple of youths and Mitchell's subsequent attempts to find out who is responsible.
'London Boulevard' is a proficient first effort for Monahan, and while the film contains flaws, which you expect from a first-time director plying his trade, it is also an engaging gangster drama which is smartly written, and incredibly well-acted by many of the great British and Irish actors at the moment..
It stars Colin Farrell, David Thewlis, Ray Winstone, Ben Chaplin, Keira Knightley and Anna Friel.
Music is by Sergio Pizzorno and cinematography by Chris Menges.After serving his stretch for GBH, Harry Mitchel (Farrell) returns to his manor and finds gangland boss Rob Gant (Winstone) wants him as one of his charges.Written and directed by the man who co-wrote The Departed, it's not hard to guess what sort of tone London Boulevard is set at.
Farrell is good value as a tough guy, Winstone does what he does best, menacing of course, while Thewlis steals the film as a wired cool cat with menace surprisingly lurking in is heart.As a whole it fails to hit all the right spots, but enough in here for neo-noir fans to feed on as an appetiser to a more fulfilling noir meal.
Colin Farrell is totally credible as a tough guy but the movie features other stunning performances like Keira Knightley and Ray Winstone, who make the film pleasant and interesting.
I was frustrated actually because it had so much potential but the vague jumpy plot, confusing script and dull direction made this an unremarkable watchIts set in South London, a crime drama that follows Colin Ferrell as ex-con Mitchel, trying to go straight upon his release from prison.
He's also got; a crazy, strung out sister, accompanies Billy on rent collection trips, gets pulled into a revenge thing and is soon being forced back into a life of crime by Billy's mob boss the very nasty (Ray Winstone) who will stop at nothing to get Mitchel to work for him.Colin Ferrell is very good here, unfortunately all the characters are painted kinda lifeless and the story at times confusing, or not spending enough time on any one thing.
Blurring lines between what it is a harder, meaner British gangster film of old and what might be conceived as a lighter, more comically imbued piece reminiscent of far recent-a gangster episodes, American born William Monahan, here debuting behind the camera whilst working off of his own script, weaves an enjoyable crime drama from a source material that knows its place; realises its inspirations and constructs a nourishing character driven tale predominantly operating within the realms of archetype.Colin Farrell plays the lead, a young Englishman named Mitchell fresh from the confines of a jail cell now out and about as summer comes to an end looking for some kind of work amidst the mingling with some old friends; former criminal cohorts and loose family members.
Additionally, Mitchell's observing of some billboards housing Charlotte looking glamorous as he nears her guarded compound sees several of them change colour from red to blue, hinting at such a duality and mixture of identities, while his arrival at her dwelling to a song on the soundtrack blaring out the lyrics "I'm your man....." wholly reiterates his cause for being there.Complications arise when Ray Winstone's Robert Gant enters proceedings, a Rolls-Royce owning; chauffeur driven heavy weight London gangster with a short fuse; a clan of tough heavies and a penchant for regressing back to a disturbed childhood every time he violently eliminates somebody.
Having seen some of the reviews and ratings for London Boulevard i have to admit i was expecting a bit of a turkey but as it happens this is a really good , stylish London gangster movie.Despite straying from his cockney accent a couple of times , Colin Farrell is extremely impressive as an ex con who is trying to go on the straight and narrow despite a gangland boss ( Ray Winstone ) doing his very best to recruit him.
Besides Farrell you have the lovely Keira Knightley and the young Ophelia Lovibond (a name probably unknown for many but a face pretty recognizable) and the two British actors Ray Winstone, David Thewlis and Stephen Graham.
I would have been more interested in a film where Colin bangs all these hot actresses attached to this messy project than to see a "whatever" type of movie.The story mainly is about this guy Mitchell (Colin Farrell) who just out of prison gets hired by this beautiful actress Charlotte (Keira Knightley) to protect her from the paparazzi and other interferences in her life.
His role overbalances this film into the cartoonish and what could have been a really nicely done film turns into something bordering on the buffoonish.It's a good attempt at doing something new with the British class movie but you never get to feel truly involved, in addition, the film is weakened by an ending that should move us and just leaves us empty.Liked the themes and the chemistry between the leads a lot and they should have gone with that.
Yet the cast of actors is so strong that they overcome these problems and ultimately give us a terrifyingly real glimpse at the low life happenings in that major metropolis.Mitchel (Colin Farrell, looking better than he has in years) has just been released from jail, an experience he never wants to face again, but his old friends such as Billy (Ben Chaplin) tempt him to get back into big crime.
Colin Farrell as the good, redeemed macho sounds too artificial, only physically capturing when shot dressed in a suit, Keira Knightley does her best to make the story at least watchable till the end, probably just because we want to see how their chemistry will turn out.
This movie could have easily been an 8 or 9 if it wasn't for the lackluster finale.Colin Farrell did a great job at the role in this movie; as with most of his films.I get it directors, you guys want to shock and awe.
Take any Tarantino/Ritchie gangsters movie, Carlito's way, Sexy Beast, some fragrance ads, shake well and the result is London Boulevard.Farrell is Mitchel, a gangster released from prison who wants to stay "clean" - major cliché - He has a slutty sister (Friel as Briony, the most annoying character in the movie) and a sleazy business associate (Chaplin as Billy, with greasy long hair and speaking with a thick accent).Very randomly Mitchel gets a job as bodyguard for Charlotte, a millionaire movie star, hunted by paparazzi.
I could hardly hear a word he said because - I guess - his voice coach suggested that whispering makes a criminal seem more dangerous.None of the characters is sympathetic: Mitchel is as violent as his associates, Charlotte's problem is that she is too rich and famous, Winstone is a brutal thug, Briony is a silly slut, Billy a coward, etc
Sub-plots and characters (the beggar, the policeman, Charlotte's live-in friend, the doctor
) appear and disappear randomly and way too late the movie reaches its plagiarist ending.PS the soundtrack is good though, very Swinging London.
The movie also has a truly great supporting cast, with actors such as David Thewlis, Ray Winstone and Ben Chaplin all involved.The thing that also helped to save the movie, was the fact that this remains a very well made film.
Ray Winstone is wasted in the most clichéd and predictable gangster imaginable, although Anna Friel is very sexy, I'll give her that.London BOULEVARD isn't all bad - it's fast-paced and has lots of twists and turns to keep you watching, of course - but at the end of the day it offended me with its glib attitude and refusal to provide originality in any way, shape or form.
ODD London GANGSTER REVENGE LOVE STORY about Mitchel (colin farell) going straight with actress /painter Charlotte(kiera knightlie) then going back with gangland boss Gant( ray winston).
For me this film was a complete waste of time for a couple of reasons; I don't like how every character is introduced, it's almost as if you're seeing the final part of a story without a beginning and middle to each character and leaves you having work out who they are, who they are associated with and what's their main purpose in the film.The other bit that caught me unawares was how quick the scenes were, the film looked like a story half complete but completed in a rush, the killings were too quick without any real background to them or suspense building for example; one minute he's on the phone to his sister then the next scene he's all suited and booted in France then the next clip he kills one of the biggest gangsters in the film.I struggled to get into the movie, found it hard to relate with characters and was generally complexed by the whole storyline which was summed up by two lads killing Collin Farrell at the end..It's a confusing story between a busker, a promising footballer stroke hood rat killing one of the biggest villains in the movie, an over the top involvement on paparazi for a women who appeared to be stuck in a house despite having millions..What I would say is, the little stories before Ray killed his victims was very chilling..
Some characters are useless and they are there just to be there, like Jordan(David Thewlis) with an extra unnecessary essence.Colin Farrell did his best.According to the story line "...which puts him in direct confrontation with one of London's most vicious gangsters".
Colin Farrell plays a very similar role to "In Bruges", a recently released criminal who decides to mend his ways but forced into bad company by gangster, Ray Winstone who plays the character with perfection to scare.
That's what transpired when Keira Knightley's character Charlotte meets Colin Farrell's Mitchel initially, setting the stage and sowing the seed for a thick romantic angle in London Boulevard.Based upon the novel by Ken Bruen and adapted for the screen by William Monahan, who got his fair share of fame from adapting the Hong Kong crime thriller Infernal Affairs into Martin Scorsese's The Departed, London Boulevard had a lot of good things on its side to guarantee success but its potential got lucked out through some astonishingly perplexing pace and development, with aspects of it feeling rushed yet stagnating at the same time.
Monahan's debut directorial feature film, it goes to show his inexperience in helming what would be a Brit gangster movie, riddled with clichéd moments and characters that made it a mediocre effort at best.Colin Farrell's Mitchel is a man just released from prison, and as far as stories go there are a dime a dozen of tales where the anti-hero decides to turn over a new leaf after a jail term, but finding himself inevitably sucked back into the life of violence, with the adage of living and dying by the sword being that constant reminder.
Colin Farrell is a tough guy who is hired to act as pseudo-bodyguard to a reclusive, neurotic film star (Keira Knightley), after which all sorts of freak occurrences and oddball Brit-bag characters get in the way.
Then he gets a job caring for Charlotte (Keira Knightley) a reclusive actress constantly besieged by the paparazzi, but the big Crime Boss, Gant (Ray Winstone), wants Mitchel to come and work for him.
With big names like Colin Farrell and Kiera Knightly you might be fooled into thinking that the movie must be good and it could have been if only some of those swear words were replaced with something that gave the characters believable motivations for the things they do in this film.
London Boulevard, a crime caper kind of a movie stars Keira Knightley and Colin Farrel in the lead.
The films starts with Colin Farrel's character Mitchel getting out of prison after three years.He decides to go straight.He takes a job of protecting this young out of work actress Charlotte that Keira Knightley's playing who is quite unsocial and reclusive in nature and is quite paranoid with the surrounding paparazzi.Charlotte lives with Jordon played by David Thewlis who plays his part exceptionally well.The problems start when Gant who is a big time don becomes interested in Mitchel.You'll get the idea if you have seen Michael Mann's Thief as this film's outline is quite similar but they are totally different films.Keira has little to do in the movie, though i haven't read the novel this film is based on but I'm sure Keira's character in the novel would have been much more developed than what we see in the film and to make this story work that was essential.The chemistry between the leads has few moments but they are not fully realized and it feels chopped off.Although the film was beautifully scripted but the acting sometimes looked forced and quite unnatural at times.Only David Thewlis catches your eyes every time he's on the screen.Colin Farrel never makes me care about his situation or his dilemma.London Boulevard doesn't quite finds its foot between its romance and violence and sadly stays quite mediocre throughout.Through last twenty something minutes promise to be fulfilling but they are undone by the ending with what we see and what we don't.Its a nice time spender but you don't get a reward back from it and that's what makes it so disappointing.Its a dart that misses the board..
i don't know where to start this film is full of great British actors/actresses why is it so bad ..was at a loss on a Sunday afternoon pulled up sky anytime saw cast list load and go .....so disappointing just does not work guys look great girls look hot locations spot on but story like a bad episode of the Sweeney the music is really intrusive 60s/70s rubbish thats really too loud i fell asleep 3/4 OK the way through i awoke asked my wife any good?reply ...rubbishthis is the first time I've reviewed on this site i love Farrell and Winston such a shame honestly with its potential this is on of the worst films i have ever seen.
It doesn't help that the main plot - will Farrell become a proper gangster, or will he end up with Keira Knightley's way-too-good-for-him actress - is hardly new.
"Layer Cake" was another really good British gangster movie and it is this film that London Boulevard tries so desperately to emulate.
It is a real pleasure to see so many great actors, all at the top of their game: Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley, Ray Winstone, Thewlis. |
tt2236182 | Rise of the Zombies | A water-borne virus has led to a widespread outbreak of zombies in San Francisco. A group of survivors, including Dr. Lynn Snyder (Mariel Hemingway) and others, create a refuge on Alcatraz Island. Snyder receives communications from Dr. Arnold (French Stewart), a scientist conducting experiments to create a cure for the virus. Meanwhile, Dr. Dan Halpern (LeVar Burton), another of the refugees, is studying parts culled from the bodies of the zombies, but he is unable to make much headway because he only has access to 'dead' zombies. His research is further hindered when Caspian (Danny Trejo) and other refugees burn the zombie corpses being stored on the island.
A horde of zombies are washed onto the island by the tides, causing panic in the camp. While they are defeated, many of the refugees are killed, and two are infected by the virus, one of them being Halpern's daughter, Julie (Kerisse Hutchinson). The survivors decide to set out for the mainland, while Halpern stays to study the two infected victims. Later in the film, Halpern is forced to kill himself by detonating a grenade when his daughter bites him, before the virus can claim him as well.
The group on the mainland splits in two because of conflicting goals. Snyder wishes to find Dr. Arnold, as she believes he has found a cure, while Caspian's group instead wants to find supplies and ultimately reach what they believe to be an evacuation point. Caspian and several others are soon infected, and the group's numbers dwindle. It is eventually revealed that the 'evacuation point' has already been overrun by the zombies, rendering escape seemingly impossible.
As the group siphones gas from a car, Ashley commits suicide on a trolly by rolling it down the street colliding with a bus.
The last survivors of the group - Snyder, Kyle (Chad Lindberg) and Marshall (Ethan Suplee) - discover Dr. Arnold's refuge, the water treatment plant where the outbreak began. Arnold reveals that he has indeed discovered a cure, based on his tests on animal subjects. As the five flee for a chopper on the roof of the plant, both Kyle and Marshall are attacked, but Arnold's vaccine saves them. The group escapes the city, and Arnold requests a laboratory to manufacture his cure, expressing optimism that anything is possible. | violence | train | wikipedia | Yes, here's another one from The Asylum but it always shocks me that so many people go into these films expecting a good movie.
Personally speaking, when I watch these movies I hope to at least be entertained (by good or bad things) or that the film at least offers something you don't normally see.
Mariel Hemingway, Chad Lindberg and LeVar Burton are the latest celebs to get down with The Asylum and all three actually turn in very good and believable performances.
Actually, from the very opening scenes of the movie it seems pretty clear that the zombies have already risen!
It makes it harder to find a real place of refuge, thus increasing the hopelessness that's always at the centre of a zombie movie.Aside from that little twist, though, there's not a lot of originality to this.
He stays behind on Alcatraz while Hemingway's group goes into the city and others go off in search of rescue, and he keeps two living zombies (or is that a contradiction?) locked up to experiment on as he looks for a cure.
So, really, what you have here is a mediocre movie that adds nothing original to the zombie genre, and rather flat performances from the cast.
I don't know if all that terrible acting was intentional or not, but it completely ruined the movie for me.
But then again, what does one expect from Asylum.It's just as easy to make a good film as a bad one, but it's obvious the people at Asylum just don't care to even TRY to make a good movie.I admit - I fast forwarded through this entire movie, which was the only way possible to view this crap.there was no story; no character development; no plot really to speak of.
It starts all pretty well and rather gory for an Asylum flick so I was ready for a hell of a ride, and yes, it was a hell of a ride until the car running away from the zombies crashed on San Fransisco's Lombard Street.
When I saw the SyFy logo I must admit that my hopes and excitement went tumbling down fast, but still I wanted to watch this as it is a zombie movie - and I am a sucker for anything zombie.
But still, for a SyFy movie, then they really went all in with the production of this movie and managed to muster something that is rarely seen from their production line.The zombies actually looked quite good and had interesting make-up, so it was a nice to see that they had spent some money on make-up and special effects.There is a handful of semi-famous actor and actresses in the movie, but despite this, then the movie, acting-wise, was nothing impressive, and didn't really manage to rise over mediocrity.I didn't fully understand the concept of why the zombies in this movie felt pain, it just didn't really work well on any account.However, in overall, then "Rise of the Zombies" is actually a good enough movie to watch for any zombie fans.
A cheaply produced zombie flick with bad special effects and a cast of has-beens and never-weres?
It would be easy for me to blame the movie's failure completely on the Hollywood Squares cast led by Mariel Hemingway (who, no joke, I thought was deceased) and the now-elderly and overweight Danny Trejo.
It's become popular in recent years to bestow some "so bad it's good" badge upon these movies.
If you enjoy watching formulaic zombie action movies with little cinematic value, this will deliver..
It provides a web the pull the viewer through the piece.If one area is lacking, the others can make up for it, to a point.In this movie, I am sorry to say that even the decent acting by the recognizable actors was not enough to save this bomb.The actors did the best they could with what they had.
Okay, this movie is bad, but - come on - you already know that, don't you?
It's got to be one of the most awful attempts at a zombie film since 'The Dead Next Door.' And why is it so bad?
And, those who can, are given so little to work with it becomes pointless even having them there.It's about a zombie plague, blah, blah, blah in San Francisco where people have set up a camp on Alcatraz.
Along the way expect the usual zombie headshots, people getting bitten and idiots not doing the sensible things, allowing themselves to get bitten (only all with a really low budget).Danny Trejo is the film's highlight, but he's woefully underused.
Yes, this film is bad - its major flaw is that there are simply a hundred better zombie films out there.
Even those other B-movie undead films which you've probably hated are better than this.If you like zombie films, you'll probably have seen (and own) better than this.
During a zombie apocalypse, a group of survivors hide on Alcatraz Island to escape from rising zombie hordes.
When their refuge is overrun, and upon hearing that a scientist may have discovered a cure, they leave the island to seek him out.Check out this amazing cast: Ethan Suplee (who seems strangely adult for those of us used to him from "Mallrats"), Levar Burton, horror icon Danny Trejo, French Stewart...
The Screen Actors Guild fees must have been enormous...While much of this film is pretty awful, or at least nothing special, you have to love the incredible birthing scene.
Why in the world would so many known actors want to be seen in this ridiculously baaaaad zombie flick?
Terrible if you're looking for a good horror movie but Amazing if you're looking for a movie with hilariously bad acting/special effects..
Survivors on Alcatraz work at developing a cure but Zombies float over and almost over run the prison.
Starring Danny Trejo, Mariel Hemmingway (channeling her grandfather) & LeVar Burton this is watchable TV movie, 5/10..
Unfortunately (or perhaps not), the first and third parts don't exist.As others have said, and will say: a few good actors, a lot of bad script.
As a zombie plague overruns mankind, a group of survivors decide to leave the supposedly fortified Alcatraz and make for the mainland in search of the scientist working on a vaccine cure and must battle the relentless undead hordes to get there.This one wasn't that bad of a zombie effort, and while flawed this one offered up some pretty good moments.
This here is mostly effective whenever dealing with the zombies on the attack as that allows for a lot of action scenes, many of them quite extended which makes them all the more fun.
There's some great early action here with the opening attack on the suburban neighborhood of the zombies taking over the house leading to the mad dash to escape in the car through the streets leading into another fine attack at the end, though the massive attack on the group in their island fortress is even more fun.
The later action scenes here are somewhat enjoyable as the group gets ambushed in the house providing this one with some fun trying to hold off the attacks while the big action scene of their encounter on the bridge allows for more explosive action blowing them to pieces as well as the thrilling moments of the zombies silently emerging from the water ready to attack.
The best thing about this movie was not knowing who is in it then seeing them on screen, saying "Oh, it's Geordie (Burton), it's Ash (Linberg), it's Machete (Trejo), it's Randy (Suplee), it's Harry (Stewart) Whoops, I just gave away the best part, no need to watch now.But seriously; the cast is great, I like them all, the script was a typical zombie movie script, what is to be expected, that is not the problem I had with it, zombie movies are B-grade by definition.
It was how ordinary every other aspect of it was, they must have blew their budget on the actors because the technical side of it could have been done better by teenagers on a hand held.It was really sad for those actors to be caught in this movie, Burton was the only one who really stood out, but personally I think he should have directed it.
What do you want from a zombie apocalypse movie?
Literary dialog?Or, do you want wicked zombie gags, overacting, cheesy dialog and B-plus acting by B-minus actors glad to have the work?All my friends from paragraph two, welcome to "Rise of the Zombies." You will not be disappointed.A standard-grade zombie movie is the best you can hope for from The Asylum, whose previous living-dead efforts include the aptly named "Zombie Apocalypse" and better-than-it-deserved-to-be "I Am Omega."But the low-rent production house ups its game here, with some decent location shooting in San Francisco, some really gross zombies, more- than-decent acting turns by Jordi Kunte Kinte Reading Rainbow LaForge and the sane Hemingway sister, and a performance by Machete that's everything you expect and nothing more, because what you see is all he was paid to do.The Asylum seems to excel at zombie movies because they're cheap and easy.
But seeing as the cast was a good one and that there have been some tolerable movies of theirs in the past, I was hoping that Rise of the Zombies would be one of them.
You don't expect particularly good production values from The Asylum, but Rise of the Zombies is one of the worst-looking films I've seen in a while.
It also didn't help that the horror and suspense elements needed for a zombie movie just weren't there, there was just too much of the cheese factor(tolerable if done in spades, but all the time is too much).
Apart from Trejo, the acting is bad, Mariel Hemingway in particular is painful especially in the line delivery.
It was especially shocking to see the harsh, gritty, unvarnished depiction of losing friends and comrades to the zombie menace.It will be a long time until I can forget some of the horrific scenes given to us so callously by director Nick Lyon.Well done to the cast and crew on an excellent take of a tired genre!.
First time that i tried to watch it, i only saw it for 10 minutes, because it was very boring, but a days later i gave it a second chance, but i only watch it for 25 minutes, because i confirmed that it was very bad.The main cast is awful, the zombies and the special effects are very bad.
I can't believe that this movie is from 2012, a movie from the 50's can be very much more real than this crapI love zombies movies and zombies tvshows, and this movie is by far the worst i've ever seenDon't waste your time watching this thing called movie.
Fleeing from the huge mass of zombies that have infested the entire world, a group of survivors have managed to find a temporary shelter on Alcatraz.
Rather than spoil the movie by disclosing which ones live and which ones die I will just say that this is a very grim zombie film which offers very long odds against those trying to live.
However, those who want a basic zombie film with plenty of action and gore will probably be satisfied..
I see almost ALL of them that come out.Rise of the dead is worth the watch,if yo just plain love zombie films ,that are not comedy,but the kind that is dead serious,and its butt-kicking time.
Not kidding,although this low budget flick has nothing new in story,or content,it doe,s however,pull out a lot of stops with a few of the f.x. gags.This movie also had a lot of t.v. stars in it ,plus the great Danny Trejo.How could you go wrong!.
With incredible imagination and originality, Lyon and his screen writers have envisioned a sort of zombie apocalypse where the dead are threatening the living with a fate too terrible to contemplate.
Terrible zombie movie!
Review: As soon as I saw the zombies at the beginning of the movie, I lost total interest.
Basically there isn't anything good to say about the film.I recommend this movie to people who are into there zombie movies about a group of people trying to find the vaccine to cure the killer zombies.
Good actors all in other movies and TV shows.
It just goes to show that even with qualified, trained, experienced, talented actors, if the words, direction, art direction, special effects, editing etc aren't there, nothing can save the movie.
I'd like to point out here that these people had good producers, a good editor and everything else one might expect to make a good movie except a writer and a director so the blame has to lie with them.
I actually laughed at the zombies that clearly had on masks instead of make-up as well.I could go on and on about the plot holes and illogical actions the story had the actors engaged in but it would just be a waste of your time and mine.
I do feel bad for the actors because when they are working they have no idea generally that the thing is going to turn out so badly I'm sure.
It was interesting to watch a film where the director decided acting, writing, editing and directing would have been a distraction to the plot.
Martial arts and zombies make a good mix.I watched the preview of Rise of the zzzzzzz before venturing into the movie.
If you do not like dogs this is a 0 out of 10 movie.Bad effects, bad story, bad dialogue, bad pacing, bad musics but a good dog.Really I wish I had not bothered..
Atrocious Zombie Movie.
A 1970's zombie movie made in someones pot smoke filled basement with an ancient 8mm movie camera is better than this drivel.LeVar Burton's performance is a let down and Danny Trejo's is even worse.
We finally watched this on the SciFi channel over the weekend and I still am not sure whether to call it a Horror movie or a Comedy Horror.It was actually so terrible that I laughed at the cheesy plot and 'effects' throughout the entire movie while wondering what happened to Levar Burton's career that drove him to appear in this.And French Stewart and Mariel Hemingway playing scientists was so completely unbelievable that it still gives me giggles thinking about it.The zombie baby looks just like the one from the most recent retake of Dawn of the Dead and was probably created by the same effects company.
Both the birth scene and the doll/zombie baby was laughably bad..
Despite 4 real actors, still a bad zombie film..
Alcatraz gets a major zombie invasion.Lynn leads a small group to get the vaccine.
Dan stays on Alcatraz to learn more about the disease and hopefully heal his infected daughter.While stopping at an upscale house to get food and rest, Caspian's group gets taken out (except for Kyle) by one zombie.
Lynn's group barely escapes another zombie attack; they reunite with Kyle.How could this turn out well?
The night scenes tend to be useless on visual to the point where sound is the only guide.Sound: 7/10 Just OK.Acting: 4/10 My history with Marial Hemingway, LeVar Burton, Danny Trejo, and French Stewart is through much better properties.
Not only does this movies editing and acting horrible but as well as the choice of actors.
This movie sucked so bad that I got nightmares from the acting, not the zombies.
Well, not sure if this is a spoiler or not, but hey, it's not a _bad_ movie if you don't expect too much, and have enough cold frosty beverage.Seriously, it had a couple of decent actors (and the leads pretty much phoned in their stuff, so we can take them out of the Oscar possibilities, huh?), but overall, this was one of those things that cried out for excessive alcohol consumption.
I must say I was somewhat impressed by this little zombie movie.
It's not a classic in any way but nice group of actors in it.The Butch-like manly Mariel Hemingway as Dr. Lynn Snyder was a disappointment.
What I really liked was that for the 1st time I can remember a character in a zombie film just says "forget it it's not worth living anymore" and just commits suicide.The funny French Stewart as Dr. Arnold.
It's inevitable, it seems: every time someone cranks out another George Romero-inspired zombie movie, they try to add that "little something extra" that they think'll set their movie apart from the rest.
Stupidest Zombie Movie EVER.
First off Zombies can not climb up a bridge like they did and when they were getting into the helicopter, some waited for the door to close.
The baby turning into a zombie was pretty sick and never should have been included in the movie.
This movie is only worth watching for a good laugh and to point out all the horrible mistakes!!.
I noticed that some of the actors weren't given credit for this film on IMDb. I realized this is probably because they didn't want to be associated with the movie!.
OK, after 4 good reviews of the case, I thought I would give this movie a try.
The Special EFX were also pretty bad, the same used in syfy channel movies.
The amount of zombies actually killed is a lot lower than you would think, and they are killed pretty much the same manner each time.
Overall I would not recommend this movie, It is a low budget syfy type movie with bad acting and Special EFX.
If these type of movies continue to come out, the zombie genre will begin to fade, hopefully WORLD WAR Z will come out very well and give it the boost it needs, the walking dead can't do all the work!. |
tt0287986 | Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite | The film begins with Michèle's first journal entry, "I am 20 years old, and I have ruined my life!" This is just one of the many journal entry titles that are flashed before every particular scene in the film. Michèle had just recently broken up with her boyfriend so she meets up with some of her friends at a café. It is there that she meets the charming veterinarian François. Though Michèle has a promising modeling career, she feels that something, or someone, is missing in her life. François quickly fills this void, and Michèle feels partially whole. She first claims that she is Catholic but is dissatisfied with the results of praying and worshipping. By recommendation, she begins to follow Buddhism through meditation and use of elaborate costume jewelry. Eventually, she discovers that François is Jewish; however, he does not practice his faith. Throughout the film, she immerses herself in Judaism, following traditions such as the Sabbath. François breaks up with her by telling her "your touch sickens me", after accusing her of lying. He then engages in several other affairs but fails to ever marry. She attempts to date a few men but does not create any true connections. Finally, at a wedding of their friend Valérie, Francois has broken up with yet another woman and claims to desire her. The movie ends with the famous line, "...to be continued" leaving viewers curious about their future. | romantic, flashback | train | wikipedia | Search for Spirituality Loses Me. This is the story of a woman, played by Audrey Tautou, who searches for herself by searching for a religion she can relate to.
She tries all of the major religions and ends up with Judaism when she starts to data Francois, who is lapsed in his faith.Her spiritual quest drives her, Francois and ME crazy.
I tend to like character and plot-driven movies, but it is important that I relate to the character in some way.
I rented this movie primarily because I enjoy Audrey Tautou's acting.
There are a lot of very short scenes that are distracting and don't seem to advance the story.By no means is this a bad movie, but unless you can relate to a spiritual journey more than me, this movie probably won't quite do it for you..
Michèle (Tautou) falls for this guy, François (Baer), but also for his religion: Judaism.
There is some tiny bit of thinking on what is it exactly to be a believer, but the movie doesn't go far enough.But again, watch it for Tautou.
Twenty-year-old Michele (Audrey Tatou, star of the hit film "Amelie") is a successful model but an emotional wreck.
But when she meets handsome Francois, twelve years her senior and a successful secular Jew, she has a religious awakening.
Suddenly obsessed with Judaism, she is soon driving Francois crazy nailing up mezuzahs, keeping kosher, observing Shabbat and accusing him of not being Jewish enough!
"God is Great...I am Small" is an unusually smart and contemporary comedy/drama that builds its story around controversial issues affecting today's Jewry: Who or what is a Jew?
Audrey Tatou Makes This Movie Swell (If Not Great).
Audrey Tatou, for certain France's most charismatically engaging young actress today, made "God is Great, I'm Not" before "Amelie" projected her to international acclaim.
This release, coming quietly after the famous film, has had little if any U.S. theater exposure but it's a DVD that cries out for word-of-mouth boosterism.Tatou plays Michele, a self-proclaimed "top model" (well she clearly does have a successful career going).
More to the point she a 100% certifiable flake who flits from religion to religion seeking wisdom and, perhaps, a sense of belonging.After a party she meets veterinarian Francois (Edouard Baer).
Anyway, without it the film would end at this point.
Francois has a quiet accommodating quality: he's the kind that a Michele will always enrapture.Michele falls in love with Francois, a fellow comfortable as a "secular Jew." In his case that means he doesn't even want his apartment house neighbors to know his heritage.
Absurd, declaims Michele, who proceeds to noisily attempt to affix a "mezuzah" to his front door (a Jewish talismanic article that observant members of that religion invariably have at each door in their homes sans the bathroom).Anyway, the real fun is that Michele, bored with her past religious explorations, decides to study Judaism both with a rabbi and also in a class for possible converts - but only with Francois safely sitting beside her and actively participating.
He IS besotted!There's a lot of good humor as Francois allows himself to be drawn into Judaism - but only so far.
Meanwhile Michele gets more serious about not only studying the religion but observing its very restrictive dietary precepts and other controlling laws.So much for the basic plot-anything more would spoil the fun.
But director Pascale Bailly has insured that no viewer need be Jewish to enjoy madcap Tatou's foray into that ancient religion.Tatou has the most marvelous ability to instantly telegraph her feelings through economical but mesmerizing facial expressions.
Born a century earlier, she would have been a silent film star to rival the Gish sisters, Pola Negri and many others.She's the treat who makes this offbeat comedy (with a dollop of serious relationship issues) worth watching.So rent it!8/10.
Like everyone else who has written in, I watched this film (and Happenstance) because I had seen Amelie and had fallen in love with Tautou and was hoping to relive the Amelie experience.
This movie is as close as I have come, but of course, NOT Amelie.
The fun parts of this movie were: learning about the Jewish faith through the eyes of a non-Jew, hoping that Tautou and Baer really do end up together, and I must mention all of Tautou's awesome outfits and hairstyles as a French "top model." Very fun!
I felt that I got confused about the plot at points due to the back-and-forth cut sequences and thought maybe I missed something in translation?
Or maybe Americans like me just need to be led by the nose through the plot a little more?
The great surprise for me was Edouard Baer.
The movie nicely balances comedy and seriousness and has sat well with me in the days after watching it.
As long as you're not expecting Amelie: The Prequel, I think you can watch this and enjoy the fun and beauty Tautou brings to the screen..
Audrey Tautou stars in a so-so comedy.
If Amelie had not been released prior to Dieu est Grand, this film would not have had the same exposure...And it's no surprise.
The plot is simple though entertaining; a young girl (Tautou) searches for spirituality in religion and love.
Having gone through Catholicism, Buddhism, she meets a Jew (Edouard Baer) and falls in love for him and Judaism...
Well, I understood it like this, and I don't think religion plays a great part anyway.
It is just a pretext for funny scenes and as a way to show some depth to the character.Parts of the film are extremely funny, revolving around religion (misunderstandings...) and family troubles (Catherine Jacob as the mom is astounding as usual).
However the film drags a bit on the conversion to Judaism and loses the edge in the end completely.All in all, entertaining, light, but certainly not unforgettable...
People who loved Amelie (like myself) will like it for the wonderful Audrey Tautou: she makes the plot ticks by herself.
Not to forget Edouard Baer -a renowned and funny TV presenter (he hosts the French Oscar ceremony)- who is charming and credible when he could have overplayed his part easily!
Starts and Stops: A Movie Trying to Find A Story.
'Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite' is a little film by Pascale Bailly that spends a lot of time trying to tell a story in bits and pieces with numerous characters, interesting in and of themselves but confusing to the viewer, attempting to keep up with the breakneck speed of this French comedy.
The saving grace is the presence of Audrey Tautou and a few other actors whose screen magnetism holds our interest.Fresh from a breakup with a boyfriend Bertand (Mathieu Demy) top model Michèle (Tautou) is a wreck of a person flirting with all manner of religious outlets (Hindu, Buddhism, Catholicism, etc) trying to find something to make her crazy life make sense.
She encounters a veterinarian François (Edouard Baer) who is a secular Jew (non-practicing, closeted, etc) and not only does she fall immediately into bed with him (and a next morning attempted suicide!) she begins to stalk him trying to embrace Judaism - a fact that at first drives François away and then a little mad himself.
The manner in which Michèle and François study Judaism and all its graces and restrictions is (I think) the basis for the rest of the story: the filming technique of flashbacks and fragmentary moments and cutesy scribblings on pages are paced to confuse and make this simple story a maze to follow!
Along the way we meet some interesting types including Valérie (Julie Depardieu) who opens her door to her first psychology patient (Thierry Neuvic) and promptly falls in love with him; Ali (Atmen Kelif) who is Michèle's nutty fashion photographer and a number of others.
In the end this is a fun film in which it is a bit trying to connect all the dots!
Tautouology is concerned, on the contrary, with necessary repetitions, that is, with the annual recurrence of a species of elfin creature with large eyes, which once a year appears in films.
Certainly, the Tautou has been observed frequently in Paris, and it is thought that this rare creature may have some connection with the Paris catacombs, to which it may possibly retire at night (though this has never been reliably reported by a qualified observer).
This film, 'God Is Great but I Am Tiny', preserves valuable evidence on film of the behaviour of the Tautou.
This film was made immediately after 'Amelie', when the Tautou is estimated by science to have been 24 years of age.
In fact, it is believed by some that these infantilisms will never disappear, or at least many scientists hope not, and that the Tautou will still be a little girl when it reaches the age of 100 which is predicted for it.
In this film, a fine contribution is made by Edouard Baer, who delivers an excellent performance as a human, as do Julie Depardieu, Anna Koch, Atmen Kelif, and other humans who surround and interact with the Tautou in this excellent natural history film.
The direction of the film by Pascale Bailly is lively, if somewhat over-quirky at times, adopting very much a cinema verite approach (the references to Godard in the film did not go unnoticed by scientists).
The theological implications of this study of the religious behaviour of the Tautou, as it wavers in the film from religion to religion (Catholicism, Buddhism, Judaism, you name it), is thought to be a comment upon Heidegger's views of 'being and essence'.
Certainly the Tautou says at one point to Francois: 'You aren't Jewish enough.' The social interactions of the Tautou with the humans make this film fascinating to watch, as the Tautou shows extreme volatility, which the humans have trouble coping with.
The Tautou is liable to change religions in the same way that the Arctic hare goes from brown to white when the snow falls.
This film is of extreme importance to the discipline of Tautouology, and is recommended to all serious students of this rare mammal..
Reading the message boards and some of the reviews for this film, I was amused (and I confess, a bit surprised) at how few viewers seemed to grasp the point.
This is the sort of film that you have to think about while watching; it requires something on the part of the viewer.
Yes, Baer's character is irritating.
Tatou's "Michele" is a shallow, superficial fashion model in search of a "great cause" to identify with.
(Of course, we know that no top model was ever like that, don't we!) Her constant reading of self-help books and what I like to call "bathtub philosophy" (like bathtub gin, it is home made and of dubious quality) leads her on a "spiritual quest" in the modern sense of the buzzword that spirituality has become--the search for a feel-good factor that will make her feel better about herself, her decisions and her life.
Baer's "François" considers himself to be above all need for religion, heritage, even his own history.
And yet he is drawn into a relationship with the dysfunctional, needy Michele because neither one is happy with themselves and both hope to find someone to fill the gaping hole in their lives.I have known many people of this type personally...they wander from one idea, one philosophy, one country, career or "lifestyle" to another without ever really committing to anything.
That's why it says "To be continued" at the end of the film: these people will search forever, without ever seeing what's right in front of their noses.
When the lights come up at the end of the show of their lives, Death will take them totally by surprise.At first, I found the choppy editing annoying and confusing; it looks like a poorly made end-of-term project for film school.
This is one of those minor films that can grow on you with time, if you learn to see beyond the surface into the ideas behind the emotions.
Audrey will never be able to play the great and wonderful character of Amelie again.
Both movies have made me want to leave, but instead I end up staying to find out if her cute and adorable self ever comes out.
Maybe it's just because of the director and her awful choice of script is why this movie blows.
I just watched this movie and i felt i had to warn potential watchers : This is by no means a good movie.You may have been lured into seeing it because of Audrey Tautou of Amelie's fame.
It's about a whimsy girl who tries to get in touch with her spirituality.So she goes from one boyfriend to the other, and each time embraces the religion of his.
At some point she tries to embrace Judaism, and it's the only time the movie conveys any interesting idea.
The rest is as shallow and meaningless as the character portrayed by Audrey Tautou.
Her male counterpart, a somewhat nihilist but well educated man, portrayed by Edouard Baer really fits in his role, alas the way he tries to seduce again and again a girl which he has rejected twice is simply not believable.
How he could be interested by a person which apparently has no brain and exists only through other people's beliefs is beyond our comprehension.We can even sense some possible twists that could occur during certain scenes, but the director is in this case less smart than the viewers : she just misses completely what could have made an interesting movie.
After those ten minutes, the plot will simply not progress in spite of the various shallow characters thrown our way.So what can be said about a movie that brings nothing vaguely looking like character development, that conveys absolutely no message, that is not funny at all (ok, maybe i smiled twice), and portrays a girl with cuteness as her only selling point, to sum it all ?
I encourage you to stay away from this movie, and rather stay on the good impression you had when viewing Amélie.
For fans of the film AMELIE, despite starring Audrey Tautou, this film is NOT a reprise of this role, though you can't blame her for branching out to other type roles (and I certainly enjoyed her film HE LOVES ME).The film's sole focus is Tautou and her quest for spiritual fulfillment.
While this is initially entertaining, her character is so screwed up and self-involved that you really find her annoying over time---her relationship with her mom, her suicide attempt, her desire to become Jewish, etc.
So, the spiritual journey itself COULD have been an interesting plot element--but her character wasn't.
I think I would have liked the film if it had a more likable, less self-involved and shallow character.She's cute in this film too but also shallow and stupid.
As a result, her performance, over time, becomes a little bit annoying and trivial--so much so that the film becomes just a time-passer.Did I mention that she was shallow?.
Audrey is Charming, the Story is Not. As almost all the other reviews observe, this film is a disappointment, and for mostly the same reasons already mentioned.
First, I do not find Edouard Baer's a sympathetic character at all - he is very pushy and aggressive with Michele (Tautou's character) and it is a real turn-off from the beginning.
The age difference between them is obvious and awkward, as Tautou really plays the wide-eyed, ditsy innocent in this film, to Baer's often angry and inscrutable character, not made any clearer by the jump-cut style.
(Though I liked the cut and fade style a lot, in most places; it allowed the story to move steadily.) Second, while potentially a deep subject, the "religious quest" element is done in the air of a light romantic comedy, and this is at base slightly inappropriate and not carried off well.
Third, the most interesting relationships in the film are arguably those between Michele and her troubled family, where we might see some healing and emotional growth, but these are not well and clearly developed at all.
Michele has serious father issues, a primary source of her vulnerability which makes Baer's pursuit of her smack of exploitation and pedophilia.The above flaws in combination result in the impression that, though the work of a woman - Pascale Bailly - the film comes off slightly misogynistic.
Tautou's character is made fun of, and not redeemed by positive developments in the story.
Baer treats her like a child and is not disciplined by the story line for doing so; indeed, in the inconclusive ending we see him pushing himself on her again, with the hint that he will likely be allowed to succeed.
Tautou really shines and is a pleasure to watch, but basically no other element of the film works well.
Audrey Tautou offers a great quality performance but offers nothing original.
But the director of the movie appeared to be uninspired and trying too much to make something special out of the film.
Once you get into the story you are alright but the 100 braking up scenes and the annoying and cheeky characters lead the film to a ending that offers no satisfaction at all.
Audrey Tautou was just beginning to happen when she made this movie; she'd appeared in a good half dozen films of which the best by far was Tonie Marshall's Venus Beaute in which she got to play alongside Nathalie Baye, Mathilde Seigner and Micheline Presle where she couldn't help picking up some strong tips on technique.
So what of this; well, it's patchy, quirky and the director has an annoying habit of cutting to Black in the middle of a scene and sometimes coming back to it a few seconds later as if the film had run out and they couldn't afford another complete Take so they just carried on after they reloaded. |
tt0296915 | Valentín | The story takes place in 1969 and is told through the eyes of Valentín, an eight-year-old small cross-eyed boy (Noya) whose thick black-rimmed glasses sit heavily on his face. He lives with his grandmother (Maura) due to the divorce of his parents. He dreams of being an astronaut one day and intently follows the on-going space race between the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union. He no longer sees his Jewish mother, who was chased out of the family home by his imperious, dictator-like father (Agresti). He misses her badly but hardly remembers her. His anti-Semitic father only occasionally visits to his mother and son, preferring to live the life of an Argentine playboy.
Valentín is friends with his uncle Chiche (Jean Pierre Noher) and the piano teacher Rufo who lives across the street (Mex Urtizberea). Both talk to Valentín as if he were an adult, and it seems Valentín is wise beyond his years. His uncle takes him to mass and where a priest (Fabián Vena) talks about the death of an Argentinian doctor who was killed recently. He talks about Che Guevara as a man "who believed in an ideal, and who believed that injustice could be overcome. Please, don't leave here before you've asked yourselves, in all sincerity: Who of you would give, not his whole life, but a year or even just one day, for an ideal, the way that Che gave all he had?". Many in the audience walk out and Valentín comments: "But just like my uncle said, the priest couldn't change anything. Everything stayed the same".
Leticia (Julieta Cardinali), his father's latest romantic interest, pays a visit and both she and Valentin spend the day together going to the park, seeing a movie and sharing a meal. Valentín tells her personal things about his life and father. Due to Valentín's tales about his family, Leticia rethinks her relationship with his father and breaks up with him. His father is quite upset and blames Valentín.
One day Valentín realizes that his grandmother is ill but refuses to see a doctor. Valentín makes plans on how to get her to see Dr. Galaburri (Carlos Roffé). The plan he cooks up seems to work and she makes certain lifestyle changes. To thank the doctor, Valentín is thoughtful and buys a painting for Dr. Galaburri to display in his office. However, one day his grandmother passes away when she goes to the hospital and Valentin comes to stay with one of his friends from school.
One day a thoughtful man visits Valentín and gives him a shirt that his mother sent for him. They have a conversation about his mother and Valentín begins to understand why his mother has stayed away for such a long time. The film ends as he sets up a blind date between Leticia and his piano teacher Rufo. They all have a meal together and Valentín tells us he decided to become a writer and that Leticia and Rufo lived happily ever after. | allegory, comedy, boring | train | wikipedia | Valentin is one cute, smart-mouthed kid.
Valentin is the Amelie Poulin of the Latin younger set, and just as adorable as Kolya, the Cinema Paradiso kid, and the Life is Beautiful kid.
No one knows about it, but many would enjoy this very charming, warm-hearted movie, that reminds us of the innocence of our own youth and how we tried to decipher and improve the world in our own small way..
Hollywood filmmakers could learn plenty from this marvelous little film from Argentina.Rodrigo Noya is utterly charming and captivating as the title character, a 9-year-old boy who builds stuff for astronauts and whose attitude toward life and love is more adult than many of the adults in his life, including his father.Director Alejandro Agresti's script is clever, humorous and poignant, yet, never becomes maudlin.
A Hollywood film most likely would have milked that scene dry with a melodramatic score and character histrionics."Valentín" is a celebration of childhood innocence.
But it's also about how lessons learned as a young boy shape the adult man he is to become.
For instance, Valentin's scenes with Leticia are funny because of the way the two actors play the scenes so naturally, their dialogue and actions make perfect sense.
Or, listen to the conversation between Valentin and his neighbor when they discuss the neighbor's ex-girlfriend over a cup of tea.And the film's ending?
This is one of the very few movies I really love these past couple of years.
Rodrigo Noya's Valentin is such a smart, funny and sad 8 year old boy.
He's like the old lady who lives alone and says she doesn't mind being alone but asks you to stay a little longer because she's baked dozens of cookies which nobody will eat.
The adults around him all act selfishly, but it's so realistic because we all are self-centered beings, and children sometimes are just treated like things that happened to be there.
I love this movie so much I am recommending it to every people I know..
A Sweet, Cute and Delightful Tale of a Young Negotiator That Wanted to Be an Astronaut.
On 1969, in Argentina, the eight years old Valentin (Rodrigo Noya) is a boy that dreams to be an astronaut.
The smart, but needy kid missed his mother, and when his father introduces his new girlfriend Leticia (Julieta Cardinali), Valentin has a strong connection with her.
Meanwhile his grandmother gets sick, and the boy tries to resolve all his family problems using his persuasion and viewpoint of life.
"Valentine" is a sweet, cute and delightful tale of a young negotiator that wanted to be an astronaut.
I am not sure whether Rodrigo Noya is a great actor or not, but in this particular and peculiar role he is simply amazing.
This movie was one of the greatest good surprises for me and I really loved it.
The scene of Valentin negotiating with the doctor in the hospital to see his grandmother in the market is one of the most beautiful scenes I have ever seen in cinema.
Valentin is an eight year old who dreams of one day being an astronaut.
This is Valentin's world and like that other famous eight year old Lisa Simpson he's more wiser than they are.
It may not be that original but 'Valentin' is a very sweet and lovely film perfectly judged and satisfyingly told, and the conclusion will leave you moist-eyed.
Why is it so hard to find a movie like this?
I didn't suspect this movie to be good, because the dutch producer Laurens Geels produced it and I usually don't like his films.
The whole film has this brilliant feel-good-movie athmosphere...and you just don't want this film to end.
Rodrigo Noya is one of the most brilliant young actors among us, I was totally crazy about his character.
Great performance by young Rodrigo Noya..
Little Rodrigo Noya fulfills his task completely, carrying this movie all by himself.
He plays an 8-year-old boy, raised by his grandmother, surrounded by problems in his family he finds only himself capable of solving.Dutch Art Director Floris Vos performs great, creating the perfect setting for this film in '70 Argentina..
Valentin, the young boy living in the Buenos Aires of the sixties, is a kid that is more mature than what his tender age shows.
Yet, the grandmother is a loving woman that cares intensely for her little charge.
It's never clear what happened between the parents, but it appears Valentin's mother was abused by the womanizer husband.Alejandro Agresti's film, which he also wrote, was shown briefly in a commercial run here, but disappeared quickly, so we never got around to it.
It came as a total surprise when it was shown in one of the cable channels in its original version.The film is worth seeing because of Rodrigo Noya, the sweet Valentin of the film.
Valentin is the narrator of the story.
This young actor made an excellent contribution to the film without ever being bratty.
Our hearts go to the poor little boy that fate has abandoned and is even lonelier after the sudden death of the grandmother.Carmen Maura, as the grandmother, is a joy to watch.
Julieta Cardinali is seen briefly as Leticia, a beautiful blonde woman who Valentin would like to be his new mother, hoping his father will marry her.
When the relationship ends, Valentin is miserable, but Leticia, seeing the goodness and loneliness of the young boy stays by him.
wonderful film & ms carmen maura's performance transcendent.
firstly, this is a film rather than a movie; therefore, it appears that the objective is more to offer a discrete perspective to the viewer -- if one is interested in plots twists, car chases or other movie ' magic', it is perhaps advisable to look elsewherehowever, if one wishes to experiences what has to be universally fine acting -- especially by the always pitch-perfect ms carmen maura in a performance which may be surely described as Oscar-worthy -- a compelling study in inter- /intra-personal relationships and an opportunity to see the world differently after viewing : decease looking & enjoy what has become one of my favorite filmslacking experience or credentials in film criticism, i refrain from attempting to offer pretentious pseudo-critique; that being stated, just one of the aspects of the film i appreciated was a presentation of the heretofore little known personally topic of Argentinian jewryfurther, this film elicited empathy for ostensibly unsympathetic characters reminding one that ' walking a mile in the shoes ' of others is still perhaps the best way to understand them.
The child was brilliant...all performances were credible/believable...It was a realistic film in representing life and the simple joys and sorrows we all experience in one degree or another.
on the cd The interview from the director was also enlightening...on argentina, life love and more.
Anyhoo...enjoy...when a good hearted film is what your in the mood for..
Ususally I do not see a lot of movies from Argentina because they are, usually, very drama centered.
Here is a movie that can not only be enjoyed by the whole family, it is a true pleasure to watch.
Valentin goes highly recommended to everyone young and old.Actors, writers and directors did a job on this movie that can be compared with their highest counterparts anywhere in the world.
High mention also goes to the actress who played his grandmother and Rufo, the pianist neighbor as well as the girl who played his father's girlfriend and ends up with Rufo at the end.
Yes, the movie has drama but it has comedy, a great story and ends up in a very High note.
Great Kid Friendly International Movie.
Great Movie to watch with the kids and expose them to the world of International Film.
Movie about a kid being raised by his grandmother in the late 60's in Argentina and dreaming of being an Astronaut and meeting his mom some day.
If we are honest, like Valentin, we will realize that we are all just searching for love.
Valentin is just an average kid with his own quirks, looking for love and answers.
Although his movie is funny it also has some sad moments.
We need more movies like this!.
If you ever watched "The Wonder Years" and enjoyed the combination of youth and wisdom you will enjoy this movie, set in 1969.
Combining child p.o.v. with the hind-sight of adult understanding and narration (in a child's voice) the film achieves great realness.
Based on the real-life story of the director/writer, it's wonderfully nostalgic and yet powerfully cathartic.
Filmed in Argentina, it takes you on a trip to another time and place all the while telling the timeless tale of a child's unending capacity to love.
Valentin is the story of a 9 year old Argentinian boy who lives with his grandmother.
Valentin plays cupid and hopes that his father marries the young woman he becomes in love with and spends a day.
Valentin's father is played by the film's director and screenwriter.
The entire cast especially Valentin performed excellently in this film.
We heard that a girl looking for an honest man Romance.The child Valentín looking for Mama blonde and beautiful.!!?Something strange and wondrous....And nice to see the story written and give it the creative director Alejandro Agresti.Summit in creative fiction.
Left their son live with his grandfather the old Sympathize with the child in the first scene.After watching this movie I love watch movies from Argentina.Do not miss the viewMagician.
How kids like this can act so well?
I was a little surprised to see this film categorised as "comedy".
Must see movie of the year.
Director and writer Alejandro Agrestis' Valentin is a perfect jewel of a movie.
Right from the very start you are pulled into the ordinary yet extraordinary world of Valentin (an incredible performance by Rodrigo Noya).
As the story takes you along, you almost feel as if you are eavesdropping on his family life as he tries to make sense out of a world where "grown ups never tell the truth" .
He lives with his grandmother who is "always complaining about something" while he tries to find ways to assemble and make some sort of sense of his family life.
Valentin however also makes time for his own childhood dreams in many charming, funny moments as an aspiring astronaut.
We see the relationships of his dysfunctional family and how he always questions why, he simply wants to live a normal, happy life, isn't that how it's supposed to be?
Along the way he befriends a offbeat neighbor who likes to drink and attempt to play the piano, a girlfriend of his fathers, and a resourceful bit with a doctor.
The camera always takes its time, lingering on the story and the characters just long enough to pull you in and make you feel a part of it, this is the director at his best, a fabulous cast and crew, a from the heart story, and of course, Valentin....
Valentín is a young boy living in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his grandmother in a very simple home.
Throughout the movie we follow Valentín's life and go through all the struggles he goes through whilst being in the middle of a broken family whom he wishes could reunite and treat him right.
What I mean to say is that the different aspects of life in Argentina during the 60s, when the story took place, are quite accurate and very well displayed.
Moreover, being that Agresti was telling a story about his childhood, he was able to create a very personable story which speaks a large sum to the audience about a boy's day to day life back then.
This wonderful story is told through a very simple plot and has no need for extravagant Hollywood techniques as its simplicity makes it so much more personable, clever, and enjoyable..
Seeing the trailer for "Valentin" multiple times at my local art house theater in Oregon I was reminded of "The Courtship of Eddie's Father," an old American television series that starred Bill Bixby as widower father whose adorable seven-year-old son was determined to find a mother by marrying Dad off.Valentin, played by the cross-eyed eight-year-old Rodrigo Noya, is just as adorable as child actor Brandon Cruz was in the American show.
And like Eddie, Valentin has a colorful mother figure, a grandmother played by Carmen Maura.
-- as we watch him try to cement his Dad's engagement to Leticia, a new girlfriend played by the gorgeous Julieta Cardinali, this movie isn't the heartwarming comedy the trailer promises.
So be prepared for some dark moments as you watch Valentin fulfill his promise as a matchmaker.Nonetheless, this movie has its appeal, especially I imagine for Argentines who were children in 1969 Buenos Aires where the story is set.
In fact, the city often looks, well, just plain cute, as spotless vintage cars glide in and out of the background while actors dressed in the styles of the period go about their jobs.Watching the charming and nostalgic "Valentin", it's no wonder that director Agresti says in an interview on the movie's DVD that many Argentines of a certain age especially given the troubled times that befell the country in the 1970s and 1980s consider 1969 "the country's last good year." 7/10.
Appended to the fact that there is no plot and is merely one twee scene followed by another makes this a very disappointing experience.
Surely, we must evolve beyond the cute kid being cute kind of movie.
How about some realism rather than just aiming for the tear-jerking (or giggling hysterically, if you're me) moments of cute kid trying to survive in a world of ignorant adults.
Eight year old Valentín lives alone with his grandmother and is obsessed with being an astronaut.
His womanizing absent anti-Semitic father Vincent brings home beautiful young girlfriend Leticia.
Leticia is shocked by some of Valentin's innocent comments about his father and she breaks up with him.The cross-eyed kid is really cute.
I don't want to be too negative about any part of the movie because the kid is so adorably effective.
Valentin is about the most manipulative and cloyingly 'cute' movie that I have seen in a very long time.
If you feel that you can endure a cross-eyed, doe-eyed kid turning on the cute button to maximum for 95 minutes, then maybe it's the movie for you.
Not even Carmen Maura's fine performance as young Valentin's grandmother can save the film.
I loved this movie, and also, I love the music from the film.
Particularly the song Valentin is shout-singing when his Uncle arrives, and some of the songs that play in scenes with Leticia.Please and thank you!.
South American Amelie like movie.
I think it is the best feel good movie since Amelie.
A must see movie for everyone that likes Amelie..
Good movie.
Overall, this is a good movie, but just so..
I can't say I didn't enjoy the hilarious adventures of a young Argentinian boy who at times acted more like an adult than the 8 year-old child he was supposed to be.
At some point I only wanted this film to end.
The director uses sort of a "Cinema Paradiso" formula (and I didn't like that movie at all, even though it was revered at school).
But to me, just seeing Cinema Paradiso all over again is not my kind of movie outing..
Through the Eyes of a Precocious Little Boy. The world, as seen from the very adult eyes and precocious mind of Valentin, an 8-year old boy living with grandmother (Carmen Maura) while his father goes from girlfriend to girlfriend, can be a somewhat alienating place.
Especially when the grandmother constantly talks to herself and complains about everything around her and his father is barely there.
He's aware that his grandmother, despite her abrasive temper, loves him, but she's not a real mother to him.
His mother, as Valentin has been told, ran off with someone else and will not see him.
Valentin, despite being surrounded by negative energy, is quite resilient in the way not many children may be.
It's as if Agresti wanted to really focus in on this particular moment in time when everything seemed perfect...
All he wants is the love of a mother.VALENTIN boasts the presence of Carmen Maura, an Almodovar veteran.
She is not a one-note crusty old lady: one scene tells pages of who she is, who she was, and how deeply she misses the man of her life.
He is a man who no one wants to mess with because his temper is out the window, and later revelations from Leticia and a crucial character Valentin meets near the end of the film point at his abusive, possibly even psychotic nature.The young actor playing Valentin, however, is an inspired choice.
More so in a time when child actors tend to read their lines instead of actually feeling them, Rodrigo Noya, virtually a stand-in for Agresti himself, may not know the realities of acting at a technical level, but he plays his part with maturity, and his reactions never border on cute.
His rendition of Valentin is that of a boy who knows what he wants to be when he grows up, one who wants to solve people's problems and make things better (even when this may bring his into trouble), but one who isn't quite aware of people's prejudices as with the Anti-Semitism that pervades throughout some of the story's characters.It's a good move for Agresti to not move into explaining certain details of the plot's resolution.
(In this respect it pays to know Spanish and read between the lines.) Valentin's quest for a mother ends more than satisfying, and even when his destiny seems to be unclear, his omniscient narration leads the audience to understand that things will be better for him. |
tt0009645 | Sporting Life | As described in a film magazine, Lord Woodstock (Graves) is in financial difficulties and is counting on a fight and a race to reestablish his fortune. He has plighted his troth to Norah (Binney), daughter of his trainer Miles Cavanagh (Eldridge). His sister Kitty (Binney) is in love with Joe Lee (Richmond), a Gypsy. Malet de Carteret (Craig) and his wife Olive (Kershaw) are anxious to ruin Woodstock for their own gain. Olive attempts to fascinate Joe so that he will throw the fight as, under the rules of the Club, unless Woodstock can pay his debts after the fight he cannot race. Unable to arrange it any other way, Olive has Joe poisoned. Woodstock then goes into the ring himself and wins the fight. His horse Lady Love has been stolen, but Norah cleverly finds her and gets the horse to the track on time. Then Woodstock is seized, bound, and held on a ferry boat. In case of his death, the horse cannot run, and De Carteret claims that Woodstock is dead. Joe learns of the treachery of the de Carterets and risks his life to save Woodstock. Kitty, who had suffered under the hands of Olive, recovers sufficiently to see the race being won. When the police are taking Joe away because his attack against Olive that was necessary to free Kitty, she is told that the charge will never be pressed. In a charming fadeout two sisters become brides of Woodstock and Joe for a happy ending. | melodrama | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0039216 | Bowery Buckaroos | Louie is singing the song "Louie the Lout" about his days in the old west to the boys in the Sweet Shop. All of a sudden a man arrives on horseback and Louie hides from him in the back of the store. The man identifies himself as a sheriff of Hangman's Hollow, a town out west where Louie is wanted for a murder that took place 20 years before. The boys tell the sheriff they never heard of Louie and he leaves. Louie comes out of hiding and tells them the story of when he was a younger man and lived in Hangman's Hollow he and his partner, Pete Briggs, discovered gold. He then tells them that Pete was murdered by Blackjack McCoy and he was framed for the murder and fled to the city. He then shows them a map of where the gold is hidden...tattooed on his back.
The boys decide to go out west to clear Louie's name and help him give Pete's share to his daughter. They make a copy of the map on Sach's back and head west. They are ambushed by some Indians and Sach unwittingly shows the map to one of them. Indian Joe then heads back to town and alerts Blackjack that the boys are in town to clear Louie's name and claim the gold. Meanwhile, Gabe, who Slip sent ahead, has gotten into Blackjack's good graces with his card tricks and assists Slip and the boys.
Eventually the boys capture Blackjack and have him confess the murder to the sheriff, and just as everyone is about to collect the gold and live happily ever after, Slip hits Sach on the head waking him up. We learn that it was all Sach's dream. | murder | train | wikipedia | "Brains happens to be somethin' I am dissipated with.".
The eighth Bowery Boys film from Monogram has Louie the Sweet Shop owner wanted for murder from his days living out west.
Louie explains to the Bowery Boys how he was framed, which leads Slip and the others to decide to head out west to clear Louie's name.
There's cowboys and Indians and a treasure map in this one, as well as a twist ending that will either make you laugh or have you throwing something at the screen.Fun work from Bernard Gorcey as Louie in the beginning of the movie, including singing an adorable song called "Louie the Lout." The guest stars include Iron Eyes Cody, Russell Simpson, Minerva Urecal, and Julie Gibson.
The Boys themselves (Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Gabriel Dell, William Benedict, David Gorcey) are all good.
This is the last Bowery Boys film for Bobby Jordan, who had been with the team since their Dead End beginnings.
He grew tired of being a background player while Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall got the lion's share of the funny material (and profits).
After this he did mostly TV work for the rest of his career before dying of cirrhosis at the age of 42.
A sad end for an underrated talent.
Ironically, it was Jordan introducing the boys to Jan Grippo that got the Bowery Boys series started.
Grippo would act as producer on the first 23 Bowery Boys films.
Anyway, as Slip Mahoney would say, "trivial trigonometries aside" this is a fun entry in the series with the Boys doing their shtick in a different setting than New York..
The Bowery Boys Go West.
While Huntz Hall (as Horace Debussy "Sach" Jones) reads "Hair Trigger Western Yarns", sweet shop proprietor Bernard Gorcey (as Louie) sings "Louie, the Lout" to Bobby Jordan (as Bobby), William "Billy" Benedict (as Whitey), and David Gorcey (as Chuck).
Wrapped up in his western pulp stories, Mr. Hall daydreams about the days of "Cowboys & Indians", and "Louie" hints about a western past...
Suddenly, a sheriff enters the scene, on horseback; he claims "Louie, the Lout' is a WANTED outlaw.
Then, Bowery leader Leo Gorcey (as Slip Mahoney) arrives to find (his real-life father) the elder Gorcey hiding from the sheriff.
Gorcey takes "The Bowery Boys" out west, to solve the case of the falsely accused "Louie".The New York City group meet up with Cowboys and Native American Indians, in an old-fashioned western setting.
Bowery chum Gabriel Dell (as Gabe) arrives in the town ("Hangman's Hollow"), undercover as "The Klondike Kid", to help the "Bowery Buckaroos" clear "Louie" and locate a gold mine.
This is one of the cleverest movies in the "Bowery Boys" series.
Gorcey delivers some of his best "malaprops" (a nude baby picture is "Exhibition A"); and the rest of the cast is uniformly smooth.
The story is very nicely plotted, with Mr. Hall figuring prominently.
"Marshall" Minerva Urecal and "Indian" Iron Eyes Cody are terrific.
Regulars Bernard Gorcey and Gabriel Dell have good roles, too.And, this is the last appearance of Bobby Jordan, who was in the originally named "Dead End" (1937) group.
In the early 1940s, Mr. Jordan was featured much more prominently in these films - the stories were often about his character - but, as the comic antics of Gorcey and Hall took center stage, Jordan was derailed by both "Uncle Sam" and injury.
In "Bowery Buckaroos", Jordan leads the secondary "Bowery Boys" in making the most out of their supporting roles.
It's a shame the producers couldn't work Jordan into more stories, perhaps in spin-offs with Mr. Benedict's "Whitey" character (they have some good "bits" herein).
In future films, Jordan will be missed.******* Bowery Buckaroos (10/8/47) William Beaudine ~ Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan.
Clearing Louie The Lout.
The Bowery Boys go west in this film to clear the good name of their patron Louis Dombrowski owner of Louie's Sweet Shop where the kids hangout mainly because most of the time they have no gainful employment.Bernard Gorcey who played Louie in the series tells the kids he's got a past life out west when he was prospecting and his partner killed and Louie framed for the murder.
The past comes home when rustic western sheriff Russell Simpson comes east after searching twenty years for this varmint.Of course it's up to Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall and the rest of the gang to clear the elder Gorcey of this blot upon his name and restore the gold mine that Louie and his partner found to his daughter, Julie Gibson.The Bowery Boys are in their usual fish out of water element where Gorcey fractures the language trying to sound smart and Hall just plays it as dumb as he is.
Still fortune does smile upon them as they scrape through for yet another film in the series.
This one's pretty funny in spots.
Check out their third degree torture of head villain Norman Willis with an angry Brahma Bull..
Bowery Boys #8.
Bowery Buckaroos (1947) ** (out of 4) Eighth film in the Bowery Boys series has the boys heading out West where they must try and prove that Louie (Bernard Gorcey) was framed twenty-years earlier when some said he shot a man in the back.
Once out West the boys must pretend (once again) to be someone they're not and get to the truth.
Considering most comic duos or groups traveled out West at some point in their careers it should come as no shock that the Bowery Boys would eventually find themselves out there.
For the most part this is yet another harmless entry in the series and there are some nice laughs but in the end there's no question that there's no enough to carry the short 66-minutes.
I thought the film got off to a very good start with Bernard Gorcey really getting many laughs as he gets a tad bit more to do here than in some of the previous movies.
Him telling about the "map" on his back was very funny as was his opening song.
Speaking of songs, we get a later scene with the boys driving out West that is very funny as well.
Once we get to the West things start off pretty good with a spoof of Indian attacks but after this things slow down rather quickly.
I think the biggest problem is that the majority of the jokes simply aren't funny and instead of spoofing the genre the film just gives us one cliché after another.
I think had the film kept the spoofing up then it could have gotten a lot more laughs than what's actually here.
Leo and Huntz are their typical selves but we get some nice supporting performances by Minerva Urecal, Russell Simpson and Julie Gibson.
This here also marked the last entry for Bobby Jordan, which was a shame considering how good he was but it's understandable that he left considering how he wasn't given much to do..
Dead End Kids, Little Tough Guys, East Side Kids, Bowery Boys........
..........GET YOUR BREEDER'S Guide right here!
IT IS PERHAPS one of the greatest of contradictions in Film History that a very serious and socially conscious a Stage Play and resulting adaptation to the movie version of DEAD END should have sired, not a greater understanding of juvenile delinquency, but rather years and tears of comedy.
It doesn't matter what the name of the group (although the earlier movies were a little more serious than farcical), there was always a great resemblance to the rest of the other series films.
SO IT WAS that The Dead End Kids begot The Little Tough Guys, the East Side Kids Followed and the terminus of the family tree was the now grown-up, not kids or teens, but young men known as the Bowery Boys.
These have proved to be particularly durable and popular over the years.
There were four Bowery Boys movies released during this Baby Boomer's childhood in the 1950's and we saw many of them at either the Ogden or the Hi-Way theatres here o Chicago's Southside ("the Baddest Part of town") IN THE EARLY 1960's, the series came to television and we recall their being shown every Wednesday afternoon over ABC Channel 7, WBKB (now WLS).AS FOR THIS entry that we are reviewing today, BOWERY BUCKAROOS, we do remember it well from TV and have always considered it to be one of the best of the series; as ell as a favourite.
There are several reasons for such honors.
FIRST OF ALL, it is generally a rule of thumb that earlier entries in a series, be that TV or "B" movies, are usually the better and more meticulously crafted and more expensive looking installments.
This assertion is certainly evident in this 1947 production.
There are larger casts., more and varied sets & locations.FURTHERMORE, WHEN ONE views an earlier edition of the series, you have more of the original "Kids" from DEAD END in the cast.
BOWERY BUCKAROOS has the talents of both Bobby Jordan and Gabriel Dell in addition to the two featured players, Leo Gorcey (Slip) and Huntz Hall (Sach).
David Gorcey and Billy Benedict round out the cast.IN ADDITION TO the above mentioned reasons, this movie adds the elements of a dream sequence as well as a lively spoof of the Western "Cowboy" picture.
Although we really enjoyed most of the entries into this now venerable series and they did run the table in subjects to spoof (Jungle pictures, War pictures, Detective & Cops, Boxing & Wrestling, etc.), they never did it so well and enjoyably.IT WOULD BE a grave injustice to close out our dissertation without mentioning the movie's one very unique bit of musical contribution to the Bowery Boys series.
No Schultz, we're not talking about any of the incidental music (probably stock),nor the series latter day appropriation of "Hail, Hail The Gang's All Here" as its theme.
INSTEAD WE WANTED to draw one's attention to the opening solo performance of "Louie the Lout" as performed by the Sweet Shop proprietor.
Louie Dombrowski It's both entertaining and functional; as it adds to the story, provides us with some exposition and brings one to the threshold of being ready to be entertained.
That's precisely why we watch a Bowery Boys movie to begin with.AND FOR THOSE not already aware, Bernard Gorcey (Louie), veteran actor of the legitimate theater, was the real life father of real life brothers, Leo & David Gorcey; being Slip and Chuck respectively..
"Don't you know I'm in disguise.
I'm in magneto.".
I've been waiting for quite a while to have this flick make the rounds on Turner Classics, at least a couple of years since I bought the original theatrical poster for the film.
It shows Black Jack McCoy facing down Dead-Eye Dan McGurke (Leo Gorcey) and partner Sach (Huntz Hall with his trusty slingshot).
Until seeing the picture, I was at a loss to identify the actor who portrayed outlaw Black Jack McCoy since the actor's name isn't mentioned on the poster.
That's now been cleared up, it was Norman Willis.Well all the premier comedy teams seemed to have a Western adventure, so why not the Bowery Boys.
You had The Marx Brothers in 1940's "Go West", Laurel and Hardy in 1937's "Way Out West", and Abbott and Costello in 1942's "Ride 'em Cowboy".
Heck, even Bob Hope got into the act with a couple of 'Paleface' movies.
The set up here begins with Sach reading a copy of 'Hair Trigger Western Yarns' at Louie's Sweet Shop, or should I say, Louie the Lout's Sweet Shop.
Louie (Bernard Gorcey) proceeds to regale the boys with a story that occurred twenty years earlier in the New Mexico town of Hangman's Hollow where he was framed for the murder of a man named Pete Briggs.
He's even got a map of the Briggs gold mine tattooed on his back!
I got a kick out of the Indian ambush when the Bowery Boys finally arrive out West.
Leading the charge was Iron Eyes Cody as Indian Joe, and Big Chief Hi-Octane portrayed by Yakima Indian Chief Yowlachie.
Now if you're New York born and bred like I was, there's a whimsical take away one has when the Chief introduces the members of his tribe - White Eagle, Little Elk, Big Buffalo, White Rock, Three Feathers, and Big Moose.
You see, White Rock was the name of a regional soda company at the time, and Three Feathers was a locally available whiskey.
I wouldn't have been surprised if they were served up at the Plugged Dollar Saloon!Before it's all over, Dead-Eye Slip makes a yo-yo out of bad guy Black Jack McCoy facing down a Brahma bull, and recovers the gold mine for pretty Katherine Briggs (Julie Gibson).
But wouldn't you know it, and I usually get peeved at these kinds of endings but with the Bowery Boys it doesn't matter - it was all a dream!
Which might explain what I thought I heard Sach say at one point when he was a kidnap victim of the bad guys - captioning on my TV screen had him saying 'Bloody hell' !!!
If he did, that would have been one of the phenomenii of the picture..
The "Buck" stops here.
***SPOILERS*** Slip Sach and the rest of the Bowery Boys, Gabe Bobby Whitey & Chuck, go west to Hangman's Hollow New Mexico in order to clear their good friend sweet shop owner Louie Dombrowski of a murder he supposedly committed some 20 years ago.
It was back then that Louie known as "Louie the Lout" shot and killed his gold prospector partner Pete Briggs and took of with the map to Briggs' gold mine.Louie with his cover blown by Marshall Luke Barlow, who came to New York City to expedite him back to NM, tells Slip & Co. that it was saloon owner Black Jack McCoy who actually killed Briggs and framed him for it.
This had Louie living a double life all these twenty years since the Briggs' murder.
The boys run into a bit of trouble traveling to Hnagman's Hollow by being intercepted by a band of Indians lead by Oxford educated and former world class time opera singer Big Chief high-Octane.
It's Big Chief's partner Indian Joe who's in fact working for Black Jack McCoy who finds out that the Bowery Boys have the map, painted on Sach's back, that reveals where the Brigg gold mine is.
The only trouble is that by kidnapping Sach and dragging him, while tied to a horse s saddle, through a stream the map was completely obliterated making it next to impossible to locate the gold mine!
Unless Louie "the Lout" Dombrowski shows up with the original map that's tattooed on his back!Slip and the boys seem to really enjoy the great outdoors compared to the cramped city life that their used to living in the Bowery and take full advantage of it.
They also get to shoot the Black Jack Saloon up and have it out with Black Jack McCoy and his gang while at the same time locating the late Pete Briggs' daughter Kathy, who happens to be the adopted daughter of Marshall Luke Barlow, in order to get her share, all 100% of it, of her dad's lost gold mine; That's if the Bowery Boys can find it!***SPOILERS*** As for Black Jack McCoy he gets his comeuppances at the end of the film in being used like a yo-yo by Slip & Co. in a bullpen where he finally agrees to cry uncle and spill the beans about the murder of Pete Brigg that he in fact was responsible for.
The by far biggest surprise in the movie is saved for last proving to the audience as well as the Bowery Boys that all this about the great wild west gold mines and Oxford educated Indians was nothing but a pipe, Indian Pipe, dream!.
The Bowery Boys head west...into a time warp..
Slip and Sach grab the gravy train to head west to a not so peaceful studio back-lot where they strive to find treasure found on a map on the back of crotchety and cowardly Louis, aka "the lout", who appears to have a past that only cowhands and card- sharks of an old western town seem to know about.
They also strive to clear his name in a decades old murder.
It's too quiet for native New Yorkers like Slip and Sach to deal with, and they find their dealings with "traditional" native Americans and real live tough guys who don't need to crack wise or talk tough to really be tough.
Minerva Urecal is back, this time playing a tough talking female sheriff named Michael.
The ten years that have passed between their film debut in "Dead End" haven't been kind to their youth, and Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall haven't been lucky enough to remain looking like boys.
Leo Gorcey does get to "show his ineptitude" to Julie Gibson, the daughter of Louie's old partner who has believed him to be guilty of killing her father ever since she grew up.
It's pretty obvious who the real villains are and that Louie, as usual, will show up out of nowhere to save the day, even if it is by accident.
Not really one of the better episodes, but filled with enough idiotic sounding malapropisms to keep you smiling.
Only someone like Slip would be in disguise, telling the gang that he was as in "magnido". |
tt0071338 | Cockfighter | Helen Brent (Claire Trevor) has just received a Reno divorce in Nevada. That night, she discovers one of her neighbors, Laury Palmer, and Palmer's gentleman caller both murdered in Palmer's home. The killer is Palmer's other boyfriend, Sam Wilde (Lawrence Tierney), an insanely jealous man who won't abide anyone "cutting in" on him.
Helen says nothing to the police; she's leaving town and doesn't want to be impeded. She runs into Sam and is instantly attracted to his self-confidence and brutality, but she is engaged to marry a wealthy boyfriend, Fred (Phillip Terry). Sam wants to call on her in San Francisco. He arrives there and meets Georgia Staples (Audrey Long), Helen's foster sister, also rich. Sam soon shifts his attentions to her, marrying the sister for her money after a whirlwind romance. Neither Helen's engagement nor Sam's marriage is an impediment to their beginning an affair.
Meanwhile, back in Reno, the owner of the boarding house where Helen lived has hired a mercenary, verse-quoting detective, Albert Arnett (Walter Slezak), to find out who killed Laury. The detective follows Sam's friend, Marty (Elisha Cook Jr.), to San Francisco, where he soon begins to make blackmailing overtures to Helen. Marty finds out who hired the detective and attempts to kill her, but Sam thinks he's trying to cut in on his action and kills Marty.
Fred is troubled by the resulting police investigation, as well as by Helen's increasingly heartless demeanor. He calls off their engagement. Sam and Helen face off in a fatal confrontation as their schemes begin unraveling, with Sam fatally shooting Helen before he is slain by police. | violence, cult | train | wikipedia | "Cockfighter" is one of a number of collaborations between Monte Hellman and Warren Oates, with a brilliant, austere script written by Charles Willeford (also author of the book) and equally simple yet elegant cinematography by Nestor Alemendros, D.P. of Malick's "Badlands" and "Days of Heaven".This film really captures an emerging respect and relationship between Hellman and Oates, who barely utters a word through the whole film.
Like "The Shooting", "Ride in the Whirlwind" and "Two-lane Blacktop", Hellman turns to Oates for a unique and character-driven performance.
Oates' stoicism really carries the feel of the film, with very honest performances from supporting actors Harry Dean Stanton, Richard B.
Oates' Frank Mansfield is the true subject of the film, who, from the beginning, is a broken man on a mission, willing to keep going against the odds for his small piece of redemption.
While there are distinctly beautiful and poignant images of cockfighting (animal lovers beware), it's pace and personality are more like that of an "art film".
As a huge fan of Hellman and Oates, especially Cockfighter, my opinion is that the marketing of the film and it's outer "cover" (literally and figuratively) were designed to get it seen at any cost.
I think it's one of the most extraordinary movies of the decade, and further proof that Monte Hellman is one of the most underrated directors of all time.
Hellman, like many other film makers, got his first big break working for Roger Corman, directing 'Beast From Haunted Cave' in the 1950s.
Aside from that can of worms 'Cockfighter' features a superb performance from Warren Oates, one of his very best ever, so if you are an Oates fan you MUST try and see this movie!
Hellman and Oates worked on four movies altogether, and the supporting cast also includes Harry Dean Stanton and Millie Perkins, who had three Hellman movies apiece, and Laurie Bird who co-starred in 'Two-Lane Blacktop'.
On top of that you have some strong performances by a whole bunch of character actors like Warren Finnerty ('Cool Hand Luke'), Ed Begley Jr, Steve Railsback (in one of my favourite scenes) and - one of the biggest surprises - Troy Donahue, who has a memorable cameo as Oates alcoholic brother.
'Cockfighter's explicit fight sequences will repel most people but if you persevere you'll witness some brilliant acting, especially from Warren Oates.
There is no spoon-feeding here.Just re-released for sale on tape (and DVD), this film is now available again for those who like to watch a movie that honestly takes you someplace that few of us have ever been.
Warren Oates plays a character who lives by a moral code much like the people in the pulp westerns and detective stories -- a man's honor is shown by his actions, and his willingness to see his convictions through to whatever end may come.
Cockfighter, another Roger Corman/Monte Hellman collaboration, explores the popular but mostly illegal "sport" of cockfighting (it is banned in 48 states).
Based on a novel by Charles Willeford, the film contains one of Warren Oates' best performances as Frank Mansfield, a trainer of prize cockfighters.
Filmed in actual outdoor arenas in Georgia (cockfighting was legal in Georgia) by cinematographer Nestor Almenderos (Days of Heaven, Kramer Vs. Kramer), the crowds at the matches consist of real fans and people who have participated in this brutal spectacle, giving the film a documentary look and feel.In Cockfighter, we are privy to a world that none of us will probably ever see or ever want to see, a world where roosters are bred and trained to engage in a deadly battle with other birds for the benefit of gamblers and spectators.
I personally had to turn away from the screen on several occasions.As the film begins, Frank has lost a match with his friendly adversary Jack (Harry Dean Stanton) and has to give up his truck, mobile home, and his girlfriend Dodo (Laurie Bird).
Although Oates says only a few words during the film, his facial expressions and hand gestures leave little doubt about what he is thinking and feeling.
I am one of the few people who managed to see this in the UK, because it was banned, an understandable if incorrect decision, as the film does not glamorise the unpleasant "sport" of cock fighting.
Neither is it really the subject of the film, it just happens to be the driver of the obsessions of the central character played by Warren Oates, and what a completely mesmeric compelling portrait he gives!
A terrific character study with a performance by the late-great Warren Oates that consumes the screen.The kind of film most people don`t have the attention span for anymore....and that`s a shame.
I love how he manages to convey so much without speaking (those who haven't seen the film - Oates barely speaks in this film).Monte Hellman...does a good job, but this is not his best work.
There are some amazing moments in this, though, and the cockfighting footage is insane (and I'm sure this film didn't qualify for the "no animals were harmed..." tag, which wasn't in use then anyway, but you get the point).And I love what Hellman does in the love scene by the lake between Frank and his girl.
This movie actually made me want to go to a cockfight, so, I mean, yeah.COCKFIGHTER...a must-see for Oates/Hellman fans.
This is the definitive movie on rooster fights, and it features a great performance by Warren Oates.
Here the director films in perfect slow motion a real cockfight and you see the intelligent strategic way roosters fight.
All the praise for the actual movie has already been said here, I just wanted to emphasize that in fact one of the best parts of this movie is that its probably the only place you'll ever see one any film cockfighting with any respect for whats actually going on.
This movie has truly inspired me to become a cockfighter at the caliber of Harry Dean Stanton's character.
This Roger Corman produced movie about the dubious sport of cockfighting probably occupies similar ground to Cannibal Holocaust in a way.
They both exploit animal violence for their goals but those goals stretch beyond mere schlocky entertainment (and I have to say that CH is no more hypocritical than the people who condemn it and then chow down on burgers).True there are actual cockfighting scenes in the movie and real animals were harmed and killed and the fights themselves are presented in a very grim way, so animal lovers are advised to stay away.
But Cockfighter is also a Monte Hellman movie and not content with wadding its way through schlock.
It's similar in many ways to his masterpiece Two-Lane Blacktop in that it is an understated character study disguised as something else (in Blacktop's case a road movie, here a movie about cockfighting), introvert and contemplative without any pretense and stripped of all fat.Warren Oates almost totally silent performance is great, relying on glances and gestures and understated enough to suck you in his character's tormented psyche like a Lon Chaney of 70's hardboiled cinema.
The puzzling ending is another example of this and I think the movie is better off because of it.Newcomers to Hellman's movies might wanna start elsewhere and work their way to Cockfighter.
PETA and the ASPCA must really gnash their teeth over this movie.The script is terse, due mostly to the fact that Frank Mansfield (Warren Oates) has taken a vow of silence until he wins the 'Cockfighter of the Year' medal handed out by some caricature of a southern Senator.
But the story flows, would you really expect any Roger Corman-produced movie to get too bogged down, and largely because you're never more than twenty minutes away from another bloody cockfight.Warren Oates is really feeling his...
None of the other actors are really given a chance to make an impression.Ultimately I only watched 'Cockfighter' to see where it fits into the Rednexploitation genre, movies such as 'Moonrunners' or 'Walking Tall.' I'd say it's near the top of that heap and it's moderately enjoyable as a slice of life and for Oates' acting, but really if cockfights are one of those traditional forms of entertainment replaced by the Gameboy then I'm not so sure it was a bad trade..
He's one of the great character actors from the 1970s and 1980s, and he has good chemistry here with Harry Dean Stanton.Piece of trivia: The videostore guy told me that Hellman rented rooms to hold the cockfights but neglected to tell hotel management about it..
Roger Corman intended to direct the film himself at first, but then decided to hire Monte Hellman instead who turned the film's questionable subject matter into bloody work of art.
The slow motion scenes of fighting cocks might seem cool (and definitely cruel), but these are not there just for style but to emphasize the brutality and cruelty of the so called sport.
'Cockfighter' is not your usual sports film (cockfighting is not very usual sport either) but rather deep character study.The movie follows the story of silent anti-hero Frank Mansfield, professional cockfighter and trainer who vowed to stay silent after his loud mouth lost him the Cockfighter of the Year award, and caused the death of his pride fighting rooster.
Warren Oates gives brilliant performance as a man who is so obsessed in this cruel sport that he is almost incapable for normal human feelings and relationships.
It is hard to sympathize with Frank, but it is easy to feel for him on his quest back to the top of the sport and losing people (and his soul) around him.Thanks to the portrayal of animal cruelty 'Cockfighter' might not be very suitable for faint hearted, but still it is a magnificently powerful and intense film with masterful performances.
The Roger Corman produced, Monte Hellman directed Cockfighter is a film -if made today- that would be sure to enrage PETA and the SPCA.
Bloody cock fights aside, the story is the age old sports film formula where the protagonist loses it all before he learns something about himself as he rebuilds from within to become the best.
If Hellman wasn't behind the lens I'd be OK with Cockfighter being a mere exploitation film, but because he is I expected more.
But unless you're trying to convince the world that grindhouse is an important and relevant film movement, then you'll see Cockfighter for what it really is: a mediocre film that squanders the talents of Warren Oates, Harry Dean Stanton and most notably, Monte Hellman.http://eattheblinds.blogspot.com/.
'Cockfighter' didn't get much love upon it's release and it hasn't gathered it till today probably because it is not an easy watch, mainly because the back story is about cockfights (like the title assumes), and they are pretty gruesome scenes (especially if animal cruelty is something you can't tolerate, and especially if you are very fond of cocks).
Though 'Cockfighter' is about cockfights, its main focus is on Frank Mansfield (Warren Oates in one of his best roles), and his struggles to get back into the top game and mainly his inner conflicts - he loves and as it seems, he hates the bloody sport.
Warren Oates manages to show so much and create such a deep and disturbed character mainly with silence (Frank Mansfield decided to stop talking after his big mouth got him into big troubles).
Superb performance by Oates, supported by great cast, Monte Hellman's subtle direction mixed with Charles Willeford's sharp script and minimalistic, but effective cinematography, 'Cockfighter' is heartbreaking, heartwarming and disgusting at the same time..
In the face of this, Hellman chose his chief collaborators wisely i.e. leading-man Warren Oates (this was possibly the beloved character actor's very best role) and cinematographer Nestor Almendros (who captures the mainly rustic locales via warm hues but, at the same time, an unsentimental veracity); also notable in this regard is the jaunty/wistful score by one Michael Franks.The narrative deals with the titular sport which, deemed the most violent, had been rendered illegal in most American states; watching the film, one realizes just how many enthusiasts it has and, though the events are set in the South, in the Commentary it is inferred that the practice of cockfighting is spread wide across the country!
In a typically quirky touch, here Oates does not speak a line of dialogue throughout until the very last moments of the film – having 'shot his mouth off' and subsequently lost a bet as well as his chance to win a prestigious medal, he vows to remain silent for as long as it takes him to be named "Cockfighter Of The Year"!
The supporting cast, then, includes faces familiar from Hellman's previous efforts (Laurie Bird, Millie Perkins and Harry Dean Stanton), as well as past-his-prime heart-throb Troy Donahue and newcomers Ed Begley Jr. and Steve Railsback.The DVD extras also include the theatrical trailer, TV and radio spots, where the film's "naked" look at competitiveness is likened to that of the classic pool-hall expose' THE HUSTLER (1961); of course, parallels can also be drawn with TWO-LANE BLACKTOP itself, which involves drag-racing, not to mention THE GREATEST (1977), the biopic of boxing champ Muhammad Ali which Hellman completed after the premature death of original director Tom Gries!
That said, Hellman employs several devices in order to garner audience interest in the proceedings: Oates' intermittent narration explaining the breeding process of the cocks themselves, the preparation that goes into these matches, and the extensive gambling that is the ultimate raison d'être of it all; the viciousness of the fighting is amplified (indeed rendered almost unwatchable at times) both by the spikes that are tied to the cock's heels – causing blood to spurt onto the shoes of their handlers, anticipating the graphic bouts in Martin Scorsese's boxing drama RAGING BULL (1980) – and the occasional use of slow-motion; and also the sheer diversity of venues in which these contests are organized (ranging from arenas to private barns and even hotel rooms, where the film also displays a welcome sense of irony with the takings of the night being instantly 'lost' in a hold-up!).
Monte Hellman is probably one of the most subtly brilliant and profound American movie directors who ever lived, but definitely also the most underrated and shamefully overlooked one.
It's basically a repulsive topic, and also one of the main reasons why the film was a tremendous box office flop at the time, but only through actually making the effort of watching "Cockfighter", you will notice the film does not primarily handles about animal cruelty and clandestine sports.
He frequently collaborated with Monte Hellman, like also in "Two-Lane Blacktop" and "The Shooting", and delivered some of his best work.
Here in this film he also receives excellent support from respectable B-movie actors such as Harry Dean Stanton, Steve Railsback Ed Begley Jr. and even Troy Donahue.
One gets into the underworld of cockfighting (still legal then, in some US states) with characters, situations and fates that are as close to real life as one could imagine.Speechless Warren Oates radiates as an unlikely hero, dominating the scene with Hellman's complicity.
This is his only film i've seen so far; here he connects his narrative to the character, the actor (who apparently starred in many of his other movies).
If you watch this film you may be led to believe, like i did, that some of it was bureaucratic work Almendros had to do to narrate the boring character Hellman proposes, but other moments are shining and worth watching.
Warren Oates/Monte Hellman gem.
Warren Oates anchors this violent exploitation film, in a rare true leading role with his frequent collaborator Monte Hellman ("Two-Lane Blacktop").
The story is fairly routine, I suppose, considering that this is the only cockfighting movie I've heard of -- Oates plays Frank Mansfield, a man so obsessed with winning an award for the cockfighter of the year in America that he takes a vow of silence until he achieves it.
Harry Dean Stanton plays Jack, his major rival in the ring of battle, who embarrasses the glib Frank to the point where he takes the vow.I think that this is going to be a "love it or hate it" movie, because first of all the violent cockfighting is not faked, and it is shown in close detail and slow motion.
The very first scenes of the movie I knew I was going to like it, because here's the great Oates driving a dirty old RV and rolling his own smokes.
Maybe fear a little, this isn't a Disney film.Warren Oates seems to be continuously excellent the more of his work I get to watch, and sure enough he gets the {sports metaphor involving a net or a run or a goal which means he's great}.
Everyone turns out great performances; The Oates seems to blend into the chicken scene expertly.
Warren Oates gives one of the most curious performances of the American cinema of the 1970s, not just of his career, with Cockfighter.
He's always on the move for the next fight, and when he loses, sometimes by boasting and getting drunk, he just gets right back up with his expression of "well, let's just do this" see-sawing between true determination and respectable glee.There's not many movies that feature cockfighting, and perhaps there is good reason: it is, in fact, illegal in nearly all (if not just all) of the US, it would be difficult to put on today without, of course, animal control people on the set.
But the goal of Monte Hellman's film is to take an eye on this hick-centric environment, with people cast who likely had never been in a movie but, more than likely, handled their share of chickens in their lifetimes.
There's even some slow-motion in one of the scenes where Frank's bird loses.It comes about as close as could be ever allowed for visual poetry with these fighting fowl, and this is to Hellman's credit. |
tt0076295 | The Last House on Dead End Street | Terry Hawkins (Watkins) has just been released after spending a year in state prison on drug charges. He expresses interest in filmmaking, and claims to have previously made stag films that he was unable to sell. Terry believes audiences want "something more," so he decides to make snuff films.
After choosing a large abandoned college as the setting of his film, Terry secures financing from an unsuspecting film company run by a gay film executive named Steve Randall. Terry rounds up a group of women and men— some of them amateur filmmakers— who are willing to help make his film. Among them are filmmaker Bill Drexel; untrained actresses Kathy and her friend Patricia; and Ken, one of Terry's longtime acquaintances. For their first scene, Patricia and Kathy, wearing translucent plastic masks, lure a blind man to the building. There, Terry, donning a Zardoz mask, strangles the man to death while Bill films the murder.
At a party that night, pornography director Jim Palmer is waiting anxiously for the gathering to end; his wife Nancy, done up in blackface, is whipped repeatedly in front of party guests as part of a sex game. Jim privately complains to Steve that people's tastes are becoming "hard to satisfy."
The following day, Terry seeks out Nancy, arriving at her house and introducing himself as a mutual friend of Ken's; Nancy has appeared in some of Jim's stag films with Ken, and is also a close friend of Steve's. At her house, Terry and Nancy have sex, and he shows her the footage of the blind man's murder in an attempt to convince her to ask Jim if he'll invest in the picture. She is shocked by how realistic the footage looks; Terry confesses that it is in fact real, and rapes her.
The next morning, Terry calls Steve and asks him to stop by the building to visit the film set. He also inquires about a young actress named Suzie Knowles for a part in his movie. Steve arrives that night, and is confronted by Terry and his crew inside the building, all of them wearing masks. Steve is knocked unconscious, and awakens to find himself tied up alongside Nancy and Suzie. Terry and his crew brand Suzie across her chest with a hot iron before Terry slashes her throat.
The following morning, Terry goes to meet Jim at his office and kidnaps him. At the building, Terry and his crew beat Jim to death while Bill again films the crime. After killing Jim, they take an unconscious Nancy and tie her to a large dining table. She awakens to Bill filming her, while Terry uses a hacksaw to dismember her legs before they eviscerate her with gardening shears.
That night, Terry and his crew confront Steve with the corpse of the blind man they killed earlier, and welcome him "back to the edge." Steve flees through the building, where he is confronted in the basement by Terry, who tackles him to the ground. Bill emerges from a dark corridor with his camera while Kathy and Patricia taunt Steve. Patricia removes her mask and takes off her blouse, exposing her breasts. She then unbuttons her pants, revealing a dismembered goat hoof she has held between her legs, which Terry forces Steve to fellate. Steve escapes, but is cornered in a room, where a row of spotlights suddenly light up. Terry and his crew, armed with a power drill, approach Steve, plunging the drill bit through his eye socket, killing him. One by one, they slowly back away from Steve's body and disappear into the darkness.
As the film fades out, a voiceover informs that Terry, Bill, Ken, Patricia, and Kathy were apprehended and are in a state penitentiary. | cruelty, murder, cult, violence, psychedelic, revenge, sadist | train | wikipedia | Although it is now apparent that the across-the-board use of pseudonyms was an attempt by a distributor to "steal" the movie, for a long time it simply was not known who was responsible for this film (in actuality, a director named Roger Watkins wrote, produced, directed and starred in this movie).
This is partly because of the heavy cuts leaving huge and bizarre holes in the narrative; partly because of the strange sound track, lighting and empty sets; partly because of the fact the film was clearly rushed; and partly because of the surreal "story line", if it could be even called that...This is a genuine cinematic curiosity and I think that any self-respecting horror fan would be missing out by not checking it.
When the true filmmakers discover what happened, they kidnap both the thieving director, the distributor, and their respective wives for an evening of torture and humilation back at their wharehouse hideout, all of it to be captured on tape for another "snuff" film.Sure this is disgusting with all manner of nasty acts committed by sleazy characters.
This film about snuff directors is actually designed to look like a snuff film itself, with credits that consist entirely of pseudonyms, grainy handheld camera work, and even a movie box that is tailored to look homemade.
LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET uses this idea to create its horror, most of which is genuine, but it's also hard to call entertainment at the same time.Terry Hawkins, a drug dealer, is just out of prison.
There's also some S&M, softcore sex, real footage of cows having their throats cut in a slaughterhouse (gross!), and really bad "adults only" footage.DEAD END STREET was obviously made to cash in on the success of LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, which is a much superior film.
It is doubtful that any movie could live up to the hype surrounding this movie, but in spite of the reputation that precedes it, it still manages to jar the viewer with it's no-holds-barred approach and the atmosphere of vindictiveness that pervades it.Director Roger Watkins, a film student at the time, set out to make this movie as "Cuckoo Clocks Of Hell" in 1972, after which the film was all but lost until it was edited and released under it's present title in 1977.
Even at 77 minutes, it's a little long as the story is undeniably thin and the acting amateurish, although Watkins own portrayal of Terry Hawkins is suitably unhinged.This film has become legendary due to it's uncertain history and allegations that it was a genuine 'snuff' movie.
As for the 'snuff' claims, clearly they were made by people who were unfamiliar with the actual content of the film, as no snuff film in history would come with a background story about a guy getting out of prison, rounding up a cast and crew and finding financial backers to pay for the production of his movie.
The conceit of the movie - that the easiest way to make the footage look genuine is to kill people for real - plays like an extremely sick joke.This has the look of an arty student film, and although the film stock used was fairly poor and some scenes are badly lit, this only enhances the menacing atmosphere of this insidious movie.
I don't easily get grossed out by a movie, but I had to turn from the screen once during the totally twisted surgery scene.The film looks like it was way overexposed so don't even try to get a copy that looks perfect, it was simply made that way.
From what I can tell this was originally some kind of student project film, hence the ultra low-budget, stupid dialogue (really it's stupid the characters sometimes don't even finish their sentences), shot-on-video title effects, short running time, small (and I mean SMALL) distribution, and the fact that all names associated with the picture are pseudonyms.
But I wouldn't trade one frame of LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET's surviving 78 minutes for all of the SAWs, HOSTELs, WOLF CREEKs and other trendy junk horror breakfast cereal movies that owe their very core & fiber to Watkins' film.
Those are entertainments for people numbed by five years of the War on Terror who want to *FEEL* something again when watching a movie -- After seeing 3,000+ people die live on TV, it's kind of hard to get worked up over any one person's fate, lest they be sliced in half while still alive to watch it happen to themselves.Mr. Watkins had the same inklings in 1972 after seven years of carnage on the daily news courtesy of the Vietnam War, and his film is just as painful, wounding, confrontational, raw, unapologetic and disturbingly brilliant as it was then, even if the original 172 minute version called THE CUCKOO CLOCKS OF HELL is lost to all eternity.
The film is shot on an ultra-thin budget and it shows, but this time it actually helps the film as it appears much like the underground snuff movies that it attempts to imitate.
The plot is resoundingly thin and simply follows a deranged young man who gets out of prison and decides to repay his debt to society with movie-making - only he's not making feel good movies, as he uses his film stock to shoot footage of people being brutally murdered!
It's fair to say that the death scenes aren't all that realistic, and it's always clear that this is nothing but a movie - but the masses of gore are delightful and it's good that director Roger Michael Watkins wasn't happy to have all of his victims killed in similar ways.
We are treated to a woman with black face beaten with a whip to entertain guests at a party, The strangest use of a severed deer hoof of all time, a rather nasty dismemberment/operation scene, and hand held camera work that fits into the 'snuff' idea quite nicely.Sure it was made with a budget of $64.97 by someone who was wired out of his mind, but that just adds to overall tone of it in a very good way.If you are a fan of the strange, ex flicks, or even just horror in general you should no doubt check this one out...if you haven't already.
Terry Hawkins is out of prison and he desperately needs some money.Tired of making porno movies for a small group of wealthy perverts,he decides to make snuff films("I wanna make some films,really weird films").He enlists his old porno cameraman and a couple of girls-Nancy and Suzie-in anticipation of his next project.Then he abducts his backers and films their graphic torture and death."Last House on Dead End Street" is one of the most notorious horror films ever made.The general misanthropy displayed throughout the film is simply overwhelming.There are some scenes of sheer sadism and depravity,especially the torture of a young woman(Janet Sorley)on a table by her surgical masked captors.Both her legs are sawn off above the knee while she is kept conscious with smelling salts.Then she is cut open and disembowelled using a pair of wire-cutters,her entrails being held a lot for all to admire.My copy runs 77 minutes,but I'm not sure if my version is the uncut one:some people claim the operation scene has the woman being disembowelled,but the disembowelling takes place in the first two minutes of the film,and the torture scene late in the film fades to black as the killer starts to cut in to the sheets-I doubt they would repeat the same gore sequence twice...Lots of people hate this film,personally I loved it and would recommend it to any fans of cool trashy exploitation cinema of the seventies.To be honest,it's not very gory film,but the pure nastiness of the murders will certainly shock you!.
LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET, a topnotch exploitation title, is the best thing about this film.Originally titled THE CUCKOO CLOCKS OF HELL, one of the most evocative titles I've heard, this was reworked, reshot here and there and refurbished by director Roger Watkins (aka Richard Mahler aka Victor Janos).Watkins' porno flick with Jaime Gillis, MIDNIGHT HEAT, is a much better, more accomplished thriller than this.The first ten minutes set a grim, nihilistic tone as Watkins' snuff filmmaker character is introduced outside an abandoned college.
It's a low budget exercise, but it's simply inept for the most part and the climactic "snuff" footage is plain silly.There's a little gore here and there and some ugly fornicating, but the endless scenes of losers talking produce boredom and the main character's one-dimensional ranting wears very thin.Barrel's DVD features some terrific extra material about director Watkins that is more interesting than his film.I will hold onto my Venezuelan dupe as the film seemed seedier on crap tape..
This is the kind of film I wish I could have watched at the Old Times Square theatres or at a mid-night movie house like 'The Elgin'..
What makes it disturbing is the fact that the atmosphere is so true to life, bringing out that "this could actually happen" theme that so few movies try to achieve, but end up blowing.In other words, I liked this movie.Oh yeah, the director of this movie is not Victor Janos.
THE LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET is the "story" of Terry Hawkins (Director, Roger Watkins), who is so embittered by having been incarcerated, that he sets out on the ultimate, sadistic, misanthropic plot for revenge.
In 1972, Roger Watkins filmed this macabre picture about a disgruntled ex-con named Terry Hawkins who decides to kidnap four people and, with the help of his "crew" of movie makers, film their murders inside an abandoned building-turned makeshift studio.
Originally running at almost three hours long, the film was re-titled numerous times and the original cut became a lost film, leaving us with the 78 minute "Last House on Dead End Street" as we know it today.Quite frankly, this is maybe the most nihilistic film I have ever seen.
They decide to exact revenge by making him and his associates the stars of their next movie.Shot on a shoestring budget, The Last House on Dead End Street is a poorly made 'grindhouse' shocker that has gained much notoriety through the years due to its mysterious origins (the cast and crew all used pseudonyms) and controversial subject matter.
With grainy, washed-out visuals, bad dubbing and shaky camera-work, the film achieves a genuinely seedy quality that is befitting of its iffy themes, but even with its convincing atmosphere, exploitative subject matter and and some nasty scenes of gore, I found the whole affair rather disappointing.The first half of the movie is incredibly dull, and a real test of endurance: with some ponderous scenes more akin to an art-house movie than an exploitation film, The Last House on Dead End Street meanders from one dull, badly directed scene to another for what seems like an eternity, before finally delivering the yuck-factor that most viewers have been waiting for.When Terry and his gang of sick reprobates finally mutilate and kill their three victims for the benefit of the camera, the movie lives up to its notorious reputation as one sick little puppy.
Written, directed, produced and staring Roger Watkins (he used the pseudonym Victor Janos for this title), in 1973, but not released until later - he had only previously (and subsequently) made porn movies, Last House on Dead End Street is a gruelling piece of cinema.
The version i have contains the infamous (amongst people who know about this film) and totally sick twisted and brilliant surgery/amputation without anaesthetic scene and all the other nasty gore stuff its from a malaysian tape and its supposed to be the only uncut print available if you can find this version with a GOOD picture quality (i bought three prints of this version from 3 different companies before i found a good copy) then get it cos the only way to enjoy and appreciate this film is to see it how it was meant to be seen its surreal, weird sometimes a little boring but its a terrifying sick twisted trip into the minds of sadistic people Victor Janos has made a gem of a movie out of nothing, and while the acting or the effects arent oscar material, damn this film doesnt disappoint gorehounds or fans of psychological thrillers (i like both) like i said get the uncut print, i dont know how much more footage is missing from the other prints aside from the surgery thing but thats worth trawling the net for alone it has to be seen to be believed.9/10.
this was a cool movie the acting and the scenes were great it makes me mad when fans of crap like scream and i know what you did last summer make fun of it i bet this film combined on a bill with street trash would make them run baack to their mommies crying like little babies but to make a long story short cult movies rule they have and always will long live films redneck zombies driller killer night of the living dead i drink your blood and the countless other cult films that also kick ass kudos to russ meyer for pretty much starting the idead of b movies to the world oh yea cult films rule.
When people have become used to and complacent with the normal sex acts and even S&M is becoming run-of-the- mill then what's the next big thing(?) To some extent, this is still evident today on the internet, so this notion and opinion are still viable today, especially when you get psychopaths posting animal cruelty videos online.Hawkins is also a pretty good director and though it feels like it's been shot on a hand-held 8mm there are some good camera angles and iconic shots which also add strength to the movie.
The cheap gore effects also look pretty real if you have no idea how effects work, to this day some (badly informed) people still claim this is an actual snuff film.
"The Last House on Dead End Street", the brainchild of writer / director / star Roger Watkins, is the kind of utterly potent trash flick that one respects & admires even if they don't quite enjoy it.
Bad. Last House on Dead End Street (1972) * 1/2 (out of 4) Infamous and notorious horror film that most people have only heard about instead of seen.
My very reason for searching for Roger Michael Watkins' "The Last House On Dead End Street" of 1977 was its reputation as a shocking exploitation classic.
A cult favorite to some of my fellow exploitation fans, "The Last House On Dead End Street" is doubtlessly very disturbing, but apart from its shocking, ultra-violent content and disturbing premise, the film has little to offer.
This is a film that every true lover of exploitation cinema should see, no doubt, but, in my opinion, it is far away from being an exploitation masterpiece.Roger Michael Watkins (who serves as producer, writer, director and leading man) plays Terry Hawkins, a demented criminal, who, after being released from prison, plans to make snuff films...
There are some films that simply should never get made; Last House on Dead End Street is definitely one of them, for many reasons.
The Last House on Dead End Street (1977) could have been a classic exploitation film if they took a different approach to the story.
I can't say that I fall fully into the latter category, but I definitely feel that DEAD END STREET is a must-see for all TRUE exploitation film fans...The plot revolves around Terry, a recently released convict, looking to break into the film business by making something a little "different", namely - snuff films.
Also the gore scenes (though obviously done on the cheap...) are strong and effective.LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET is a powerful film for what it is.
The Last House on Dead End Street starts as Terry Hawkins (editor, writer, producer & director Roger Michael Watkins as Steven Morrison) is released from a New York State penitentiary after serving a year for the possession & sale of dangerous drugs, he is somewhat bitter & twisted at having the last year of his life taken away & decides to do something for which he will be remembered.
Kaiser, directed as Victor Janos by & starring Roger Michael Watkins The Last House on Dead End Street is about as notorious as they come but thanks to the wonder of DVD you can make your own mind up whether it lives up to that notorious reputation because it's no longer a problem to see as it has had uncut special editions released both in the US & Europe.
I can't remember seeing another film like it & I'm sure The Last House on Dead End Street will be very tough for a lot of people to sit through, it deals with porn, snuff film making & a bunch of sadistic degenerates so if this type of thing sounds appealing & you have the stomach then give it a go, for those with more conservative tastes stay as far from this as possible as it will offend, upset & disturb you.
Personally I thought it was great & it's as simple & straight forward as that.Director Watkins does what he can I suppose but while most would call The Last House on Dead End Street amateurish & badly made it is for this reason alone that it had such impact, the whole thing really does look like a homemade film with scratchy, jerky, grainy photography & considering the sleazy & seedy subject matter in context it works absolutely brilliantly.
The acting varies but for the most part it's surprisingly effective.The Last House on Dead End Street certainly isn't for everyone that's for sure, but for exploitation fans this is an absolute must. |
tt0118951 | Decampitated | After doing business with a strange travel agent, a group of teenagers, Vince, Candace, Paige, Garret, Toby, April and Roger, head out for a cabin in the Colorado woods. They accidentally crash their car while driving to the cabin, so, while the rest of the group set up the camping equipment, Vince leaves to attempt to locate the cabin. He instead finds the residence of a transvestite, Jake. Jake takes Vince captive. Meanwhile, Garret tells the group of the legend of psycho killer Miles DeCamp, and later that night, Toby's throat is slit. He survives after the group cover his wounds with duct tape, but the next day, the murderer attacks April, hacking off her arm, and impales Roger.
The survivors walk to Jake's residence. While they are there, Jake is attacked by being shot with an arrow. The rest of the group escape to the cabin, along the way finding April, who has survived the attack by sewing her arm back on. Next, Roger, who survived his impalement, shows up. The next morning, Toby's head is torn off, and the killer turns out to be Miles, who is also the strange travel agent the group met earlier in the film. Miles is about to kill Vince when he is shot by Jake, who has survived the arrow. | murder | train | wikipedia | I think they're dumb ugly films and have never seen the appeal.
For that reason I wasn't exactly the demographic for this going in.Here we see Troma do a spoof of your traditional slasher flick.
We have a group of 20 somethings go camping in the forest, a mixed bag of your traditional stereotypes and they fall foul of serial killer.To the films credit the killer is fairly interesting, a jovial fellow who skips along and uses all manner of weapons to dispose of his prey.
Alike every other Troma movie it looks ugly, it sounds dreadful and for every good joke there are a dozen more that simply aren't funny.Troma just isn't my thing, never has been and likely never will.
It's dumb fun, without the fun.The Good:Has a few laughsThe Bad:Looks like crapSounds like an early VHSMostly unfunny nonsenseThings I Learnt From This Movie:When caught in a bear trap use your machete on your leg instead of the trap.
This movie should be called: Good Uses For Duct Tape!.
Much better than slasher comedies like Scary Movie, and all that crap.
We got the stupidest campers in the world in this film...The "kills" in this movie are really funny, film also has some blood.
I know this is Troma, and I know the DVD cover...don't be tempted it includes NO NUDITY.
These guys did an ingenious job on this film, I cant wait for their next movie.
These guys did good directing for this movie, I am sure the budget was low but this is as good as any 60 million dollar budgeted film, believe me.
If you are a fan of Troma and their releases, you will love this!!A group of youngsters try to go on a nice and lovely camping trip somewhere in the woods, but the killer - dressed like a beekeeper - is waiting for them...
Doesn`t sound like a brilliant new idea, but when you see the killer dancing through the woods, ripping an ear off a girl with a fishing rod, you will be laughing your head off.
Of course this is a low-budget (or almost no-budget) production, but I don`t think someone expects "Gladiator II" from Troma.
So people, invite some of your friends and enjoy a 90 min movie filled with jokes, splatter, a transvestite and other things you would NEVER expect from Troma.Enjoy.
Evil Dead meets Scary Movie.
Let me start by saying that I almost certainly would not have seen this film if I hadn't been working in the US with one of the actors involved (Mike Hart).The opening scene sets the tone for the whole movie - it is very obvious that the film was made with it's tongue very firmly lodged in it's cheek!I loved the almost Airplane level of silliness (the bear traps in the above-mentioned scene, the psychopath clad in fisherman's waders and bee-keeping mask) and found the whole thing to be well packaged and fun, especially considering the evident small budget..
Very cool and funny, and it's refreshing to see a movie with modern young people that aren't the boring characters from scream and IKWYDLS.
Advertised as a horror film on the box, but I was lucky enough to see a trailer earlier so I knew what to expect when I bought this.
I do love low budget movies, but this one is just awful.
And not in the `good' awful sense that is usually accustomed to low budget movies.
The story, a bunch of not too bright kids get the great idea of going camping.
Usually I enjoy the humor of Troma, but this one is just awful.
No great ideas for the plot, no mindgrabbing gorie effects (there is a high amount of blood though), no good jokes.no nothing really.
It's pretty much just a waste of time, and for Troma a waste of money.
Of course, no true Troma fan should miss it.
Enjoyable, Goofy, Fun, From Troma.
The opening scene in Decampitated, features a young lady, running from our lovable madman, as she VERY slowly meets a gruesome, yet hilarious end, she sure had some bad luck.
Few people really die in Decampitated, characters' loose limbs, and spill enough blood worthy of a Mel Gibson epic, yet do not die.If you enjoyed classic Troma films like Terror Firmer, Tromeo And Juliet, Tales From The Crapper, etc.
I love it personally, but you have to enjoy gross out humor, mixed with comedic gore, and wacky characters'.
My only complaint, is that the movie runs a little to long, with extended scenes of nothing, that could have been edited down to make a more compact film..
What can I say about Troma and Decampitated?
You think it's a horror flick, but needed it is another Troma rip-off.
The writing is BAD, some of the jokes are funny but then it gets old quickly, and the killer, concealed by a bee screen, can actually be seen!
unless you like cheap-worthless comedy..
This movie is one of the best I've seen in a long time.
It almost beats every slasher/comedy I've seen up to date.The opening seen is the best thing with the whole movie I loved it!If you liked Scary Movie and Scary Video you will like this!.
oh my...!!!THIS FILM SUCKS!!!!!!!Not funny, boring, idiot, incoherent, dumb ass,bad,bad ,bad,bad, uff!
Honestly, this flick is a back stab in Troma's back,and i like Troma very much, in memorable films like : "Toxic Avenger", "Tromeo and Julliet" and the one and only "Terror Firmer"!!"Decampitated" is a mix "Parker Lewis",cheap blood and the worst and terrible humor that i have the pleasure too see!!!If you like this movie, i can also recommend bad and horrible movies like this one:"Cannibal!
As good as a non-Kaufman Troma could possibly be.
A fast-paced farce that makes Scary Movie look like Date Movie.
Decampitated is about seven friends who don't seem to like, or even know each other very well, nonetheless, they decide to go camping together, although they know nothing about the activity.
The happy campers decide to camp as planned then get the car fixed, but we soon discover, there's a killer in the woods, but luckily, there's seven campers, that's more than enough to fight off the killer, especially if they all stick together, right?
When a horror-spoof, courtesy of Troma, comes off more like something from Nickelodeon, but still manages to kick ass, you know you've got a winner on your hands.
Perhaps the flat-out best Troma movie on the planet, that wasn't directed by Lloyd Kaufman.
Decampitated is gory, self-parodying, constantly entertaining, and, of course, hilarious.
Also, you'll never realize how useful duct tape actually is until you see this movie.
Excellent mockery of the slasher in the woods movies..
The actors were quite good at acting goofy and even though there is a fair bit of blood and gore this isn't scary or even tries to be.
The music is an odd affair with all kinds of music being played especially that stupid music that plays when the killer appears half way through the movie.
This movie was a joy to watch from beginning to end which just goes to show that the Troma crew really know how to make a cool wacky movie on a budget.
Ha who needs Scary Movie!
I love this movie and I love Troma....
These last months I got to see a couple of Troma films, apart from Toxie 1, which I had seen in 2002.
Some of the definite classics (Troma wars, Class of nuke'em high) and some of the so-called 'worst' (Nymphoid barbarian from dinosaur hell, Surf Nazis must die) are some of them.
Me being both a serious-film fan but also b-movie/splatter/weird/extreme enthousiast, Troma stuff has to be one of the most original and ahead of it's time entertainment flicks, often not without some political incorrect meanings & provocations.
This small independent film is everything a low-budget-in-the-woods-slasher-spoof/evil-dead-clone would ever want to be!
Words fail to describe the genuine feeling of pure fun this film can offer to the open minded!
I dare to say that this is a step (or two) above the usual Troma comedy standard, for it's amazing pace, sense of humour and its fair acting.
Sure you don't expect "rock-star" attitude from people working on such a film, but it's always nice to see the "artist" break the barriers of the medium and the film industry ethics by coming closer to the audience.Respect.
Thank God for the "Friday The 13th" movies!
Cunningham and Friends show you all these dump mistakes of the bigger movies, but they know it.
DECAMPITATED makes fun of itself.And the blood looks good, and the rhythm is fast..
This movie totally just snuck right up into my favorite Troma list without a doubt.
A great comedy/horror spoof directed by Matt Cunningham.
The opening scene was great and I enjoyed the good laugh.
The use of duct tape in this film was hilarious.
I almost want to know how much duct tape was used in this film just for chips 'n giggles.
This film had that good ole Troma style to it but in a different way then usual Troma films do.
I think it was actually better done then most Troma films in my collection.
The acting was great which is a plus for Troma..even though this was a total spoof movie.
Definitely pick this movie up if you come across it.
I know its a rare one out there on the Troma market but if you see it, pick it up.
I look forward to seeing more film by Mr. Cunningham..
Everyone in it is young and good-looking (again, Martwick is the standout) and the gore is campy and creative.
It tries to be really bad on purpose, but instead comes off forced and never generates no it's so bad, it's good laughs.
This time around a group of kids camping out run afoul of a murderer and a male cross dresser who has a crush on one of them.
Troma camp.
Troma Entertainment has a rich history of sex, violence and plenty of laughs.
Lloyd and Herz had a sharp eye for silly new directors which brings me to the centerpiece of this review: 'Decampitated', a delicious piece of old school horror/comedy.Matt Cunningham (Mangler Reborn) is responsible for this hilarious late 90's camp.
Decampitated grabs the essentials of the campy slasher and shakes it around a bit, the outcome is stupidity at its finest.It becomes clear from the very first moment that Matt has something in store for us.
It starts off with a rather funny and ridiculous parody on the stereotypical chase scene in the woods involving some hard to miss bear traps.
It is shown with some crazy wide angle lens shots and the impressive amount of self- mockery makes it a joyful and fresh start to a true love it or hate it slasher.The film tends to get really awkward at some points.
Everything about 'Decampitated' feels like a cartoon.
It has a classic and a very handy main story, young people who are camping in the woods.
But despite this, it's a totally unique film.Seven young people plan to go camping for the weekend.
You have never seen more cruel murders than those in Decampitated - at least not executed to the swinging big band jazz.The actors are really worthless, which is just charming.
The Forest creature gets ahead with its Indian-jump, and kill young people to background music of punk bands like H2O and big band jazz.
I found the jazz music very appropriate, to really show the stupid viewers that the is a comedy.
Not a bad horror film made by a bunch of serious movie makers.
A splatter-comedy.I'm a big fan of this wonderful genre called splatter.
It also appears on each movie marathon, all tend to love it even though the room is always full of people with varied film tastes.So...did you like Peter Jackson's cult classic Bad Taste?
Therefore, you also have to see this film which proves the fact that VIDEO VIOLENCE actually is hilarious.
First of all, don't expect a scary film.
This is not a spoof, or a take on any one horror film and Troma had nothing to do with this film except to buy it once it was done and distribute it.
If you take all of the 80's horror films and took out all the seriousness, this is what you are left with.
The opening scene sets the pace for the film, it is a fast paced, campy comedy about some teens who are reluctant participants of a camping trip to DeCamp Acres.
You find yourself asking, "Why are these guys camping together, they can't stand each other!" Filled with EXTREME OVER-ACTING (on-purpose), this really rips on the whole horror genre trying to take themselves to seriously.
Trust me, if you know what to expect going into this film, you won't be disappointed!
This movie is great.
This movie is great.
For the kind of horror comedy spoof it is.
It is a common subject for a horror spoof, camping the woods and stuff.
It was a wonderful and great experience and fun to be apart of this film.
I would consider myself a pretty big horror movie buff.
I love black comedy horror, gore films, teen slashers and whatever else you wish to throw at me.
One day, my Troma loving brother-in-law got this new film in the mail - Decampitated.
It looked like it may be scary, so I agreed to watch it with him.
It was not scary, but at the same time, I found myself walking away from the film with a big smile on my face.
Campy as hell, but the film was good.
The clever uses of Duck Tape, the weed wacker and prancing killer, was a clever film that almost made you turn the machine off - it was so silly.
I think I have seen it 10 times now (which is pretty good, let me tell you) and I will place it in the oh so hard to get into club of "Good Troma Movies" (Standing along the sides of Tromeo and Juliet and Terror Firmer) Good job guys!.
EVERYONE involved did a great job and the end result is a hilarious spoof!
Don't expect to be scared, this is not a typical horror film, but there is plenty of blood and effects to enjoy.
The only way to watch this is with an open mind, and you just want to be entertained.
As a Troma film, the production values are low.
Even then, Troma films are fun in some way.
This however was obnoxious rather than funny.The acting was awful, I know it is a Troma film but they usually have hammy but fun performances.
The actors in this film were annoying and I ended up wishing the characters were killed off sooner.Awful cartoonish sound effects are added to scenes in a poor attempt to make them seem funny.
Films like Scream which made fun of slashers, not only applied the rules of the genre but also defied them and became a welcome addition to the slasher sub-genre.
This film however, just takes the log cabin concept and stupid teens but does nothing with it.
Scream and even Club Dread had a sense of logic to their universes (mostly) but this film seems the filmmakers are trying too hard to gain laughs.
Also, considering we only see the killer in one scene before the reveal, there is no shock when the audience discovers who it is (besides who else was it going to be?
Watch if you enjoy terrible films but avoid like the plague if these kind of movies are painful to you.
The Troma introduction to the DVD says that this film was made for $15,000.
I'm not sure about that, since the duct tape and fake blood budget line items must have been pretty high, but it's probably close.***MINOR SPOILERS**** Anybody who enjoyed seeing Moe's head glued to a board, or nails pounded into Larry's hand, or a crowbar inserted into Curly's nose will immediately recognize this movie.
Of course, the slasher has his own problems: he had a hand cut off and had to reattach it with staples and duct tape.The acting is just what you'd expect for such a goofy movie.
The FX are actually pretty good...about on a level with those military training movies that show fake wounds and how to provide first aid.
Some of the editing and the jump cuts are a bit rough, but they're acceptable.All in all, this is a lot better than your typical "shot on video which is a good thing because it's going straight to video" horror flick.
Definitely a better-than-average Troma flick.Recommended for people who like this sort of thing.
Troma`s "Friday"-parody with a dancing (!) killer...
Welcome to the typical Troma-production: awful acting, silly humor, cheesy F/X...
This semi-professional slasher-movie is no exclusion: maybe the young and amateurish protagonists had a lot of fun while shooting this, but the fun does not communicate on the watcher!
I´m definitely no fan of those dumb "Friday"-movies, but at the latest after 15 minutes I started to miss Jason!
Check out "Bad Taste", "Flesheater" or even "The Dead Next Door" for some great no budget-shots, and if you really want to see some recommended flicks produced by Troma try to find "Mother´s Day", "The Toxic Avenger - Part 1" or "Maniac Nurses find Extasy", but avoid this one at all costs!!
The point is that they're all stupid, and we get to kind of have fun letting them be stupid and run around the woods.
Yeah...I don't know, I think a few things in this were pretty creative, mostly the different type of stuff the killer did and the whole side-story involving the transvestite.
Also, the whole duct tape thing was a great motif.I actually think the funniest and most interesting part of the movie was the credits, though. |
tt0323013 | Lakshya | Karan Shergill (Hrithik Roshan) is a young man from Delhi who has no goal or for his future. His father (Boman Irani) is a businessman and his brother is a successful individual living in America. His girlfriend, Romila Dutta/Romi (Preity Zinta), a student activist and reporter who espouses fashionable causes out of well-meaning sincerity, tells him he needs to find a goal in life. When a friend announces he is going to join the Indian Army, Karan applies to the Indian Military Academy (IMA) as well, despite dissent from his parents.
Karan gets selected into the IMA, although his friend backs out. However, he is undisciplined and unused to life there. He keeps receiving punishments from the training team. Upset, he runs away from the academy, which causes Romi to break up with him. Karan finally comes to terms with his situation and makes his decision. He returns to the IMA, takes his punishment, becomes a focused, disciplined officer cadet and eventually commissions into the Indian Army. Karan is posted to the 3rd battalion of the Punjab Regiment, commanded by Col. Sunil Damle (Amitabh Bachchan). The battalion is stationed in Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir. Karan comes home on leave and finds out that Romi is getting engaged, but is recalled to his battalion due to an outbreak of hostilities in Kargil, and his leave is cut short.
He reports back to his battalion, where he is promoted to the rank of acting Captain. His battalion CO briefs the officers on the latest situation. He reveals that a number of infiltrators have crossed the Line of Control from Pakistan and currently occupy a series of mountain peaks on the Indian side of the border. The battalion has been assigned to secure Point 5179, a crucial vantage point dominating the army's main supply line, the National Highway 1D. The northern side of the mountain is on the Pakistani side of the LoC, the western side has a 1000-foot vertical rock cliff and the southern side has 3 km of empty ground with no cover. Therefore, the battalion decides to attack from the eastern side of the mountain. The first part of the assault is successful. The battalion destroys the enemy's screening units with Karan cited for his bravery in saving another officer's life. Meanwhile, Romi gets stationed to Kargil as a war correspondent, where she meets a changed Karan.
Romi breaks off her engagement and tries to renew her relationship with Karan amidst the war. In the second phase of the assault, the battalion attacks the peak of the mountain but fails to capture it due to the strategic advantage and heavy weaponry the Pakistanis have. The unit suffers heavy casualties. Brigadier Puri (Amrish Puri) summons Col. Damle and gives him 48 hours to capture the peak – after that time period, responsibility for Point 5179 will be given to another battalion. Col. Damle then orders a group of 12 officers and soldiers (including Karan) to scale the 1000-foot rock cliff on the western side of the mountain and flank the enemy stronghold. They will be provided with artillery support from the eastern side. Karan realises that he has finally found his goal in the form of capturing the peak.
The unit sets off on their mission and while moving through a grass field toward the rock cliff, they come under fire. The unit discovers a Pakistani mortar unit in the field and destroys it, but loses their commanding officer and a number of other soldiers. The team's radios are also destroyed, so they cannot communicate with battalion HQ. Out of the initial 12, only 6 remain. They decide to continue with the mission. They successfully scale the cliff and attack the Pakistani position during the night. Their assault is successful although Karan is wounded, and the team loses 3 more men. The next morning, Karan limps to the peak, where he plants the Indian flag and fires a flare, signalling to Col. Damle that they captured the peak.
The film ends with Karan leaving a military hospital and reuniting with his parents and Romi. | flashback, cult, historical fiction | train | wikipedia | The promos were slick and the music sounded good.But when i read the box-office report on this movie i was surprised at the lukewarm response this movie got because i thought this movie would be a runaway hit.However what can people like us do when such gifted film-makers like Farhan Akhtar are discouraged because their movies don't spoon-feed facts to the audience.But all said and done,This is among my personal favourites and i'm giving it a 10/10.2004 has produced some mature and intelligent movies like Lakshya,Yuva,Hum Tum,Swades etc and i'm happy that film-makers are growing up.This movie inspired me a lot and has played a role in me realising the truth that we should always have an aim in life because a life without an aim is like a body minus the soul.+ points-Acting,Music(Background),Sound,Story,Tight Screenplay,Inspiring,Photography,Cinematography(nicely shot) -points-Length,Slow Pace,2nd half songs..
Karan Shergill played by Hrithik Roshan (a very sincere actor) is like any other person who wants to know what he wants to be.
Garbage like Veer Zaara (Stunning locales, beautiful people, and amazing music, but overall POOR in terms of content) and Kal Ho Na Ho are lapped up by audiences, but Yuva and Lakshya are rejected completely.
It would'nt be inappropriate at all to comment that this film in one way points out at today's indecisive youth who are not clear about what they are going to do of their lives, and change their focus every now and then.The story is about Karan (Hrithik Roshan) who is very talented but utterly confused about his future.
The ending is predictable but yet you would love to watch it.The movie is yet another masterpiece from Farhan Akhtar,the Director after the tremendous success of "Dil Chahta Hai".
Lakshya is a very well made war, coming of age movie, which can compete with anything from the west.I personally, feel it ends two debates, other than the fact that it establishes Hrithik as the ultra star-great actor mould (la Kamal Hassan),a) Farhan Akhtar is the talent to watch for, A Mani Ratnam in the making for Hindi Cinemab) Prabhu Deva can hand over mantel of the best ever dancer on screen to Hrithik Roshan (you have to see to believe what happens on the screen in the song "Main Asia kyun hoon", which Prabhu Deva himself has choreographed).Just go and enjoy, this wonderful clean entertainer, which has great music and cinematography to complement the performances from the actors, and the skillful direction of Farhan AkhtarBadri.
Farhan Akhtar has done it again, after his first movie Dil Chahta Hai.Hrithik Roshan's character grows up from being a confused young lad to a man with a mission.
I feel it should be judged relative to Indian cinema in general, although it could even compare favorably with various Hollywood hits.I thought the director, composers and cast did a very good job, and hope this film becomes a benchmark for future Bollywood creations to be measured against..
One is Farhan Akthar who can(i hope) rise the film making standards of bollywood to international standardsAnother one is Hrithik Roshan.He is an superb perfect actor in a making He is growing as an actor by every film.
I think he will become my all time fav actor of bollywood after om puri n amir khan.The most difficult thing which was attempted in this movie was shootin war scenes at night n "the scenes were pretty authentic" In technical aspects the movie is benchmark for bollywood i would rate 8.5/10.
When your first film is 'Dil Chahta Hai' a movie that not only clicks with Urban audiences all over India, redefines cool amongst the aspiring yuppie crowd and stylistically influences the Chopras, Johars and other filmmakers in terms of what GenNext wears and does, there are going to be huge expectations from your second effort.Director Farhan Akhtar does not disappoint with Lakshya, the story of an urbanite Delhi slacker named Karan Shergill (Hrithik Roshan) who's just graduated from college and is still not sure what he wants to be when he grows up.
It is at this point that the father-son pair of Javed & Farhan Akhtar make things interesting by weaving the fictional story of Karan together with an actual piece of 20th Century Indian Army history.Fans of 'Dil Chahta Hai' may be surprised at how less light-hearted the tone of the movie is especially in the second half where it strays into the realm of pure action.
Amitabh Bachchan makes a memorable appearance as Karan's superior officer who leads our protagonist to a final, tangible Lakshya (aim/goal/target).
The music by Shankar-Ehsan-Loy suits the tone of the movie, and Farhan wisely limits the number of songs to carefully selected arenas.
He does however recognize that in Hrithik Roshan he has the most gifted dancer in Bollywood and in the song 'Main Aisa Kyon Hoon' he lets his star cut loose in a wonderfully choreographed piece by Prabhu Deva.
Hrithik delivers his best performance to date in Lakshya (I thought he was over the top in Koi...Mil Gaya) and manages to capture the initial confusion and eventual determination of Karan wonderfully.
Finally when Karan reunites with Romi after years of army service and points out to her with sincerity "This is my Lakshya", you believe in the conviction of this young man.
This it truly Hrithik's movie all the way and for once his theatrics outshine his foot skills.Lakshya is mainstream Bollywood cinema with a difference.
The action/drama quotient has been upped in favor of humor which was a smart decision considering how sensitive and serious the final act is.In a final note, some people have commented that the factual incident weaved into the storyline & Javed Akhtar's remarks on the matter means that 'Lakshya' is an Anti-Pakistan film.
it was really a treat to watch Indian moviedom coming out of age with the hands of farhan akhtar.....the total style of the shooting is quite unfamiliar to that of contemporary bollywood.....with a few discrepancies and slack shots the movies altogether fares quite well in a year infested with insipid and redundant flop flicks....the scene where hrihtik calls his dad and bids him goodbye is a real gutsy one.....the shots on the high altitudes of ley and ladakh needed grim determination and apt technical expertise.....also the part of the movie before the interval has a quite sublime flow in it which keeps you fixed to your seat......
Karan is a laid back guy who prefers to live life as it comes, day by day and suddenly everything changes after he decides to go into Military after one of his friends think of going on army.
When i first saw the music video for the song where Hrithik is in college, i didn't think the movie would be that good.
The music fit perfectly, I have never heard Indian music like this before, this is something new for Bollywood, a lot different than A.R Rehman's style.Shanker, Eashan and Loy produces great music, Dil Chata Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho and now Lakshya!
After seeing liking Dil Chahta Hai and Don I wanted to see other films by Farhan Akhtar.
The coming of age of an aimless young man (Karan played by Hritik Roshan) was shown quite well in this film.
Hrithik Roshan (brilliantly) plays the role of a young man, and unlike most Hindi movies a young man everyone can relate to as he is not someone from a different world.
this is the story of that young man Karan Shergil, and even though war takes the center stage for the better part of the movie.
Farhan Akhtar's direction is crisp and precise, the cinematography of the movie stands out, so does a couple of dance sequences.
Preity Zinta has tried to look like Barkha Dutta and she is OK, Om Puri is impressive in his little cameo, but i feel he was underused, Amitabh Bachchan is there just to add some extra star power.
But this is a Hrithik Roshan movie from start to finish, and he manages to pull out the performance of his life.
The Production is good but I am dismayed to the fact that the Indian Producers are not adept at portraying the battle scenes-they all sound like dejavue from the previous movies like "LOC".
My romance with Farhan Akhtar's Lakshya started in 2004, when I saw the flick for the first time at a Delhi cinema theater.
The film's protagonist Karan Shergill (Hrithik Roshan) is a rich, aimless, laid back individual with no ambition or drive in life.
One, superb characterization by Farhan Akhtar and second Hrithik Roshan looks just perfect as Karan Shergill.
Despite good performances by Big B and Zinta, the star of the show is undoubtedly Hrithik Roshan, who does an excellent job as Karan Shergill.
The first sequence of the movie where Amitabh Bacchan talks about how important it is to do things perfectly, and asks Karan Shergill to adjust a painting on his wall
that looks tilted towards one side
reflects the attitude with which the film has been made.
Acting of Hrithik Roshan in first half is very poor when he played son of rich father who has no aim or goal about future.
After watching this movie i'm simply amazed with the performance of Mr. Hritik Roshan, Legendary actor Mr. Amitabh Bachan and Mrs. Preety Chinta, Mr. Booman Irani, they all done brilliant Job here, storytelling was superb that going to keep you on the edge of your seat for the whole time.
Lakshya revolves around Karan Shergil,who is a carefree college guy with a girlfriend.The character of Karan is somewhere like all of us, as he does not thinks too much about whats going on around him,does not have a very cordial relationship with his typical Indian father and gets constantly compared to his brother.The film is beautifully shot especially the scenes of kargil.Farhan Akhtar has done a very good job with this film,and for me this is his best work till date.
Music of the film is good too but the background score is awesome.It gives you all the kicks and goosebumps in the combat and war scenes.Since the dialogues of the film are written by javed akhtar therefore the film keeps you gripped with the story line.Amitabh Bachchan is perfect,his awesome articulation of the amazing lines written by javed akhtar is unprecedented.Amitabh should have gotten a "best supporting actor"prize for this movie.Priety zinta and all other actors are fine too.
After Dil Chahta Hai, the expectations were quite high and Farhan Akhtar has delivered an amazing movie.The transition of the character Karan Shergill played by Hrithik Roshan from an aimless, confused youngster to a determined, young army officer is really well done.
Amitabh Bachchan has also a good role, and this movie is maybe one of the few in which the two legends Amrish Puri and Amitabh Bachchan are seen sharing screen space together for a few scenes.There are many memorable dialogues in the film.
Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy is melodious and the theme music and background score is simply mindblowing.This movie other than being a war movie, also inspires youngsters to have a goal in life and work hard towards achieving it.
One of the best movies of both Hrithik and Farhan.
Farhan Akhtar has never failed to impress with his work, be it Dil Chahta Hai, Karthik Calling Karthik, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag or Lakshya.
Give credit where credit is due: Farhan Akhtar knows how to make a film and picked the right people for this film.Lakshya is all about a man with no motivation to achieve anything in life.
Lakshya :- great Indian war drama movie!.
There is a scene in the movie where the protagonist while standing on a cliff tells his girlfriend that my aim for rest of my life is to re capture this hill for my country (while pointing towards peak 5179).
Lakshya is story of a spoiled immature brat who doesn't have any aim in his life until he decides to join Indian Army.
Well written by Javed Akhtar (of Salim – Javed fame) and brilliantly directed by Farhan Akhtar, Lakshya can be coined as one of the highly underrated Indian war films ever made.
The beauty of the film lies in the cast which is headed by Hrithik Roshan playing as the dashing Indian Army soldier and lover boy of Preity Zinta who plays an aggressive Indian journalist (definitely inspired by Barkha Dutt).They are equally supported by Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Om Puri and Amrish Puri ( in a very special appearance).
Lakshya (aim) is the exemplary story of a carefree as well as careless youth, Karan Shergill (Hrithik Roshan) who is in love with Romila Dutta (Preity Zinta) but she finds it difficult to spend her life with a person like Karan who does not have any aim (LAKSHYA) in his life and happy to spend a lazy life on the strength of the money earned by his father.
Unlike DCH, the entertainment value of Lakshya is low.Though the chemistry between Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta has not been developed properly on the screen, both of them have delivered power-packed performances individually.
As said earlier, many talented actors have been wasted in supporting roles but nobody has disappointed through his acting.Technically the movie is good but considering the gravity of the Kargil war episode, the work should have been better.
Having watched this movie some 25-odd times I could talk about this movie over and over again.It is a Story of a guy named karan shergill who comes from well to do family and has nothing better to do other than to hang with his friends and enjoy all the luxuries of life hard earned by his father ,karan has nothing permanent in his life other than his love interest played by preity zinta who comes from an highly educated background is serious of becoming a journalist.karan's seriousness towards his career in life could be felt and seen as he keeps repeating things heard from here and there and decides to join army inspired by seeing arnold schwarznegger's action flick.As he joins the army against his family wishes his non-serious nature comes into limelight as he runs away from military academy, Seeing zinta's reaction to this, he simply could not bear the pain and disrespect in their eyes and decides to go back and join the army again in order to win back the respect of his parents and zinta.
I would have gone with 8/10 for Farhan Akhtar's LAKSHYA but just bcoz i could empathize with lead character well played by HRITHIK ROSHAN and wonderful instrumental track of "Seperation" & "Victory" and after effects the movie had on me blended with ace direction of FARHAN AKHTAR (who earlier Debuted with Dil Chahta Hai) that can't have been more better, my rating is perfect 10.
I think Lakshya is one of the best war films made in India.India should be proud of Lakshya and Farhan Akhtar.
This was a war where hundreds of soldiers died for their motherland and Lakshya was a befitting tale on the war as its backdrop.Farhan has directed the film very realistically without making it too jingoistic like LOC Kargil.
I have always liked Hrithik Roshan and he is marvelous in this film.
If they had cut out a couple of the battle scenes, it would have been better, or they could have shown the battle from Hrithik's point of view and focused more on him since the movie is supposed to be about him, not Kargil.
Lakshya is not "Dil Chahta Hai", but it might do the same for current Bollywood films with war as a major subject as DCH did for films about urban youth in search for love and fulfillment: Move the issues on a more mature level and do away with unnecessary commercial ingredients that go against realism and a differentiated treatment.
It still remains watchable but is not as entertaining as Farhan Akhtar's first film 'Dil Chahta Hai'.
While the characters in Dil Chahta Hai made the movie so amazing(the educated youth in India could relate to them)...Hrithik's character in Lakshya just seems like a work of fantasy than a normal everyday character.
Lakshya: Must watch movie..
Before watching this movie, I thought it is some indo-pak war film.
Obviously, the scene where Hrithik puts the Indian flag on the peak and looks up Brilliant Movie!!.
Farhan Akhtar (Dil Chahta Hai) outdoes himself on his sophomore directorial effort the lesser successful Lakshya, which deals with a young man coming of age and trying to find himself in the world.
The ever charming Hrithik Roshan plays Karan Shergill, a preppy happy-go-lucky slacker who is just comfortable going to school, hanging out with his best buddy Romila Dutta (Preity Zinta sporting really bad hair in the first half of the film) and just taking it easy in his parents house.
It is really surprising to note that the movie got extremely favourable reviews at the time of its release, but was still not a box-office hit.Acting-wise, Hrithik Roshan excels in his portrayal of Karan Shergill.
But finally the heroes of the movie are Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar..
I have to say this is the best army movie to come out of india.
Border is also an army movie but this is a film that the youth will relate to.
Hrithik roshan is the best performer in the movie.
I will call this farhan akhtar's best movie.
Re watched Lakshya after many years, calling it Hrithik most underrated film/Performance would be stating the obvious.
Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, and Om Puri have done the justice to their characters.
Boman Irani could have done better, though.The main character of the movie has been played by Hrithik Roshan.
do not think so..A coming of age film from the stables of a director who has proved yet again his talented direction after dil Chahta hai..Meet Karan the male protagonist who time & again proves his talent & hard work. |
tt0264429 | Black Mask 2: City of Masks | Kan Fung had escaped from the clutches of the organization responsible for his superhuman abilities. He plans to find any geneticist who will be able to cure him. Meanwhile, he has decided to use his powers for the greater of good, calling himself Black Mask. Lang, another high ranking member of the organization, has been hired to find Black Mask and kill him.
Wrestling promoter King is gearing up for a major event and has his top wrestlers Claw, Iguana, Chameleon, Snake, and Wolf ready for battle. However, when the wrestler Hellraiser (real name Ross) is attacked by Iguana, who undergoes a radical transformation to look like a iguana-human hybrid, Black Mask comes to the rescue. Ross is seriously injured and Black Mask chases Iguana to a nearby Tower. When Iguana falls off, Black Mask catches his hand in hopes that he can help him. Iguana lets himself free of Black Mask's grip and falls to his death, angering Chameleon, who was Iguana's girlfriend. It is soon revealed that the wrestlers had been experimented under Dr. Moloch, who gave the wrestlers animal DNA to enhance their skills. However, they soon discover the animal DNA have given them the ability to undergo transformations as animal-hybrids. They now intend to use their newfound abilities to track down Black Mask and kill him to avenge Iguana.
Meanwhile, Black Mask has found the geneticist who may be able to cure him, Dr. Marco Leung. He would give her anonymous phone calls. In the meantime, Black Mask befriends Raymond, Ross's young son who idolizes both his father as well as Black Mask. When Black Mask scuffles with some of the wrestlers, he is given a dose of animal DNA, which turns him into a tiger-hybrid. Locating Dr. Leung, Black Mask warns her of the DNA and asks for her help. She learns of a chemical component that could be the key to cure the animal DNA for Black Mask. Sneaking out, Black Mask has another scuffle with the wrestlers but successfully finds the chemical needed for the animal cure. Fully cured of at least his animal DNA, Black Mask learns that his old nemesis Lang has killed Moloch and has planted a bomb that has the capability of changing DNA throughout the city. Black Mask takes on all of the wrestlers as well as Lang's top man, General Troy. While taking on Chameleon, he finally reveals how Iguana actually killed himself and that he had intended to help him. Feeling remorse, Chameleon sacrifices herself to help Black Mask. Finally, Lang takes on Black Mask. At first Lang has the upper hand, but Black Mask successfully defeats Lang and stops the bomb from explosing.
The next day, Dr. Leung receives a call from Kan Fung. She leaves the lab and gets on the back of Kan's motorcycle, which implies she has finally cured him of his original superhuman abilities. | violence | train | wikipedia | The effects were done nicely, the wire work is great, and Jet Li not reprising his role of the Black Mask is entirely forgivable.
The only gripe I have really it took me some thought after watching the movie to figure out what animal Claw was bonded with.Yes, it departs from the original's style, but aren't you getting tired of sequels that are just the same movie with different villians?
still entertaining but you've already seen it.In all the movie was excellent, aside from the oh-so-slightly cheesy costumes when the animalists "turned" which for the most part aren't noticeable (slow-mo wasn't a good idea for a few scenes).
I had pretty much heard nothing good about Tsui Hark's English language sequel to the Jet Li vehicle Black Mask.
That coupled with the fact that most of Tsui Hark's films since Chinese Feast have been disappointing and largely incoherent, there wasn't much reason for optimism.
The wrestlers turning into monsters might make more sophisticated viewers wince, but this seems to be aimed at a solidly adolescent audience, and anyone who finds entertainment value in pro wrestling or in rubber monster fare like ULtraman or Power Rangers should get a huge kick out of this.
come on, can any film with former Porn Star Traci Lords in a supporting role as a genetically modified pro-wrestler/reptilian creature be all that bad?I've only seen the (apparently lousy) version of Jet Li's Black Mask, but this one is at least as good as that other piece of garbage.
There are elements of Roller Ball here, a mixing of Australian and Thai cinematic cultures, and yeah, the whole thing loses me with its maudlin kid.But didn't you giggle a little bit, if only unintentionally, at the Doctor who went paralytic whenever she was touched by a man?A fine adolescent pass-time, worth it as the second DVD you rent.Or maybe third.OK, the dialogue blew..
Totally unprecedented mix of stylism!What's the most fascinating that this film is using extremely subversive methods challenging the constraints of the movie (or genre) language and also our own reality by creating an artificiality in a futuristic multi-cultural highly advanced purely philosophical dimension that somehow represents the world of our wildest imagination, subconscious desires and illogical dreams, and de-facto reflecting our modern social thinking and time of the globalization...
It's like watching one of the Guyver films, only instead of the Guyver, you have Black Mask, played decently by newcomer Andy On. There always has to be one who thinks differently of everyone and if I am the only one, so be it!!!
I liked Black Mask 2, even though I don't consider it a true sequel to the original.
Polished performances, lightning action, great special effects, exciting characters, non-stop plot developments, horror thrills and chills, poignant moments, unpredictable, well-made flick.
Not really sure if I like this one or not, so I gave it 5/10.There were some well choreographed fight scenes and some nice CG environments involved, but on the other hand there were some really poorly strung together stunts (where you could actually still see the safety lines attached to the actors) and some quite appalling CG work on some of the monster shots.
One thing to mention as you've probably heard is that RVD is in this film, which is pretty cool, although he doesn't say an awful lot he seems to act better than expected.
And Yuen Woo Ping hasn't lost his touch: he makes Traci Lords look like just about the best female wrestler you'll ever see, even BEFORE she is transformed into a semi-invisible chameleon.
In short, if you like one or more of the following things - "Batman", "Mortal Kombat", "Power Rangers", wrestling, Yuen Woo Ping and general craziness - you'll probably like the film.
Not even "Black Mask" (that's referring to the at least funny attempts in the first movie with Jet Lee)!
And I won't even go there to talk about actors (nonexistent or at least maybe hiding behind a "mask"?!?) or a plot (also nonexistent, but even if you tried to search for it you wouldn't find it behind any mask!).Now if we'd leave those two facts out of the equation, you still could have a fun decent little b-movie here.
The first Black Mask was not a great a movie, but it was not a really bad movie either, and contained at least some excellent action courtesy of Yuen Wo Ping and Jet Li. No Jet Li for the sequel, but Wo Ping is back and this time Tsui Hark steps up from producer to producer & director.
The movie was actually completed back in 2001, but shelved by Columbia Tristar until Christmas 2002, when they decided the world was finally ready for Black Mask 2.Well they were wrong.
Amateurish, dull and frankly a bit weird (the weird is probably Tsui Hark's contribution though), the script makes Black Mask 2 feel like a really bad made for Sci-Fi Channel b-movie.But it's not just the script!
The one thing you can normally count on Tsui Hark to do well is shoot cool action, but here he lets us down in this respect too.I was prepared for the worst already, having read not one positive comment about the movie...
The original "Black Mask" was a gritty HK action film starring Jet Li. For the sake of Part 2, "City Of Masks", the exclusion of Li can be forgiven.
Nothing ELSE can be, though.First of all, the main plot consists of Black Mask (even though he GAVE UP crimefighting at the end of the first film) taking on a bunch of Pro-Wrestlers - yes, Pro Wrestlers - who have been infused with the DNA of animals...
In other words, people with semi-human bodies and prosthetic animal heads.Tsui Hark and Yuen Wo-Ping were helming this project, which is really a major letdown considering that Hark is responsible for great movies like "Time and Tide" and "The Legend Of Zu".
Wo-Ping is probably best known for his fight coreography on "The Matrix." The main problem here is that you have two great HK directors trying to do what they can with a poorly slapped-together American Movie idea.
I am the kind of viewer who gleefully accepts the jeers of his friends when they see his shelves full of cheesy flicks from both the action and monster genres (and those are right next to some of the finest serious attempts at film making as well mind you).
The actual martial arts bits are pretty inconsequential - as is anything established in the original Black Mask, apparently.While I personally reckon I've seen worse, I will always remember Black Mask 2 as being the film that plunged a hardy co-viewer into a fog of stress for an entire weekend and drove him to claim that "it was so bad it actually made me ill"..
I know that the first Black Mask was no work of art, and that without Jet Li this movie wasn't going to be all that to begin with, but when I heard Tsui Hark was directing and producing, especially after the excellent Time and Tide, and that Yuen Wo Ping was doing the fight scenes I had high hopes it would rise above it's B-List cast of actors and wrestlers, especially the unknown in the lead role.
Imagine a blend of the first Black Mask, toss in elements of MANIMAL, SWAMP THING 2, GUYVER 2 and the prerequisite MATRIX, and throw in some over the top WWF and comic book gimmicks and you might have some idea on what to expect, and I dont mean this in a good way.
From terrible acting all around( I mean, c'mon, most are wrestlers) to some really horrid F/X and tremendous use of wires, there's nothing to recommend besides the few glimpses of some decent fighting and what started out as almost being a cool blend of an over the top action and comic book movie.
Not since the day I was introduced to the vomit inspiring cinema of Uwe Boll have I ever seen a movie so obnoxiously bad as "Black Mask 2".
Hell, I was at least expecting to have a good time and watch some martial arts fighting and cheesy dialogue on the "so bads it's funny" side.
To say that "Black Mask 2" is a bad movie is an understatement.
Tsui's attempts to create drama by adding the boy whose father has become a victim to the evil wrestlers's boss as a supporting character does even more to deteriorate the film's already low quality.
Filled with an insane amount of bad CGI it makes me crave for the days when Bruce Lee was alive and kicking, at least his movies had a feeling that you were actually watching a fight rather than these almost dance-like action scenes here."Black Mask 2" is not something I can recommend to anyone but the people I hate the most.
Black Mask 2 is not a kung fu movie, it's glitzy, over-budgeted, loathsome piece of garbage.
To sweeten the pot, Black Mask 2 features a script so convoluted, unlikely, and out of touch, that it makes you feel like handing the screen writers behind Vin Diesel movies an Oscar.The Kung Fu choreography reminds you of the way a director would have Tom Hanks fight; actual, impressive maneuver are completely replaced by fights confined to camera pans and zooms.
altho porn queen traci lords shows us she can still kick ass, as seen in first wave and blade.in this movie, jet li ran away, and for good reason, some fool picked up his role and took it, as best as he could i guess, he did look good.
Little wonder Jet Li took a look at the script and said "You're kidding?" As a follow up to BLACK MASK (itself no Oscar contender) Hark has more than a LOT to answer for.
I just watched this movie.Had it for a while but watched others then remembered I had it.I personally think it was one of the best,well done action movies in a long time.Including 300 and many others.I thought it would be another lips out of sync movies.It must have been made here the acting and words,action,all first rate.I wish they would make more like this.I saw a lot of foreign movies that sucked this was great.I don,t see what others were looking for.This one had good realistic action.300 was even a little boring waiting for things to happen..
This time, the language is English, Li's gone and the story became even wackier.The Black Mask has to fight a group of crazed and drugged up wrestlers who become demons in the process...
Many critics thought that the first Black-Mask film was too over the top to be believable, let alone likable.
For me it worked.In making this film, Tsui Hark seems to have kept one eye on developments in Hollywood surrounding the rise of the comic-book movie, of which the X-Men films became exemplary.Big mistake.
Also, this isn't really a sequel to Black Mask at all, these are all new characters - I feel cheated!
The Black Mask in this movie isn't the Michael/Simon character that Jet Li portrayed in the first movie.
As in the original, Black Mask is a genetically enhanced super soldier who has abandoned his creator to become a protector of the people.The creator in question is in fact a giant brain in a fish tank, or at least that's what he looks like.
The plot involves Black Mask fighting corrupt scientists and promoters who have genetically altered wrestlers using animal DNA.
This means that Black Mask main opponents in the movie are a snake-man, a spider-man, a chamaeleon woman and a freaking wearwolf.
Adding to the brain dead wrestling element of the movie are real wrestlers Rob Van Dam and Tyler Mane (who broke into the movie scene as Sabertooth in X-Men).
Polito has a passing resemblance to real life wrestling icon Mean Gene Oakerland.There's too many things wrong with Black Mask 2.
This one looks more like an episode of Power Rangers than a Hong Kong action movie..
Tsui Hark is the director of the greatest action movie ever made.
Black Mask 2 must be Tsui Hark's worst movie...
but it is A CRAP compared to movies like Once Upon a Time in China, Time and Tide or DAO - The Blade!But even this piece of garbage has some good in it...
It reminded me of the time when I used to watch Turtles from TV!Unfortunately Yuen Wo Pings Choreographies are even worse than in the Matrix (Matrix has very boring action choreographies) and the visual effects are mostly horrible...It seems that the Asian directors should stay in there and continue making GOOD movies...
A fight seen between "Snake" (yes a CG snake, think of someone going full on Kung Fu one the snake from "Anaconda")and "Black Mask" can only be described as interesting.
It was made by two of my favorite HK directors, Yuen Woo Ping and Tsui Hark, who have made so many great movies I cant even list them all.
It makes me sad that so many great people were involved in this movie, but I should have known it wasn't good because Jet Li didn't return for this, and taking his place is some guy i dont know, and he's fighting a bunch of pro-wrestlers.
I KNOW THIS IS A BAD MOVIE.The screenplay is really bad,and the actors are unknown and the budget is pretty low.But it has it's entertaining moments.The acting and the direction are decent.And this movie is original in it's own bizarre kind of way.I wouldn't recommend this movie to people who love to watch quality movies.Although it has some funny moments and good action scenes and decent CGI it is a pretty bad and trashy movie.But it is not the worst movie ever made.Have you ever watched The foreigner with Steven Seagal or Derailed with Jean Claude Van Damme.Those movies are much worse than this.This movie is at least original and it does not contain clichés.This is a bad movie,but it is not a painful experience to watch it,and it is semi-entertaining..
If you're willing to kick back and simply take in the visual pyrotechnics, Black Mask 2 is fun and certainly better mounted than most direct to video action sequels.
Whoever made that possible in the first Black Mask should make another action movie!
My biggest issue with the film wasn't the bad special effects, the overly theatrical martial arts action or the lack of a stable plot (Seeing as the biggest threat in the film was a last minute idea of one character, instead of being a planned and looming threat).
For starters, the main character is clearly not the same "Black Mask" from the first film.
The Black Mask in this film is NOT the same character.
(Neither was the brain!!!) Also not present in this film, was the fact that the main character GAVE UP BEING BLACK MASK AT THE END OF THE FIRST FILM!
(Neither were the exaggerations of his abilities as a super-soldier, or the fact that he wasn't trying to find a cure to save his life) These elements even more so than the absence of Jet Li, gave this film an entirely different feel.
But even if they didn't, Tyler Mane, Rob Van Dam, Traci Lords, and new comer Robert Mukes (both as humans, and in their animal forms) have such amazing screen presence you can't help but admire their performances.My only problem with the movie is that the wrestlers weren't the main story, or even the main good guys, or bad guys, the goal of the film seemed to be, to make them as neutral, or meaningless as possible, so that we as the audience focus more on the suffering of Black Mask.In the scene where the main bad guy tells the wrestlers that if they are scared they can always leave, but then holds out a million dollar check for each one of them, you can really see the character come through; Wolf (greedy, and makes rash decisions that in the end leave him angry at everyone but himself, which is why he is my least favorite of the group), Claw (he is emotionally strong when it comes to protecting other members of his team, which is why he can't seem to walk away from a bad situation), Snake (playing up on Robert Mukes's innocent looking face, snake is the weakest member of the group, both physically and emotionally).Chameleon and Thorn , however, do get a decent amount of time to reveal the inner-workings of their characters, as Chameleon spends the entire movie trying to find a way to cure her animal powers, and Thorn is loyal to the bad guys because he has already evolved his powers to the point where he can control them, therefore he has a level of self confidence not shared by any of the other wrestlers.As for the Asian actors, the main characters.
Black Mask 2 is a silly good time..
Black Mask sure has his hands full this time!
We liked the idea of combining ideas from the worlds of wrestling, comic books and genetic engineering (!) - we felt that was creative and original so we'll look the other way at some of the dodgier aspects of this movie.On top of that, there are actual Martial Arts fights, as well as wire-fu and more traditional stunts, all overseen by the great Yuen Wo-Ping.
Joining him as the Kato-like Black Mask are fan favorites such as Rob Van Dam (Bloodmoon, 1997), Tobin Bell (Best Of the Best 4, 1998), and Traci Lords who looks...odd...and we prefer her in things from her classic non-porn DTV era such as A Time To Die (1991), Raw Nerve (1991), and Intent To Kill (1992), but she did liven things up in an already pretty lively movie. |
tt0073169 | Les innocents aux mains sales | The action takes place in Illyria, a fictional Eastern European country, during the latter stages of World War II. (Illyria was an actual country of classical antiquity, whose territory included modern Albania and surroundings.) The country, an ally of Nazi Germany, is on the verge of being annexed to the Eastern Bloc.
A young Communist, Hugo Barine, is told that Hoederer, a party leader, has proposed talks with non-Socialist groups, including the Fascist government and the liberal- and Nationalist-led resistance. The idea is to set up a joint resistance group opposing the Germans, and plan for a post-war coalition government. Hugo feels that Hoederer's policy smacks of treachery. Louis, another party leader, has decided that Hoederer must die. He grudgingly agrees to let Hugo, who has more commitment than experience, do the job.
Hugo and his wife Jessica move in with Hoederer, who is charming and trusting by nature. Hugo becomes his secretary. Although he tries to convince Jessica that he is in earnest about the murder, she treats the whole thing as a game. Indeed, at first she sees the gun not as a murder weapon but as a metaphor for a phallus, as Hugo perhaps suffers from erectile dysfunction and is unable to please her. Ten days pass and then the negotiations begin with the other parties. With Hoederer coming close to a deal with the members of the class that he loathes, Hugo is on the point of reaching for his gun when a bomb explodes.
Nobody is killed but Hugo is furious. This attack shows that those who sent him do not trust him to do the job. He gets drunk and almost gives the game up to Hoederer's bodyguards. Jessica covers up for him by claiming to be pregnant.
Olga Lorame, one of those who sent Hugo to commit the murder, discreetly visits him and Jessica. It was she who threw the bomb and warns Hugo to get on with killing Hoederer since the others are getting impatient.
So far Jessica has looked at the killing as a game, but the bomb convinces her that things are in earnest and that Hugo will kill Hoederer. She persuades the two of them to argue their points out in order to prevent any killing.
Hoederer's plan is to enter government with the other parties but to leave them with the key ministerial posts. Once the war is over a number of unpopular but necessary policies will have to be implemented in order to rebalance the economy. This will cause problems for the right-wing government, allowing the left-wing, including the Communists, to take over more easily. At the moment, the Communists do not have the necessary support to gain power, and the expected arrival of the Soviet forces may only make things worse. Hoederer points out that people do not like occupying foreign armies, even liberating ones, and the feeling will be passed on to the government introduced by the invaders.
Hugo insists that the party must remain pure. Power is the goal, but Hoederer's expedient methods are not acceptable, especially as they involve collaborating with "class" enemies and lying and deceiving to their own forces. Once they are alone Jessica tries to convince Hugo that he was taken in by Hoederer's point of view, but he twists this around saying that it is all the more the reason to kill Hoederer since he could convince others.
Over time, however, both Hugo and Jessica have succumbed to Hoederer's charm and manner. Although he disagrees with Hoederer's policies, Hugo seems to think that Hoederer could help him cross from boyhood to manhood and sort out his internal conflicts. Hoederer, who is now aware that Hugo is there to kill him on Louis' orders, is willing to help the young man sort out his problems. He is not, however, so keen on Jessica, whose attraction to him seems more physical. When he kisses her as a way of getting it out of her system, Hugo catches them in the act and kills him.
While in prison Hugo receives gifts from the outside, which he guesses are from those who sent him to kill Hoederer. This keeps him going, but some of the gifts turn out to be poisoned chocolates. What's more, when he is released on parole, he finds himself stalked by the party's killers and takes refuge with Olga.
Olga listens to Hugo's version of events. Hugo did not kill Hoederer out of jealousy for Jessica but because he thought that Hoederer was not sincere when he said that he wanted Hugo to stay with him in order to mentor him: "I killed him because I opened the door. That's all I know", "Jealous? Perhaps. But not for Jessica."
Olga concludes that Hugo will be more useful alive than dead. However she also reveals that the policy that Hoederer proposed has been adopted after all. On Moscow's orders, the party has formed an alliance with the other groups. In fact Hugo realizes that the very setup that Hoederer was negotiating in his presence, and which he was supposed to prevent, has been carried out. The whole thing was over a matter of timing: Hoederer's initiative was too premature, so the party had to kill him. Later, after Hoederer's plan was adopted, the party rehabilitated his image and after the war he will be remembered as a great leader and hero.
Hugo is incensed, especially since the party has lied and deceived its own members. The fact that they are at war and have probably saved a hundred thousand lives makes no difference. What matters now, he decides, is that Hoederer should die not for a woman like Jessica but for his policies: because he lied to the rank and file and jeopardized the soul of the party. Hugo decides all the party leaders—Hoederer, Louis, and Olga—are alike. This is why he has been targeted by hitmen sent by Louis.
Hugo realizes that, despite Olga's statements to the contrary, if he remains alive and continues with the party his earlier assassination of Hoederer will mean nothing and bring dishonor. Thus, while Olga tries desperately to save him, it is Hugo himself who lets the killers in to finish the job. | neo noir, murder | train | wikipedia | I would like to give this wonderful film more than 7 points but it cannot measure up to the superb 'Helene' group of films Chabrol made during the period immediately prior to it.Many reviews and books are rather scathing about 'Les Innocents aux mains salles', and this disregard, although understandable is largely unfounded.
However by the third viewing a strange fascination and sense of immersion had developed, a state a lover of Chabrol's films will recognise.
Added to this it is a rather good thriller with plenty of plot twists and wrong turns.This film, perhaps because it isn't one of Chabrol's best makes clear to me why he is such a talent.
To clarify this I will point out that no other French director, new wave or otherwise interests me at all and I really think I only have a peripheral interest in film.
Chabrol confounds those who attempt to analyse or compare him and this film is perhaps the best example of this, you can only enter the reality presented, experience and perhaps enjoy..
More twists in the tale than usual, and another excellent film from the great Claude Chabrol!.
Innocents with Dirty Hands appears to have something of a poor reputation among it's viewers and that made me go into it expecting something a bit sub-par from the great French director, so you can imagine my delight when I found that there's very little wrong with this twisted thriller and while it's not quite up there with the best of Claude Chabrol (films such as This Man Must Die, The Butcher and The Breach); it's a thriller that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat for the duration of the film and provides plenty of shocks and twists along the way!
Louis Wormser is 18 years senior to his wife Julie and can no longer have sex after suffering a heart attack.
When Julie meets young stud Jeff Marle, the two plot to kill Louis and hatch a plan to dispatch him and deflect suspicion from themselves.
However, things go awry immediately after the murder when Julie finds herself alone and under suspicion.The main influence for this film would seem to be The Postman Always Rings Twice as the two plots share a lot in common.
The story has plenty to it and is constantly interesting thanks to the numerous twists in the second half; but it could have benefited from being a bit more streamline as the way it pans out does remove some of the suspense.
The film is bolstered by two excellent performances from the leads; the beautiful Romy Schneider is superb as the young wife while Rod Steiger is thoroughly convincing in the opposite role.
Overall, this is well worth seeing and I'm sure that anyone who enjoys Chabrol's films will find a lot to like in this one..
I was a bit worried at first as after the initial nude appearance of the delectable Romy Schneider, a rather puffy faced Rod Steiger does not look too good.
This twists and turns like some manic giallo and Chabrol does not take himself too seriously, even allowing us to laugh - out loud at one point, that must be a first for me in this directors films.
Claude Chabrol's Les Innocents aux Mains Sale sometimes runs the risk over becoming very, very slow-paced.
The major attraction in this film is not the story, which, I must say, does have some highly unexpected twists and does indeed show Chabrol's creative skills and pleasure in directing.
The star of Les Innocents is no one less than the wonderful Romy Schneider, whose acting performance, charm and beauty in this film are more stunning than ever before.
She is the perfect cast for this complicated Femme Fatale role.Although mainly the mediteranean filming locations in combination with the outstanding weather are to be credited for providing this Film Noir with a deceptively pleasant yellow, warm glow, it is Romy Scheider's radiance and talent that make Les Innocents aux Mains Sales a joy to watch..
Instead of a meticulous recreation of a social group (the rich), we are given careless expressionistic filmmaking using the repertory actors Attal and Zardi (here as buffoonish policemen) plus a name Hollywood actor (Steiger), an Italian pretty-boy (Giusti) and the greatest European actress of her time, Romy Schneider.You know the plot's clumsy when two characters keep having to discuss it at length for the viewer's benefit.
There are simply too many twists and turns for a simple adultery story to bear, so we are left to admire the gracefulness of Schneider's performance.
The impatient judge who finds the beautiful woman suspect very desirable, the eager lawyer who smells a way out for his client--fabulous acting by Jean Rochefort--and the woman herself who hardly says a word while the two men argue over her fate.
Well done thriller - I won't add to the other comments save this -- just so you know -- Rod Steiger and Romy Schneider were filmed speaking in English while all other characters were filmed speaking in French: So, you have two choices (assuming you're either English or French speaking - and not Spanish): Watch the film in French (with or without English subtitles) - but keep in mind Rod Stieger and Romy Schinedier's voices will be DUBBED into French.
It is definitely not Steiger speaking French (although I think Romy speaks both languages) Watch it in English - and the voices of the all other (French) actors (except Steiger and Schneider) will be DUBBED into English.Didn't bother me tooo much...but I'm a Steiger fan - so I needed to hear him speak in his native tongue..
A Great Film-Noir with Many Twists.
In Saint Tropez, Julie Wormser (Romy Schneider) is a beautiful and sexy young woman married with the wealthy retired businessman Louis Wormser (Rod Steiger), who is eighteen years old older than she and infatuated on her.
When Julie meets her handsome neighbor Jeff Marle (Paolo Giusti), a mediocre writer that likes to fly kite, they have a love affair.
"Innocents with Dirty Hands" is a great film-noir with many twists, maybe more than the necessary.
Directed by Claude Chabrol, the mystery in the original screenplay recalls a Hitchcock film or an Agatha Christie's novel, and nothing is what seems to be.
The whole bourgeois world that Chabrol so often chastised is here, with unforgettable roles by Romy Schneider, Rod Steiger, and Jean Rochefort.
The opportunity to see Romy Schneider naked in the grass already justifies itself to watch this movie directed by Claude Chabrol,I never liked those European movies called Nouvelle Vague...whose the director came from...but this kind of suspense is amazing a true Hitchcock's movie....the plot is usual the pretty young woman married with a rich old man finds a lover,the result is predicable....but Chabrol provides some surprises along the story...the cast is fine as Rod Steiger and Jean Rochefort,but no one exceed Romy she is sexy than never and desirable....valuable movie settled in Saint Tropez..
Much has been said about the plot and the actors of the film, I won't go into it in more details, just give a few personal impressions.First of all, the film has excellent actors in the main roles, Romy Schneider, Rod Steiger and Jean Rochefort being absolutely brilliant, every single one in very memorable roles.
However, there are also, inexplicably, weak actors such as Paolo Giusti (one of my previous commentators has already stated this correctly) which lead me to believe that Claude Chabrol really was not up to his great level in this film.
Whatever it was, something is definitely wrong, the camera angles and shots, the story, how the plot is linked - you watch the film, it sucks you in, but leaves you with a strange feeling of unfilled expectations!
Unforgettable, how, at the beginning of the film, he plays the "impaired", soon-to-be-betrayed husband of a too beautiful wife.
Romy Schneider spoke both languages in the English and the French version.
All cinephiles know the French cinema to excel in the art of direct sound recording and captivating the original actor's voices marvelously.
Why not have chosen all-French actors and make another one of his great films?
Let me leave aside the glamour coefficient of Romy, which was in large measures in this movie, she looked glamorous even in a prim suit here, and it was no wonder that every one was making a pass on her, from the judge, to the defense lawyer to her husband's best friend, and becoming her mortal enemy when she rebuffed them and that is the basic crux of the story.
This is a story more into study of human sexuality, or rather a man's and as pointedly told in the end "It's a man's world, where all the law's are made by man" The main two character around whom the story revolves are the spouses Wormser (Romy and Steiger) and their problem is the lack of physical relationship due to the husband's health, first we are made to belief it was his heart problem, and later told that he was impotent, it was one of those, or something else, wouldn't be divulged till the end.Anyway lack of physical relationship (for couple of years by then), the young and glamorous wife falls in the arm of a young pulp-fiction-writer, and they plan to murder the wealthy husband, frame it as an accident, and then legally walk off with the money.
As some have pointed out, there had been twists and turns, including resurrection, but that didn't create too much of aberration, and rather brought the story to a some-what predictable end, without surprises.
The films of Claude Chabrol are, more than those of any other director, highly unnerving.
The beautiful Julie, is married to overweight, rich, impotent, drunk, self-loathing Louis Wormser, and plots with her young hack writer lover, Jeff Marle, to kill her husband.
Things generally go to plan, but Jeff panics and lies low in Italy, sending Julie letters, while she has to face the insinuating investigations of two detectives.For a director of his intellectual reach, Chabrol shows a strange affinity for Golden-Age style mystery stories.
Unlike the fiction of Pynchon and Borges, or the films of Bertolucci and Antonioni, he has no interest in formally deconstructing the mystery story, subverting its narratives, ironising its principle characters, obviously undermining its tenets (although his double act of Epicurean detectives, teasing out the crime like cross word puzzles over dinner, making lecherous jokes and misogynistic comments, unbelievably hitting on solutions, yet completely missing the point, are a comic, disturbing joy, as are the upturned faces of the Law searing Julie at the climax).
It is perfectly possible to watch INNOCENTS as a straight thriller with a recognisable crime, investigation and solution, and plenty of excellent twists and turns.Even on this conventional level, the film is unnerving.
Chabrol's is different.Although not as breathtakingly formal as LA DECADE PRODIGEUSE, INNOCENTS is highly artificial, from the stylised acting, the unrealistic dialogue, dissonant score and stunningly contrived plot, to the breathtakingly intrusive camera movements and alienating shifts in point of view, and, especially, the setting, the futuristic/modernist architecture which swallows up its characters; the decor that moves and closes in on them.
We are shown quite clearly how a female protagonist who is in almost every frame of the film, who seems to be in control and driving the plot, is completely betrayed by men - husbands, lovers the law - an object of contempt, whose desires are made seem guilty, whose grasping for love in a chilling, loveless evnironment and marriage are reduced to petty motives.
First, as another reviewer pointed out, the two leads (Romy Schneider and Rod Steiger) do their parts in English and the rest of the cast are speaking French--making it irrelevant whether or not you watch the French-dubbed or English-dubbed version.
However, and this is odd, you probably should NOT watch the film with captioning, as the subtitles are inferior to both dubbed versions!
But boy were those subtitles annoying--even getting little details wrong.As for the film itself, through the first half of the film, it all seems pretty familiar--especially for a tale directed by Claude Chabrol.
Romy and boy-toy, Jeff, begin a torrid affair as the husband (Steiger) drinks himself to oblivion.
Eventually, the lovers come up with a plan to murder Steiger and live off his fortune.
Unfortunately for the lovers, the plan goes awry but it isn't certain exactly what happened--all we know is Romy is now being blamed for possibly killing BOTH men, as there isn't much trace of them.When Steiger returns later and is indeed alive, this created a wonderful opportunity for the film, as Romy suddenly found that her formerly impotent husband is very potent indeed and their dead relationship is rejuvenated.
Unfortunately, while this was where the film was going, the movie had an additional 30 minutes of plot twists that did a lot to confuse everything and make the story much more difficult to believe.
I strongly agree with the review that saw this film as needlessly complicated--a problem common to many of Chabrol's films.Finally, a note to parents that this isn't a great film for kids due to its sexual nature and nudity.
"Les Innocents" was released at a time when Chabrol's career was slowly but inexorably slipping..Among a handful of horrors ("nada" "Les Magiciens" and the nadir "Folies Bourgeoises" ),before Chabrol regained his mastery with his underrated "Alice Ou La Dernière Fugue" or "Violette Nozières" ,but only for a while.Except for the 1968-1971 period or his debut,Chabrol's career has been erratic ,mainly because he has made too many films ."Les Innocents" inaugurated a new genre for Chabrol,which actually began with "Docteur Popaul": a tongue-in-cheek thriller ,it paved a reliable way for such works as "Inspecteur Lavardin" "Masques" "Poulet Au Vinaigre" or "Rien Ne Va Plus" .None of these works were major works but some of them (particularly "Masques" ) are pleasant enough.A foreign viewer may take this story seriously ,compare it with Bresson (!) but a French one cannot be fooled.Chabrol actually laughs at the audience as he laughs at Julie: although a criminal,Julie almost appears as a victim....of men of course as Lawyer Mr Legal (what a name!) says .We come to pity Julie (the scene in the bank where she learns that all the money she has left is 92 francs is priceless)and her character sometimes resembles that of Stephane Audran in "la Rupture " ,this great 1970 work.With its spate of "unexpected " twists ,"Les Innocents " may seem today ahead of its time.But not only "Alice ou La Derniere Fugue " which had only one (unexpected twist) packed a real wallop -in the grand tradition of "carnival of souls" "Jacob's ladder" and "the sixth sense"-,those of "the innocents do not make sense cause the characters are uninteresting (Do you care for them as you did for the characters of ,say,"le Boucher" or "Que La Bête Meure" ?)and RomySchneider ,one of my favorite actresses ,does not belong in Chabrol's world.Neither does Rod Steiger.Only Mischievous Jean Rochefort and the pair of Colomboesque cops (Pierre Santini and François Maistre who play cat and mouse with Julie)really survive in this hotchpotch..
They both longed to work with each other for many years, but when it finally happened in 1974, Romy Schneider and Claude Chabrol failed miserably.
"Les innocents aux mains sales" is a low point of both their careers, a slow-moving and unconvincing film that meanders somewhere between crime story, sex drama, baroque thriller and social study."Les innocents
" pairs Schneider and Rod Steiger as Julie and Louis Wormser, a rich couple living in a grandiose villa in the Southern part of France.
One day, Julie meets Jeff Marle (hunky Paolo Giusti), a writer and neighbor who flies kites and shows eminent sexual interest in her.
Of course, something goes wrong, and a supposedly dead Rod Steiger suddenly stands on the doorstep again, ready to take revenge
Schneider solidly acts her way through the 125 minutes of Chabrol's mystery, and certainly she's prettier than ever, but you don't get to see the passionate performer that made films like "L'important c'est d'aimer" or "Les chose de la vie" so unforgettable.
As a matter of fact, Romy seems obviously bored and out of place, and she doesn't watch with either Steiger or Giusti.
"Innocents With Dirty Hands" could perhaps be described as Claude Chabrol's variation on the classic French thriller "Diabolique".
But it's a refreshingly adult, constantly twisty, sometimes creepy, morally complex thriller that challenges its viewers by giving them characters (the central love triangle, the two cops, the financial adviser) who are not easy to like, and who through the process of the movie reveal that they are not who they first appear to be.
The one likely audience-pleasing character is the quick-thinking lawyer Albert Legal; Jean Rochefort gives a flamboyant performance and nearly steals the show in about 10 minutes of screen time.
At first you may fear that Rod Steiger will feel out of place in a French film, but somehow he fits right in.
And between Romy Schneider, the St.Tropez locations, and the big beautiful house with a view where most of the action takes place, your eyes will usually have something to get fixed on.
Chabrol merely uses this as a jumping-off point and is soon introducing more twists than a hairpin bend on that very Riviera that forms the setting (St Tropez).
The strongest factor is Romy Schneider as the wife and Chabrol has had the good taste to include her in virtually every scene.
Rod Steiger as the husband plays Rod Steiger but that isn't necessarily bad but the weakest link is definitely Poalo Giusti, who has to be the most wooden actor since Laurence Harvey, as the stud cum assassin and for good measure Hitchcock buff Chabrol has thrown in a comic couple who clearly had their genesis in Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne in Hitch's The Lady Vanishes but are now transformed into a Greek Chorus of cops. |
tt0078952 | Chapter Two | George Schneider is an author living in New York City whose hours are occupied by his work, by softball games in the park and visits from his married brother Leo, a press agent who has been trying to introduce widower George to eligible women. George's emotions are still raw from the death of his wife, and he continues to be reminded of her.
George is given the phone number of a Jennie MacLaine, an actress Leo recently met through her friend Faye Medwick, and dials it accidentally while intending to call someone else. After an awkward exchange, he repeatedly phones Jennie to explain why he called, even though she makes it clear that she, too, has no interest in a blind date. George's persistence results in her accepting his proposal of a "five-minute" date, face-to-face. If that doesn't go well, he promises to leave her alone.
They meet at her apartment and immediately hit it off. Jennie is recently divorced from a professional football player. George asks her for a traditional date and she accepts. At dinner, he explains how Leo has set him up on a number of disastrous dates, so he now finds himself pleasantly surprised to be with someone like her.
Leo is pleased and so is Faye, whose own marriage is on the rocks. To their astonishment, George and Jennie decide to get married after knowing each other only a brief time. Leo feels his brother is going much too fast. Faye asks to use Jennie's apartment while the couple is away on their honeymoon.
An idyllic trip to the Caribbean follows and George and Jennie are very happy, at least until another tourist who recognizes him extends condolences about George's deceased wife. He immediately sinks into a depression that continues through their return to New York. At his home, Jennie's attempts to cheer up George are met with curt responses and insults. She returns to her own apartment to discover that Faye is having an affair there with Leo.
The marriage appears to be over almost as quickly as it began. George comes to his senses just in time, realizing how much he loves Jennie and how he doesn't want to lose her. | romantic, autobiographical | train | wikipedia | Marsha Mason gets an Oscar Nomination for Playing Herself.
CHAPTER TWO is a long and rambling film version of one of Neil Simon's best plays.
Like BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS and BILOXI BLUES, this story is based on a part of Neil Simon's own life.
James Caan plays George Schneider, a fictionalized Simon, a writer who has just returned from a trip around the world after the death of his wife.
Sadly, George made the mistake of visiting all of the places he traveled with his late wife and it has apparently not aided his grieving process.
At the urging of his brother, Leo (well-played by Joseph Bologna), George agrees to go on a blind date with an attractive divorcée named Jennie McLaine (Marsha Mason).
Their first date is actually over the phone but they do eventually come face to face and move into a whirlwind romance which leads to a quick engagement and marriage...perhaps too quick because shortly into his new marriage, George realizes he really hasn't finished grieving over his first wife and begins to push Jennie away.
Simon's first wife passed away and he eventually met and married Marsha Mason, so essentially, Mason is playing herself here and not surprisingly does it pretty effectively.
However, in attempt to expand the play for the screen, it has become labored and way too long...the scenes of George and Jennie on their honeymoon go on way too long and bring the film to a dead halt.
Another problem is James Cann's wooden performance as George.
Caan never seems to grasp the rhythm of Simon's writing and makes George a little too melancholy.
Bologna is solid, as always, as is an anorexic looking Valerie Harper, who appears as Jennie's best friend, Faye.
If you're a Marsha Mason fan, it's worth checking out, others beware....
Chapter Two. Shortly after the death of his beloved wife, a witty but man-of-moods writer falls in love with a temperamental and equally witty actress, being encouraged by his full-blooded brother and her romance-hungry best friend who have problems of their own.This film version of Simon's autobiographical play no doubt rewards his addicts with several bright one-liners and also some permissive, gloomier-than-usual domestic drama, (all sparked by detailed performances), but possibly disappoints others with its thin and slightly uneasy plot, occasional bursts of sentimentality and the unconvincing motivations of its central character..
In short, a classic example of an effort where the dialogue runs the film, not special effects, sex, or some other 'popular' innovation.
Reminds me of the Walter Matthau-Glenda Jackson films.The main characters' initial phone exchanges are phenomenal and hilarious.
Later, the two supporting characters (played by Joe Bologna and Valerie Harper) have a meaningful exchange after being interrupted during a daytime tryst.
Great dialogue.
Well worth the two hour running time!!
Autobiographical comedy/drama by Neil Simon.
In it a recent widower George Schneider (James Caan) meets and falls in love with a recent divorcee Jennie MacLaine (Marsha Mason).
He marries her quickly, but realizes he hasn't gotten completely over his first wife.
Is her love for him enough to see them through?This was based on the real troubles Simon had when he married Mason in the early 1970s.
He got over them (not completely though--they divorced in 1981) and wrote "Chapter Two" for the stage.
I never saw it on the stage but I remember seeing this movie up the theatre back in 1980.
I loved it (with reservations) back then and I still love it (with reservations) now.The dialogue is virtual non-stop one-liners--real people don't talk like that but it is fun and entertaining to listen to.
The dramatic sequences work well especially with Mason giving her all to what must have been a very difficult role for her to play.
She's just tremendous (and drop-dead gorgeous) and was understandably nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for this role (she lost to Sally Field for "Norma Rae").
The film looks beautiful, moves fairly quickly and there's nice strong support from Joseph Bologna and (especially) Valerie Harper...but there's one big problem.
James Caan.
He's a wonderful DRAMATIC actor...NOT comedic.
He seems very uncomfortable playing a mild-mannered grieving man, and the poor guy has no comedic timing and doesn't know how to tell a joke--most of his lines fall flat.
With a better leading man I might have given it a 10.
Worth catching...especially for Mason..
Marsha Mason is the type of actress that puts a great deal of herself into every part she plays.
What Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow were to the writing skills of Woody Allen, Mason was to Neil Simon.
An actress who possessed an instinct for the writers mind and interpreted his material better than anyone.
In CHAPTER TWO, Mason is at her best when delivering clever Neil Simon one liners.
And although she gives it her all, she cannot on her own be expected to put across some of the stickiest dialogue ever written by Neil Simon.
Particularly the self righteous overly emotional speech at the end.
Simon had written a similar speech for Mason in THE GOODBYE GIRL.
About how the character likes herself now and how far she had come in her life and how grown up and wonderful she feels.
Mason should have put her foot down with this monologue in CHAPTER TWO.
There is no way short of a miracle that any actor can pull gooey dialogue off like that without setting nervousness up in the viewer.
This is not to say that Neil Simon has failed with this piece.
Some of his words hit a nice autobiographic mark and I like the confessional speech that George (James Caan) gives about all the reasons why he resents marriage the second time around.
It's too bad Caan never becomes the part.
Not as the character, but as an actor who can't find his way through the part.
Caan looks to Mason knowing she's carrying the weight of the picture and he's hoping her performance will carry him too.
Fortunately there's top notch supporting work by Valerie Harper and Joseph Bologna.
Simon seems to have written the best scenes for them.
While I can forgive Robert Moore's soapy direction, I cannot for my life excuse the awful music score.
Indicative of most music in movies between the decade of 1976 through 1986.
Inappropriate and sappy in the worst sense.Why would anyone want to be in love after watching this picture and hearing it's sticky music?
The feeling of this movie is like one of those old butter commercials with the two lovers running in slow motion towards each other.
I must admit to feeling lonely before watching CHAPTER TWO.
After it was over I was extremely happy that I was not in a relationship and quite content to be single for a while.
Thanks Neil !!.
The best of Marsha Mason and the worst of Neil Simon.
This agonizing comedy-drama got surprisingly sterling reviews upon its release in 1979.
I remember opening the movie-section of the L.A. Times and looking at a 2-page advertisement for "Chapter Two" filled with glowing captions like: "Better than 'The Goodbye Girl'!" and "Neil Simon does it again!" What does Neil Simon do?
He takes an autobiographical situation (remarrying too soon after the death of a beloved spouse) and makes it rusty, unpleasant and--worst of all--unfunny.
James Caan plays Neil--er..that is, George--a writer who can't seem to get back into life after losing his wife; enter spirited Marsha Mason (real-life Mrs. Simon...soon to be ex-Mrs. Simon) who attempts to love George despite his moods and general melancholy.
Mason is very appealing here and might've saved the day were it not for Caan's indifference (not to mention a sub-plot concerning painfully-thin, blonde Valerie Harper which brings the proceedings to a screeching halt).
I liked Mason's outburst at the end ("I am wonderful!
I am NUTS about me!"), but I saw no happy ending for these two people...and time proved me right.
Chapter Two. Sappy adaptation of the Simon autobiographical play with Caan horribly miscast in the Simon character (played by Judd Hirsch on the stage).
He lacks the timing and precision for comedy.
Mason is splendid in an Oscar nominated role as Caan's new love interest who tries to give Caan a sense of hope and deep love.
Bologna and Harper add flavor to their key supporting roles..
Great Movie.
I cannot believe the review I just read about this movie.
It makes me want to be in a relationship.
I think Neil Simon's writing for this movie is full of great lines and the speech Marsha Mason gives is so wonderful and she really pulls it off.
I have played that part over and over and told several people about it who haven't seen the movie.
And I thought the chemistry between Caan and Mason was pretty good and they were believable as a couple.
I also thought the supporting actors played good roles--the brother (Bologne) and the friend (Harper).
The music score wasn't so good.
I loved the ending..
Neil Simon creates a wonderful story..
For the most part I enjoyed this movie.
Neil Simon has created many great plays leading to movies such as Brighton Beach, The Odd Couple, Seems Like Old Times and many, many more.
Marsha Mason is definitely talented and able to carry off this somewhat difficult role.
I also have loved James Caan in other movies such as Godfather, Misery, Kiss Me Goodbye, Gardens of Stone to name only a few.
However, his performance as George Schneider seems lacking in content.
His wittiness and humor are great and he shines when doing comedy, but with the drama -- such as when conflicted with a new relationship and ultimately, he jumps into marriage not really knowing his new bride.
Also Joseph Bologna and Valerie Harper are excellent as the co-stars who ended up pursuing an extramarital affair.
I believe it is really Marsha Mason's superb acting that carries most of this film.
She was also great in The Goodbye Girl.
The only other problem with the dialog is some of Neil Simon's one-liners for Marsha Mason seem trite and overly worn-out.
Simon seems to use the same lines over and over again for other scripts he has written.
Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie..
Is love any easier the second time around?.
"Marry in haste, repent at leisure." Common expression, and perhaps one Neil Simon was thinking of when he wrote this autobiographical offering.George Schneider (James Caan) is a widowed writer who is becoming reclusive.
His brother, Leo (Joseph Bologna), wants him to get back into the swim of life, so he gives him the phone number of Jennie MacLaine (Marsha Mason), a bubbly, divorced actress who is the best friend of his mistress, Faye Medwick (Valerie Harper).
Improbably, George and Jennie hit it off, and enter into a whirlwind courtship, which leads very quickly to marriage.
However, after they have married, the memory of his first wife causes George to withdraw from Jennie.
It's an interesting script, in that you're swept along with a relationship that develops so fast it's out of control.
And just when you think the happy ending is coming, a major problem develops.
Simon certain knew the material, since he took it from his own life, but I think the ending is not as conclusive as he would like you to think it is.
Along the way, though, it's an awful lot of fun.Mason carries this movie, and thankfully, she is more than equal to the task, giving us a fully developed portrait of a charming woman who knows herself, knows what she wants from a relationship, and isn't afraid to tell her husband when he isn't giving her what she needs.
As for Caan, he gives his usual wooden performance, which works moderately well with his character, but still leaves you wondering why he was cast in the part.
As supporting players, Bologna and Harper more than hold their own, and help fill in the void left by Caan.In spite of all its problems, this is a buoyant film, which is a joy to watch.
Love may not be any easier the second time around, but Simon and Mason do manage to convince us that it's worth the ride..
Film with Almost No Plot Goes Nowhere.
What do you end up with when you combine a Neil Simon script and two superstar leads (James Caan and Marsha Mason)?
You should end up with a dynamite movie, but instead "Chapter Two" has almost no plot and listless direction.
That it was a smashing financial success is attributable only to its stars.George Schneider (Caan) is a newly widowed man whose brother Leo (Joseph Bologna) sets him up with a newly divorced Jennie McLain (Marsha Mason).
George and Jennie "meet cute", fall in love, quickly get married, then George starts missing his late wife.
That's it.Caan doesn't seem that interested in his role, Mason appears to want a better script, and the direction is pretty lame.
Caan was on the downside of his 1970s superstar peak and has admitted that he took the role only for the money.
Mason was a recent Academy Award winner, but she and Caan fail to generate much spark due to the pedestrian script, especially since Caan mumbles his way through most of his dialogue, as usual.
Valerie Harper and especially Bologna add about the only zip to the movie as George's brother and Jennie's best friend.
"Chapter Two" is pleasant, but in the end it really seems empty and pointless..
Not a Fan of James Caan, or this film.
My first impression of this film was that it was..okay..., nothing to write home about.
The plot is standard material, and presented fairly well, and Marsha Mason's acting, as usual, stands out (probably the only reason to watch).
The problem is two-fold: First, James Caan's character is so unbelievable.
He starts out as this light-hearted, earnest, easy-going guy trying to win Mason's affections.
Once he does, though, as if someone flipped a switch, he suddenly turns dark, very dark, and drives Mason crazy.
The other problem is Caan the actor.
Perhaps a more versatile actor could have given more credence to his character..
Doesn't work as a movie.
Never got a chance to see this on stage, but it has the kind of dialogue that makes a play great with competent actors.
Chapter Two just doesn't work as a movie.
James Caen and Marsha Mason certainly have the chops, and for the first 30 minutes, the show is an interesting romantic story.That all ends however, when Caen's charterer has a meltdown and it becomes almost painful to watch.
I felt horrible for Marsha Mason, and the emotional baggage, that was heaped upon her character.Even with the eventual resolution, I had no hopes that this ill advised marriage would survive.
Joe Bologna, and Valerie Harper, provide a bit of comic relief, but not enough to make me feel much better.Movies are supposed to be a pleasant escape for the most part.
If you ever have had relationship problems or not, I doubt you will enjoy this movie much..
Neil Simon takes a semi-autobiographical chapter from his own life and turns it into an incredibly kind tale of finding love after death and divorce.
James Caan is a not so merry widow and Marsha Mason is a not so gay divorcée.
They are both ironically leaving JFK around the same time, he coming in from a get-away to Europe and she returning from Reno.
Not running into each other, they also miss seeing each other at a posh Manhattan restaurant, he on a date with an exotically dressed model and she with an incredibly tall man who wants to take her dancing.
Thanks to his playboy brother (Joseph Bologna) and her best friend (Valarie Harper), they end up in several awkward phone conversations and she seems to think she's got a stalker on her hands.
But they finally agree to a five minute meeting, and boy, when they do, sparks fly....The conflict in the relationship comes from each of their personality quirks, aspects of themselves that seem to bother them more than the other.
He can't seem to forget his late wife, and she is gun-shy about another relationship.
But the sudden rush into marriage, which brings out each of their insecurities while on a honeymoon where he once took his late wife, threatens to separate them due to these personality disorders, and it will take time apart for them to sort through these issues.The stars are both extremely attractive here, and after playing some not-so-nice roles on screen, Caan finally becomes a likable guy, one you truly root for.
Mason, Mrs. Neil Simon in real life, seems to be playing a variation of herself, and is as usual, adorable and quirky.
Bologna and Harper, both married to other partners (who seem to be conveniently out of town all the time), add into the mix, and are absolutely wonderful.
Fresh from her long-running TV role of "Rhoda", Harper is a delight, providing some snappy lines like a modern day Eve Arden.
Bologna is likable too in spite of his character's obvious insincerity, and that adds a lot of humor into the mix.A pretty musical score by Marvin Hamlish, a love theme sung by Marilyn McCoo and excellent location photography also add to the charm of Simon's simple but witty tale of two people in transition who find each other when they're really not looking for anybody to replace whom they've just lost.
There's a very funny finale where Mason rushes through the streets of Manhattan trying to avoid running into restaurant patrons, a handyman spraying the sidewalk and a man on a unicycle.
Only in New York from the mind of Neil Simon, who also throws in a hysterical sequence at the 42nd Street Library where a young girl groans at Mason and Caan for making too much noise. |
tt1743880 | Napoleon Dynamite | Napoleon Dynamite is a socially awkward 16-year-old boy from Preston, Idaho, who lives with his older brother, Kipling Ronald "Kip" Dynamite. Kip, 32, is unemployed and boasts of spending hours in Internet chat rooms with "babes" and aspiring to be a cage fighter. Napoleon daydreams his way through school, doodling ligers and fantasy creatures, and reluctantly deals with the various bullies who torment him, particularly the obnoxious sports jock, Don. Napoleon likes to make up stories about himself while having a sullen and aloof attitude.
Napoleon's grandmother breaks her coccyx in a quad-bike accident and asks their Uncle Rico to look after the boys while she recovers. Rico, a middle-aged and flirtatious former athlete who lives in a campervan, treats Napoleon like a child. He uses the visiting opportunity to team up with Kip in a get-rich-quick scheme to sell numerous items door-to-door. Kip wants money to visit his Internet girlfriend LaFawnduh, while Rico believes riches will help him get over his failed dreams of NFL stardom and the loss of his girlfriend.
Napoleon becomes friends with two students at his school: Deb, a shy girl who runs various small businesses to raise money for college; and Pedro, a bold yet calm transfer student from Juarez, Mexico. A friendship soon develops between the three outcasts. During this time, preparations begin for the high school dance. Pedro asks Deb to be his dance partner, which she accepts, while Napoleon chooses and attempts to persuade a reluctant classmate called Trisha to be his own date. Inspired by an election poster at the dance, Pedro decides to run for class president, pitting him against Summer Wheatley, a popular and snobby girl at the school. The two factions put up flyers and give out accessories to the students to attract voters. Kip, meanwhile, is head-over-heels in love since LaFawnduh has come to visit him from Detroit. She gives Kip an urban makeover, outfitting him in hip-hop regalia.
Rico's ongoing scheme causes friction with Napoleon when Rico begins spreading embarrassing rumors about him, to evoke sympathy from his prospective customers. Rico later tries to sell Deb a breast-enhancement product, claiming it was Napoleon's suggestion, which causes her to break off their friendship. His scheme ends when he visits the wife of the town's martial arts instructor, Rex, to try and sell her the breast enhancements, but Rex walks in and beats him up after witnessing Rico's demonstration.
On the day of the class president elections, Summer gives a speech before the student body, and then presents a dance skit with a school club. Pedro and Napoleon then discover that a skit was also required from them, and a despondent Pedro gives an unimpressive speech. Napoleon then gives the sound engineer a music tape given to him by LaFawnduh, and performs an elaborate dance routine to "Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai. Summer and her boyfriend, Don, are unimpressed, but the routine receives a standing ovation from all the other students.
The film concludes with Pedro becoming the class president, LaFawnduh leaving with Kip on a bus for Michigan, Rico reuniting with his estranged girlfriend, Grandma returning from the hospital, and Napoleon and Deb making up and playing tetherball.
In a post-credits scene, Kip and LaFawnduh are married in an outdoor ceremony in Preston. Napoleon, absent for the vows, arrives riding a horse, claiming that it is a "wild honeymoon stallion" that he has tamed himself. Kip flicks LaFawnduh's garter as a "keepsake" towards Napoleon, Rico, and Pedro, before he and LaFawnduh ride off across the fields. | absurd, satire | train | wikipedia | Quirky and fun, just like the movie.
If you liked the movie, or King of The Hill, you will probably like this show.
The characters are awkward and goofy.
They make some funny references to the movie, like when Napoleon tries his dance act to distract an angry crowd.
When the crowd ignores him, he says "I don't even know how that worked the first time" The show is not rude, raunchy, offensive, like the Family guy, etc - you can watch this show with your kids.
I was glad to see Fox try another animated series without all that junk.
Also has faster-paced laughs and some social commentary like other modern animated series.
The pilot episode was absolutely hilarious, and also Ligertown.
Most of the voice acting is spot-on, and I enjoyed hearing Jemaine Clements as Professor Koontz.
Hopefully it will get renewed - I look forward to seeing more..
Napoleon Dynamite hits TV.
The return of Napoleon Dynamite, is it all it is cracked up to be?
Given the movie premiered around 6-7 years ago, It became a great underdog hit, the one that gave Jon Heder his acting career.
The movie was a 'hate it or love it' type of movie as I say, and I had always loved Napoleon Dynamite for its awkward, quirky humour.
The TV show doesn't fall short of the same type of humour, but rather it is filled with even more ridiculous and unpredictable outcomes.
The TV show still has the great characters, and as far as I know, the same actors doing the voices, and same creators.
With this being said, it gives Napoleon Dynamite the same creativity it had a few years back.
Seeing that they were airing the TV show on my Canadian Global channel, I had rather low expectations.
I remember starting to watch it thinking, Napoleon Dynamite was a one time only thing, and should have been kept like that.
However I would be rather enjoyed with the airing of the first episode, though it is hard to compare to a movie, it was still rather funny.
The awkward moments and odd humour still seemed to amuse me, and they seemed to still keep it rather fresh.
The only thing I was not a big fan of was the unexpected, totally random, family guy type of moment.
However I will not hold that against the show, it keeps me entertained, and that was the point.
I also can't think of anything else they are missing, that falls short of the original Napoleon Dynamite, it seemed to me it was well integrated into a TV show.
The point of the show was to entertain with the same awkward humour as the original, it does not fall short.
Though some moments may be misplaced or ridiculous, it was still worth a watch.7/10.
Napoleon Dynamite (2011).
Napoleon Dynamite(2011) was actually surprisingly funny.
Is it like the movie?
Not entirely.
One of the things that made the movie hilarious was it's use of realism and lack of bending reality.
This on the other hand, is actually using the same brand of humor, but in a different shape.
It has the feel of other animated television programs, but still holds that brand of somewhat deadpan, Napoleon Dynamite humor.
Though it may focus more on gags somewhat, there still is something for everyone to enjoy.
It may not be as high-brow as Bob's Burgers, or as outrageous as Family Guy, it still holds that same key element of the character's goofiness.
And that's what the show's key thresh-hold is.
A seven out of ten..
Best Show Ever.
Napoleon Dynamite is the best animated comedy show ever.
Along the lines of King of The Hill.
It blows away the others such as The Simpsons and The Family Guy. I'm not much for comedy but I never miss an episode.
It is so creative, funny and original.
Not much sex, violence, drugs, stupid humor, etc.
maybe that is why the critics slammed it.
I will be a die hard fan until the end, which looks near.
We need more shows like this not less.
Long Live Napoleon Dynamite.
The characters and story lines are so unpredictable.
Of course my all time favorite is Napoleon, then Grandma and Kip. We as a society need humor like this especially in a time like this.
Life is serious enough so relax and enjoy some laughs with Napoleon Dynamite..
Delightfully Nostalgic.
Napoleon Dynamite came out in my high school graduation year and I immediately became obsessed with it.
For the two years after the movie came out it wasn't out of the ordinary to hear people imitating Napoleon's catch phrase "Idiot!" or use the slow sigh to show they were annoyed.
I still have a "Vote for Pedro" sticker on my CD player.
It is certainly a movie I will always look back on as a signal of my youth and where I was at that time in my life.
When the cartoon Napoleon Dynamite can out, I was so excited I was giddy.
Not only was the cartoon just as delightfully random as the movie, but it brought back a lot of old memories from my high school days.
It was finally a way to find out what other random excursions Napoleon, Pedro and Deb could get in other than what was in the movie.
When I learned that it had been cancelled after only the first season, I was devastated.
It was such a slap in the face to learn that they had kept Bob's Burgers and dropped Napoleon Dynamite.
Who know's, maybe this show will come back like Family Guy did.
I hope so..
Better than Allen Gregory.
I never watched the film (though I might in the near-future) but I think this show is above average.
The first few episodes have certainly kept me interested and the plots feel original and creative, with no clichés.
The jokes can be funny at times, the writing is consistent, the voice-acting is top-notch, and the animation is high-quality.
It probably is a bit too late to make a TV show out of it, because the film was released almost a decade ago.
But I'm just looking at it as a TV show in its own right.
What's weird though is that the TV show is animated, and that it could've easily been live-action if it wasn't over-the-top at times.
It is nice to have something fresh on FOX's Animation Domination lineup of animated shows that is better than the abortion Allen Gregory was.
I also think it's just as good as Bob's Burgers.
This show should last at least 2 seasons, with plenty of character development along the way, and not have the fate of "Clerks: The Animated Series" (based on the film "Clerks") which was cancelled on ABC after 2 episodes..
An example of trying to milk something to death.
When Napoleon Dynamite came out, it was a sleeper hit with making big bucks.
What does the studio do?
The studio thinks they can milk the movie into a cartoon series and it all goes down the big giant hole.The positive about the series is most of the cast from the movie are in here with the exception of Don which I wish he should have sign on.Nonetheless, the cartoon just doesn't take off at all like the movie and most of the humor from the cartoon is so borrowed from the movie that its just playing the same rabbit in the hat trick over and over again.The studio should have just completely left this cartoon on the shelf and not waste any money with it.
Too bad the show got canceled and the cast and producers are left pondering what to do next.
Making Napoleon Dynamite into a franchise, well some stuff are just best left alone..
People who hate this show, probably hate Family Guy, Southpark, simpsons, etc..
I randomly saw this series on hulu, i had to click the link and watch.
OMG this show is fantastic!!!!
To the negative reviews, aparently you do not watch cartoons, nor do you enjoy good wholesome humor.
I loved Napoleon Dynamite as a kid when i saw the movie....
Years later, this shows up...
SO MUCH BETTER!
This show is fantastic..
This show is fantastic..
Best thing on tv I've seen on tv in quite sometime.
I would even say on the same level as the movie..
An absurdist masterpiece.
This show was just too hip for middle America...
It is in fact an edgy, Dadaist style comedy animation show in the style of Futurama and the trippier episodes of The Simpsons..
Bland and lacking in every aspect.
Anyone comparing this show to the immaturity and off kilter humor of shows like Family Guy or The Simpsons needs to understand what comedy is.
This show isn't funny, regardless of who it's target audience is.
The jokes are more sterile then an emergency room during rush hour, the plot lines are dumb and pointless, and has already gone the way of Allen Gregory, which in itself was an absolutely horrible show that lacked in the funny department.
You see, the vast majority of people who like animated comedies, like the immaturity of the jokes, not trying to fill the plot with social awkwardness.
Napoleon Dynamite tries to take everything that was marginally decent about the movie and make it into an animated show.
Guess what one thing animated shows have the live action films don't?
The ability to go beyond the sense of logic and maturity in order to stretch the bounds of comedy.
Whatever panel at FOX (and Global for us Canadians), approved this show, needs to get their funny senses fixed, as animated comedies should all be funnier then this bland show.
Seth MacFarlane and Matt Groening got it right with their shows, the geniuses who wrote this garbage took what was a decent movie and bastardized a one time hit by trying to make an animated comedy out of it..
Great Show that does justice to the 2004 movie!.
It sucks this show only lasted 6 episodes!!!
I hate that it got cancelled because people in the time didn't like it!.
I want them to bring this amazing series back!
What was not to like about it!
You have the characters played by the real actors and actresses from the original 2004 movie in this show all playing their same characters.
I want this show to come back!
The 6 episodes are great and it sucks there will be no more.
What a shame!..
Where to begin?
It's been 8 years since the movie and not a sign of anything Napoleon.
FOX then announces that they are doing an animation.
Why the big gap?
because any network and studio know that Napoleon is a money pit.
The Movie was a fluke.
The movie and show are about social rejects for social rejects.
The only people who seem to enjoy both the movie and the show were those creepy kids who picked their scabs & nose and ate it.
We were tortured for years after the movie came out with losers quoting unfunny lines yet being accepted by other losers.
The first episode of Napoleon scored 4.4 in ratings but that "glory" was soon to pass as within half an hour and the second episode only scored 3.3 that's a massive drop and nearly 2 million viewers.
Time has yet to tell how much lower the 3rd episode has fallen in ratings but the future seems clear that Napoleon is heading the way Of Allen Gregory.
I'm sure after the 6th episode has aired it will be the last we hear of Napoleon Dynamite..
It was just awful fox production on a great movie turned into an animated series.
Honestly, I was excited to see this ever since it was first announced, how ever when i watched the first episode it grabbed my attention as just another immature family oriented TV show with only some minor dark humor and plots.
This show went the way of the later family guy series being calm and timid rather then up your face with comedy.
If adult swim decided to make this show it would have been a lot better that is why i gave this a 1/10 stars because the entire series was just a huge bore and kind of mocked at me as an adult for watching it.
If this series had a little more dark humor and some genuine human interaction and less unrealistic moments i would be more into it..
Mediocre animated series that doesn't capture the essence of the original movie.
"Napoleon Dynamite" is one of those films that one does either hate or love.I liked that film, but I never considered the possibility of it having a sequel, even less an animated series based on it, mostly because the original film has a satisfying conclusion and there wasn't very much that could be added to the story.However, the first time I heard about this series, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt, even when I didn't like very much the character's designs or the animation style.After seeing it, I have to say that I'm very disappointed.
The main reason of why this series doesn't work for me is that it doesn't feel at all as the movie in which it was inspired: Here, all the slice of life aspects from the film are replaced with some unconvincing "wacky" humor that just feels forced and dull.
The personalities from all the characters are noticeably changed, so they are either meaner (With Napoleon being the main example of this, lacking of almost all the likable traits that he had in the movie) or dumber (Uncle Rico and Kip receive this treatment)I admit that there are a few amusing or clever moments in this series, and the voice acting is pretty good (Mostly because the original cast from the movie is providing the voices of the characters) but that's the best that can be said about this cartoon, which basically turns the original "Napoleon Dynamite" story into some sort of "Family Guy"(Albeit way more tamed) wannabe.This is just not good enough. |
tt0084854 | Venom | The story opens with a Creole woman digging up a small briefcase from the ground in the pouring rain. She then proceeds to get in her car and drives down the Louisiana road. Meanwhile, at a local burger joint, high school senior, Eden (Agnes Bruckner), is working with her best friends, Rachel (Laura Ramsey) and CeCe (Meagan Good) while the rest of her friends hang around the place. Ricky (Pawel Szajda) is aimlessly flirting with Patty (Davetta Sherwood) and Tammy (Bijou Phillips) by giving them alcohol. Eric (Jonathan Jackson) and Sean (D. J. Cotrona) talk about important matters until Ray Sawyer (Rick Cramer) pulls up in his tow truck. Everyone stares and whisper rumors about him while Ray picks his order up. Ray is Sean's biological father. After he leaves, Rachel says how much he scares her, while Tammy flashes Ray while he eats in his truck. After work, Eden begins to bike home alone, but Eric catches up to her to talk to her about going to college in New York. While they were talking, Ray drives up and asks if Eden's alright. When he is sure, he begins to leave when another car, carrying the Creole woman from the beginning of the film - who is CeCe's grandmother - passes by. CeCe's grandmother's car falls halfway off the bridge. Ray gets out of the truck and helps Eric save the woman. Ray saves her, but the woman begs Ray to get the suitcase. As Ray reaches into her car to get it, the suitcase lid flies open as the car falls off of the bridge and begins to sink into the water below. Upon opening, the suitcase releases several horrifying snakes. As the car sinks into the bayou the snakes attack Ray. The ambulance arrives to find Ray dead along with CeCe's grandmother. CeCe arrives shaken up over the tragedy, and takes a charm that was on her grandmother's corpse. CeCe then surprises Eden and Eric by questioning them about the condition of Ray's body.
The same night at the coroner's office, the coroner examines Ray's dead body apparently having been bitten by venomous snakes – presumed to be water snakes. The coroner leaves the area and comes back to see Ray's body missing and then he is killed by Ray's possessed body. Deputy Turner is also killed while returning Ray's tow truck to the shop. The next day Eden is still recuperating from the night before. She visits her father's grave in the cemetery, and sees Ray's tow truck driving by. Rachel and her boyfriend, Sean, are at the lake, with Sean showing little emotion to Ray's death. He drank heavily leading to him ditching Rachel with Eden and having Eric chase after him. Meanwhile, Tammy and Patty are planning to go to the mall to shoplift and they come across Ray's towing business. Patty goes to pee, while Tammy fixes the tires. When she is done, Tammy goes to look for Patty, only to find her impaled by battery clamps attached to chains leaving her to hang. Tammy tries to escape but Ray traps her in the garage and crushes her torso with a lowered car and then sandblasts her face off with a blasting pump.
As Eric follows Sean to Ray's garage, Sean begins to show anger at Ray's death for his abandonment. Sean enters the area to find a picture of him when he was a little kid – showing that Ray did care about him. Sean storms out toward the garage and finds the remains of Tammy strewn around the floor. The night leads to Eden going to CeCe's grandmothers house, where she has a plethora of voodoo materials. CeCe then tells her that the snakes that killed Ray were full of the evil that her grandmother took out of men to purify their souls. Ricky, Rachel, Sean, and Eric arrive at CeCe's and find out what is going on. They try to escape town but their car is turned on its side preventing anyone from leaving the bayou. The kids all see Ray and begin to run and Ricky is caught by Ray when his leg is pinned to the stairs by a crowbar. His arm is then ripped off, causing him to bleed to death. Ray cannot enter the house because the house has been blessed with voodoo spells.
As the others panic inside, they look and it seems as if Ray is gone. Ray throws a chain through a window and winds it around Sean's neck, then drags him outside, while Eden grabs a rifle from the bedroom. Ray slashes Sean's face with his crowbar and then impales him through the chest. Eden and Eric shoot Ray with the rifle to buy them time to drag Sean inside and try in vain to stop the bleeding, but he dies on the floor. Rachel cries over the loss of her boyfriend, while Eden talks CeCe into turning Sean's body into a human voodoo doll to control Ray. Meanwhile, Ray hooks the towing hook to the foundation of the house and pulls a whole room off the house, dragging Eric and Rachel with it. Eric and Rachel run to get back inside, while CeCe finishes the spell, despite her leg being crushed by a support beam.
Ray begins to climb the wreckage toward CeCe, but CeCe stabs Sean's body several times to slow Ray down in his advance. Ray finally reaches her and takes the knife from CeCe to slash her throat, while Eden, Eric and Rachel leave. As the remaining three try to escape, Ray follows in his truck and pulls beside them. He tosses a chain around Rachel's neck and drags her halfway out of the car, but Eden grabs hold of her legs. As both cars are accelerating, Rachel screams and is impaled on a dead log. Eric and Eden then try to pass through the swamp to escape Ray, who dives beneath the murky water. As Eric and Eden head for dry land, Ray attacks, missing them both, but separating them. Eden ends up in the graveyard, and Eric deeper in the swamp. Eden makes her way into a crypt where she finds an altar and an open casket where all the victims are kept. Eden tries to leave but Ray comes and locks her in. In panic, Eden hides beneath Patty's body. Eric is then thrown into the crypt by Ray, who then goes to the altar. Eden starts to cry until Eric opens his eyes.
Eden can not hide her gasp, unknowingly drawing Ray's attention. As Ray looks in to inspect the bodies, he grabs Eden's foot, but Eric begins to groan to protect Eden. Ray then stabs Eric in the head with a screwdriver. Eden then fights Ray by setting him on fire and pushing him down a chute, but he drags her with him. She then uses a charm she got from CeCe that protects against evil. Ray submits, but the snakes possessing his body emerge to try to take the charm from her. Eden escapes up the chute, using the charm as a diversion. Eden then traps Ray and the snakes in the chute. As she tries to drive off in his tow truck, she hears an inhuman shriek, signaling Ray is back. Ray chases Eden out of the truck before she can do anything and she runs to hide in the bayou. She hides behind a bush close to Ray. He hears a rustling and hacks the bush, revealing she is not there. Just then the tow truck emerges through the underbrush and crushes Ray in half against a tree, killing him. Eden then staggers off into the trees, and the two snakes can be seen crawling out of Ray's decomposing torso to find another host. | cult, grindhouse film, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0116622 | In the Blink of an Eye | The film starts with the two detectives, Larry and David, in search of a missing singer in an abandoned trailer park. After getting shot at twice, David is saved by his cell phone, which took the bullet that was aimed for his heart. David kills the kidnapper. Then a man, Kevin, comes for the singer, tells the detective that he is going to take her on a yacht for a few days. The duo cops finagle an invitation on the yacht, as the man is a suspect of other crimes, but their boss has nothing on him.
The detectives take their wives with them on the yacht, and say that it is a vacation. While on the yacht, David gets a call from his boss saying that the kidnapper had a picture of him sitting beside their Kevin. His wife, Lori, comes out and has an argument with David because he really is not paying attention to her. He asked Kevin about the photo, but he just blew him off as the guy was just someone trying to get close to the glitz and glamor.
In Lori's room, she is there with the wife of the other cop, Sue, and they talk about Jesus and how he can give peace, and Lori states that she wants that. She then asks God into her life and becomes saved. The next day, she is upbeat and when their friends go to visit an island, they stay behind because Lori has other plans, which include them going on a secluded island where she tells him she loves him. He asks what has gotten into her and she says "that is for her to know and him to find out." He says that he wants to rest after their picnic, so she says she wants to go get some seashells. He closes his eyes and when he wakes up she and Larry and Sue have disappeared... | romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0073535 | Peur sur la ville | Policeman Jean Letellier is under pressure because the infamous gangster Marcucci escaped from him publicly. Moreover during the pursuit an innocent bystander was killed by a stray bullet. Letellier is investigated for having fired the deadly bullet.
Before Letellier is cleared, a serial killer begins to murder young women, each time leaving a weird message at the site of crime. He calls himself "Minos", referring to the Divine Comedy. The murderer always declares he had punished his victims for what he considers their impure life style.
While Letellier still has no trace of "Minos", he comes across Marcucci's current whereabouts. Just as before, Marcucci tries to escape in a spectacular manner when Letellier confronts him. But this time Marcucci dies in the course of action.
Marcucci's death is no relief for Letellier who is now publicly accused of having neglected the "Minos" case in favour of settling his personal feud with his late archenemy.
"Minos" keeps on murdering and leaving provoking hints until Letellier can identify him. The serial killer can only scarcely elude Letellier, who chases him over the roofs of Paris. His next coup is to take hostages in a skyscraper. Letellier decides he has had it and goes airborne. From a flying helicopter he jumps through the window into the flat and puts "Minos" down. | neo noir | train | wikipedia | Skip through the special features on the DVD of Peter Yates Bullitt (1968) and you'll find an interesting featurette entitled Steve McQueen's Commitment to Reality; a promo made at the time of the film's production.
FACT: Next to French superstar Jean-Paul Belmondo's stunt work in Peur Sur La Ville, McQueen was merely dipping his little toe in a very deep pool!
Reality indeed!The action sequences in Peur Sur La Ville are nothing short of jaw dropping, even by the standards of movies today.
One chase sequence in particular has Belmondo pursuing a suspect up an interior stairwell, out through a window, across a series of rooftops whilst hanging onto various fascias and bits of guttering.
Once again on street level, a car-chase ensues, climaxing with Belmondo running atop a moving train!
This is undoubtedly one of the best examples of its kind ever committed to celluloid.Peur Sur La Ville would probably never have been conceived if it hadn't been for the aforementioned Bullitt or for that matter, William Friedkin's The French Connection (1971).For years, European critics sneered at American remakes/reworkings of classic foreign language films and held theirs heads high with the view that continental cinema was not only innovative, but actually set the trends for the Yanks to replicate.
However, Bullitt, French Connection and Don Siegel's Dirty Harry (1971) set the record straight once and for all; the anti-hero cop was as American as the hamburger.
However, Verneuil, a Turkish film-maker working in France managed to pull off a real coup with Peur Sur La Ville.
By making his film a hybrid of both polizier and giallo, it works on both levels and gives it the substance lacking from the Italian pictures.A diabolical killer calling himself Minos, is on the loose in Paris.
Minos taunts Latelier by sending a piece of his picture after each murder, in the view that the photograph will be complete when his work is done.As Paris' most unorthodox detective, Latelier gets sadistic pleasure from seeing his suspects squirming.
During one of the Sub-plots, Latelier refuses to call a critically wounded drug dealer an ambulance until he gets the information he is after, which echoes Eastwood's Callaghan in Dirty Harry.As much as Verneuil was influenced by the like of Siegel and Freidkin, Peur sur La Ville owes a huge debt to the films of Mario Bava.
The opening scene in which Minos taunts a victim on the phone, is reminiscent of The Telephone episode of Bava's anthology Black Sabbath (1963).Later during the aforementioned chase sequence, after crashing through the skylight, Latelier and Minos face off amongst the mannequins of a poorly lit store room; a nod to the Italian maestro's Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1969).Peur Sur La Ville features a wonderful music score by none other than Ennio Morricone.
The viewer has the choice of watching the film either in the original French language or in a dubbed English version.
Extra features are limited to the original theatrical trailer (in French), an interview with Verneuil (again in French) and a poster gallery.Peur Sur La Ville is one of the lost landmarks of action cinema but is also so much more.
"Peur sur la ville" is one of the best films for both Jean-Paul Belmondo and director Henri Verneuil.
At the time (1974-75) Belmondo is (with Alain Delon) the biggest French movie star -he's a versatile actor, but he is specialized in action movies where he can do his own stunts...
His artistic and physical exploits allow him to be the Number 1 at the French box office between 1970 and 1987.Henri Verneuil is too a versatile artist -in his long career he directs film of every genre, most of them are box office hits.
He works with the Top French film stars (Fernandel, Belmondo, Delon, Ventura, Gabin, ...).When the two men meet for this collaboration they are not novice artists and know exactly what they want.
A solid thriller ("un polar") in the best French tradition with drama, fear and action.
Efficacy of the movie depends on actors and their physical involvement.Belmondo, who is a mask of the French cinema, is really great.
"Fear Over The City"/"The Night Caller") of 1975 is a great and excellently made French Thriller with the great Jean-Paul Belmondo in the lead.
While this film was clearly inspired by American cult flicks, such as "Dirty Harry", "Bullit" or the "French Connection", and furthermore took its influence in early 70s Italian Gialli and Poliziotteschi, it remains very French and quite original.
The story may not be the most original ever, but the way it is executed, the brilliant photography and director Henry Verneuil's great sense for stylistic tricks give this an immense originality.
Commisaire Jean Lettelier played by Belmondo is the French equivalent to Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry and the tough coppers of Italian cinema played by actors like Maurizio Merli and Henry Silva.
While the cop played by Bebel is an unorthodox tough guy like his American and Italian counterparts, he is also a typically French macho, talkative, chain-smoking and always wearing elegant clothes.
This is a a French/Italian co-production, and while its characters and mood are very French, it uses many elements of contemporary Italian genre-cinema.Comissaire Jean Lettelier (Belmondo) is a tough Paris cop, who is in desperate search for a gangster named Marnucci, who has once shot a civilian while escaping from Letellier after a bank robbery.
A psychopathic killer who calls himself Minos terrorizes the French capital, murdering women whom he considers morally reprehensible...
Both the action- and the suspense-sequences are photographed brilliantly, in supreme camera angles and using great visual gimmicks (I won't spoil anything by giving examples).
Apart from great suspense and action, a brilliant visual style, and a great leading performance and supporting cast, the film profits from an ingenious score.
All things considered "Peur Sur La Ville" is a tantalizing and great Thriller that no fan of 70s cinema should miss.
JP Belmondo Chases Killers Across Paris.
Jean Paul Belmondo and his associate, Charles Denner, play tough cops after two killers in "Fear Over the City." Although not listed in the credits, the city of Paris plays a major supporting role.
One killer, Marcucci, is a bank robber Belmondo's character is after for killing a fellow cop during an auto chase.
At one point later in the picture, Belmondo is on the roof of a Paris Metro car above ground as it goes though Paris, with the cop killer inside the train.
The viewer gets a chance to see the city sights as the train zips along.The second killer, who uses the name "Minos," wants to rid the world of sexual immorality by targeting women he finds objectionable.
Belmondo gets into a gunfight with Minos while on the sloping roof of a store, apparently the Galleries Lafayette.
Director Verneuil does a great job of adding thrills as Belmondo slips on the sloping roof several times, almost falling off, all the while shooting it out with Minos.
The pursuit of Minos after the roof fight leads to a chase through Paris, past the Eiffel Tower and through downtown streets, Belmondo's police car after Minos, on a motorcycle.In this movie Belmondo gets a chance to play a real tough cop, one who shoots back at a suspect, hitting him, and then ignores him as he asks for an ambulance.
Belmondo's bell bottom pants have dated, but not that basement scene nor the professionalism the cast and crew bring to this movie..
As for the music made by Ennio Morricone, it works great with the movie (for instance the sequence in which Minos (the killer) is tracked up to the Galeries Lafayette's attic by the Comissaire Letellier (J.P. Belmondo) is thrilling partly because of the music and the ambiance).
Notice the bit of humor when we can hear as Belmondo chase the killer in the Galeries Lafayette, the woman's voice of the advertising that says in French "there is always something happening in the Galeries Lafayette".
As I said, it is a fast-paced movie, it also has a lot of action and Belmondo uses it to show his athletic skills, not using a stuntman to do the job.
Belmondo is great as the bad-ass cop with a cynical sense of humor.I recommend you to check this movie out while keeping in mind that it looks old and there are some awkward moments due to its date of release (guns sounds like firecrackers)..
the best french action movie.
The stunts are incredible(belmondo=keaton and Jackie Chan)specially the chase on the subway.The Veber's dialogues are very punchy.
This French movie by crime and action movie director Henri Verneuil presents Jean-Paul Belmondo at his best!
He plays a Clint-Eastwood-like hard boiled detective in Paris, chasing a mentally disturbed serial killer who's already killed several women.
Belmondo is acting in his usual style, with less words than action and some witty remarks for every scene.
Next to some scary murders and a disturbing one-eyed killer, the highlight of this movie is a 15-minute chase which starts on a house's roof and is continued by bike, cars and a thrilling subway stunt sequence, all filmed as good as well-known chase scenes like "Bullitt", "French Connection" or "Speed".
If you like dark serial killer action, hard-boiled guys and breath-taking action sequences, watch this cool 1975 movie!.
Henri Verneuil's film is really not what I was expecting it to be at all; it's actually a lot more than just a film about cops hunting a vicious psychopath and while not everything about the film works, what does work works brilliantly and this is certainly among the best European crime thrillers of the 1970's.
The plot simply focuses on an unknown serial killer that targets loose women in Paris by way of phone calls and later murder.
Commissioner Jean Letellier and Inspector Moissac are put on the case and have to go through the Parisian underworld before coming close to catching the killer and discovering his insane reason for murdering the women of Paris.The thing that really makes this film stand out is the leading performances courtesy of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Charles Denner.
The pair fit into their roles excellently individually and have a great chemistry also, which director Henri Verneuil is keen to exploit as much as possible as the two actors provide the film with most of its best moments and also deliver some comedy.
The film is not overly gory and the focus is never on the murders; although there are a few featured and the way that the director focuses on the killer's black gloves is a nice nod towards Giallo.
The film features many of the crime film staples such as car chases and shootouts; a sequence that sees the main protagonist chase the killer in the middle of the film is excellently staged and very thrilling.
The film changes pace many times throughout but the director always manages to keep things interesting.
"Fear Over The City" is one of those films that invented what later became known as the clichés of the "serial-killer thriller" subgenre.
The structure of the film is almost experimental, with a chase sequence in the middle that goes on for about 30 minutes, and an entire subplot (about a bank robber who killed Belmondo's previous partner) that is little more than a mere distraction.
Belmondo is good as the cynical, hard-as-nails cop, and yes, he does perform some stunts in this movie that are worthy of Jackie Chan at his finest.
The US delivered a couple of brilliant milestones in the genre (like "Dirty Harry" and "The French Connection"), Italy is probably world record holder with all their masterful "Poliziotteschi" classics, and also France proudly owns a handful of goodies.
Henri Verneuil's "Peur sur la Ville" is a prototypic 70's cop thriller, and this definition basically translates into: high adrenalin action from start to finish, straightforward but tense plot lines, cool cops, nightmarish criminals, sharp dialogs, pitch-black humor and an awesome soundtrack!
J-P Belmondo is absolutely terrific as the dry and sarcastic Commissioner Letellier, charged with the case of a misogynic killer who menaces his victims via the phone prior to actually strangling them.
"Peur sur la Ville" features many recurring highlights, like the many sardonic interactions between Commissioner Letellier and his partner Moissac, but of course the most obvious aspect to worship here is the action.
Belmondo literally bounces around Paris, from the rooftops of apartment buildings to all the way down in the subway network.
Nearly forty years later now, films like "Peur sur la Ville" may indeed come across as somewhat dated and overly clichéd, but it's still tremendously exhilarating and entertaining.
The climax is tense, albeit a bit tedious and overly stretched, and you won't notice for a second that this is actually quite long for an action/thriller (+120min).
Seriously he's dangling out helicopters...jumping around from rooftop to rooftop...riding the top of a speeding subway train trying to get a jump on one of the bad guys who thought he escaped (that scene was SO ripped off or paid homage to by the climatic scene in SPEED--i mean its very similar---Bellmondo even ducks the signal red light that whizzes by just like Keeanu at the end of Speed---its pretty awesome) All while trying to apprehend a serial killer who's going' around killing women and taunting him while doing so.
The plot couldn't be more basic or more been there seen that---and yet the very kick ass action sequences--which were completely shot naturally--(i know this was made in the 70's but even then--doing stuff like this without stunt doubles or insurance claims or some trick photography--etc---was not as common as the awesome films from that era including French Connection and The Seven -Ups would have you believe) make it worth seeing.Um i like the way the killer kills a woman while she's grinding coffee grounds in one scene and coffee beans are everywhere when Bellmundo gets there to explore what's happened...also the sequence at the end where bellmendo realizes that the guy in front of him is the killer--blah, blah, blah.
This movie has 3 super-heavy guys, 3 sacred monsters of the 7th Art: Jean-Paul Belmondo (in the role of Commissioner Letellier and producer of the film), Henri Verneuil (director and author of the screenplay) and Ennio Morricone (who doesn't needs no other specification, he is the one guilty of that obsessive piano accompanied by an even more obsessively whistle).
It is a high class action film, Belmondo makes one of his best roles, plus all his stunts, as usual(exceptional scenes on the Galeries Lafayette store rooftop, above the subway running after Marcucci and the spectacular descent from the helicopter) (must be remembered as stuntmen also those 2 legends called Claude Carliez and Rémy Julienne, plus a Romanian stunt, Dan Vieru) (Claude Carliez also directed one movie, another great thriller, made in 1969, with Jean Marais, "Diamond Rush"Le Paria-original title).
Another great French actor, Charles Denner, is Belmondo's police colleague, inspector Moissac.
The Italian actor Adalberto Maria Merli makes a special role as Pierre Valdeck, alias the psychopath Minos.
Henri Verneuil is a great French director, who also made masterpieces like "The 25th Hour"(1967) (with the great Anthony Quinn in the role of a Romanian peasant), "The Sicilian Clan"(1969), with Alain Delon, Lino Ventura and Jean Gabin, "The Burglars"(1971), with Jean-Paul Belmondo again and Omar Sharif, "The Serpent"(1973), with Yul Brynner, Henry Fonda and Dirk Bogarde (you can notice that he worked only with great great actors).
Belmondo is his old >tough-guy self, though one might like hime more when he plays >his spunky Parisian self in a more humorous way.
At the time, >this kind of movie made lots and lots of money at the box-office >; now they don't do 'em anymore and complains about the lack of >box-office appeals for French films at the local box-office
go >figure.
However, the real strength of the film really lies in its visual power in terms of having really well crafted scenes with an excellent composition.
From that point of view Peur sur la Cite is certainly one of the better films Belmondo made in the 70s/80s.
That in itself makes the film worth watching..
So, way before the end of the 60, the french new wave was, in its original core, worn out.
But remarkably, we have a trend of action films which are really worth watching.
So this film is a very curious, and interesting product, a product born from the symbiotic relation between American and french trends.
Belmondo is the heritage of the original nouvelle vague, even in his (actually awkward) characterization (the cigarette, the hard boiled posture), as well as the cinematic explicit quoting; right at the beginning, the Jean Gabin bit.
So Minos is a one eyed fellow, who actually gets tracked down when Belmondo proves the glass eye connection.
The trick is to extend the chasing sequences as long as we can, changing sets, changing locomotion medium (foot on roofs, cars in the city, subway/train).
It's really good fun to watch, and it makes it on a visual way.
The killer grabs a motorcycle, Belmondo and his partner start the chase in the car.
Two other cops follow him while Belmondo still chases the killer.
The interesting thing here is how, if you know your Paris, you'll understand through the lines that both chases are close one to the other.
So you'll know why at a certain moment Belmondo gives up on the killer to start pursuing his personal vendetta.
we have a little bit more of car chase to connect us to the new chased subject, and we get into the subway.
Belmondo on the train, tunnels, he gets in, he shoots the guy.
This sequence was clearly aiming at the similar car chase of French Connection.
Great action scenes.
Great action scenes Fast moving French Dirty Harry Movie.
Great chase scenes, people getting shot, car, roof top, motorcycle, train.
The killer should have been killed.Excellent B Movie. |
tt0808526 | Life During Wartime | The plot revolves around the Jordan sisters featured in Happiness: Trish, Joy, and Helen.
Since the events of Happiness, Joy has married Helen's former neighbor Allen Mellencamp, who continues to struggle with his compulsion to make obscene phone calls.
Trish has been raising her three children, Billy (now off at college), Timmy and Chloe. She has begun dating recently divorced Harvey Weiner, who she hopes is normal. Trish's ex-husband, Bill has been released from prison after serving a sentence for child molestation, and heads to Florida to find out how his family, particularly his eldest son, are doing. He finds brief solace in a one-night stand with Jacqueline, a self-described "monster" as filled with loneliness and self-hatred as he is; however, she kicks him out the next morning when she catches him taking money from her purse.
Trish's middle child, Timmy, is preparing for his bar mitzvah and trying to determine what it means to become a man. Trish has for years told Timmy and Chloe that Bill had died, to avoid telling them that he is a pedophile. Timmy finds out, however, and is angry at her that she lied to him. When he asks her about the mechanics of rape, Trish urges him to scream as soon as any man touches him.
Meanwhile, Joy takes a break from Allen, and heads to Florida to spend time with Trish. She begins having visions of Andy, a former co-worker who had committed suicide shortly after dating her. She briefly goes to California to visit Helen, who has become a successful screenwriter, and calls her husband to leave a message that she is coming home. The audience sees that Allen has committed suicide. She returns to Florida to attend Timmy's bar mitzvah.
In the meantime, Bill sneaks into Trish's house to find Billy's college address. He pays Billy an unexpected visit at Northern Oregon University, where they discuss their past and the time that passed while Bill was in prison; in particular, Bill asks Billy a few very blunt questions about his sex life. Bill asks for forgiveness, but Billy refuses, saying his actions are unforgivable. Bill then disappears again, reassured that Billy will not turn out to be like him.
Harvey brings his adult son Mark to dinner at Trish's, where he and Trish introduce their children to each other. At Timmy's request, Harvey comes to Timmy's room to have a talk. Timmy asks Harvey whether he is gay or a pedophile. Harvey denies being either, and, suspecting Timmy has been molested, tries to comfort him, touching his shoulder and hugging him. Terrified, Timmy starts to scream as per his mother's earlier instructions. Trish believes that Harvey tried to molest Timmy, and dumps him.
Timmy has his bar mitzvah, during which Joy experiences visions of Andy and then Allen, who implores her to commit suicide as he has, but Joy refuses and banishes him from her life. Timmy leaves the reception to find Mark, Harvey's son. He begs Mark (who, in Palindromes, revealed he had dealt with allegations of pedophilia) for forgiveness, as he made his mistakes before his bar mitzvah (an event marking the beginning of moral accountability). Mark grants him forgiveness, but notes that such gestures are meaningless. Timmy then says that all he wants is his father. In the background, Bill materializes in the same manner that Andy did earlier in the film, but walks off screen as the film ends. | comedy | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1705134 | State of Emergency | After a chemical plant explodes, the military quarantines the surrounding area. Jim helplessly watches his girlfriend Emilie die of a wound sustained while trying to find safety, and he retreats to a farmhouse. Sporadic media reports indicate that the chemical plant may have stored biological weapons that are responsible for mutating people into rabid cannibals. He seeks help from the ubiquitous military helicopters that patrol the area, but it is to no avail. However, his efforts are noticed by survivors holed up nearby in a warehouse, and he joins them: Scott, Scott's wife Julie, and Ix, a quiet and unfriendly survivor that they rescued.
Ix initially snaps at Jim for inadvertently taking her candy and rejects his offers of friendship, but she slowly warms to him. Ix reveals that her failure to find a job or any friends in a new city led her to return home to live with her parents. There, she and her parents clashed over her lifestyle, and she stopped talking to them. Before she could apologize for her behavior, her parents died during the quarantine. Jim and Ix bond over their loneliness and feelings of loss, though Ix continues to keep her diabetes a secret from everyone. After she falls into a diabetic coma, Jim leaves the warehouse to find insulin for her.
Jim evades zombies and recovers insulin in emergency supplies airdropped by the military. When he returns to the warehouse, Jim saves Scott from a zombie attack. During the night, zombies break in the warehouse, and the survivors retreat upstairs into the offices. While clearing the warehouse, Jim discovers a squad of Marines, and they tranquilize him. He wakes up in an observation room, shackled to a chair. Through a glass window, a scientist explains to Jim that the chemical plant released a neurotoxin into the air that caused people to go homicidal, but tests reveal that Jim, Scott, Julie, and Ix are clean. The scientist apologizes to Jim and tells him that they're all free to go. After the group reunites, Jim and Ix embrace. | flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0308644 | Finding Neverland | The story focuses on Scottish writer J. M. Barrie, his platonic relationship with Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, and his close friendship with her sons named George, Jack, Peter and Michael, who inspire the classic play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Never Grew Up.
Following the dismal reception of his latest play, Little Mary, Barrie meets the widowed Sylvia and her four young sons (George, Jack, Peter and Michael) in Kensington Gardens, and a strong, close friendship develops between them. He proves to be a great playmate and surrogate father figure for the boys, and their imaginative antics give him ideas which he incorporates into a play about boys who do not want to grow up, especially one named after troubled young Peter Llewelyn Davies. Although Barrie sees this family as wonderful and inspirational, people question his relationship with the Llewelyn Davies family. Sylvia was a widow: her husband died from cancer and left her with four boys to bring up on her own. Barrie's wife Mary, who eventually divorces him, and Sylvia's mother Emma du Maurier, object to the amount of time Barrie spends with the Llewelyn Davies family. Emma also seeks to control her daughter and grandsons, especially as Sylvia becomes increasingly weak from an unidentified illness. Along the way, Barrie goes on these adventures with Sylvia and her boys. He too is a boy at heart and spending time with the family is special. Barrie takes those adventures he has with the boys making them into a play called Peter Pan.
Producer Charles Frohman skeptically agrees to mount Peter Pan, despite his belief that it holds no appeal for upper-class theatergoers. Barrie peppers the opening night audience with children from a nearby orphanage, and the adults present react to their infectious delight with an appreciation of their own. The play proves to be a huge success. Barrie is all set for his play, but when Peter arrives alone to the play, Barrie goes to Sylvia's house to check up on her, and misses the show. Peter attends the play and realises the play is about his brothers and Barrie.
Sylvia is too ill to attend the premiere, so Barrie arranges to have an abridged production of it performed in her home. He gets the actors, props and musicians together in the Llewelyn Davies house. At the end of the play, Peter Pan points to the back doors and implies that Sylvia should go off to Neverland. She takes the hands of her boys and slowly walks out into Neverland. The living room and back garden transform into Neverland and Sylvia continues to walk on her own.
In the next scene everyone is at Sylvia's funeral. Barrie discovers that her will says that he and her mother should look after the boys, an arrangement agreeable to both. The film ends with J. M. Barrie finding Peter on the bench in the park where they first met after Peter ran off from the graveyard. Peter is holding his book where he wrote the plays that he ripped apart and that his mother glued back together for him. Barrie sits down and puts his arm around Peter to comfort him. They both fade, and all that is left is the bench. | dramatic, cute, fantasy, boring, romantic | train | wikipedia | Marc Forester's fascinating film biography adapted by David Magee from Allan Knee's play, "The Man Who Was Peter Pan," now comes to us in this delightful, moving account, 'Finding Neverland.' It presents historical reality between lushly imagined expeditions to a fictitious Neverland.
It's performed impeccably by Johnny Depp as Sir James Mathew Barrie and an extraordinary cast under the able direction of Marc Forster.This is the loveliest film of the year, highly recommended.
Although the film deserves all the praise it gets, it is understandable that moviegoers are a little weary with another dramatic period piece, with another "oscar caliber" cast, about yet another take on Peter Pan.The bottom line is, this movie is phenomenal.
Exploring the major theme of Barrie's play (that of a boy who never grows up), Finding Neverland refrains from condemning grown-ups, but exalts the wild magic one can enjoy as a kid.
The boys playing the Davis kids are a lot of fun to watch and play their dramatic parts perfectly.If you want something where all the pieces of the magic puzzle that is movie-making come together with grace, charm, and humanity, you won't find a more rewarding film than this..
Every minute of this movie was simply incredible -- I felt like the kids in the theater on the opening night of Peter Pan. Johnny Depp is absolutely astounding, as he usually is, as JM Barrie.
Without a doubt, a film worthy of Oscar nominations for Depp, screenplay adaptation, cinematography (the pirate ship scene is gorgeous), and best movie of the year.
Find Neverland!Marc Forster ('Monster Ball') has created a lovingly tender look at the playwright JM Barrie (Johnny Depp) in 1903 when, down on his luck with theater flops, unfulfilled by a marriage of Victorian standards to a beautiful but aloof and social climbing wife Mary (Radha Mitchell), and with writer's block, he encounters the Llewellyn Davies family - a widow Sylvia (Kate Winslet) and her four boys, George (Nick Roud), Jack (Joe Prospero), Michael (Luke Spill) and Peter (Freddie Highmore) - playing blissfully in Kensington Gardens.
Barrie is captivated, draws the boys to him with his patient and infectious enthusiasm for play, and bonds with this family, gaining the obvious seeds for his highest achievement or creation, PETER PAN.How these seeds grow, despite the soft, yet supportive, growling of his producer Charles Frohman (Dustin Hoffman) and the not so soft interference of Sylvia's wealthy haughty mother Madame du Maurier (Julie Christie), form the storyline of this film.
The other characters, likewise, garnish the central story excellently.The only flaw I saw is, I'm sure, a matter of taste and perspective; I felt the grandmother was simply too two-dimensional and not as believable as she should have been, though she, too, had some beautiful moments that truly added to the film.Having much experience with divorce (being a divorce attorney) I found the unfortunate relationship between Depp's character and his wife believable to a tee: two people deeply in love with each other yet more committed to personal pursuits than tending the difficult relationship we call marriage.
With Johnny Depp as the lead character, James Matthew Barrie, you know he will be ideal for the role of someone inspired by creativity considering the unique feeling Depp can bring to any film.
It helped that I now knew Freddie Highmore from his subsequent starring role in "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory" and it helped to watch this on my best TV which highlighted the magnificent cinematography in here.This is simply a beautifully-filmed movie, stunning in parts, and a touching story that gets you involved and makes you think.
He did a great job of it, too, coming across as a very likable character: J.M. Barrie, the author of "Peter Pan."The story offers an interesting dilemma: was Barrie an innocent friend helping out a family desperately in need a father figure, or was he "out of bounds" spending too much time with another family while he had a wife sitting home alone?
:)The performance of Mr Depp and Ms Winslet is absolutely astonishing, they both contribute so much to this movie and i had a hard time finding myself not believing their characters.
Depp's sheer and utter brilliance is complemented by an amazing supporting cast consisting of Kate Winslet, who gives an awe inspiring performance as Sylvia Lewelyn Davies; Freddie Highmore, who as Peter himself,proves to the audience, that he is quite the scene stealer; Radha Mitchell as Mr. Barrie's beautiful (and lonesome, once Barrie meets the Lewelyn-Davies family)wife; and Julie Christie, as Kate Winslet's mother.
This is a movie that moves anyone I guess, it has natural charm and delivers the true story of J.M. Barrie, his life and times in such a wonderful manner.
"Finding Neverland" is actually one of those rare movies that doesn't go over-the-top and none of the dramatic moments feel forced."Finding Neverland" is a biopic based on the life of play-writer J.M. Barrie, best known as the creator of Peter Pan. The story takes a few liberties with the truth, just like every good biopic always has done.
The movie is not all joy, there also are some dramatic moments that work really well and powerful in the movie without ever going over-the-top.The cast is impressive; Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Freddie Highmore, Julie Christie but perhaps the most underrated actor of the movie is Dustin Hoffman.
I had already held both Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet in high regard as actors, but their performances in this film have turned that regard to admiration.As playwright JM Barrie, I was expecting that Depp would be a man searching for a child's imagination, but he finds so much more, with the love and compassion of a child unfolding in him throughout his performance.
Seeing this movie made me want to watch Edward Scissorhands again, as Depp really seems to have built on that subtle style of his, and found brilliance in this movie.If you want to find a parallel for Kate Winslet's role in Finding Neverland, just think of a woman in a desperate situation, who has a very pushy mother, who finds somebody that opens up a new world of possibilities.
To have four children do such a wonderful job as the actors who played Sylvia's (Kate Winslet's) sons, is a genuine treat to see.As for the story, it is quite simply about finding Neverland, as the characters each endeavour to find their own Neverland in their own way, no matter how great or small.
There's nothing the Academy likes better than congratulating itself for finally noticing patterns put in place over the previous thirty years.From the New Yorker article "Lost Boys" by ANTHONY LANE: "Arthur Llewelyn Davies, also adored his boys, and it may be unfair of "Finding Neverland" to omit him, for streamlining purposes, from the scene; by the time that Johnny Depp meets Kate Winslet, she is already a widow, whereas Arthur was very much alive when Barrie first entered the consciousnessand, little by little, the homeof the Llewellyn Davies family."Finding Neverland" is a weepie.
The cast give great performances, from Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet to the children, particularly Freddie Highmore as Peter.
Finding Neverland, a movie of the life of Sir James Matthew Barrie, his relationship with the Lewellyn Davies family, and imagination.
While in the park one day he runs into a perfect inspiration for his play, the Davies family, Peter, Jack, George, Michael, and Sylvia, the mother, which leads him to write Peter Pan.Much speculation has arisen over the years that Barrie had an inappropriate relationship with the Davies boys, so this story would be short lived today.
Barrie keeps telling the boy to imagine things, by believing, dreaming, and making it real for yourself.Honestly, best movie of the year.
He plays homage to the legacy this man left behind, namely, "Peter Pan", the eternal hopeful story of what's good in mankind and how children will always know better that believing and hoping are the best ways to counter attack the cynicism around them.The casting of Johnny Depp as Sir James, is one of the most felicitous details this movie has going for itself.
But I recommend those who are young at heart and loved the book/play/movie of Peter Pan, to watch the story behind it..
There is a terrific performance from Freddie Highmore as young Peter, Dustin Hoffman is fun as J.M. Barrie's sponsor and of course the great Julie Christie is flinty and wonderful as Kate's mother able to do more with mere gestures than most actresses or actors for that matter can with pages of script.
Finding Neverland is a really great, powerful family film that discusses the life of J.M Barrie and his inspiration for Peter Pan. I never thought much of this film in the past despite positive reviews and Academy recognition.
He becomes great friends with this family and little did he know how this changed his life for the better and created a story so magical, that many children around the world cherish the beloved Peter Pan.Johnny Depp is really good in the film.
And I can't help but think that such an lovingly crafted film as Finding Neverland - one with wit, wonder, and a sense of magic - is better left ambiguous.Johnny Depp plays Barrie, the playwright best known for writing Peter Pan, as a true gentleman.
It's pleasant to see a movie so lost in the clouds firmly rooted in reality, for in our own lives, is there anyone truly despicable, who's motives can be written off as "simply hates the world"?Finding Neverland's beating heart is Depp's relationships with Winslet and her most troubled and volatile son, Peter, played by Freddie Highmore.
Growing up has never been better portrayed - by all of the characters!In a time when too often films that address magic and imagination rely on computer effects to create creatures that are comic book absurd, FINDING NEVERLAND relies on simply showing the stage mechanics of the play, suspending wires and all, even in the climax of the story when Barrie brings his successful play to the living room of the ill Sylvia in order to keep his promise to her to take her to Neverland.
Growing up has never been better portrayed - by all of the characters!In a time when too often films that address magic and imagination rely on computer effects to create creatures that are comic book absurd, FINDING NEVERLAND relies on simply showing the stage mechanics of the play, suspending wires and all, even in the climax of the story when Barrie brings his successful play to the living room of the ill Sylvia in order to keep his promise to her to take her to Neverland.
While watching this movie,I was sent back to that time when I was little and my mom used to read me awesome stories.It's not just a movie,Its a gem,brilliantly carved by Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet and her Children.One of the most extra-ordinary cinematography and Direction I have ever seen.Marc Foster is sure one of the names to watch out for in future.As far as the acting goes,Johnny Depp has proved time and again that why he is one of the best actors in Hollywood.His addiction for his characters and his Imagination will definitely take you with them too.Kate Winslet was as usual at her best.She enjoys portraying characters that are so strong in emotions.You will feel her every tear.Do not miss this movie if you want to feel what Magic is.This movie is like a peck of your mother,the most awesome feeling that u will ever have.
The way he creates imagination in all the children, especially Peter, is amazing, not to include the incredible "discussions" he has with Julie Christie, his wife and the one and only Kate Winslet.I don't think i have ever cried more in a movie.
The ending is as good and dramatic as it can be, and just the story is WOW!I've never been much of a fan of Peter Pan, so when i went to see it without having much of an idea of what it was gonna be, i didn't have many expectations, but now it's one of my favorite movies in the whole world.I really recommend it to everyone who wants to feel..
this is the word i can say for him .Everything is so perfect with this movie the length , the story , Direction , performances, Screenplay ,and the name FINDING NEVERLAND (Well chosen) , Kudos to Marc Forster , jhonny depp ,and Kate Winslet .Love you all !!.
He inspires J.M. Barrie to write Peter Pan. This movie would be a failure if it wasn't for the wonderful performance by Freddie Highmore.
Forster creates a fantastic fairy tale dream of one man's loneliness being cured by a wonderful family, who are full of their own flaws.The story centers around playwright J.M. Barrie, played by Johnny Depp in the most perfect decision of his career, who is suffering a terrible case of mediocrity in his writing abilities.
Of course, since the film is perfectly magical, even as she passes on it's the beautiful imaginative hearts of Barrie and her four boys that help Sylvia leave this world in a complete state of happiness.
But it's the magic of these characters and this story that carry the picture on and keep joyous spirit alive.Another interesting subplot to the film is the relationship between James and one of the Davies boys in particular, this boy being Peter (the inspiration for Barrie's title character Peter Pan, played by relative newcomer Freddie Highmore).
Johnny Depp wonderfully portrays the writer Sir James Matthew Barrie, more commonly known amongst children as the creator of Peter Pan and Neverland.
From then on, the film soars like a kite into an enchanted land.What I wasn't prepared for was the fact that the story takes a sadder turn when dealing with Barrie's relationship with the widowed mother of the four boys (who, by the way, are wonderfully played by the most natural and appealing youngsters I've ever seen on film!) But the balance between laughter and tears is a nice one, finely controlled, so that at the conclusion you've been rewarded with a really satisfying piece of entertainment and a new perspective on "Peter Pan".The performances are all first rate, exceptional in fact.
STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs Set in 1903 England,this charts the tale of writer JM Barrie (Johnny Depp) who is suffering a set-back in the shape of some plays opening to some particularly lousy reviews.Then he forms a relationship with the recently widowed Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet) and her boys.This film charts how Barrie's relationship with the woman and her boys came to cause some consternation and concern among the people of that era,the deterioration of his own marriage and how their relationship blossomed to such a degree it inspired him to write arguably the most endearing children's tale of our time,Peter Pan.This can best be described as another fine Oscar contender.It is by turns endearing and amusing,with fine performances all round.Depp puts in another fine turn and displays some fine versatility as an actor,not to mention delivering a fine Edinburgh accent.The supporting cast,in the shape of Winslet,Dustin Hoffman,the boys and the rest,roll proceedings along splendidly too.The film truly feels alive with the sense of wonder and imagination that inhabited Barrie's heart and mind.The script also delivers on this front,capturing the heart-and-soul of the film as well as the actual story-telling.If the film has any faults,it's that it's too short.All these positive qualities I've mentioned aren't given perhaps as much room to breathe as to really make them take off and fly.But on the whole,it's a thoroughly worthwhile adventure that deserved to win whatever Oscars it did.****.
Johnny Depp is wonderful as usual and I find that I'm liking Kate Winslet more in every movie I see her in.
Johnny Depp is outstanding as is Kate Winslet and Julie Cristie.Barrie is a much more complex character than one would guess from his famous play or the book about Peter Pan. He was truly the boy who never grew up.
I am a fond reader of the wonderful story of Peter Pan and I truly adore the movies that express the imagination of the marvellous writer J.M Barrie.When I found out they was making this film, I knew instantly I had to see it.
Fellow Movie Afficionados, I walked into the movie theatre: 1) to see two of the best actors of my generation (Depp & Winslet), 2) not having any background on JM Barrie, 3) not really even knowing the story of Peter Pan, and 4) not really "believing in Neverland." This protocol (seeking out films with good acting regardless of the storyline) has served me well in the past; I'm sure I am not alone in saying that there are occasions in which I am driven by a film to read the book or more upon which it is based.
Kate Winslet is wonderful as Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies, the widowed mother of 4 boys and head of the family who inspire Barrie to write Peter Pan. Julie Christie is great as the grandmother you love to hate--fearful for her daughter's reputation, but also "protecting what she has" as she puts it during a strong talk with Barrie.The 4 young men who play the Davies brothers are especially impressive.
I have never been a fan of Johnny Depp, but he plays JM Barrie beautifully in this charming adaptation about the writing of Peter Pan. This film shows how the book and play were created and the inspiration behind the characters.
It moves back and forth between real life and a fantasy world, illustrating the link between inspiration and imagination in the creation of the beloved play Peter Pan. Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet give strong performances with genuine emotion, yet the most outstanding performance of the movie belongs to Freddie Highmore (Peter). |
tt0052543 | Al Capone | Chicago, 1919: A young Al Capone arrives to work for mob boss Johnny Torrio. He meets Torrio's top man, "Big Jim" Colosimo, who runs business and politics in the First Ward while secretly on Torrio's payroll.
Prohibition is enacted a year later, causing Torrio and other gangsters like Dean O'Banion, George "Bugs" Moran and Earl "Hymie" Weiss to compete for profits in bootleg liquor and beer. Torrio's rivals conspire to have Colosimo and his henchmen killed.
A reform mayor is elected, so Torrio and Capone change their base of operations to Cicero, a few miles away. Capone also has O'Banion killed and makes a play for Maureen Flannery, the widow of one of Colosimo's men.
Weiss and Moran return the favor by ordering Torrio to be shot. Capone retaliates by killing Weiss and forcing merchants throughout the city to pay for "protection." A sergeant in the Chicago police, Schaefer, is promoted to captain and vows to end the bloodshed and extortion and put Capone behind bars.
With the heat on from the cops, a crooked newspaperman named Keely tries to bribe Schaefer but fails. He persuades Capone to move to Florida until things cool down. From a safe distance, Capone masterminds the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, with several of Moran's men gunned down in a Chicago garage.
Capone and Moran call a truce, but when he learns Keely has been helping a Moran plot to kill him, Capone ends the reporter's life instead. Maureen finally has her fill of Capone's corruption and violence, while Schaefer and the feds find a way to finally put Capone away—on charges of tax evasion, earning him 11 years at Alcatraz. | cult, neo noir, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0042788 | Night and the City | Harry Fabian (Widmark) is an ambitious American hustler and con man operating in London, always looking for a better deal. He maintains a fractured relationship with the honest Mary Bristol (Tierney), nightclub owner and businessman Phil Nosseross (Sullivan), and Helen (Withers), who is Phil's estranged wife. While attempting a con at a wrestling match, Fabian witnesses Gregorius (Zbyszko), a veteran Greek wrestler, arguing with his son Kristo (Lom), who has organised the fight, and who effectively controls all wrestling in London. After denouncing Kristo's event as tasteless exhibitionism that shames the sport's Greco-Roman traditions, Gregorius leaves with Nikolas (Richmond), a fellow wrestler. Fabian catches up with the two and befriends them, having realised that he can host wrestling in London without interference from Kristo if he can persuade his father to support the enterprise.
Fabian approaches Phil and Helen with his proposal, then asks for an investment. Incredulous, Phil offers to provide half of the required £400, if Fabian can equal it. Desperate, Fabian asks Figler, a panhandler and unofficial head of an informal society of street criminals, Googin, a forger, and Anna, a Thameside smuggler, but none can offer any help. Fabian is eventually approached by Helen, who offers the £200 in exchange for a licence to continue running her own nightclub, having obtained the money by selling an expensive fur Phil recently bought for her. Fabian agrees, but tricks Helen by having Googin forge the licence. Meanwhile, Phil is visited by associates of Kristo, who warn him to keep Fabian away from London's wrestling scene. Already suspecting Helen of duplicity, Phil neglects to warn Fabian, who proceeds to open his own gym with Gregorius and Nikolas as the stars, and Phil as a silent partner.
A furious Kristo visits the gym, only to discover that his father is supporting Fabian's endeavour. Meeting with Phil, the two plot to kill Fabian, but realise that they can only do so if Gregorius leaves Fabian. Phil meets with Fabian and removes his backing, suggesting that Fabian get Nikolas and The Strangler (Mazurki), a showy wrestler favoured by Kristo, into the ring together to keep the business going, knowing that Gregorius would never allow it. Finding The Strangler's manager, Mickey Beer (Farrell), Fabian convinces him to support the fight, and taunts The Strangler into confronting Gregorius and Nikolas. Gregorius agrees to the fight, convinced by Fabian that it will prove that his style of wrestling is superior. Beer asks Fabian for £200 to cover his fee, so Fabian asks Phil for the money. Instead, Phil calls Kristo, informing him that The Strangler is in Fabian's gym.
Betrayed, Fabian steals the money from Mary, and returns to the gym. However, The Strangler goads Gregorius into a prolonged and brutal fight, during which Nikolas' wrist is broken. Gregorius eventually defeats The Strangler in the ring as Kristo arrives, but dies minutes later in his son's arms from exhaustion. Seeing that both his business and protection are lost, Fabian flees.
In revenge of his father's death, Kristo puts a £1,000 bounty on Fabian's head, sending word to all of London's underworld. Fabian is hunted through the night, first by Kristo's men, then by Figler, who attempts to trap Fabian for the reward. Convinced that her licence is authentic, Helen leaves Phil, only to discover that the work is a worthless forgery. She returns to Phil in desperation, only to discover that he has committed suicide, leaving everything to Molly (Reeve), the club's elderly cleaner and flower stand operator.
Fabian eventually finds shelter at Anna's, but has already been tracked down by Kristo. Mary arrives, and Fabian attempts to redeem himself by shouting to Kristo that Mary betrayed him, so that she will get the reward. As he runs towards where Kristo is standing on Hammersmith Bridge, he is caught and killed by The Strangler, who throws his body into the Thames. The Strangler is arrested moments later, and Kristo walks away from the scene. | murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0090852 | Clockwise | Brian Stimpson (Cleese), headmaster of Thomas Tompion Comprehensive School, has been elected to chair the annual Headmasters' Conference. Extremely disorganised as a young man, Stimpson is now obsessively organised and punctual, and his school runs "like clockwork". He is the first headmaster of a comprehensive school to chair the Headmasters' Conference, that honour usually being reserved for heads of the more elitist private schools.
Despite repetitive rehearsal of his speech and preparations for the journey to the conference, his ordered world unwinds as a series of misadventures plague him en route. He misses the train and loses the text of his speech. Stimpson searches for his wife at the hospital, but misses her. Along with a sixth form student called Laura he drives to the Conference himself. Stimpson's wife sees him at a petrol station, with Laura, and is angered that a student is able to attend the Conference but she is not. Stimpson's wife (who is looking after three senior women with strange personalities) drives after Stimpson and both parties forget to pay for the petrol. The police are called and, responding to calls from Laura's parents as well, attempt to find Stimpson and arrest him for kidnapping. Stimpson's wife, Laura's parents, the police and Mr. Jolly, a teacher at Thomas Tompion who is seeing Laura, all desperately head to the conference.
En route, Stimpson and Laura try to call the Conference by a telephone box. A local mistakes them for vandals when the phones don't work and calls the police. The local sends her daughter to speak to them, who turns out to be a childhood friend and former girlfriend of Brian Stimpson. Stimpson coerces her into driving them to the Conference.
The group drive into a field and get stuck in the mud whilst Stimpson's wife and the others arrive at the Conference, much to the annoyance of the headmasters. Brian goes to find help, but ends up having a bath at a nearby monastery. His ex girlfriend drives away in the car but is arrested for assaulting a police officer. Laura and Stimpson attempt to hitchhike. They are picked up by a wealthy car salesman, who they persuade to come for a walk in the woods. He and Stimpson swap clothes for 'fun' but Stimpson and Laura soon run away and steal his car.
Stimpson finally arrives at the conference in the ripped suit of the car salesman and gives an improvised, abrasive speech to the shocked headmasters. During his speech various characters including the old women, Mr. Jolly and Laura's parents walk into the hall. Finally, he directs all of the headmasters to stand and sing the hymn "To Be a Pilgrim", as he often would to his own pupils. He is then accosted by his disappointed wife, Laura's worried parents and several other parties he had hurt over the course of his journey. The film ends as he is led away by several policemen. | cult, comedy, satire | train | wikipedia | A much underrated comedy detailing the collapse of a stern, disciplinarian headmaster during a chaotic journey to deliver a speech at a convention of snobbish educationists.Cleese begins in a very restrained way and is watchable and funny as he gradually descends into anarchic despondency.
The most surprising things about this minor classic from the mid 80's are that it was director Christopher Morahan's first film since 1969, and Cleese's character is based on a real-life headmaster!
John Cleese based the character on the head of his daughter's school, and I can tell you the real life head is just as delightfully nutty as Stimpson.Time obsessed Mr Stimpton, head of an ordinary British state school finds himself chairman of the Headmasters Conference and has to get to Norwich to address their meeting.
Everything goes wrong on the way, despite Stimpson's meticulous planning, and due to his obsessive nature he gets more and more frayed at the edges as things go wrong.There are some great observations on human nature in a film which moves quick enough to keep you laughing but not so quick that you miss anything.
Intelligent, (maybe too clever and too British for the Americans at the time of release) extremely funny and a film one can watch over and over without it becoming stale.
If you like John Cleese's brand of comedy, it's on good display here.In its way, the movie is a simple comedy of errors.
And a very few which manage to pull it off, and remain funny to virtually everyone, over a period of several years.This John Cleese vehicle from the mid 1980s manages to fit into the latter category - it is simply such a very well crafted traditional comedy, that it is impossible not to be touched.Here we see Cleese very much in Basil Fawlty mode, as an aspiring head-teacher for whom things just don't run smooth when it really matters.The other classic elements of British Farce are there - major misunderstandings, people getting undresses, well-intentioned old ladies who say the wrong things at the wrong times, and of course Geoffrey Palmer as a straight man.And just a touch of poignant surrealism in the way the final minute leading into the credits is played out, to offset the traditional production values.It's straightforward, and unchallenging, and probably the best film about lateness ever made.
Aside from the great john Cleese, this film benefits from a great number of other positives, including a finely worked script; that manages to stay realistic and down to Earth despite the highly unlikely nature of much of the plot, and the highly farcical nature of many of the events; which bode extremely well with the lead star, as Cleese finds himself in his element in the role of the strict headmaster.
The comedy styling is one of "it can't get any worse!", and it continually does; as constantly punctual headteacher, Brian Stimpson, finds himself in a world of trouble after missing the train to Norwich, where he is set to make a speech to a meeting of the best headmasters in the country.
After acquiring the services of one of his sixth form pupils, he gets back on track to Norwich; but not without a number of problems.The comedy comes by way of both gags, and the plot itself, which always manages to garner a laugh or two due to its superbly silly nature.
Seeing John Cleese deliver an assembly towards the start will no doubt remind anyone that was schooled in England of that time, and Clockwise does a very good job of presenting it's plot and setting.
Brian Stimpson (John Cleese) is a headmaster on his way to a meeting, but one thing goes wrong after another.
In "Clockwise" John Cleese plays a character who has much in common with Basil Fawlty from the television series "Fawlty Towers".
On the way they kidnap a former girlfriend of Stimpson's whom they meet by accident, drive the car into a field and get stuck, find themselves in a monastery and, in their desperation to get to Norwich on time, end up holding up a passing motorist in order to steal his clothes, his money and his car.The film's central joke is that a man who is so obsessed with punctuality should find himself running very late in his attempts to get to the most important meeting of his life.
Although Stimpson is the sort of man that most people would automatically dislike if we were to meet him in real life, Cleese manages to arouse a certain sympathy for his character, whose sense of panic arises from a sense that he is the victim of circumstances, that the entire universe is united in a vast conspiracy to prevent him from fulfilling what should have been a relatively simple task.
There can be few of us who have not had, at some time or other, a similar feeling.Although the film is sometimes described as a farce, that word should not be taken as implying that it is a purely mechanical comedy; character also plays an important part.
Fortunately, Cleese is not only a very good technical comedian- his timing in this film is superb- but also a very good character actor.
Cleese also receives good support from the rest of the cast, particularly from Alison Steadman as his long-suffering wife Gwenda and Sharon Maiden as the wild and headstrong Laura, for whom driving her headmaster cross-country is a much more interesting way of spending her day than a few hours of boring lessons.The film is not quite in the same class as Palin's two great post-Python comedies, "The Missionary" and "A Private Function".
There are just too many hapless onlookers' reactions shown to generate laughs, that is a mark of a less-than-inspired comedy, but Cleese gives a fine, Fawlty-esque performance, that will impress all.
I read comment from John Cleese where he said that the only countries where this film was successful were Sweden and England.
John Cleese plays an outstanding role as the extremely time conscious headmaster.
If you're a fan of John Cleese and good old-fashioned British comedy then there's a good chance you will like Clockwise.
Probably the largest reason for me liking this film was John Cleese, who once again shows what a gifted comedic actor he is.
It also doubles as a showcase for John Cleese, whom you will see here in an, as I think, far more complex and likable role than as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers.In the DVD extra you can see Cleese wondering why this movie didn't fly in the USA, when several years later other "typically British" movies such as The Full Monty were roaring successes there.
Clockwise has got to be the most underrated film in movie history i watched it last night and i was laughing so hard till red in the face.
John Cleese is Mr stimpson who has to leave for norwich to a teachers school conference but ends up geting on the wrong train and from there it gets bad to worse but i don't want to tell the whole film in case no one watched this film.
Clockwise is sure a classic and i thought its better then A Fish Called Wanda giving this film 10/10.
I've never really been a big fan of John Cleese as I haven't seen much of the stuff he's done in the past, but I liked him in this movie.
Basically, headmaster Brian Stimpson (Cleese) has to get to Norwich for a very important and historical teachers' conference and, because of one silly mistake of getting on the wrong train because he misheared an instruction, he's left up the creek without a paddle!
I only wish the average Brit could know how very much so many Americans love their movies, whether it's a John Cleese comedy or Dirk Bogarde in "The Servant." I have been making a point of seeing British (and other foreign) films since I first discovered them in my early teens with "Doctor in the House," which I was introduced to on a group date, followed by "Doctor at Sea" and "Carry on Nurse" and on and on and on.
Somewhere between the success of Fawlty Towers and A Fish Called Wanda, came Clockwise - a film about a Basil Fawlty-esque headmaster who is obsessed with time-keeping, yet finds himself increasing late for an important meeting in Norwich.Seeing as it was released between the two masterpieces, it's fitting that it sits between the two in terms of enjoyment.
Clockwise has a distinctly British feel to it, therefore, only people of a certain age will truly get it (my young daughter watched it and simply said 'Why don't they just use their mobile phones?' - ahh, to grow up in the 21st Century!).If you're a fan of Fawlty Towers and possibly the much under-rated Fierce Creatures, then you should definitely give this a go.
CLOCKWISE is an all-but-forgotten movie, a low budget and extremely British-feeling farce in which John Cleese, a man who's a stickler for being on time, struggles to get to an appointment.
Set over the course of a single day, it has an extremely simplistic narrative, and yet it's still one of my favourite comedies ever.Whether you like this film or not really depends on your sense of humour, as this is very British-feeling throughout (unlike A FISH CALLED WANDA, which ably mixed American and British tastes).
Personally, I think he's a comic genius, and his character here - a riff on Basil from FAWLTY TOWERS - is sheer brilliance.To say too much more would be to spoil things, suffice to say that the story is so well crafted that there's nary a slow moment and the laughs come thick and fast, mixing good old-fashioned slapstick comedy with character humour and repeated tropes which build up to a mantra come the climax.
I really enjoy this good British Film, by Thorn E.M.I. John Cleese is a very good actor and a funny man.
In this Classic of a movie we see Cleese very much in Basil Fawlty mode, as an aspiring head-teacher for whom things just don't run smooth when it really matters.
Clockwise is an absolutely underrated British Comedy Classic in which John Cleese, a man who's a stickler for being on time, struggles to get to an appointment.
Personally I think John Cleese is a comic genius, and his character here - a riff on Basil from Fawlty Towers is sheer brilliance.
I had altogether forgotten just how much John Cleese was a man ahead of his time.I haven't watched this film for many years and I actually thought it came to our screens much earlier than its recorded 1986 release date.It was some ten years after the showing of the series 'Fawlty Towers', which made John Cleese such a household name and which to some extent rather stereotyped him for any future television or film characters.The Cleese frenetic pace and energy was in abundance throughout 'Clockwise' and whilst some of the dialogue and situations were very much scripted, I feel certain that John added much of his own brand of wry wit and humour along the way.Almost every situation John found himself in, was of his own making, whilst at the same time I had to feel sorry for him, when circumstances conspired against him, at almost every turn.The ending in particular was very 'off the wall', even for a Cleese production and one can only imagine what might have happened once the dust had settled.
If there had ever been any doubt in anyone's mind that John Cleese was capable of sustaining an entire comedy movie without aid from the other members of Monty Python's Flying Circus, "Clockwise" should have convinced them.
As someone who was born in the early-80s, much of the decade remains a blur to me, but the mix of a Grange Hill-style school and a typically active Cleese performance for me, makes this a classic British comedy and helps to illustrate the world I grew up in.
The plot - which sees Cleese race against time to get to Norwich - is very on edge in a British kind of way.
There might have been a couple who could make it work, but John Cleese is the man that the character, Brian Stimpson, was written for.Only Cleese could pull off the crazy miscues as a proper, stiff-lipped and somewhat pompous common school headmaster.
"Clockwise" is a very forgettable movie with only one plus and that one plus is comical genius John Cleese.
As a Cleese fan you are of course way better of watching "Fawlty Towers" or the movie "A Fish Called Wanda".You are better of watching another comical movie, still the movie is a watchable one for on a rainy afternoon.5/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
Meanwhile on the road how eventful can a simple drive of less than 200 miles be?With John Cleese playing the sort of character he is well known for you pretty much know what you're going to get here in this precursor to Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
Brian Stimpson (John Cleese)is an uptight headmaster who likes everything and everyone to run like clockwork.
He is due to attend a conference in Norwich, but unfortunately this seemingly straight forward trip proves to be anything but this and Stimpson finds himself facing setback after setback.Whilst watching Clockwise, I couldn't help but feel that I was basically watching a feature-length episode of Fawlty Towers.
There's nothing wrong with any of this per se, but if you draw comparisons with Fawlty Towers (which it's almost impossible not to do if you've watched that series) then this film comes off as not being as well written or as funny.
Steadman has become reliable in later years, but I didn't think she was great in this film (although in fairness she wasn't given much to work with).Clockwise is a film that I would recommend watching, but it isn't a laugh riot and is only sporadically funny.
I know some people in the US that say to me "You must not really appreciate British Comedy if you don't like this movie".
I would rather watch John Cleese as Basil Fawlty or in A Fish Called Wanda.
Sadly this comedy misfires, although still makes for a quite watchable film, where we really get a kick of seeing Cleese's day get worse, all for being a stickler for time, where there are a few underlying messages under it's premise.
John Cleese plays Brian Stimpson, an efficient headmaster at an English school who, while on his way to a conference where he is to deliver a speech, misses his train, which launches him into an escalating series of misadventures as he desperately tries to reach the conference, no matter what...John Cleese is quite funny as the clock watching schoolmaster, and features a good cast of familiar British actors, but film is not all that funny really, being a one-joke premise stretched out to feature-length.
Also, unlike Cleese's more famous character(Basil Fawlty from "Fawlty Towers") Stimpson isn't really that bad, and doesn't deserve these calamities, which seem mean-spirited..
Unlike A fish Called Wanda, a true classic with real characters, Clockwise has empty people who are never developed throughout the story.
The bulk of the movie falls on the shoulders of John Cleese, who does a good job, but has nothing to work with.
The escalating absurdity of his efforts to arrive on time may lack the momentum and manic edge of classic screwball comedy, but the film ambles politely along, working up a fair amount of laughter as it leads the unfortunate Cleese into one increasingly desperate predicament after another.
John Cleese is the perfect choice for Brian Stimpson because said character is essentially Basil Fawlty and the setup wouldn't be out of place in that series, though it lacks the tightness that Cleese might have brought to a Towers script.
(This particular sequence, with the Morris 1100 driving over the fields, has an almost lyrical quality to it, especially to someone who spent most of his childhood holidays in a similar car).Stimpson then spends some time in a monastery, where the characters, like the senile ladies, are outside of time in the conventional sense - almost stuck in the middle ages - again the innocent happiness of those outside time is shown by the monk cheering on Cleese in his chase after the car.Finally Stimpson makes his last ditch attempt to reach the conference in a car stolen from someone who again, does not own it himself, and in a stolen suit which does not fit him which, in a hilarious counterpoint to his own crumbling identity, falls to pieces while he is wearing it.The only thing the film lacks is perhaps a little more background on what changed Stimpson from being a hopeless timekeeper to an obsessive one, and what happened to him after he was caught..
In the case of this film however, I was bored almost to the point of turning off the movie.Clockwise features entire scenes where characters do essentially nothing, or engage in so-called 'antics' that are virtually free of tension, suspense or humour.
Basically uptight school headmaster of Thomas Tompion Comprehensive School, Brian Stimpson (John Cleese), seems to follow a very strict schedule and always checks everything is running like clockwork.
Cleese manages to capture nearly the same incompetence as Basil Fawlty for his character, it is not your typical road movie comedy, it might not hilarious, but it is pretty funny stuff, so it's worth trying, at least once.
I had a great time watching the preposterous situations and Cleese's painful attempts to make things work out.Just the same SPOILERS the whole point of a road-trip film is to have one of two things happen.
But my problem with 'Clockwise' is, while it isn't a bad movie, it doesn't give possibly our greatest physical comedian, John Cleese, good enough material to make us laugh hard enough. |
tt0346507 | Andaaz | Young Raj Malhotra (Akshay Kumar) lives with his elder brother, Rohit, his sister-in-law, Kiran, and his niece. After an accident fractures his leg, he is unable to walk for some time. Due to psychological reasons, he cannot walk even after the fracture heals. When the Malhotras move to Dehra Dun, Raj befriends their neighbour, young tomboy Kajal (Lara Dutta), as both share a common passion for aeroplanes. Kajal encourages Raj to walk, and he succeeds. Years later the two continue to be fast friends, and everyone expects them to marry soon. Raj secretly loves Kajal and is waiting for the right time to propose to her. However, Kajal sees him only as her best friend. Raj is recruited by the Indian Air Force and goes for training for a year and a half. After his training is over, he rushes to Kajal to propose to her, only to find out that she has given her heart to multimillionaire businessmen, Karan Singhania (Aman Verma). Raj tells Kajal that Karan is the best life partner for her, and does not reveal his true feelings. Kajal and Karan get married and during the reception party, Kajal comes to know of Raj's feeling for her. Hurt by the fact that she did not see his feelings for her despite being Raj's best friend, Kajal asks him to move on with his life as she is now a married woman. Thereafter the Malhotras move to Nainital, and Raj relocates to Cape Town, South Africa for training.
During a visit to a club, Raj meets the vivacious and fun-loving Jiya (Priyanka Chopra). Jiya falls in love with Raj due to his clean personality, but Raj is unable to forget Kajal. After completing his training, Raj goes back to India where he finds that Jiya has already arrived at his home and is living as a paying guest with his family. Jiya makes several attempts to impress Raj, however he still doesn't fall for her. During Karwa-Chauth, Jiya performs the rituals that a wife typically does for a husband but Raj becomes angry and asks Jiya to leave. Jiya leaves the home. Raj's family reveals that they have always loved Jiya and wanted Raj to marry her as Jiya has already told them everything about her and Raj's meeting in South Africa. Finally, Raj decides to marry Jiya and move on with his life.
While visiting Jiya's family, Raj learns that Kajal is Jiya's sister-in-law. It is revealed that Kajal is now a widow after Karan's death in a plane crash, in which Kajal survived. Kajal thinks that she is responsible for Karan's death, as she had asked him for a ride in bad weather. After Karan's death, Kajal loses her mental balance and ends up in a hospital due to attempting suicide. Raj helps Kajal recover from the depression and enables her to come face to face with life again. Jiya notices their increasing closeness and suggests to her father that Kajal be married off. At Raj and Jiya's engagement, Kajal comes to know that her family has arranged her for engagement as well. Unhappy with the news, Raj asks Kajal not to allow herself to be married off against her will. Angrily, Jiya states that Raj and Kajal will never be able to forget their past and love for each other, regardless of the fact that Raj is supposed to be marrying Jiya. An irate Raj places the wedding sindoor on Kajal's head, indicating he has now married Kajal and no one has the right to question their relationship. Emotionally, Jiya reveals that she wanted Raj and Kajal to accept their feelings and love for each other in front of the world. The film ends with Jiya participating in Raj and Kajal's marriage. | romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1975249 | 6 Bullets | The core concept of 100 Bullets is based on the question of people willing to act on the desire of violent revenge if given the means, opportunity, and a reasonable chance to succeed. Many of the first issues involve the mysterious Agent Graves approaching someone who has been a victim of a terrible wrong. Graves gives them the opportunity to take revenge by providing a handgun, 100 bullets, and documentation about the primary target responsible for their woes. He informs the candidate the bullets are completely untraceable by any law enforcement investigation, and as soon as they are found at any crime scene, investigations will immediately cease.
Although all the revenge murders enabled by Agent Graves are presented as justifiable, the candidates are neither rewarded nor punished for accepting the offer other than their own personal satisfaction. Several people decline, but others who accept find varied success or failure. The attaché and Graves' "games" are later revealed to be only a minor part of a much broader story.
Agent Graves is the leader of a group known as The Minutemen, a group of seven men (plus one "Agent") who serve as the enforcers and police of a clandestine organization known as The Trust. The Trust was originally formed by the heads of 13 powerful European families who controlled much of the Old World's combined wealth and industry. The Trust made an offer to the kings of Europe by which they would leave the continent and their considerable influence and holdings, in exchange for complete autonomy in the still unclaimed portion of the New World. When England ignored this proposition and colonized the Roanoke Island late in the 16th century, the Minutemen were formed. The original Minutemen, seven vicious killers, eradicated the colony and all of its inhabitants, leaving behind only the cryptic message "Croatoan" as a warning, reclaiming the land for the Trust. Since this time, the Minutemen's charge has been to protect the 13 Houses of the Trust, serving as their force against outside threats and more frequently as police of the internal conflicts between the Trust families themselves. The groups' interactions are often facilitated by a person holding the title "Warlord" for the Trust, who serves as the Houses' liaison to the Minutemen.
Sometime in the late 20th century, the Minutemen were betrayed by the Trust and disbanded after Agent Graves refused to reenact "The Greatest Crime in the History of Mankind" (a re-expansion of the borders of the Trust). The Minutemen retaliated with the assassination of a hooded figure in Atlantic City, and they were then sent into hiding. Most of the Minutemen of that time were "deactivated" by Graves. These former Minutemen had their memories repressed for their own protection and were returned to "normal" lives. These events occurred prior (presumably some years) to the beginning of 100 Bullets.
As the story plays out, many of those who are offered the chance for vengeance by Graves are revealed to have been people wronged by the Trust or its agents, and six are revealed to have been Minutemen at the time of the events of Atlantic City. With his planning, some luck, and the importance of his "game", Agent Graves seeks to reactivate several of his Minutemen and recruit potential new members during the course of the series. With the occasional aid of the Trust's current Warlord, the charismatic and secretive Mr. Shepherd, Graves sets into motion a complicated and deadly plot of revenge against the Trust, which divides into factions, with younger members plotting against the older ones.
The series culminates in the downfall of the Trust and its agents, eventually revealing that the attaché and its contents are a metaphor for the limitless power of the Trust. | suspenseful, neo noir, murder, boring, violence, flashback, revenge | train | wikipedia | This is a Jean-Claude Van Damme action flick.I've seen a number of his similar films over the years and feel that they have all been better than average.
Meaning that if you like action movies, Van Damme delivers with ones that you will probably watch again sometime.Like Assassination Games (2011), this one features his son and daughter (his daughter also produces).
Jean-Claude Van Damme shines as Samson Gual, an ex-mercenary haunted by tragic accidents of his past job who seeks to redeem himself when he's approached by a MMA fighter who seeks Gual's help in getting his fourteen year old daughter back after she's abducted by sex traffickers.While a bit hokey in places and some of the acting by the bit players leaving much to be desired, all the major characters do a very adequate job and the action scenes are very good.
Another Van Damme movie shot in a East European country with the same director of Assassination Games (AG), a good and standard action movie with a cheap look and some solid but basic action.And that is exactly what you get with Six Bullets but even more.
Joe Flanigan, who is basically the next big name in this movie, is great as Van Damme's co-star.
Ernie Barbarash is developing as a solid director and seems to get the some good movies out off Van Damme, who seems to step of his basic moves and shows some new stuff.
Well because it is not the average generic movie that he usually makes, where he is sort of a lone underdog hero who is fighting an uphill battle against overwhelming odds, and with some miraculous force he manages to singlehandedly emerge victorious at the end, even after having received a beating that would normally drop dead a prize-winning bull."6 Bullets" is a great story-driven movie, in which Van Damme plays Samson Gaul, a mercenary who is working in Eastern Europe to infiltrate human trafficking rings and rescue underage boys and girls, and bring them home to be reunited with their families after these horrible ordeals.
So with that in mind, then this story really takes on a personal approach and becomes more than just mindless martial arts entertainment.Plus, the storyline is really helped along by some powerful performances, not only by Van Damme, who really stepped into character and showed a great acting side, but also by Joe Flanigan (playing Andrew Fayden).The movie was nicely shot, the dialogue was good and it moved at a great pace.
This is really one of the better Van Damme movies that I have seen in a long, long time, and it is good to see that he is back in the game.There were just a couple of things in the movie that I didn't really understand.
I just happened to notice this and wonder about it."6 Bullets" is a great addition to movie collection for fans of Van Damme.
The plot borrows heavily from "Taken" and a few other movies but is pulled off well and JCVD is in good physical shape for this film, despite his haggard face.
Hot off the heels of his great villainous turn in the Expendables 2, Jean Claude Van Damme delivers another straight to video action film 6 Bullets.
The supporting cast including Stargate: Atlantis star Joe Flanigan and both Van Damme's son and daughter all do a decent job with what they are working with.
The foreign setting really helps this movie both visually and size to give it a bigger feel than it may have had being shot here in the US.While this wasn't a great movie, it still delivers enough of a kick to entertain the hard core Van Damme fans out there.
Over time Van Damme, much like the other action stars of E2 has seemed to really embrace his age and seems to have enhanced his performances a bit more.
What most impressed me about this film is the work of Jean-Claude Van Damme shows that there really is a great prejudice of the major studios with him, because the guy every movie shows that he has talent, who can act, which is a great actor, but people are prejudiced in his early films, he was not so good performance in the question, but if surpassed by their performance in fights and action scenes.
Van Damme over time just came to improve their way of working, which is showing a great actor for drama in his last film role that usually always has a dramatic story behind.
6 Bullets is an action movie with drama and suspense fantastic, not shot anything he said, I just think it's time to return to Hollywood enchergar this myth and hero of martial arts and action movies, and my prayers and hopes Van Damme is to return to the top of the world.
As a JCVD fan I've been encouraged by his some of his later work in the film 'JCVD', 'Universal Soldier: Regeneration' and 'The Expendables 2'.He's old, sure, but he's kept in shape and his acting has improved a lot over the years, he's actually quite good!
But this film is one of the cheapest pieces of crap I've seen and well beneath the actor JCVD has become in his twilight years.It's poorly written, poorly shot, poorly edited and poorly acted by everyone else in the thing!It feels like it was directed by a teen on HD camcorder.
For a guy who's improved so much, it would be nice if he was given better projects than 6 Bullets, a dreadfully slow, poorly edited and acted straight to DVD release who's 115 minutes feels more like 3 hours.6 Bullets actually begins with promise, with Van Damme in a fantastically choreographed fight scene which proves to be one of the last you'll see from him in the film.
It wouldn't be too bad if Flanigan was in the movie briefly to allow Van Damme to come in and kick some ass, but that isn't it.
Flanigan and his character's wife practically take over the movie, making you forget at parts that Van Damme is even in it, with each segment including Flanigan being gut-wrenchingly grueling.Everything 6 Bullets really has to offer is in it's opening scene.
If Liam Neeson can have a big hit with Taken then why not jump on the bandwagon.6 Bullets has Jean Claude Van Damme playing a mercenary Samson Gaul infiltrates Eastern European human trafficking rings and rescue boys and girls from the sex trade.At the beginning of the movie we see him rescue a young boy but Gaul failed to take into account the collateral damage of his actions which left two young girls dead.Haunted by this he ends up drinking and working as a butcher.The plot kicks off when a teenage American girl is kidnapped from her hotel in Romania and the parents turn to Gaul for help.
Van Damme is assisted by Joe Flanigan who plays the dad and who in the movie plays a major MMA star, therefore he can share the action scenes with Van Damme.Of course its basically a low budget Taken rip off without much verve or characterisation that the original Taken had.
First I will start with the positives, Van Damme gives a solid acting performance and shows he is still a master of fight scenes, he also looks in the best shape he has been in for a while.
I am not a big fan of Jean Claude and thought he had his hey day 20 years ago and found most of his later stuff a bit corny as though it was coming straight off a production line but I am now having to rethink this.The action in this film is not your usual fake, unconvincing kicks and roundhouses but more in the style of Taken with Liam Neeson and is very well choreographed and not your usual sanitised violence.I have always liked Joe Flanigan from Stargate Atlantis - he has always been a favorite actor and he was well cast in this.There were some really cool ideas like the pen with the hypodermic - never seen that one before.This was a rather good action movie; much much better than expected.
It has bad, cliché acting and the usual "cheap plot in a foreign country with no English-speaking actor anywhere in sight" feel to it.We all know Jean-Claude, and we love him and keep going to his movies.
He is one of the few Martial arts actors who can actually act and not just fight people.In some ways the story is a bit like the Liam Neeson film Taken.
The villains are suitably evil and I did find myself routing for the girl, along with the frustration of shouting at the screen when she did something silly.But if you like good action films and just want a few hours entertainment I would recommend this movie..
Way to go Jean Claude Van Damme; who was one of the Executive Producers of this awesome movie.
In recent years, Van Damme has shown his interest in Central Europe: Assassination Games 2011 was shot in Romania, this movie in Moldova; they are both relatively poor countries having problems with corruption and human trafficking, on which basis it is credible to create high-minded thrillers.
Van Damme in Taken - rescuing a missing girl solid direct-to-video action flick.
This is a good solid direct-to-video flick one of Van Damme solid action thriller films.
Jean-Claude Van Damme is in "Taken" film, he is rescuing a missing girl.
This is a different type of Van Damme not his best direct to video movie, like were Replicant, In Hell, The Order but the movie it self was a good action movie.
I like this film mainly for Jean-Claude Van Damme who plays Samson Gaul, an ex-mercenary hired by parents for finding missing children.Samson Gaul is hired by mixed martial arts fighter whose daughter was been kidnapped.
My favorite film about human trafficking is Skin Trade (2014) with Dolph Lundgren which is a MILES way better action movie mixed with martial arts than both movies Six Bullets and Out of Reach.
Bianca Van Varenberg - Van Damme's daughter also plays her role in this movie as Amalia one of the girl's kidnapers.Fighting is minimal, apart from the opening act, but it's quite good to see a sadistic Van Damme in which he kills 4 guys with knife.
It is the only decent movie of the three films that Van Damme did with director Ernie Barbarash.
Six Bullets is the only good decent action thriller movie of those three films.
I though it was especially weird how Jean-Claude Van Damme occasionally disappeared out of the movie, while he clearly was supposed to be the one main 'good' guy.
As 'old' as Jean-Claude Van Damme looked at times in this movie, he still shows he's perfectly capable of handling action and of playing a convincing and charismatic enough action-hero type of role.
If you don't expect great cinema, this is fine for a late Van Damme action movie.
Best of Jean-Claude Van Damme action-packed film in years!.
Six Bullets (2012) is definitely one of the best Van Damme action movies that went direct to video.
Six Bullets rapidly became one of my favorite Jean-Claude Van Damme movies; it tells the story of Samson Gaul, an ex-mercenary known for finding missing children who is hired by a mixed martial arts fighter whose daughter has been kidnapped.
Plot: An ex-mercenary Samson Gaul (Jean-Claude Van Damme) known for finding missing children is hired by a mixed martial arts fighter Andrew Fayden (Joe Flanigan) whose daughter has been kidnapped.Jean-Claude gives a great performance as Samson and there are some nice Father/Son moments between him and Kris Van Damme.
Some good direction, acting was good enough,(still I think that actors did a good job, specially Van Damme) and when it was there, action was also well directed.
This movie made me thinking that Six Bullets could be considered as Van Damme's version of the Punisher.While not as good as Taken, I'd rather watch this than Taken 3.
Ernie Barbarash did a good job directing this movie, at least the film was so much better than Assassination Games and Pound of Flesh, I like Pound of Flash, but I just love 6 bullets much more.
Six Bullets is a 2012 American action film directed by Ernie Barbarash, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Joe Flanigan, Anna-Louise Plowman, and Charlotte Beaumont.
The film was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on September 11, 2012.10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Motion Picture Corporation of America Rodin Entertainment Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Joe Flanigan, Anna-Louise Plowman, Charlotte Beaumont, Steve Nicolson, Kristopher Van Varenberg, Bianca Van Varenberg, Uriel Emil Pollack Director: Ernie Barbarash Producer: Brad Krevoy Screenplay: Chad Law Evan Law Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 55 Mins.
Although 6 BULLETS is nothing more than a star vehicle for B-movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme, one filmed in Eastern Europe to boot, it's actually pretty decent and much, much better than the similar fare churned out by Steven Seagal for the last fifteen or so years.This film has lots of flaws but somehow it remains sparkly fresh, inventive, and exciting.
But when Van Damme's on screen, this film really comes alive.The action scenes are hard-hitting and feature some great moves in the tradition of Asian fight choreography.
I could always take or leave Jean Claude Van Damme's action films, even in the eighties - he was always second fiddle to Schwarzenegger and Stallone.
JCVD plays an ex soldier or mercenary (they call him both, but it doesn't matter) who now works as a butcher, in between rescuing kidnapped children from the clutches of vile child-trafficking gangsters in Eastern Europe.So, when an American couple lose their fourteen-year-old daughter, who ya' gonna' call?
But that would be a little unfair, as Six Bullets does just enough to try and make it its own film in its own right.For a start, the American couple don't just sit back and let the Muscles from Brussels do all the work, they take up arms and give him a helping hand.There's not much here that's new, but it's done in a decent enough way to be worth a watch if you fancy seeing another action film.Solid and definitely Van Damme's best film in years (not including The Expendables 2).http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/.
Another Good Van Damme movie.
Another good Van Damme this was good to see Jean Claude Van Damme main character as a part time killer, part time butcher i thought this movie was good not the best van damme movie i seen i liked the action scenes were little bit better then Assassination Games (2011) witch i liked the story followed that (Jean Claude Van Damme)Samson Gaul was a Veteran mercenary retired from combat when his actions resulted in the deaths of helpless victims as in Collateral Damage soon later on he works in Butcher Shop i thought that was lame idea for movie.
Andrew go's out there find Samson Gaul still works at butcher shop drinking heavy i was like Disappointing what is character come on he just got kicked out from the Agents he retire because he killed 2 witness in a mission Van Damme doesn't do anything until hour of movie of action to help and team up to find there daughter Samson Changed his mind to help Andrew Daughter Becky.
this movie wasn't that bad i like idea of title of movie 6 bullets i had problem bit with Van Damme Character Drinking Heavy and Working at Butcher shop i know he retired because what he did was wrong, i thought the another characters were good.
Two Jean-Claude Van Damme movies in the same night might be a bit much, but it's actually one I have not seen.Living in Florida, I am well aware of the sex trade, and it is disturbing, to say the least.
Overall, there are a few action scenes that we have become accustomed with in a Van Damme film – He certainly displays better punching prowess compared his more recent DTV efforts, he takes out three guys Transporter style in the end mansion finale in a small hallway.
As usual John-Claude Van Damme is back in the action, but this time it involve children kidnapped for human trafficking and all the sick, sick thing involved.
Samson Gaul (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is the village butcher who moonlights as a mercenary.
His son (Kristopher Van Varenberg) who works at the US embassy, sends him clients.When Andrew Fayden(Joe Flanigan), an American cage fighter's daughter Becky (Charlotte Beaumont) is kidnapped, he calls on Samson who is reluctant to take the case.
Just lately, Van Dammes movies have been getting a lot better than they should be.
When a job causes the death of two children, he starts having doubts about his career choice.Went he daughter of an MMA fighter is kidnapped, he reluctantly helps, and then Van Damme is back in action.The only thing i found silly in this film, was the visions he was having about the two dead girls.
"Assassination Games" director Ernie Barbarash and scenarists Chad and Evan Law have concocted an above-average suspense thriller "6 Bullets" for martial arts action Jean Claude Van Damme that is a notch above his usual formulaic fodder.
The rest of the film entails much kicking, punching and shooting in the vein of most other JCVD action flicks, but something about the violence in '6 Bullets' came off to me as more seasoned, less shallow than any other Van Damme effort of the past.
Van Damme's Samson Gaul is perhaps the most complex character he's yet played, and that alone adds much substance to the overall effect of the movie.
This movie looks like (and is) a high quality action/suspense film that can be thoroughly enjoyed by those who don't even like martial arts and/or who have a negative preconceived notion of Van Damme. |
tt0030044 | The Dawn Patrol | During World War I, the pilots of an RFC squadron deal with the stress of combat primarily through nightly bouts of heavy drinking. The two aces of the squadron's "A Flight", Courtney (Richard Barthelmess) and Scott (Douglas Fairbanks Jr), have come to hate the commanding officer, Brand (Neil Hamilton), blaming him for sending new recruits directly into combat in inferior aircraft.
Unknown to them, Brand has been arguing continually with higher command to allow practice time for the new pilots, but command is desperate to maintain air superiority and orders them into combat as soon as they arrive. Brand is so disliked by the two he cannot even easily join the men for the nightly partying, drinking alone and clearly breaking under the strain. The tension grows worse when an elite German squadron led by "von Richter" takes up position just across the front lines from them.
After losing several of the squadron's veteran pilots, the ranks become increasingly made up of new recruits, who have absolutely no chance against the German veterans. Von Richter issues a taunt that Courtney and Scott answer by attacking the Germans' airdrome in defiance of orders from Brand not to go up against them. Brand gets revenge when he is recalled to headquarters and Courtney is made squadron commander. Courtney quickly learns the misery that Brand endured when four patrols a day are ordered and his pleas not to send green men ignored.
Scott and Courtney have a falling out when Scott's younger brother is one of the new replacements and is immediately ordered on a mission. He is killed flying the Dawn Patrol. Brand returns with orders for what amounts to a suicide mission far behind enemy lines. Courtney is forbidden to fly the mission, so Scott angrily volunteers. Courtney gets him drunk and flies off in his stead. He shoots down von Richter returning from the successful mission but is killed by another German pilot. Scott becomes squadron commander and reads orders to his new replacements. | revenge | train | wikipedia | Several long-shots looked exactly the same.In a way this might have worked out because director Edmund Goulding who was not known for action films could concentrate on the actors and he got very good performances out of Errol Flynn, David Niven, and Basil Rathbone who step into the parts that Richard Barthelmess, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Neil Hamilton did the first time around.Still after seeing first one version, than the other, one might be complaining of double vision at that..
The Dawn Patrol - based on a book my John Monk Saunders is the story of a RFC squadron in France during the Great War. If has three good central performances - Basil Rathbone showing an array of hyper tense emotions - David Niven changing from a happy go lucky drunken fool to a hardened leader of men and the best, by far, Errol Flynn as a guilt ridden hero whose nerves are torn to shreds.Flynn has had so much bad press over the years and people forget that he was a great actor in the early days.
Coming out just before the beginning of WW2 it would have given the home audiences great understanding of what they faced - a hard and bloody task, where young men will die as surely as the older ones will order them to fight.This film should be reissued on DVD and shown around the world - it's that good.
DAWN PATROL was a forerunner of the "men facing war" kind of dramas that became a steady source of entertainment in books and films of the decades that followed, particularly after WWII.But this takes place during World War I in 1915, when aviation was still young and men in the flying machines were sent into battle against greater odds than anyone could imagine.Basil Rathbone plays the commander breaking under pressure who has to see young men under his command die in battle against the Germans.
This event sets up the dramatic conclusion which has Flynn willing to sacrifice himself and single-handedly take on a most dangerous mission across enemy lines.Edmund Goulding keeps the story going from one excellent scene to another and all of the performances are first rate.
I first saw this movie when I was 16, and didn't understand a lot of its subtleties; I just thought it was an exciting & dramatic war film with a lot of great flying sequences.
The men in this movie were sent up daily in obsolete equipment in a bad state of disrepair; as the film progressed the squadron had about a 70% turnover as the combat veterans were shot down and replaced by green kids whose limited training could not possibly have prepared them for what they would face.The characters are all dissected, even lesser, supporting roles receive excellent character studies, and the stars of course are downright fascinating.
It's a thrill to learn that Errol Flynn (Captain Courtney) really could act, as well as just jump around and wave a sword; David Niven is wonderfully innocent and almost childlike as "Scotty," and Basil Rathbone, a truly great actor who seldom got the chance to strut his stuff since he was usually typecast as a "bad guy" or as Sherlock Holmes, gives a nerve-wrenching performance as Major Brand, who's floundering under the strain.
First, how the British flying aces in World War I contend with the harsh realities of war, specifically the deaths of their friends and the decisions that had to be made to send more men to their deaths (excellently portrayed by Basil Rathbone as Major Brand).
The story revolves around the vividly drawn characters of Lt. Scott,'Scotty', played by David Niven in one of his most genuine performances, and that of his chum, Captain Courtney, well played by Errol Flynn.
It is Crisp, who is finally made to express the film's underlying anti-war theme, questioning the point of sending all the fine young men to their deaths, "...and for what?", he asks though no answer is forthcoming.
THE DAWN PATROL, Errol Flynn's final film of his busiest year as an actor (1938), is a fascinating counterpoint to his usual swashbuckling and light comic roles.
Directed by WWI veteran Edmund Goulding, best known for his big-budget romances (GRAND HOTEL), the film counterpoints the gritty, harsh realities on the ground with the nearly surreal quality of early air battles, as bi-planes with open cockpits whirl and swoop like insects, and enemy airmen would occasionally drop out possessions of dead pilots over airfields, in a chivalrous gesture.Fellow pilots Courtney and Scott (portrayed by real-life friends Flynn and David Niven, again showing the rapport they had demonstrated so effectively in 1936's THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE) are battle-tested veterans, hell-raising survivors of a squadron decimated by the war.
Seeing a constant influx of 'green' kids replacing lost friends, and knowing too well that the rookies' inexperience will quickly cost them their lives, the pair vent their anger against their commander, the coldly 'by-the-book' Maj. Brand (in a remarkable performance by frequent Flynn nemesis, Basil Rathbone).
And the most dangerous mission yet has just come down from HQ...DAWN PATROL is a powerful film, with great performances from the entire cast, particularly Flynn, who had often begged the WB to give him roles beyond his 'swashbuckler' image.
The critical praise it garnered proved Flynn's versatility as an actor (although public demand would keep him 'locked' into adventure films), and raised David Niven up to 'star' status.It remains one of the BEST films about the 'Great War', and shouldn't be missed!.
This is a stirring and exciting story of the courage shown by pilots who know they or their friends will likely be killed on one of their missions, and the anguish their commanders feel when sending them to their deaths.
(Note: although the 1930 version was originally entitled "Flight Command," and is occasionally screened under that title by TCM, IMDb also calls it "Dawn Patrol," probably to distinguish it from the 1940 Robert Taylor "Flight Command" about Navy pilots.) Although it's a close call, I would recommend this later film over its predecessor, for the superior performances of the lead actors.
Errol Flynn (as Dick Courtney) was more involving than 1930's Richard Barthelmess, a veteran actor whose performance retains the somewhat stilted quality of the silent film era.
And although Neil Hamilton played Major Brand well in the original film, at least early on in the story, the role calls for a less-sympathetic performance, and who could be less sympathetic than Basil Rathbone at his sneery best?Furthermore, current (as of 2012) releases of 1930's "Flight Command / Dawn Patrol" are not as visually clear in all scenes as the later version, and also have a lot of scratchy sounds and low rumble in the soundtrack, which are especially distracting in quieter scenes.
Errol Flynn, as Captain Courtney, reflects aloud in some pensive moments about the futility of waging war but it's a brutal reality and must be dealt with, which he does so bravely.David Niven, as Scotty, turns in a good supportive performance and in the end of the story learns to take on a commander's responsibilities.
Actually, in real life Niven also rejoined the army in WW2 and acquired honors along the way, still retaining his popularity in movies during and after the war."How many fine chaps will die in this war and in future wars?" -- lines spoken by Phipps (Donald Crisp) seem to warn of the oncoming Second World War. Now in our new century let's hope we never see those clouds of war on such an enormous scale hanging over England and Europe ever again.
Here the performances are superb, especially from Errol Flynn, David Niven and Basil Rathbone.As said, not sure why this was (re)made, but a great movie nevertheless..
This is a great example of the type of movies Warner Brothers was capable of making--maybe not quite as elegant as those from MGM, but certainly highly entertaining and filled with their old standby actors (in this case Flynn).
Along with the ever-exciting to watch Flynn are David Niven (providing wonderful support), Basil Rathbone and Donald Crisp.
Errol Flynn and David Niven are friends and drinking buddies (in real life as well as on screen) in the Royal Flying Corps, straining against the strict discipline of their commanding officer, Basil Rathbone.
In fact, the same dramatic arc afflicts Flynn and Niven in time, and the three great actors turn in some of the best performances of their careers.The flying scenes of "Dawn Patrol" lack the scale of "Hell's Angels" or "Wings", and a lot of scenes were lifted directly from a 1930 film of the same name, directed by Howard Hawks.
The meat of the story takes place on the ground -- unlike in "Hell's Angels" -- so the action scenes in the air serve more as punctuation marks.Like previous First World War movies, "Dawn Patrol" portrays the cynicism and fatalism of the fighter pilots.
In The Dawn Patrol, Basil Rathbone is in charge of a flying squadron and is forced to send his boys off on high risk missions.
In France for service in the Great War (aka World War I), handsome pilot Errol Flynn (as Dick Courtney) and pal David Niven (as Doug "Scotty" Scott) clash with commander Basil Rathbone (as Drake Brand) over his decisions to send young fliers out on suicide missions in rickety planes.
Here, at times, Flynn and Niven look more like actors having fun with their roles.
An exception, Rathbone keeps a serious foundation.****** The Dawn Patrol (12/23/38) Edmund Goulding ~ Errol Flynn, David Niven, Basil Rathbone, Donald Crisp.
One of the very few classic World War I adventures, the work of swashbuckling Errol Flynn, the staid, villainous Basil Rathbone and David Niven who transcends from Flynn's light-hearted sidekick to a combative inferior officer light up the skies over enemy territory.The carefree camaraderie bolstered by excessive drinking in the face of certain doom provides an uplifting theme.
I particularly like the songs they sing as they belly up to the bar, most notably, "Hurrah for the Next Man that Dies." The dogfights in the biplanes of that era are so vivid because you can see the pilots' every move, and they can see each other -- the thumbs-up when one of them is shot to pieces and about to plummet to his death.The film captures the reality of a war that history tends to overlook more and more as time goes on.
The nobility and bravery of these fliers would continue, but the negative psychological effects of men in war and the philosophical discussion of war itself would have to wait until the war that came after the war to end all wars.There are some outstanding aerial bombing scenes and dogfights (from the original 1930 Howard Hawks film) and the remake script called for some difficult acting and the entire cast delivers.
Some say this is Errol Flynn's best performance and showed his seldom used ability to deliver a great real role with emotion and humanism, and that he was more than a handsome star with a seductive smile..
Excellent cast led by the trio of Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone, and David Niven.
Having not seen the Howard Hawks original made in 1930, I obviously have no frame of reference as regards if this remake does that particular film justice, but the evidence here suggests this Errol Flynn led piece can justifiably hold its head up high.It's World War 1 and we are in the company of the 59th Squadron in France, these brave airmen are the dawn patrol, the men {boys} who fly the most dangerous missions at the crack of dawn, this squadron has a high mortality rate such is the perilous nature of their duty.
Courtney, Lt. Scott, and Maj. Brand are the main characters of the piece, and all three men are faced with mounting tensions and perhaps the spectre of impending tragedy?This film is one of those pieces that drives home the harshness of war whilst pumping the blood at the bravery of those involved.
The men while away their hours drinking and singing startlingly revealing songs, full of bravado and gusto for the war effort, and it's the courage and loyalty of these guys that drives the film's emotional heart.A wonderful cast lifts this piece to a very high standard, Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone and David Niven firmly grasp the characters essential points, and coupled with a very astute piece of pacing from director Edmund Goulding, the film plays out perfectly.
Kind of like a joke on Errol Flynn.Great film, I could watch it over and over..
Being someone who likes Errol Flynn, David Niven and Basil Rathbone and who has liked/loved a good deal of the films of all three, 'The Dawn Patrol' is a must watch for anybody who likes either actor or all three and for anybody who likes war films.A remake of the 1930 Howard Hawks film, this is hardly inferior (quite the opposite).
The sterling supporting cast has Donald Crisp in particular standing out, but the three leads are what make 'The Dawn Patrol' particularly worth watching.Rathbone has rarely been more tortured and Niven epitomises innocent grace, but it's Flynn's film in a performance that's genuinely moving (proof that he could act and had more range than given credit for when allowed).In summary, a wonderful and powerful film.
certainly drove home the point that war (no matter from whose perspective) was no laughing matter.Featuring a strong, competent, all-male cast of players, including Basil Rathbone and Errol Flynn - Dawn Patrol's battle scenes (though creaky by today's standards) didn't disappoint me at all..
Starring Errol Flynn & David Niven as a pair of friends who must navigate the perilous trials of their air missions during a time when combat was at its most primitive & dangerous.
Succeeding in capturing the anxiousness of war & frustrations of the battle, Flynn & Niven are never less than perfect w/ample support from Basil Rathbone who plays their conflicted commander..
Their daredevil aerobatics are admired and envied secretly by their stern commander Basil Rathbone who the duo nick-name as Killer brand as his duties are generally limited to send raw pilots against the war seasoned German Air Force.
David Niven is adequate as the pal but it is Basil Rathbone who walks away with top honours as the original Flight Commander who envies the daredevil pilots while hating himself for sending raw pilots to their death.
"The Dawn Patrol" isn't a typical Errol Flynn movie.
Errol Flynn and David Niven are great as the two crack pilots who indulge in their own shenanigans, much to the annoyance of their commander Basil Rathbone.
Brand's two best fighter pilots are Captain Courtney (Errol Flynn) and Lieutenant Scott (David Niven).
In this film, flight commander Basil Rathbone gets telephone orders from the high command for the morning flights, and relays these to squadron commander Errol Flynn, who has the unenviable job of picking the men for the job.
Exciting and equally dark, this remake of Howard Hawks's original(1930) starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. This World War I drama finds Basil Rathbone as Major Brand, the ruthless commander of a squadron of British fliers.
'Scotty' Scott(David Niven)are hard drinking aces that beg Brand for more time to train new pilots.
There's a scene in the movie that made me stop and think - it's when Major Brand (Basil Rathbone) receives congratulations from his high command for his flyers taking out the German drone.
For a length of time, Rathbone, Errol Flynn, David Niven and Donald Crisp are all on screen together at the same time.
Errol Flynn proves here that he can act and has great support from David Niven, Basil Rathbone and Donald Crisp.
Both Flynn and Rathbone are given a chance to show their serious side as they are faced with sending green recruits to certain death against a superior German air force, led by von Richter (von Richtofen I suppose).This is an excellent film and director Edward Goulding may be forgiven for lifting the extremely realistic dogfight scenes from the 1930 original starring Richard Barthelmess (also a film worth watching).
In the 1930 film, Courtney's nerves turn him into an alcoholic, as a promotion forces him to send so many men to their deaths in the air.
During WWI, squadron leader Major Brand (an excellent Basil Rathbone) does everything he can to dissuade his commanding officers from sending his pilots to certain death during aerial combat with their German counterparts.
"The Dawn Patrol" could be construed as an anti-war film and it certainly makes a good point in that regard.
You know the drill-Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone and David Niven take on the Red Baron (von Richter my eye!) in WWI France, w/ high doses of carousing, drunkenness, young recruits trotted out wayy too early for their own good as cannonfodder, and of course, Errol doing what Errol always does-take on the the world and (pretty much) come out grinning.Well okay, not this time-winds up a glorious death instead-but you know how I mean.
Flynn and Niven are two of the aviators under Squadron Commander Basil Rathbone.
Everyone seems to be having a good time, except when they're being shot to pieces, except Rathbone who has been turned into a bundle of nerves by his responsibility for sending men up to die in those fragile crates.Rathbone is promoted out, and Flynn is made commanding officer.
These scenes — and in fact all the exciting action material — were re-used (slightly trimmed) in the 1938 re-make directed by Edmund Goulding (which has the rare honor of being a re- make which is better than the original, thanks to the skills of its superior cast — Flynn, Niven and Rathbone)..
Flying aces go out on World War 1 missions, while they know that many of them shall not return, especially the younger inexperienced pilots.Basil Rathbone is the squadron leader who appears to be sadistic in handing out the assignments. |
tt0046906 | Destry | The sheriff of a small western town dies of a 'heart attack' (actually shot in the back) and the crooked mayor, The Honorable Hiram J. Sellers (Edgar Buchanan), and leading crook Phil Decker (Lyle Bettger) appoint the town drunk, Reginald T. "Rags" Barnaby (Thomas Mitchell), as the new sheriff, believing that he will be easily controlled by them. Rags, however, announces he is giving up drinking and refuses to accept Decker as his new deputy, telling them that he has someone else in mind: Tom Destry.
Destry (Audie Murphy) arrives on the stagecoach with great fanfare, but Rags is disappointed to find out that he is a very young man who refuses to carry a gun. Destry prefers friendly persuasion and use of the law, over violence. Destry finds out that the previous sheriff may not have died of a heart attack as had been claimed. He suspects that the sheriff was murdered while trying to resolve a land dispute, and he sets about finding out how the sheriff actually died. He tricks Decker's men into passing their guns to him in the bar and empties all bullets with some impressive sharp-shooting onto a wall-mounted game. He then retrieves the bullets for analysis.
Eventually it becomes clear that Decker killed the sheriff in order to further his plans to obtain all the land necessary to control and exploit the transit of cattle over those properties. The sheriff is killed in the jail and suspects are missing. Decker sets up an ambush in the saloon for Destry. During a gun battle in the saloon, Brandy gets shot dead trying to block Decker's fire, but Decker is killed too. Destry restores law and order to the town. | good versus evil, cult, murder | train | wikipedia | Destry -- director George Marshall's remake with Audie Murphy of Destry Rides Again, which starred Jimmy Stewart -- is one of the rare exceptions.
But, given a good script and good direction, Audie Murphy was a far better actor than his many B movies would lead one to expect, and Destry was one of his best performances.The fact that director George Marshall chose to remake his black and white Jimmy Stewart hit, Destry Rides Again, in Technicolor with Audie Murphy as Destry clearly indicates that Marshall felt his original film could be equaled or improved upon.
Both the original and the remake are good westerns but, if one can get past bias toward Jimmy Stewart -- and his co-star Marlene Dietrich -- and evaluate the movies purely on their merit, I believe that Audie Murphy's Destry is the better film.
Because, it followed behind the 1939 classic, Destry rides again, the 1954 movie, titled Destry, was given very little credit for being a good film.
Most movie critics, of the time, was more determined to compare the performances of Marlene Dietrich and James Steward, to that of Audie Murphy and Mari Blanchard.
Of course there is no comparison to the kind of acting talent that Steward and Dietrich had, but Destry was still a very good film that did justice to the original version.
Whenever the studios cared enough to surround Audie Murphy with top-quality supporting players (such as Thomas Mitchell, Edgar Buchanan, Alan Hale, Jr., and Lyle Bettger in this film), Audie's performances always rose to the level of those around him.
Everyone is good in this movie, with very little of the over-acting that was the style then.I saw the Dietrich/Stewart version many years ago...I've never liked Marlene Dietrich and never understood what the big deal with her was, but Jimmy Stewart tops the list of my favorite actors, so it surprises me that I honestly can't remember a single scene from their film.
Mari Blanchard is absolutely stunning in this film.As for the technical end, I found the directing good, the script devoid of the usual brainless dialog and plot holes that many B Westerns of the time seemed burdened with, and the score was not intrusive.
The humor is derived from the real situations, but never descends into broad comedy with pratfalls and nonsense.Many Audie Murphy films are good for a single viewing and can be forgotten, but "Destry" is definitely worth repeat viewing.
It stars Audie Murphy, Mari Blanchard, Lyle Bettger, Thomas Mitchell, Edgar Buchanan and Lori Nelson.
Music is by Joseph Gershenson and cinematography by George Robinson.When the sheriff of a small frontier town is shot and killed in mysterious circumstances, mob boss Decker (Bettger) and the crooked mayor (Buchanan) appoint the local drunk, Rags Barnaby (Mitchell), as sheriff.
Thinking it will be easy to control the town now, Decker is surprised to learn that Barnaby has sent for help in the form of Tom Destry (Murphy), the son of a famous hard nosed lawman.
However, when Tom arrives, he isn't exactly the all conquering macho lawman the town were expecting, in fact he doesn't even carry a gun!OK, when judged against the James Stewart/ Marlene Dietrich starring Destry Rides Again from 1939 (also directed by George Marshall), this Audie Murphy led remake is standard stuff.
The third attempt at adapting Max Brand's novel (there was also a Tom Mix version in 1932), George Marshall's movie has good production values, is well represented by the cast and all told is an amiable way to spend an afternoon.
It's Not That Bad. OK, it's probably not a good idea to try to remake a classic as with this film and George Marshall's "Destry Rides Again".............but don't sell it too short.
Sometimes remakes do turn out for the best and Audie Murphy was a perfect in the casting of another edition of the Destry saga.
Audie uses some forensic science to clean up the town and the final gunfight is played a bit more seriously than in the James Stewart-Marlene Dietrich classic.For those who haven't seen either film, a certain crooked saloon keeper/ town boss has been grabbing land by hook or crook and kills the sheriff who's opposing him.
Mitchell is the town drunk, but Mitchell fools them and sends for the son of legendary lawman Tom Destry to be his deputy.When Audie Murphy as Destry comes to town it's without wearing firearms, but in his own quiet way Audie gets results.Of course saloon girl Mari Blanchard ain't a patch on Marlene Dietrich, but that's pretty stiff competition for anyone.
Edgar Buchanan is the mayor and does his usual foxy and calculating part and we're not quite sure where he'll wind up in the end.Destry is one of Audie Murphy's better B westerns from the Fifties and it shows with the right casting, a classic can be done well a second time..
fNo sooner had the big budget To Hell and Back been released than everyone began to wonder if Audie Murphy, who played himself in that autobiographical flick about his WWII experiences, might be on the way out of B westerns and into major movies.
No such thing, though - later that same year, Murphy was back in a better-than-average remake of the classic Destry Rides Again - this time, with the title shortened to the character's name, doubtless because that was in vogue at the time: Shane (Alan Ladd), Hondo (John Wayne), Jubal (Glenn Ford), etc.
While this film may never come close to the heights of the earlier A movie starring James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich, it sure rates far and above the average oater of that time.
Murphy is actually far more close to the descriptions of Tom Destry in the original novel than was Stewart, and while Mari Blanchard isn't Marlene Dietrich (who was?), she is pretty terrific as the exotic saloon girl whose cynical attitude melts whenever she's around the likable young marshal.
Destry Rides Again was very good, and Jimmy Stewart certainly has a cowboy persona, but that's not the first image that comes to mind when we think of this great actor.Audie Murphy, on the other hand couldn't be more cowboy - Texas born and a super-hero FOR REAL, not the phony John Wayne type, and what's even better is that he's not a strapping hulk, he's an unassuming, charming, perpetual kid with a quiet inner strength.
However with a culture of silence, gun crime widespread and the town in the grip of the sultry and dangerous Brandy, can Destry make an impact?Just to prove that modern Hollywood does not have the sole rights to the concept of the totally unnecessary remake, we have this film made 15 years after the definitive version starring Stewart and Dietrich; and true to form, this version is just that unnecessary.
A peaceful and milksop cowboy named Tom Destry performed by the good-mannered Audie Murphy cleans up an uncontrollably lawless Western town .
Audie Murphy gives a sympathetic acting as a sheriff helper , new deputy's mild exterior masks a fierce determination to see justice done, this brawling Western turned him movie career all around the world and became him a box-office again .
Lovely acting of Mari Blanchard as the stubborn Saloon girl at a similar role to previous Marlene Dietrich , she is the dance hall entertainer who sings on the bar some vintage songs , including new catchy tunes.
His first Western was ¨Wild Gold¨(1934) and he subsequently directed ¨Destry rides again¨ with James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich in which years later he would make a remake titled ¨Frenchie¨ with Audie Murphy and Marie Blanchard .
It was then offered to James Stewart , who took it in ¨Destry rides again¨(1939) , along with Marlene Dietrich , Charles Winninger , Thomas Mitchell ; the following version released in 1951 under title ¨ Frenchie ¨ and this fourth take on exhibited in 1954 also directed by George Marshall with Audie Murphy and Marie Blanchard in similar characters to James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich ..
Audie Murphy is just fine as the gun shy sheriff Tom Destry taming a rowdy town and a boisterous dance hall girl without violence.
She also has a rough and tumble fight with character actress Mary Wickes which Destry gets involved in.The supporting cast which includes Lyle Bettger, Thomas Mitchell, Edgar Buchanan and Wallace Ford are all adequate..
the actor as a man was the most decorated American soldier in real life it is a shame that people in the film world recognised that he was a major player in making the film world wake up and start to make movies with a bit of feeling an humanity in them, the role he played in destry was a role that showed us to live not by the gun but by the word and it is a lesson that is still prevalent in todays world..
"Rides Again" with Stewart is fun but decorated war hero Audie Murphy is more believable in the role of "Destry." In fact, any time the skinny and frail Stewart plays a tough guy it is very hard to accept - even though you want to because of his undeniable charm and quality acting ability.
World War II hero Audie Murphy assumes the role that western icon Tom Mix created in the 1932 black & white version of Universal Studios' "Destry Rides Again" and that James Stewart recreated later for director George Marshall in the black & white 1939 remake "Destry Rides Again" as an easy-going lawman that prefers to ask questions first and sling lead second in the Technicolored rehash retitled "Destroy," ostensibly based on Max Brand's novel "Twelve Peers." There is a mite more irony in the casting of Murphy as a deputy sheriff who guzzles milk rather than liquor and shuns shooting irons than either Mix or Stewart.
Murphy squares off in this flavorful comic remake with actor Lyle Bettger, the epitome of 1950s' western villainy who went on to lock horns with the likes of Burt Lancaster in "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957) and Clayton Moore in "The Lone Ranger." Bettger fares even better as the smiling but slimy varmint that mustached Brian Donlevy played in "Destry Rides Again." The same cannot be said for raven-haired beauty Mari Blanchard who cannot hold a candle to the volatile Marlene Dietrich from the 1939 version.
Determined to clean up the crooked town of Restless, Rags recruits the son of legendary lawman, Tom Destry (Audie Murphy) to help him.
At least this new Destry line is modernized in that he engages the other cast members with a little knowledge of forensics, which came as a (nice) surprise.Lyle Bettger is every bit as devilish as the bad guy of the original work (Brian Donlevy), and will do anything to make a buck and maintain his hold over a small western town.
And while Audie Murphy isn't Jimmy Stewart, the final gun battle is a good bit more tense and somber than the original, which I highly enjoyed.This is one of the best of the B western line put out by Audie Murphy, and in my opinion proves that remakes CAN be done well, with the proper casting and direction.
RELEASED IN 1954 and directed by George Marshall, "Destry" is about a tough Western town run by corrupt local mogul Decker (Lyle Bettger) and the Mayor who's in league with him (Edgar Buchanan).
They appoint a drunk as the new Sheriff (Thomas Mitchell) because they know he'll be easy to control, but the Sheriff hires as his deputy the out-of-town son of an expert lawman for whom he used to work (Audie Murphy).
The film is a remake of Marshall's 1939 hit "Destry Rides Again," which was a remake of the 1932 movie of the same name, a closer rendition of Max Brand's novel.
While most critics say "Destry" is inferior I give it the edge because (1.) it's in color, (2.) Murphy is stalwart as the humble-yet-confident protagonist, and (3.) Mari Blanchard is hotter than Marlene Dietrich as the saloon entertainer and has the mojo to pull off the challenging role.
"Destry Rides Again" (1939) is regarded as a classic western by some, and as a film made enjoyable by the enchanting James Stewart (and sultry Marlene Dietrich) by the rest of us.
Like the Melanie Griffith remake of "Born Yesterday", a poor performance in the leading role reveals the story (sheriff of a tough town doesn't want to shoot anyone) to be a weak little thing unable to stand without someone the stature of Mr. Stewart to hold it up.
From now having seen the original about 30 times more than the remake: the remake's colour is OK but the original b&w, lighting and therefore atmosphere was way better; characterisation and acting in the original was topnotch, believable and trod a fine comedic line perfectly, acting was OK in the remake but characterisation was almost non-existent; the original script was slavishly followed except the remake didn't want to trash the expensive sets and props for the final fight scene; the songs sung by Marlene Dietrich became world famous classics, in the remake the songs were brash and instantly forgotten.I still enjoyed this version, only it's a colourful pale imitation of the classic original, imho one of the best films ever made.
"Destry" is a remake of the classic 1939 western "Destry Rides Again" which starred James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich.
The story involves a non-gun toting deputy sheriff (Murphy) who is brought to town to clean it up by town drunk Thomas Mitchell who was "appointed" as sheriff by villains Lyle Bettger and Edgar Buchannan following the murder of the former lawman (Trevor Bardette).
Murphy does his best in the role of Tom Destry, but when you come down to it it is the excellent supporting cast that make this film watchable.
"Destry" tries on a "B" Plus budget to re-do a classic but in the end is just another in the series of Murphy westerns released during the 50s..
Murphy is the peace-loving son of a fighting father, sent for by the new sheriff, Thomas Mitchell, after the murder of a former lawman shot in the back...Mitchell is the hopeless drunk Rags Barnaby ("A man's got to choose between th' bottle and th' badge!"), put in his post by a corrupt Mayor (Edgar Buchanan), so that the ruthless saloonkeeper Lyle Bettger can run the small town as he pleases...
Such is the plot, but it is George Marshall's well-paced direction, and the solid acting of the principals and supporting players, which turned this updated version into a very entertaining comedy Western..The beautiful Mari Blanchard essays the Marlene Dietrich role as the delightfully dance-hall girl, while Lori Nelson is the good girl with whom Murphy ultimately settles down....
Mari Blanchard lacks the exotic fire of Marlene Dietrich, and sweet looking Aydie Murphy doesn't have the acting chops of James Stewart.
The always wonderful Mary Wickes gets the part of the doctor's tough wife who gets into a scrape with Blanchard and seems to mop the floor with her, unlike Una Merkel tried with Dietrich.Thomas Mitchell is excellent as the former deputy, now town drunk, made sheriff after Bettger kills the previous one.
As well as having villains to deal with a western needs some potential love interest and here it is provided by Brandy; the saloon singer who helped Decker cheat at cards and Martha Phillips the nice girl he is clearly 'meant to be with'.As I've yet to see 'Destry Rides Again' I can't say how this compares but I did find this to be an enjoyable western; Audie Murphy is ideal in the role of the soft spoken Destry as he doesn't look like a traditional Hollywood tough guy despite an actual war record that proves he was more heroic than better known western stars.
It helps that he was supported by s fine cast Lyle Bettger is suitably unpleasant as Decker, Thomas Mitchell was entertaining as Rags and Mari Blanchard was just right as Brandy; the bad girl who might just come good.
It would have been interesting to see who Destry might have picked if Brandy made it to the end of the picture.I've always been a little on the fence about Audie Murphy as an actor.
Thomas Mitchell is once again great in his role as the lawman who brings in Destry to help him clean up the town.
Probably because Audie and George Marshall made many average films, Destry did not get the praise it deserved from the critics..
James Stewart was also perfectly cast as Tom Destry.VIEWER'S GUIDE: An unsavory fight between two women plus the usual "A"-western violence make this film unsuitable for children.COMMENT: While it is not a patch on the 1939 movie, Destry emerged in 1994 (the first time it was shown in color on local television) as solid entertainment.
Audie Murphy makes a most suitable Destry, and there are equally sound character portrayals from the likes of raspy-voiced, crookedly smiling Lyle Bettger (our favorite heavy of the 1950s — and cast here in a major role), venal Edgar Buchanan (always a reliable player, but we like him best as the sort of frighteningly comic, seedy villain he plays here), Wallace Ford as a henpecked medico and Alan Hale as a brawny but not over-bright trail boss.As for Mari Blanchard, she plays well enough, but lacks the gusto of her dubbed singing voice.
The tale is so entertaining, so appealing in its values, that it's easy to overlook the fact that it's a remake of a 1939 movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Marlene Dietrich.Apparent wimp, Murphy, is hired as deputy sheriff to clean up the rough-and-tumble and thoroughly corrupt town of Restless, which he does, although not without the deaths of a few friendlies.Murphy was short and retained his boyish good looks and modest demeanor for fifteen years or so after he returned from the war. |
tt0031398 | Gunga Din | On the Northwest Frontier of India, circa 1880, contact has been lost with a British outpost at Tantrapur in the midst of a telegraph message. Colonel Weed (Montagu Love) dispatches a detachment of 25 British Indian Army troops to investigate, led by three sergeants of the Royal Engineers, MacChesney (Victor McLaglen), Cutter (Cary Grant), and Ballantine (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.), long-time friends and veteran campaigners. Although they are a disciplinary headache for their colonel, they are the right men to send on a dangerous mission. Accompanying the detail are six Indian camp workers, including regimental bhisti (water carrier) Gunga Din (Jaffe), who longs to throw off his lowly status and become a soldier of the Queen.
They find Tantrapur apparently deserted and set about repairing the telegraph. However, they are soon surrounded by hostile natives. The troops fight their way out. Colonel Weed and Major Mitchell (Lumsden Hare) identify an enemy weapon brought back as belonging to the Thuggee, a hostile indigenous group that had been suppressed for many years.
Ballantine is due to leave the army in a few days to wed Emmy Stebbins (Joan Fontaine) and go into the tea business, a combined calamity that MacChesney and Cutter consider worse than death. Meanwhile, Gunga Din tells Cutter of a temple he has found, one made of gold. Cutter is determined to make his fortune, but MacChesney will have none of it and has Cutter put in the stockade to prevent his desertion. That night, Cutter escapes with Din's help and goes to the temple, which is all that Din had claimed. Unfortunately, they discover that it belongs to the Thugs when the owners return. Cutter creates a distraction and allows himself to be captured so that Din can slip away and sound the warning.
When Din gives MacChesney the news, he decides to go to the rescue. Ballantine wants to go, too, but MacChesney points out that he cannot, as he is now a civilian. Ballantine reluctantly agrees to re-enlist, on the understanding that the enlistment paper will be torn up after the rescue. Emmy tries to dissuade him from going, but he refuses to desert his friends.
Due to miscommunication between Din and MacChesney, the trio foolishly enters the temple by themselves and are easily captured. They manage to free themselves and take the guru of the cultists (Eduardo Ciannelli) hostage on the roof of the temple. A standoff ensues.
When the regiment comes to the rescue, the guru boasts that they are marching into the trap he has set, with the three sergeants as bait. He orders his men to take their positions, but when he sees that they are unwilling to leave him in enemy hands, he leaps to his death in a pit full of cobras to remove that obstacle. Thugs then climb the temple and overwhelm the soldiers, and shoot and bayonet Cutter. Gunga Din is also bayoneted, but manages with the last of his strength to climb to the top of the gold dome of the temple and sound the alarm with a bugle taken from a dead Thug. He is then shot dead, but the British force is alerted and defeats the Thuggee forces. At Din's funeral pyre, the colonel formally inducts Gunga Din as a British corporal and reads the last lines of the Kipling poem over the body. (Some edited versions of the film omit the four italicised lines which presumably offended the American Hays code of censorship):
So I'll meet 'im later on
At the place where 'e is gone –
Where it's always double drill and no canteen;
'E'll be squattin' on the coals
Givin' drink to poor damned souls,
An' I'll get a swig in hell from Gunga Din!
Yes, Din! Din! Din!
You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!
Though I've belted you and flayed you,
By the livin' Gawd that made you,
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!
The film ends with a final image of Gunga Din's spirit standing proudly and saluting at attention in British uniform. | violence, murder | train | wikipedia | As for his loyalty to the British, there were many Indians who clearly preferred British rule to that of their fellows - and not just the maharajas and princes.If you read the story - and watch the movie with an objective eye - at the end, all the major characters have nothing but respect for Gunga Din. Sergeant MacChesney (Victor McLaglen) is clearly shamed by the fact that Din, in the end, was not only the better soldier but the better man - he sacrificed himself to prevent the ambush and massacre of the British column.
He's just as funny in his own way, leaving Sgt. Ballantine (Douglas Fairbanks Jr., displaying some nice Errol Flynnish dash) as the one with the love interest and grounding enough to know he needs to chuck his boyish pals and grow up.If "Gunga Din" was a Lifetime movie, it would be about Joan Fontaine's efforts to save her man from his two loser friends and their skull crushing hijinks.
Now they must rely on the lowliest servant of the regiment, the water carrier GUNGA DIN, to save scores of the Queen's soldiers from certain massacre.Based more on The Three Musketeers than Kipling's classic poem, this is a wonderful adventure epic - a worthy entry in Hollywood's Golden Year of 1939.
However, this diminishes nothing of the great fun in simply watching them have a glorious time.(It's interesting to note, parenthetically, that McLaglen boasted of a distinguished World War One military career; Fairbanks would have a sterling record in World War Two - mostly in clandestine affairs & earning himself no fewer than 4 honorary knighthoods after the conflict; while Grant reportedly worked undercover for British Intelligence, keeping an eye on Hollywood Nazi sympathizers.)The real acting laurels here should go to Sam Jaffe, heartbreaking in the title role.
Even Sam Jaffe's Gunga Din morphed into C-3PO and R2-D2 and like him or not: Jar Jar Binks.Today this film is viewed as non PC but there is a speech by Eduardo Ciannelli as Guru the leader of the Indian opposition to the British raj that could can be echoed in the sentiments of many today.
a classic.And not only does Gunga Din succeed as a mere action adventure, which would be impressive enough, but it's comedic relief serves as a virtual workshop for aspiring directors who, lamentably today, just don't seem to get that part of the equation in all too many cases--you know, as in movie-making is an art?
And then I suppose they will get what they need: presumably a package of questionable casting, incompetent direction, in many instances virtually no attempt at intelligent character development whatsoever, along with x-many minutes of gratuitous violence and endless smash-ups, replete, of course, with plenty of LFE icing for this new-age filmic cake.Meanwhile, I hope that my daughter will come to appreciate the great films such as Gunga Din for the classic productions they were upon release, and which they certainly remain today..
The picture is bigger still in its scope and sweep , is thrill and action but biggest of all in the life breathes through three (Gary Grant , Victor McLagen and Douglas Fairbanks Jr) roaring , reckless , swaggering sons of the thundering gunfighters men who stride its mighty scenes in the flesh and blood of high adventure , it's a honest film of it all that makes Gunga Din a new experience in entertainment .
And yes, there is sentiment, even a bit of cornball thrown in for good measure, but it lands in the cinema lover's heart and helps it beat happily.You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!Cast are having a great time, especially Grant who revels in playing knuckles and delivering songs about British Roast Beef!
George Stevens' "Gunga Din", loosely based on the famous poem by Rudyard Kipling, tells the story of a trio of British soldiers in India along with the titular native water-bearer who yearns for the life of a soldier.
The cinematography garnered the film's sole Oscar nomination but the film exhibits considerable technical appeal on the whole, including a stirring score from nine-time Oscar winner Alfred Newman."Gunga Din" mixes action, adventure, comedy and drama in a good old-fashioned adventure yarn the likes of which we rarely see these days.
In this movie, three sergeants; Archie Cutter (Cary Grant), Mac MacChesney (Victor McLaglen) and Tommy Ballantine (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.); and their water boy, Gunga Din (Sam Jaffe), came up against the Thugee cult.
Still I refuse to believe that this film wasn't offered to John Ford, but he was probably off in Monument Valley making Stagecoach.Victor McLaglen along with Cary Grant and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., play three sergeants in the Indian Army who have a nice buddy/buddy/buddy camaraderie going.
Not if his two pals can help it, aided and abetted by regimental beastie Gunga Din as played by Sam Jaffe.The Rudyard Kipling poem served as the inspiration for this RKO film about barracks life in the British Raj. The comic playing of the leads is so good that it does overshadow the incredibly racist message of the film.
And Sam Jaffe, a terrific (now-unfortunately-deceased) character actor breaks the viewer's heart as the "regimental bhisti, Gunga Din," who takes constant abuse and gives his all, including his life, to carry water to the men of the Queen's regiment even in the thick of battle.Funny, I don't remember it as a comedy, though I think there may have been some spots of humor in it, but then, I was rather young the last time I saw it on the Late, Late Show...
I saw this picture in 1940 for $.11 and I would like to secure a DVD in 2006 The film was the greatest adventure of the time and,like all epics,is still an entertainment marvel (B&W and all)You get a sense of real bonded friendship in the chemistry between the actors and the performances of Sam Jaffe & Eduardo Cianelli are outstanding (This could not be done today I particularly liked the ending where the colonel recites the end of Kipling's poem over the body of Gunga Din and tells the "Untouchable" "You're a better man than I am Gunga Din"They don't make movies of this character today.The only cast member that is still alive today is Joan Fontaine.
Perhaps it would now never be shown but for the participation of Cary Grant, but the other two Sergeants, Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Victor McLagen are great fun also.The story of Gunga Din himself, the water carrier who aspires to be a soldier in the British India Army, seems almost absurd today.
Bravo!Din,Bravo!Din,Bravo!Din,Bravo!Gunga Din. I did not know for some time in my youth all that could in general be known about this film however the ways of making a film was not what in fact drew my attention, what made this motion picture one the most liked films even to this very day that I have ever seen was of the Heroism,bravery and the Honor to have served in Her Majestys Service.This film is not always what it seems and that is perhaps as it should be,however I cant say enough for the courage exhibited by Sgt.Cutter in defense of The Uniform that he too would of sacrificed his life to save from peril of the sort that they and the troop were threatened with the emergence of this thugee group.To be certain Sgt. Cutter is the kind of individual you might suggest something about and then you watch this unequivocal belief not only in each other but in her Majesty the Queen of England.I think for all of his lust for money and the such that that character was great.A reckless brave courageous soldier who did not know fear.I think Grant was excellent in this role,truly a very capable rendering made compelling by the uniform that he wore.I never felt Ballantine was a shoe-in ,in fact there was so much confidence in there assumptions that you might be well not to look to close because it is still only a picture.What do I mean?This picture is still only a motion picture and like the times in which these events take place as well as when the picture was actually made provide a look at how things were done then and what or why there are so many different opinions as to this motion picture will distract your attention.Both Ballantine and MaChesney are equal in there dedication with both men from time to time providing a unflinching daring as to there jobs as men in the service of Her Majesty.These three seem to bring things off rather well and I believe it is a useful,even enjoyable interlude when Ballantine has a date with destiny or so it would seem only to have fate as you would have it intervene.Is it Believable?I don't know.I think it is very fitting when the company having escaped the clutches of death in Tantrapur and they are dragging there tails as they are approaching the main gates to the Regiments Post when Ballantine allows the other two to know that he is leaving the service,and getting married and going into the tea business.MaChesney says he could sign up for another 9 years.It will make a man out of him.I like that sentiment.I don't think there is any doubt as to just what it means to have brave dependable courageous soldiers representing your very best interests.Where does this end,in fact it may never end.Those interests are so well placed as to what is important in this world that I enjoy this picture today as much as perhaps I enjoyed the picture when I was ten years old.I had never known about the truthfulness of this film up to recently when I went into history and found the information about Kali.There is quite a good deal to learn however once all is said and done about the historical significance of the Goddess of Kali,this motion picture takes on a quality that I refer to as intelligence.This is a very honest attempt to convey a belief in what is being attempted.I think this is an excellent film.George Stevens directed.There is a few items to be aware of I don't think all the information will jive with history however when the Journalist is addressed as Mr.Kipling things can get very emotional because all the rest are characters but this is Rudyard Kipling?George Stevens went over the top to convey a time and a time before when these events actually occurred.The information is honest,compelling and it will not only draw you in but you will need to understand about why we so love Gunga Din.There is in the distance the Black Watch is out in front and they are approaching a most certain peril and possible defeat unless the troop can be warned.Sgt.Cutter is seriously wounded and Ballantine as well as MaChesney are restrained.Din having a deep wound at the base of his back as the result of a bayonet thrust deeply into his body from behind is up to the demand of having to warn the Colonel of impending peril.With a effort worthy of our most sincerest desires in this life time Din slowly climbs and manages to scale the steeple which rests as the top of the tuggee temple.The sound of Gunga Dins horn allows the approaching army to be forewarned.A very large scale battle ensues and the enemy is nullified.It is so Dramatic and tense filled position that as Gunga Din lay Dead on a pile of rocks which his bullet riddled body now shows,Sgt.Cutter says good work soldier.I don't know of any more dramatic moment nor one where we learn what sacrifice means then when the troop is forewarned of the impending peril.The end is far from being anti-climatic,it is the telling of who Gunga Din is and what he means now to the honored men in uniform for whom he willing sacrificed.Ballantine knows his heart and asks the Colonel to take care of his enlistment papers and this makes MaChesney quite pleased with the Colonel being honest places the enlistment papers in his pocket to be dealt with at perhaps at a more appropriate time.The Colonel says at the place where now all are gathered that we have all done enough soldiering for one long day and further comments on how pleased there efforts were in defense.MaChesney says he would rather here that from the colonel than get a bloomin medal.This is a very sober point and then he comes to Din.Now here is a man who has no actually status so I am going to appoint him a corporal and his name shall be written on the rolls of our honored dead.The poem is read as though it was just penned by Kipling himself who stands by the gravesite with the colonel and the rest of the men.Gunga Din Bravo!.
It's so corny it's almost laughable, but then again, the film is almost 70 years old and special-effects were primitive in 1939.Four well-known actors star in here: Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Victor McLaglen and Sam Jaffe.
In 19th century India, three British soldiers (Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) and their brave water carrier Gunga Din (Sam Jaffe) face off against Thuggee cultists.
The cast was ideal with Cary Grant and Victor McLaglen stand-outs among the leads, but the acting honors had to go to Sam Jaffe as Gunga Din, and Edward Cianelli (Kill for the love of Kali!) as the leader of the "thugs".
Three soldiers (Grant, McLagen and Fairbanks) fight against a group of fanatics that worshipped Kali, the godess of death and by their side is an Indian young servant named Gunga Din (Jaffe) that will be the great heroe of the story when the right time comes.
GUNGA DIN, George Stevens for RKO, 1939 B/W Starring Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. with NY Jewish actor Sam Jaffe in the title role as a shoe-polish Shinola dark skinned Indian water boy.
Based on a Rudyard Kipling poem, this is a very entertaining adventure film with an excellent cast including Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Victor McLaglen, Sam Jaffe (in the title role), Eduardo Ciannelli and Joan Fontaine.
Let's get the obvious out of the way: George Stevens's film contains many of the orientalist tropes that characterized many of the Hollywood India epics of the Thirties: a hero (Sam Jaffe) in blackface, an unashamedly imperialist message positing the British as the saviors of civilized India against the threat of the Thugs led by the Guru (Eduardo Ciannelli), and a celebration of the British virtues of friendship and loyalty as personified by the American Douglas Fairbanks jnr, and the English-born Victor McLaglen and Cary Grant.On the other hand the film must be looked at in context as a fundamentally American story of the frontier wrapped up in a British fictional form.
It is only due to Gunga Din's selfless act of devotion to the British in alerting the troops as to the Thugs' plans that the colonial army is actually saved.In structural terms, George Stevens's film contains everything - plenty of swash and buckle at the beginning and end, some moments of pure comedy involving Grant, McLaglen and the luckless Sergeant Higginbottom (Robert Coote), a brief love-interest sequence with Fairbanks and a youthful Joan Fontaine, not to mention an inspiring end where Rudyard Kipling (Reginald Sheffield) crawls out of the tent canvas to pen the famous poem that provides the inspiration for the entire work.
In 19th century India, three British soldiers and a native water bearer (Sam Jaffe) must stop a secret mass revival of the murderous Thuggee cult before it can rampage across the land.Time gave "Gunga Din" a positive review.
The second Indiana Jones movie, of course, owes a huge chunk of its plot to this film and even the excellent 1968 Peter Sellers comedy, "The Party" included a reference so obvious that for me it acted as a spoiler in terms of knowing how the tide of war in the closing scenes of "Gunga Din" would be changed by the title character.
Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Victor McLaglen are three soldiers in 19th Century India who, with the help of a water boy (Sam Jaffe) rid the area of the murderous thuggee cult.
Gunga Din (1939) is based on Rudyard Kipling's poem.The movie is directed by George Stevens.It's set in India during the 19th century where three British soldiers have to stop an evil guru and his murderous cult.Gunga Din is a marvelous adventure war comedy with plenty of thrilling moments.The three leading men are brilliant.Cary Grant is Sgt.Archibald Cutter, Victor McLaglen is Sgt.'Mac' MacChesney and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.(the son of the legendary you know who) is Sgt.Thomas Ballantine.Let's not forget the other fine players who include Sam Jaffe playing Gunga Din himself in a brilliant way.The beautiful and gifted Joan Fontaine is Emaline Stebbins.It's awfully fun to watch the difficulties of Tommy's and Emmy's wedding plans.Gunga Din is awfully lot of fun.It can be funny, it can be thrilling.It can be everything a good movie requires..
The story of the untouchable who acted like a great soldier, saving the lives of hundreds if not thousands, is told in the 1939 film "Gunga Din." Based loosely on the Rudyard Kipling poem, the film is brilliantly directed by George Stevens and stars Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Victor Mclagen.
The movie has Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. playing three very close friends British officers in India and Joan Fontaine, many action scenes and funny parts, but unfortunately I do not like the theme of colonialism, when people defending their country and culture are the 'bad guys' and the arrogant invaders are the 'good guys'.
You're a Better Man Than Indian, Gunga Din. British sergeants Cary Grant (as Cutter), Victor McLaglen (as MacChesney), and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. |
tt4698792 | My Sweet Audrina | Audrina Adare claims she is seven years old when the novel opens, although it is later revealed that Audrina's memory is unreliable. Audrina lives at Whitefern, a Victorian Era mansion, with her father Damian, mother Lucietta, her aunt Ellsbeth and her cousin Vera. The family takes special care to keep Audrina unaware of precise dates, including that of her own birthday—although Audrina knows she was born on the ninth of September, she is frequently confused about the exact passage of time, leading Vera to mock her for being insane. Audrina's father, however, is convinced that Audrina "walks in her own time space." Nine years before Audrina was born, her elder sister—also named Audrina and also born on September the ninth—was raped and murdered in the woods on her ninth birthday. Damian tells her stories about his "first and best Audrina" and convinces the younger Audrina that, by a process of self-hypnosis (which includes going into the first Audrina's old bedroom and rocking in her rocking chair), she can gain all of her memories and become just as beloved and special as she was, which is what Audrina wants more than anything else in the world.
Audrina lives in virtual isolation, her only real contact with the outside world being her older cousin, Vera, who despises Audrina. Vera claims that Audrina stole her place in Damian's affection and that the "second and worst" Audrina will never be as special or wonderful as the first and best. Vera, a habitual liar and borderline nymphomaniac, proves early on that she will stop at nothing to take anything that Audrina loves. Audrina, conversely, is haunted by dreams of her dead sister's rape and is terrified of sex and men. Vera takes great pleasure in taunting Audrina, and is hell-bent on gaining Damian's affections, such as constantly breaking bones to catch attention, which bothers Audrina a great deal.
When she is seven, Audrina meets Arden Lowe and his mother Billie, a former ice skater who is now an amputee, having lost both her legs. Billie and Arden have moved into the groundkeeper's cottage in the woods where the first Audrina died. Although she fears the woods, Audrina is willing to brave them to see Billie and Arden, and gradually Damian consents to Audrina's visits. Meanwhile, Lucietta, is pregnant again. The family calls Mrs. Allismore, a psychic, to come and predict the baby's gender. They are horrified when the woman predicts the child is neither male nor female, although Vera calmly states that it is fitting that a new "freak" would join the family. On Audrina's ninth birthday, Lucietta (six months pregnant) goes into early labor but dies in childbirth; the baby is a girl and is named Sylvia.
To keep Lucietta's memory alive, Audrina takes piano lessons alongside Vera at Lamar Rensdale's home. More than two years after her birth, Sylvia finally comes home from the hospital and turns out to be mentally challenged. Audrina is tasked by her father to take care of Sylvia. Audrina complains to her piano teacher Lamar about not being allowed to go to school —he intervenes and Audrina is finally allowed to go to school, with Ellsbeth begrudgingly agreeing to care for Sylvia. A couple years later, Audrina discovers an affair going on between Lamar and Vera and that Vera is pregnant. When Vera finds out Audrina knows about the affair, she angrily confronts her and fights with her, and Vera has a miscarriage. The next day, she leaves town with Lamar Rensdale. Vera leaves a note stating that she is, in fact, Audrina's paternal half-sister, due to an affair that Ellsbeth had with Damian before he met Lucietta. Damian does not deny any of this and says Vera's departure is "good riddance." Audrina is upset he has acted so horribly towards his own daughter, but Damian says Vera hates them all and would destroy them, given the chance. Sadly, even Ellsbeth admits he is right.
Time passes, and shortly after she turns eighteen, Audrina discovers that Damian and Ellsbeth are lovers again; however, tragedy strikes again when Ellsbeth threatens to leave Damian because he will not let her go and help Vera (who is alone after Lamar Rensdale has committed suicide). She and Damian seem to work it out, but the next morning she is found dead from a mysterious fall down the inside stairs.
In the confusion following Ellsbeth's death, Audrina elopes with Arden, hoping to escape her controlling father, taking Sylvia with her. Still not prepared for sexual intimacy, however, her wedding night goes terribly wrong. When the newlyweds return from their disastrous honeymoon, they find that Damian has won over Arden's mother and invited her to live with them at Whitefern. He also offers Arden a job at his company, since Arden has not been able to find work. Audrina is upset at how her father has manipulated events to keep control over her life, and disappointed that Billie has been "tricked" by Damian into believing he is wonderful and kind. She does want Billie and Arden to be happy though, so she tries to create a peaceful life. Things seem okay until Vera returns. Damian orders her to leave, but Billie is heart-broken by his cold-heartedness and convinces him to let Vera stay for a while. It is not long before Vera attempts to seduce Arden.
Not long after Vera's arrival, Audrina (and later Vera) discovers that Billie and Damian have become lovers. At first, Audrina is disgusted and attempts to persuade Billie to leave, saying her father only knows how to ruin the lives of the women he loves. Billie says her father has made her feel like a woman again and Audrina comes to accept they are happy. Tragedy strikes, however, when Billie falls down the same steps and dies. Audrina suspects that Sylvia might have pushed Billie, as she always liked and wanted the cart/wheelie board that Billie used to get around, but she shelters Sylvia from accusation.
Depressed and disillusioned, Audrina pulls away from Arden and Sylvia; during this time, Vera continues her seduction of Arden and they begin an affair. At first, Audrina does not care, but then her love and sexuality is finally awakened and she tells Arden that she doesn't want to lose him to Vera after losing so many other things. They spend the first happy night of their marriage together. When she awakens in the night and checks on Sylvia, she somehow finds herself in the first Audrina's room, and for the first time in many years, she sits in the rocking chair. She has some clear visions of the day the first Audrina died, which include Arden being there in the woods and running away. Confused and upset, she heads back toward her bedroom to confront Arden, and in the darkened hallway she is pushed down the stairs by an unseen assailant. She survives, but falls into a coma, during which she can hear others speak but cannot speak or move herself. In this state, she overhears that Vera and Arden are lovers again, as Arden is distraught and "needs" Vera. Vera also tries to convince Arden to disconnect Audrina's life-support, saying Audrina will never recover and she would not want to live like this. With Sylvia's help, Audrina awakens and escapes Vera. Her near-death experience convinces her that she cannot die without learning the secret of the first and best Audrina.
Audrina is angry with Arden, and wants Vera out of the house. She also confronts her father and demands he tell her the truth about her older sister's death. Damian relents, confessing that the first and best Audrina never existed. It was Audrina herself who was gang-raped in the woods. Because her father had always told her she was pure and good, unlike the evil and dirty Vera, the rape left her so traumatized that she attempted suicide. In an attempt to save Audrina from herself, Damian subjected her to electro-convulsive therapy, trying to erase the memory of the rape. Seeing his daughter strapped down and subjected to electric shock was too much for Damian to bear, leading him to try and heal her himself. Following Damian's lead, the family conspired to convince Audrina that she was two years younger than she really was, and that the rape didn't happen to her but to an older sister who died before she was born. Eventually the repetition of this story worked and Audrina believed it, explaining her unreliable memory. Since the family deliberately changed the clocks in the house and also ripped off calendar days at random, her sense of time was also altered. As Audrina listens to her father's tale, she remembers seeing Arden there and realizes he witnessed the rape but ran away in the face of Audrina's older and stronger assailants, meaning he also knew who she really was all these years but kept the secret.
As Damian is relaying all of this to Audrina, Vera appears in the doorway. Upon seeing Vera, Audrina is flooded with clear memories of the day she was attacked and realizes that Vera was the only other person who knew she would be coming home through the woods that day, and also knew how to get to the path. Audrina concludes it must have been Vera who told the boys where to find her that day. She accuses Vera of doing this out of jealousy. Vera denies being involved but Damian believes Audrina and lashes out at Vera. Vera's reaction suggests she is in fact guilty, but when Damian curses her she accuses him in turn of never acknowledging her as his daughter and always favoring Audrina over her, even though Vera is the one who is more like him. She tells Damian that it is his own fault that Audrina was raped. Infuriated, Damian rushes at her. When Vera turns to run she slips and falls down the stairs, later dying of her numerous injuries.
Heartbroken and betrayed, Audrina decides to take herself and Sylvia away from Whitefern, as she is convinced that nothing can flourish in this house but pain and tragedy. She is willing to leave her father and Arden behind if it means escaping her past and the fate of her mother and half-sister. Audrina says her final good-byes, but Sylvia refuses to leave. Her sister's simple words of "home, Audrina, home" destroy Audrina's will to escape. She tries to still leave by herself, but realizes that where there is love, there can be forgiveness and the promise of a fresh start. She decides to stay and replace the painful memories with new memories forged on honesty and the deep abiding love of family. She now finally feels like the loving "first" Audrina she has always strived to be. | flashback | train | wikipedia | A Pretty Mess.
Once again, Lifetime TV attempts to adapt a novel by the much loved cult author V.C. Andrews.
The Dollanganger series was a mixed bag, successful in some ways, but failing when they made alterations to the source material.
"My Sweet Audrina" falls victim to the same kind of amateurish "tweaking" of the original story.To be fair, Lifetime didn't have so much to work with, as this novel wasn't really the author's best work, unlike the Dollanganger series, which was a huge success all over the world.
This film is successful on some levels, such as the set design and cinematography being really gorgeous, as well as the mostly unknown cast.
The house in which the drama takes place is a visual treat that will please fans of Gothic and romantic architecture.
I just wish the script had been more like the novel.
Yes, it is a rather strange book, and I imagine Lifetime didn't want to gamble on something that would put off their usual audience.
So what we get is less of a Gothic horror/mystery, and more of an erotic thriller/soap opera production that Lifetime TV is known to produce.
What a shame; the books were immensely popular, and the movie could have garnered more attention if it had been a bit more unique and daring.
As it stands, "My Sweet Audrina" is still worth a look as a curiosity piece for fans of the V.C. Andrews books.
It's surprising that this weird book was ever made into a movie in the first place..
There's Something about Audrina.
When she was nine-years-old, something awful happened to Audrina.
This character is referred to as "the first Audrina." The tragedy has caused everyone to go crazy.
The parents have another Audrina and try to protect her from the same awfulness by secluding her in the family mansion.
This "second Audrina" is home-schooled.
Also, she is forbidden to associate with the surrounding community.
However, when a sexy piano teacher offers lessons, brooding papa James Tupper (as Damian Adare) lets the alluring young India Eisley (as Audrina) share the handsome man's piano seat.
Strange.
Modestly costumed, but in sultry make-up, Ms. Eisley's only friend is sisterly sexpot Tess Atkins (as Vera).
Finally, although he supposedly only knows her as the village freak, muscular blond William Moseley (as Arden Lowe) has fallen madly in love with Eisley...The above set-up really doesn't make much sense.
However, the situations do become clear, by the end of the story.
It's not a bad story, but what this TV movie does is show us the highlights in long family mystery.
Unfortunately, events just happen.
There is little attempt to build a mystery or piece them together.
We are shown, not guided or told.
The emphasis is clearly on sex fantasies.
Apparently, this is the main thrust (sorry) of the assignment given director Mike Rohl and his crew.
The performances are all highly sexualized.
You don't see much sex, by the way, since this movie is geared toward foreplay and fantasy.
The problem is...
the story really wasn't about sex.
The violent incident triggering the drama, and its repercussions, are lost in the mix.
The best you can say that is everyone looks sexy and the photography, by James Liston, is outstanding.**** My Sweet Audrina (2016-01-09) Mike Rohl ~ India Eisley, William Moseley, James Tupper, Tess Atkins.
What the hell?.
The book is almost a a creepy nightmare and this movie is a pink soap opera.
There's a lot of elements that are missing here, first of all Audrina hair color , eyes color, her cousins hair color, Audrina has a little sister in this movie there's no sister.
And there's lots of facts that are missing as well..
This movie is a total disgrace to the book.
The book draws you in, but this piece of trash movie just makes you want to run away from the television..
spooky mystery.
Audrina Adare (Farryn VanHumbeck) lived in isolation with with her father Damian (James Tupper), mother Lucietta, aunt Ellsbeth and cousin Vera (Kacey Rohl) in a mansion.
She lived in the shadow of her dead sister namesake.
She is confused with time and lost memories.
Vera constantly taunts her.
Her father pushes a connection with the original Audrina.
Arden Lowe is a local boy in love with Audrina.
Lucietta dies in childbirth and baby Sylvia is autistic.
Years later, Audrina (India Eisley) takes piano lessons from Lamar Rensdale while Vera (Tess Atkins) flirts.This starts off like a moody horror movie.
In the end, it's only a spooky mystery.
Kacey Rohl should have stayed as Vera.
The change in Audrina actresses is acceptable and Arden is inevitable.
Rohl could easily play all the different ages.
India Eisley has the innocent fragility and beauty for the part.
Her speaking voice does mumble her lines sometimes which isn't the greatest for a lead.
The middle is a lot of slow rambling sexual melodrama.
It's somewhat aimless.
It needs a direction and the simplest is Audrina researching her namesake predecessor.
By the end, the reveal doesn't satisfy as much as releases the movie from its expectations..
Enjoyable and well filmed despite ludicrous story.
Atmospheric and nicely filmed, this adaptation of VC Andrews non Flowers series novel is worth a watch for fans of her books.
W young girl is home schooled and kept confined in her family's mansion - but what secret is the family hiding about her deceased sister?
The faults of a typical VC Andrews story are there - one dimensionally evil people, rather abrupt shifts in plot direction, but it's still good fun.
The implausibility of the plot doesn't matter - after all it is a fantasy of sorts.The cast is watchable.
As Audrina India Eisley's acting has improved a lot from Secret Life days and she makes quite a lot of this far fetched tale believable.
Her love interest is played by the Royals' William Mosely looks a bit old for her and his British accent comes across.
James Tupper of Revenge is okay enough as the father.The love scene is kind of laughable as she transforms suddenly from frigid to the opposite.For fans.
another botched job from lifetime.
I really wanted to give this movie more than five stars, but it appears that Lifetime isn't interested in doing V.C. Andrews books right to earn a higher rating.Lifetime needs to learn to ask fans what is important about these books before making them.
If they can't even get the character's hair color right, then why are they bothering at all?
This is a serious question.
Color symbolism was important to V.C. Andrews books, which they would know if they had read the books and taken them seriously enough to write a script to reflect it.There's so much wrong with this movie, I can't even.
But I'll try.1.
Damien was ruthless, cruel, and a charming psychopath.
The movie implies he is a creepy child molester which is stupid.
They would know this if they read the book.2.
Arden was much more of a selfish, demanding dick in the book.
He had his good qualities but deep down inside he was only concerned about himself and his own guilt ridden psychological complex.
The movie makes him look like god's gift to Audrina, which he wasn't.3.
Billie Lowe is missing.4.
Sylvia is missing.5.
Mercy Mary teatimes were missing.6.
Audrina's hair color was missing.
It was a point of her identity in the book and tied her to her mother.7.
Vera's hair color and eye color was missing.
Vera's eye color was supposed to betray her true father - Damian.8.
Ellsbeth was portrayed as a milquetoast pushover.
Yes, Ellsbeth stayed at Whitefern because she was still in love with Damian.
However, in the book her personality was much more disciplined and stuffy.
She was nowhere near as nice in the movie.9.
The ending was mixed up and made no sense.
The chronological order of events were switched around.10.
The rapists in the book were Audrina's classmates, not 18 year old teenage boys.There are excellent visuals and atmospheric qualities of this movie that were overshadowed by the hack job the script writer gave to V.C. Andrews book..
"My Sweet Audrina" tells the Story of a Girl with PTSD.
Audrina Adare (India Eisley) lives a secluded life in her family's mansion of Whitefern.
Audrina is not allowed out of her house to attend school or socialize with other children her age.
She has no idea of how much time has passed in her life because her father Damian Jonathan Adare (James Tupper) doesn't allow her to have a calendar and a watch.
The clocks in the family home are all set at different hours and this contributes to poor Audrina's confusion!
Damian and his wife Lucietta aka Lucky (Kirsten Robek) had a daughter before Audrina who was also named Audrina.
When this perfect, beautiful Audrina was 9 years old, she was assaulted and killed by a group of boys in the woods near the family home.
Every Sunday the family that also includes Lucky's sister, Ellsbeth (Jennifer Copping) and her vile daughter, Vera (Kacey Rohl) visit the first Audrina's grave.
Damian is determined to make the second Audrina as perfect and as beautiful as the first Audrina.
He makes Audrina sit in her sister's rocking chair so she can absorb the essence of her perfect sister.
This is traumatic for poor Audrina.
She sees her sister's rape and murder while she rocks and she screams in fright.
There is no relief for Audrina in this house.
Vera always bullies her and calls her dumb because Audrina has no concept of time.
Lucky gets pregnant but loses her life and the child so Audrina has no younger sibling who will love her.
The only things that give Audrina any kind of happiness are the crush she has on the ground keeper's son Arden Lowe (Seth Isaac Johnson) and the piano lessons from the handsome pianist Lamar (Matthew Kevin Anderson).
The horrid Vera spoils this for Audrina when she seduces Lamar.
Audrina and Arden get married with her father's reluctant blessing.
However, the marriage is doomed because Audrina is still traumatized by what happened to the first Audrina and she won't let Arden touch her.
Arden confronts Damian who reveals a big spoiler for Audrina.
The first Audrina was invented by the family and the second Audrina is the one and only Audrina there is!
Damian says Audrina came home after the rape in the woods and Lucky scrubbed the crime off of her body.
Audrina went through electro-shock therapy to wipe the memory away but Damian didn't want her to suffer through that.
He invented the fictional Audrina and told Audrina the rape happened to the non-existent Audrina.
Later on, another big reveal comes up when Vera pushes Audrina down the stairs and send her into a coma.
Audrina sees in the past when she is 9 and Vera is 11.
Vera helps her dress up in her birthday dress and tells Audrina there is a big surprise for her after school.
The "surprise" is the rape in the woods by the boys.
Arden was there, but he tried to help Audrina and not hurt her.
Vera had the boys rape Audrina because she was jealous of Damian's affection for Audrina and his dislike for her (Vera).
Vera was also Damian's child with Ellsbeth.
When Vera is confronted in the present by Audrina, she falls down the stairs and dies.
In the end, Audrina knows she has a life with Arden to look forward to and is no longer haunted by the perfect sister who never existed.
This movie was quite gripping in its portrayal of a dysfunctional family and the aftermath of PTSD due to a rape.
India Eisley was wonderful as the confused Audrina with special mention due to Kacey Rohl, Tess Atkins, and Hannah Cheramy as the villainous Vera.
Imogen Tear and Farryn VanHumbeck were also great as the younger Audrinas as well!
This story is recommended for any VC Andrews fan!.
Possible Spoilers below**.
I have to say that I have loved all the other V.C Andrews books to movies, the Dollanger Series was lovely.
When it came to this movie, the lead is beautiful but her acting skills are quiet lacking, she mumbles lines, and I really can't say she had any real chemistry with her male lead.
I adored Vera more, which is saying a lot when I read the books, I couldn't stand her.One of my biggest disappointments is Audrina's hair color, in the novel it was described as blond, with many other shades in it.
In fact it is a key point in the "First" Audrina's story.
Where she say's all girls of her hair color is witches and attempts to "call down a curse" on the boys.
So this is a minor cosmetic thing, but its a big one to me.
Also Audrina's eyes were suppose to be purple, V.C Andrews wrote her to be Gothic, and I feel that this movie fails to deliver it.By the end of it your just wanting for her to find the truth out so it will end.
The story builds but goes no where..
Brooding piece where Audrina stays locked up in her house as her over-cautious father takes every step to guard her, as he didn't with her older sister and that he feels led to her death.Our father is quite a Casanova.
Besides his wife and Audrina, he has fathered a daughter, Vera, from his relationship with his sister-in-law, wife's sister.Tess Atkins is terrific as Vera.
At every turn she harasses Audrina to the highest degree.Audrina's mother dies in childbirth and the aunt soon follows.
Audrina finds true love and weds.
Vera is banished by the father only to come back and promise to be different.
She has no intention of doing that and instead tries to pry Audrina's husband, Alden, away.There is a lot of soap opera here with dead bodies turning up by the staircase. |
tt0341334 | The Dead Zone | In the town of Castle Rock, Maine, Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken), a young schoolteacher, is in love with his colleague Sarah Bracknell (Brooke Adams). After having a headache following a ride on a roller-coaster, Johnny politely declines when Sarah asks if he wants to spend the night with her.
As he drives home through stormy weather, Johnny has a car accident that leaves him in a coma. He awakens under the care of neurologist Dr. Sam Weizak (Herbert Lom) and finds that five years have passed and that Sarah has married and had a child.
Johnny also discovers that he now has the psychic ability to learn a person's secrets (past, present, future) through physical contact with them. As he touches a nurse's hand, he has a vision of her daughter trapped in a fire. He also sees that Weizak's mother, long thought to have died during World War II, is still alive and that a reporter's sister killed herself.
As news of his "gift" spreads, Johnny is asked by a sheriff (Tom Skerritt) for help with a series of murders, but he wants to be left alone and therefore declines. Sarah visits with her infant son and she and Johnny consummate their previous relationship (they had declined to make love before being married). Having a change of heart, Johnny agrees to help the sheriff and, through a vision at the crime scene, he discovers that the sheriff's own deputy is the killer. Before they can arrest him, the deputy kills himself. Johnny is then shot by the man's mother, who in turn is killed by the sheriff.
A disillusioned Johnny, now barely able to walk, moves away and attempts to live a more isolated life. He takes on tutoring jobs for school children, working from home until a wealthy man named Roger Stuart (Anthony Zerbe) implores him to come visit his son. Johnny and the boy, Chris, quickly form a friendship but, after seeing a vision of a boy falling through ice and drowning during a hockey game, Johnny warns Stuart not to let the boy go. Stuart ignores him, but Chris believes him and stays home. Two boys die during the trip, proving Johnny right. Johnny then realizes he has a "dead zone" in his visions, where he can actually change the future.
Johnny attends a rally for Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen), a U.S. Senatorial candidate for whom Sarah is a volunteer. Johnny shakes Stillson's hand and has a vision of him becoming President of the United States and ordering a nuclear strike against Russia that brings on a nuclear holocaust. He seeks Weizak's advice, asking, by way of example, if he would have killed Adolf Hitler if he had the chance, knowing in advance the atrocities Hitler would commit. Weizak replies that he would have had no choice but to kill him. Johnny leaves Sarah a letter, telling her that what he is about to do will cost him his life, but that it will be a sacrifice he is willing to make.
Johnny loads a rifle and takes aim at Stillson at a rally held in a church. His shot misses the target, but Stillson grabs Sarah's baby and holds him as a human shield. A photographer snaps a picture of Stillson holding the baby just as Johnny is shot by a security guard. Confronted by an angry Stillson, a fatally wounded Johnny grabs his hand. He now foresees Stillson's reputation and political ambitions being ruined, after the photograph of his cowardly act is published in the media for all to see ("No Future For Stillson", reads Newsweek); Stillson will then shoot himself. Johnny tells Stillson he's finished. Sarah embraces Johnny and tells him she loves him as he dies. | paranormal, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0193164 | A Flintstones Christmas Carol | The Bedrock Community Players is mounting A Christmas Carol, and all of the town's citizens are either planning to attend or be involved in the production: Barney Rubble is playing Bob Cragit, with Betty as Mrs. Cragit and his son Bamm-Bamm as Tiny Tim; Mr. Slate is Jacob Marbley; Wilma Flintstone is serving as the stage manager, while her daughter Pebbles plays Martha Cragit; even Dino has a role, playing the Cragit's family pet. It is Fred, though, who has landed the leading role of Ebonezer Scrooge. Unfortunately, he has let his role go to his head, thinking himself a star and spending all of his time rehearsing his lines rather than focusing on his job or family. On Christmas Eve, in his rush to get to work, Fred forgets that he must take Pebbles to "cave care", and later to pick her up from cave care. When Fred arrives at the theater, he discovers a furious Wilma, who breaks down in tears as she tells Fred about his mistake.
The play finally begins with narrator Charles Brickens reading the opening lines, and after a momentary bout of stage fright, Fred enters. The play proceeds as normal. As the second act opens, Wilma and Betty discover that Garnet, the woman playing the Ghost of Christmas Past, has contracted the "Bedrock Bug," a flu-like illness. As stage manager, Wilma is left to play the part herself. Throughout the act, Wilma vents some of her frustration at Fred through her lines, while Fred himself realizes the parallels between Scrooge's past and his own recent behavior. During the next scene, at Fezziwig's Christmas party, Betty informs Wilma that Maggie has come down with the Bedrock Bug as well; Wilma dons her costume and plays Belle. The rest of the play proceeds as normal: Ernie, a cheerful Bedrock citizen, plays the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Fred, witnessing Barney, Betty, Bamm-Bamm, and Pebbles playing the Cragits, continues to realize the depths of his recent self-absorption. The third act begins with the hooded figure of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come appearing before Scrooge; he shows the elderly man "shadows of things that will be," including an abandoned gravestone marked with the words "EBONEZER SCROOGE." The scene suddenly shifts to Scrooge's bedchamber—he is still alive, and he discovers that it is Christmas morning: "the spirits have done it all in one night." He recruits a passing boy (played by the same child who Fred entrusted with his presents) to purchase a prize "Turkeysaurus" and have it sent to the Cragits for a feast. Scrooge prepares to go out and explore the city on Christmas morning; along the way, he meets Wilma, who has taken on the role of one of the members of the Piltdown Charitable Foundation, as the original actor has caught the Bedrock Bug. Fred acts as if the woman is Belle (much to narrator Brickens's frustration, as the ad-libbing is not in his script), and begs for both her and Wilma's forgiveness, admitting his recent selfishness and promising that he has changed his attitudes. Wilma reluctantly plays along.
The play ends with Scrooge making Cragit a full partner in his money-lending business, the rest of the actors lifting Ebonezer onto their shoulders, and the narrator informing the audience of the permanent change in the elderly man. It falls to Bamm-Bamm to deliver Tiny Tim's famous "God bless us, everyone!," but he suddenly forgets his line, leaving Pebbles to make the declaration herself. When the curtain falls, the company drops Fred and scolds him "for being such a Scrooge." Fred apologizes, informing Wilma that he has finally realized that his friends and family, rather than his role in the production, are what matter most. As the company begins to depart, Fred insists that the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come take off his hood; the actor does so, revealing himself as Dino, who took the part after the regular actor Philo came down with the Bedrock Bug.
Brickens congratulates Wilma for her roles in the play with a bouquet. A changed Fred says that when the Flintstones get home, he's going to make dinner. Unfortunately, however, after he says this, he comes down with the flu, and Wilma decides to make dinner, since the Bedrock Bug "lasts for a day". | alternate history | train | wikipedia | Not quite classic status, but a nice Flintstone twist on the timeless story.
A Flintstone Christmas Carol was very good.
I loved the twist on one of the all-time great Christmas stories A Christmas Carol especially, however it doesn't quite make classic status for me.
No it isn't, but as well as putting the twist to Christmas Carol, it does make an effort to stick to the show's spirit.
If anything, I wish this cartoon was a little longer, and one or two parts are a little uneven in pace, but that's all I have to say that's negative really.
The animation is good, it has a colourful and charming feel to it.
The music was also very nice, quite heart-warming and melodious, and the story is of course great.
I loved the writing overall too, while there are some funny lines there are also some touching parts without feeling mawkish.
The characters are still likable, and step into the Dickens characters' shoes with aplomb.
It was a delight in itself seeing who was who.
And the voice acting is fine, and like the special itself all the voice actors do make some effort to stick to the original voices which is no easy feat(especially in Mel Blanc's case).
Overall though, it was a nice special and definitely worth re-visiting.
8/10 Bethany Cox. Droll...Veeeeeeery Droll.
When I first caught this movie on cable a few years ago, I expected it to be of the "Flintstones Meet The Jetsons" fare, or something equally par for the standard TV course.
But I was happily surprised, and went out the next day to buy the videotape.
True, the sub-plot of Fred ignoring work, friends, and family to rehearse his upcoming role as Scrooge for the Bedrock Community Players (and to give in to grandiose dreams of Broadrock Way) are of the typical fare we've been used to for a couple of decades now.
But once the actual production gets underway, try to forget the rest because you will be as happily surprised as I.
The voice talent seems to take their roles in "A Christmas Carol" very seriously, and most do a formidable job, handling the script with reverence and affection.
Well, let's face it--what actor doesn't want to be in "A Christmas Carol" just once for the sheer fun of it?
But Henry Corden is the surprising stand-out in this, proving that he can do more than just play straight man to Barney and Wilma's cutting one-liners.
He treats this role as if he's been studying to play Scroogefor years.
You get a hint of what's to come in the Ebonezer/Fanny/Ghost of Christmas Past scene, mixing a balance of fragile loss and forced bitterness very well indeed.
By the time the Ghost of the Future shows up, Henry really sports his acting chops, and by the last few scenes he pulls off a terrific and moving performance, showing the delicate sadness, guilt, and the pivotal dichotomy of the fear of living and fear of dying that the character of Scrooge is really made of.
OK, so it's not Albert Finney in "Scrooge"; but it's certainly not the kind of acting one expects of a Flintstones cartoon--well, not since the passing of Alan Reed, and the mass-production of Saturday morning Flinstones cookie-cutter shows.
It's refreshing to see Henry Corden pull out all the stops and remind us that he is an actor, not just a Fred substitute.
Although one wonders and mourns what Mel Blanc could have brought to this tour-de-force as Barney/Cragit...(sad sigh).
During the curtain call, all pull back and fall into typical Hanna-Barbara "filler humor", but what has just happened should more than make up for those last 4 minutes.
Overall, this is a wonderful addition to anyone's Scrooge collection, and should be picked up to enjoy while decking the Bedrock halls for years to come!.
Yabba Dabba Ho. Bart Simpson once put it best when he said that TV writers have been milking the 'Christmas Carol' goat for years.
Nearly every established animated franchise (as well as some sitcoms and soaps) have cut and pasted Charles Dickens' novel over the years, from Mickey Mouse to Mr. Magoo.The Flintstones manage to do it a little bit better though, by giving the story a meta-fictional edge, much like Scrooged.
Fred is busy preparing for his role as Ebenezer Scrooge for the Bedrock Community Theatre, so much so that he's been neglecting his own friends and family in order to boost his performance.
The line between fantasy and reality blurs as Fred/Scrooge is scared straight by the three ghosts, A very good Xmas Special, though I'm still not sure how the holiday is exists in the prehistoric era, or how a 19th century novel manages to exist either.
Either way, it certainly worth watching..
Very very good....
Very very good....
A VERY FINE FEATURE FILM/CARTOON/ANIMATION/PLAY.
I Love it.
It is recommeded highly by me!
Very funny rendition, even though I think it is just a bit to overdone.
But, nonetheless, it is very great, and, if it were real people, Fred Flintstone would be the best Scrooge!!10 OUT OF 10.
Not Bad Not Great "Right In-Between".
This is on Boomerang now as I write the review.I still have a hard time getting past the new voices, so that could be a part of it for me.
They just aren't the same without the classic voice actors.The animation is actually quite nice.
The new voice actors do a good job even though I am so used to the classic ones.
They hold true to the story with a fun back-story.It's a cute re-tell, but is one that I wouldn't miss if I never saw it.
If this is on & there isn't much else worth watching then have a go at it..
A Classic.
From AmazonFred and the gang have more than the usual festive preparations up their prehistoric sleeves, however, as they are staging a production of "The Christmas Carol" with Fred in the role of Scrooge.
Things take a frightening turn when--in the classic tradition of method acting--Fred takes his role to heart and becomes a bit humbuggish himself.
So preoccupied with his role is he, that he forgets to pick up Pebbles from day care, leaves Christmas shopping off his list of things to do, and belittles the parts played by his friends (such as Barney as Bob Cratchit).
When the Bedrock bug (a flu virus) begins to fell cast members, it provides the ideal opportunity for costume maker and stage manager Wilma to take on understudy duties and scare some sense into her self-absorbed husband.
And just in time for Christmas Eve.From Me This Christmas Special is a Classic, I have been watching it every Christmas since it came out and it still touches me.
This even inspired me to create a production of a Christmas Carol, which from hundreds of people I was praised with two thumbs up.
You definitely need to catch this, a great special from the modern StoneAge Family..
The tale comes alive!.
The Flintstones are in a play, titled the Christmas Carol.
It may seem to be just another rendition with characters and general locations changed to fit the cartoon, but this also integrates the story into real life.
Fred is the main character in the play...
but he acts like the main character in real life!
He ends up having the play help him to realize the mistakes he's made and he, while performing in the play, realizes the wrongs he has done that Christmas.I loved the humor and the jokes...
including the gross bedrock bug, haha.Anyway, rating this 8/10 for fairly accurately capturing the story as well as putting it in real life..
Yabba Dabba Humbug!.
It's Christmastime in Bedrock, now you might be wondering how can there possibly be Christmas in the Stone Age, long before Jesus was even born?
Simple, this is a cartoon.
Back to the story, the Bedrock Community Players were putting on a production of Charles Brickens' classic tale, A Christmas Carol.
Fred Flintstone managed to land the role of Scrooge since Wilma is the play's producer, and talk about a method actor, Fred practically disappears into his character as he ignores his friends and family and putting himself first all for the sake of rehearsing.
Wilma began to feel Fred was a bigger Scrooge than Scrooge.
Before he leaves, Wilma reminds Fred to drop Pebbles off at Cave Care and to make sure he picks her up at 4:00; At the quarry, Mr. Slate lets everyone off after lunch so nobody will be tardy to the play.
Barney uses this time to wrap his presents and Fred...
suddenly remembers he didn't buy any for his family so he races to Bloomingshales which is, of course, jammed.
This is Christmas Eve, after all.
He hastily grabs some gifts and heads to the gift wrap line, which stretched out a mile.
Suddenly, it's 4:00.
Showtime!
Fred asks a kid in line to hold them and hurries out.
He stops at home for a bite and then gets to the theater.
But it seems in all his haste that he had forgotten something mighty important: pick up Pebbles!
Luckily Barney had gotten her when picking up Bamm-Bamm.
This selfish oversight on Fred's part was the straw that broke the camel's back as Fred gets a wake-up call, as well as curtain call, so now the play can finally begin.
Ebonezer Scrooge (Fred) is the cold-hearted miser who just lost his business partner, Marbley (Mr. Slate).
After berating Bob Cragit (Barney) for using coal, Scrooge is visited by his nephew Ned (changed from Fred for obvious reasons), who invites him to dinner.
Scrooge rejects the invitation and sets to greedily counting his money, and if you look up 'over-actor' in the dictionary, you'll find Fred's picture.That night, Scrooge was visited by Marbley's ghost who is suffering for his sins and promises the same for Scrooge unless he changes his ways.
Three more spirits would be visiting him.
The miser assumes it's all a bad dream and goes to bed, as Act I comes to a close.
By the way, there's a running gag where various characters come down with the Bedrock Bug, a prehistoric version of the flu.
This causes Wilma to have to fill in as the Ghost of Christmas Past who, after abusing Fred for a bit, takes Scrooge to visit his past.
How he started off as a quiet, lonely boy at school to an ambitious young go-getter working for Fezziwig (also Barney).
It was at his employer's party that Scrooge met the love of his life, Belle (also Wilma because of the B.B.) Fred was unaware of the cast change so when he asks aloud why he isn't doing the scene with the other woman, Wilma takes offense.
As we all know, greed got the better of Scrooge and he broke it off with Belle.
This scene gets Wilma overly emotional, mainly because she's still bellyaching over Fred forgetting Pebbles, which Betty takes the opportunity to shame him for.
It's at this point that Fred remembers the gifts back at Bloomingshales.
Unfortunately, they're now closed, so Fred breaks in.
He breaches an alarm, but thankfully Officer Philo Quartz is a friend of his and he's in the play too.
So, Fred is off the hook and he rushes back to the theater.
Well, onto the present.
The ghost shows Scrooge Bob Cragit's family feasting on a meager meal, and he notices his youngest son is ill.
If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the child will die, you know the story.
So after learning that the whole town essentially hates him, but will drink a toast to him on Christmas, Scrooge begins to get a good look at himself, as does Fred.
Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Future shows him a future in which Cragit's son Tiny Tim has died, as has Scrooge, but nobody cares.
When returning to the present, Scrooge has seen the error of his ways and was a new man.
Fred was like a new man too, realizing how badly he'd neglected everybody, but he finally made amends with Wilma when he agreed to let his mother in-law come to dinner, then the kid showed up with the Flintstones' wrapped gifts, and to top it all off, Fred came down with the Bedrock Bug. Merry Christmas!For what it is, A Flintstones Christmas Carol is a decent adaptation.
Those who have seen Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol will recognize the play format and here, it works just as well, even if they do stray away from the story at times.
I'm glad they didn't go the traditional route and have Slate as the Scrooge character and Fred as Cratchit, probably because The Jetsons did that about ten years prior.
Now, I like how in this special, it parallels both Scrooge and Fred learning how to be good to their fellow men and how not to be so selfish.
Fans of the franchises, both Flintstones and Christmas Carol, should definitely check it out.
It's certainly an overlooked classic.
Also, fans of The Flintstone Kids get a rare opportunity to see Philo Quartz all grown up!.
Rehashed Flintstone Plot Within a Christmas Carol.
Apparently this is truly one of the most multi-faceted Flintstones cartoons to be found.
I caught on to neither the need to change the nephew's name to Ned or that the black officer was from Flintstones Kids (well, I never watched that cartoon), but the continuity is truly rare.While the kid who wrapped Fred's presents may have resembled Arnold the paper boy from the sixties cartoon, he was never named such, nor was a co-worker identified as good ol' Joe Rockhead.
Pity.What I couldn't help but notice was how Fred being called a scrooge and he took it as a compliment was some strange underlying representation of offensive slang being taken in a positive manner.
And it would happen more than once.Wilma's behavior was a clunker.
In the '77 Christmas program, in which Fred substitutes for Santa Claus who is ill (and a reworking of the Christmas episode from the sixties), Wilma and Mr. Slate and some very bratty children BLAME FRED, BLAME FRED, BLAME FRED!
This is actually a strange holdover from the sixties cartoon (as is seen in Charlton comic books from the early seventies) in which Fred is overly self-centered and Wilma comes at him with a scowl and unkind word.One bit worth noting is in the '77 cartoon, Pebbles and Bamm Bamm are small, talking children (younger than they were in the Sally Struthers-Jay North Saturday morning cartoon), but now in the 90s, they are reduced to toddlers once more.Nevermind that somewhere in this decade, there would be the marriage of Pebbles and Bamm Bamm and the birth of the Flintstone-Rubble grandchildren in another program.The Christmas Carol as a play then redone into the cartoon as a real incident was entertaining, but Fred's sudden revelation (as callously noted by Wilma) was unexplained.Many of these attempts to do Flintstones, Muppets or Bugs Bunny versions of A Christmas Carol are odd to watch, as they tend to have no weak frail child like Tiny Tim in this age of precociousness (Tweety Pie was Bugs' and nephew Robin was the Muppets), nor do they have an overly intimidating creature like Scrooge.
Donald Duck is cheery nephew Fred in the Disney cartoon version?
Philo Quartz and nephew Ned show some thought was in this production.
It could have been better, say, perhaps if Barney had been Jacob Marley and Slate had been Crachit. |
tt0114576 | Sudden Death | Darren McCord (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a French Canadian-born firefighter with the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau who suffered a personal crisis after he was unable to save a young girl from a house fire. Now removed from active duty, Darren has become demoted to being fire marshal for the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.
While attending Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks with his daughter Emily (Whittni Wright) and his son Tyler (Ross Malinger), he discovers a crime operation occurring in the arena. Soon a gang of terrorists led by former US government employee and fired CIA operative Joshua Foss (Powers Boothe) is holding U.S. Vice President Daniel Binder (Raymond J. Barry) and several other VIPs hostage in a luxury suite.
Foss has the arena wired with explosives, and plans to blow it up at the end of the game while having hundreds of millions of dollars wired into several off shore accounts. Darren must not just stop Foss, but somehow send the game into overtime and rescues both his son and daughter simultaneously.
Darren is pulled into the plot when Emily is kidnapped by Carla, the sole female member of the terrorists dressed as the mascot Iceburgh. Carla places Emily in the suite with the other hostages about to be executed. Darren heads up to the executive offices and finds a mobile phone, with which he gets in touch with Secret Service Agent Matthew Hallmark (Dorian Harewood), who advises Darren to stand by while the agents take charge. He angrily refuses, saying that he will handle this himself.
The Secret Service and the Pittsburgh Police team up to surround the arena and a standoff ensues. Meanwhile, Darren manages to find a few of the bombs and disarm them, whilst Foss goes about killing several hostages after the 2nd period ends. Agent Hallmark finally makes his way inside and meets with Darren, who explains where the rest of the bombs are most likely located. It is then revealed that Hallmark is in league with Foss, and tries to kidnap Tyler, but fails. Hallmark then reveals his true self to Darren, and Darren burns him alive. Darren then uses Hallmark's phone to contact Foss, who taunts him with the news that he is holding his daughter captive.
As time quickly ticks down, Darren manages to disable more bombs, but is severely slowed by confrontations with Foss's men. At one point, the fire marshal must pretend to be the Pittsburgh goalie to escape the thugs and ends up successfully defending a shot. The third period runs down, and with the Penguins down by one goal, Luc Robitaille scores the equalizer in the last second, bringing the game to sudden death and prolonging the game, but only until the next goal is scored. Darren decides that there's no time left to find the remaining bombs and climbs up to the roof of the arena. He advances upon the owner's box from above and forces his way in, rescuing Emily and the remaining hostages.
Meanwhile, Foss manages to escape and blend in with the chaos that has ensued by one of Foss's henchmen falling from the roof through the score display and blowing it up. Foss sets off one of the bombs, flooding part of the arena, and recaptures Emily when she recognizes him. They head up towards the top of the arena, where a helicopter is waiting to lift Foss away. Darren intervenes and saves his daughter. Foss flees, and a wounded Darren shoots the pilot through the floor and a screaming Foss is killed as the chopper falls into the arena and explodes on impact with the ice.
Darren is led to a waiting ambulance while and his son and daughter comment to the paramedics about how their father is a hero. A contented Darren is put inside the ambulance as the film ends. | suspenseful, action, violence | train | wikipedia | I've not been a big fan of Van Damme's films, but "Sudden Death" is easily his best movie to date.
Jean-Claude Van Damme would be near the top of my list of actors that I only admire although I've seen a few films where he has his name is on the poster."Sudden Death" is the second film that Van Damme has starred in with photographer/director Peter Hyams ("End of Days", "Timecop") is at the helm.This film was based on an actual story by Karen Baldwin and is adapted into the story by Gene Quintano.The movie takes place at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh where the Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penquins are about to take the ice for the last game of the Stanley Cup finals.
I also thought it was very cool how Jean-Claude's character used lots of odd objects to create weapons(Fire extinguisher, tube and darts)..anyway if your looking for a good action movie to watch, Sudden Death should be your choice..
It just so happens to be the day that extortionist/thieves kidnap the vice president and hold him hostage at the stadium, thus putting himself and his children in mortal danger.Lets cut to the chase here, Sudden Death is a clone rip off of Die Hard, the action template movie that shines as bright as a newly formed bruise, but as copycats go {and there have been reams}, Peter Hyams' beefcake blunderbuss movie is an action junkie's delight.
But it's got Van Damme fighting a hot kick ass babe in a penguin suit and a last fifteen minutes of high roof/dangling/swinging/exploding mayhem that does the action genre proud.It's no Die Hard, but what genre films are?
The muscles from Brussels plays Darren McCord, a divorced ex-firefighter who must contend with baddies when they, because the vice-president is taking in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finales, take a hockey arena hostage, that Darren's two kids happen to be at as well.This is one of Van Damme's more enjoyable films and even one of the better numerous Die Hard clones out there.
Sudden Death just might be Jean-Claude Van Damme's best movie to date along with Hard Target,Bloodsport,Lionheart,and Cyborg!Powers Boothe is great and there is always action,great fights and interesting moments in the film!The film is very satisfying and entertaining and recommend for big time action fans!.
It's a classic 'everyman versus terrorists' scenario, but executed with aplomb and filled with a great sense of scale (helped in no small part by Hyams' skill as a director of photography) and memorable moments.Van Damme is at his butt-kicking best, with Sudden Death offering all the thrills, spills and stuff blowing up that action fans relish.
This time, Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a traumatized firefighter who takes his two children to a Stanley Cup game that the vice-president is attending.
It's not a good film by any means, but if you're looking for action that is brutal, Sudden Death is easily one of the more entertaining films of the 90s, and plus there aren't a lot of films where a bad guy is killed by getting shoved into a dishwasher..
SUDDEN DEATH has Jean Claude Van Damme playing Firefighter Darren Mccord, who after a personal crisis during a Fire in which he was unable to save a young girl is removed from active duty, he now works as a Fire Safety Officer and takes his kids to a Ice Hockey Game where he is working.
The same night The V.P. of the USA also happens to be in attendance - but on that very night and at that very stadium a bunch of baddies led by a menacing Powers Boothe take the V.P. and his entourage hostage and it's up to Van Damme to save the day as usual.SUDDEN DEATH is ludicrous and clichéd (it's an obvious Die Hard Rip off) but it's enormously entertaining although it was a flop on it's original release - It opened to just $4.8M during Christmas 1995 and ended up with only just over $20M in the U.S, but it did do somewhat better internationally, taking $64M by the end of its Worldwide release and it also did relatively well on home Video.Directed and Photographed by Peter Hyams who also Directed Van Damme's 1994 Hit 'TIMECOP' and Produced by (at the time) the Owner of the Pittsburgh Penquin Hockey team.It's all nonsense of course, but SUDDEN DEATH is one of Van Damme's best flicks!Released by UNIVERSAL PICTURES.**** out of *****.
Darren(Jean Claude Van Damme) is a firemen, he carries his sons to a Pittsburgh Penguin national Hockey play-off where is taking place the final.But the arena has been taken by a terrorists led by a cruel villain(Powers Boothe).
Coming towards the back-end of Jean-Claude Van Damme's popularity with movie-goers (although the fans would stick with him), "Sudden Death" would be an huge improvement over his previous feature "Street Fighter" but only to be short-lived with what was to follow in the late-90s.
I think is the best movie of Jean Claude Van Damme yet, Peter Hyams relies on a powerful soundtrack, countdown climax and several explosions and fights to create tension.
A mid-90s effort from the Die Hard school of action films, Sudden Death stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Darren McCord, a heroic fire marshal who singlehandedly takes on the group of evil terrorists who threaten to blow-up the Pittsburgh Civic Arena during the finals of the NHL Stanley Cup. In true John McClane style, loose cannon McCord proves to be a right royal pain in the ass for the bad guys, his ingenuity and fighting prowess allowing him to whittle down their numbers until the inevitable face-off with head terrorist Joshua Foss (played with gusto by Powers Boothe) atop the Arena's impressive dome.Sticking close to the original Die Hard blueprint, Sudden Death is predictable stuff, even going so far as having the despicable Foss hold McCord's loved ones hostage; but although the film doesn't ever attempt to break new ground, there's still plenty of fun to be had with the well-choreographed mayhem, which includes a brutal smack-down against a team mascot in a kitchen full of dangerous appliances, a thrilling fist fight high above the ice rink, the unforgettable sight of McCord swinging through the air on a lighting cable carrying home-made explosives, and Foss plummeting through the arena's open roof trapped inside a helicopter..
A fireman (Jean-Claude Van Damme) with a troubled past brings his two children (Whittini Wright and Ross Malinger) to watch the final Hockey game of the "Pittsburgh Penguins" versus the "Chicago Blackhawks" for the Stanley Cup. But his daughter and the vice president of the united states (Raymond J.
Boothe is too good of a villain in the film and Van Damme has some of the most funniest unintentional action scenes ever to put in a movie like this.
Jean-Claude Van Damme actually isn't that bad in 'Sudden Death', its one of his great movies, i think.
Former fireman Darren McCord (Jean Claude Van Damme) must try to save the Vice President and a group of hostages from a bunch of terrorists led by Joshua Foss (Powers Boothe).
A former fireman goes head to head with a gang of terrorists holding the Vice President and his daughter hostage during the NHL Cup finals.While John McClane is certainly not the first action hero, had Die Hard not happened and Sudden Death had been made in 1988 Karen Elise Baldwin story may have faired well, however, by 1995 the theme had been done to death with endless amounts of Hard-a-likes including Passenger 57 (1992), Under Siege (1992) Speed (1994) to name a few.
Director Peter Hyams keeps the screen busy but like Van Damme just goes through the motions, still Sudden Death is only really let down by bad timing, pacing and annoying child actors.
Alas, if this movie had come out before the Street Fighter debacle, Van Damme would now be in the upper echelon of action heroes.Unfortunately, he's been a little hard to take seriously since that movie, which is a shame because Sudden Death is a fantastic flick!
But from there, the action seems to come in fits and starts when McCord begins trying to track the bombs planted in the stadium.It may strive for comparisons to "Die Hard" but I'm afraid that "Sudden Death" felt like a cheap knock-off of the real thing, much like Steven Seagal's "Under Siege" did.
Watch it for the superb action-sequences & an energetic performance by Jean-Claude Van Damme.'Sudden Death' Synopsis: A disgraced former fireman takes on a group of terrorists holding the Vice President and others hostage during the seventh game of the NHL Stanley Cup finals.'Sudden Death' is strictly meant for those who Love Action-Packed Flicks, and I must say, being a fan of the genre myself, I was entertained.
Too bad that he's making some B-movie rubbish, because obviously van Damme could've been more than he's become.So, if good action is all you need, you might want to give "Sudden Death" a chance.
Sudden Death is by far one of Jean-Claude Van Damme's best movies, Sudden Death is an actionpacked and overall suspenseful Die Hard clone that moves fast and doesn't let you think about the plot holes.
Better than all the other Van Damme films, this movie is basically a Die Hard knock off in a hockey rink.
As a change to your usual cop/ex army hero we are given Van Damme as an ex fireman as this is a Die Hard formular picture obviously we need blood thirsty terrorists, hostages, ransom demands action heros and most of all something big to be taken over.
SUDDEN DEATH Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)Sound format: DTSA fireman-turned-security guard (Jean-Claude Van Damme) swings into action when the US Vice President (Raymond J.
Barry) is held hostage by armed terrorists during a nationally televised hockey match in Pittsburgh's Civic Arena.The second of two collaborations between action star Van Damme and director-cinematographer Peter Hyams (the first was TIMECOP in 1994), SUDDEN DEATH swaps the inventiveness of that earlier film for action and violence, executed with visual flair and a knowing sense of humor (cf.
Powers Boothe enjoys himself immensely as the rogue CIA agent holding court over a team of foot-soldiers who struggle valiantly to prevent Our Hero from ruining Boothe's plan to steal a billion dollars from US bank accounts during the course of a single hockey game.Van Damme is as personable as ever, whether battling murderous assassins, squaring off against Boothe on top of the Civic Arena's huge dome, or saving his sickly-sweet kids (Whittni Wright and Ross Malinger) from destruction as a series of bombs are detonated within the building.
(You heard me!) Bad guys take over the luxury box, threatening to kill everyone if billions in frozen drug money isn't passed into multiple bank accounts in their control.From here I'll let you decide if JCVD is a negligent fire marshall or a negligent Dad - as he performs precious few duties associated with either.Like many other equally dodgy films this rips Die Hard at every turn, only it is so shameless that I wonder why they didn't just give characters names like Hans, Al and Argyle.Some points of interest: JCVD has a life or death fight with a woman wearing a penguin outfit!
I feel nauseous right now.When it all hits the fan and the entire crowd must rush for the exits everyone moves along in an orderly fashion and the arena is emptied in minutes, allowing the final series of ridiculous showdowns to take place.Final aside - I've been to many sporting events, admittedly none where a major terrorist incident took place, and I have never seen people move in such an orderly and polite fashion where they are allegedly in fear for their lives.Verdict - Rips off Die Hard at every turn, only with a plot so ludicrous it was almost doomed to fail even as a brainless action movie.This movie tried harder to be different than any other JCVD film I have ever seen, which is probably why I am so hard on it for failing.If you liked this review (or even if you didn't) check out oneguyrambling.com.
Terrorists led by Joshua Foss (Powers Boothe) takes the Vice President hostage and threatens to blow up the stadium at the end of the game for a ransom of over $1 billion.Van Damme tries to do Die Hard.
Sudden Death Canadians are so vehement about hockey that no matter if their team wins or loses, they will still riot in the streets.Fortunately, the Canadian firefighter in this action movie is on-hand to extinguish overturned police cruises.Unable to perform his firefighting duties, a disgraced fireman, Darren (Jean Claude Van Damme), takes a fire marshal position with the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.On the same night his children are attending Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, however, so too is a terrorist (Powers Boothe), who has just taken the place hostage.With the arena rigged to go off at the end of the game, Darren must now send the game into overtime before he can defuse the bombs.A forgotten gem from the rogue-hostage genre, Sudden Death's greatness lines in its sublime lunacy.I mean, why would anyone want to blow up a hockey arena if Don Cherry wasn't inside?
The police are disappointed to lose their contact, but no one else seems to notice.There are lots of stupid one-liners in the movie ("These guys want to see a hockey game so bad, maybe we should put them on ice!"), but I have to say that for his part, Van Damme did the best he could with the material he was given.
The makers know the multiplex crowd would rather feel the bass in the speakers vibrating around the theatre with each explosion than be exposed to any level of exposition that might lead to a little more depth to the characters; they know they would rather see their muscle-bound hero fighting a seven-foot penguin in a deserted kitchen than displaying even the merest hint of acting ability; they know the easiest way to put their target audience through the emotional wringer is to place the son/daughter in the hands of the nasty man with the bomb and have him say nasty things to her; they know that the same audience will miss completely the giveaway clues as to how the plot will be foiled because they stare at the screen but they never really watch what's going on
Powers Boothe plays Alan Rickman sorry: Joshua Foss a former Secret Service Agent who turns bad for no given reason and decides to hold a stadium to ransom during the course of a ice hockey match.
This was one of two movies Van-Damme would star in that was directed by Peter Hyams and like Carpenter & Russell, they prove they are a good match for some awesome action.
Another great movie from Jean-Claude Van Damme who is one of the best action stars of all time and one of my favorite action movie actors.The plot in this movie is good and its about how some Terrorists take the Vicepresident hostage and threaten to blow up a ice hockey stadium full of people if they do not get $1 Billion dollars.There are a lot of good scenes in this movie like when Vam Damme is fighting one of the bad guys and he kills him by stabbing a chicken bone in his neck.And the scene in the end of the movie when the bad guy gos down in a helicopter and he blows up.Over all this movie is a great Van Damme movie and i recommend it to watch and my rating is 6 out of 10..
Therefore, Darren must not only subdue the terrorists, but postpone the game and send it to overtime.....Oh yes, the film is silly, and full of gaping plot holes, but for heavens sake, it's a really fun movie with a really good performance from Van Damme (his relationship with his children is spot on), and Powers Boothe, looking like he's having the time of his life as the villain.It's a shame though that the movie was released at the time it was.
Sudden Death starts as ex-firefighter Darren McCord (Jean-Claude Van Damme) picks up his two young children Emily (Whittni Wright) & Tyler (Ross Malinger) from his ex-wife Kathi (Kate McNeil) to take them to the Civic Arena to watch the National Ice Hockey League's seventh & final game of the Stanley Cup between the Pittsburgh Penguins & the Chicago Hawks.
The script by Gene Quintano could have easily been made as a Die Hard film & not looked out of place, there's the cold hearted bad guy, there's the plan to take control of some location & cut it off from the outside world, there's the lone ranger style hero who has to do it all on his own against the odds while his family get caught up in the situation which makes things personal for him, there's enough dead bodies to fill a graveyard, there's plenty of shoot-outs, fights, gratuitous violence, one liners (I love the one by Boothe who when trying to select a hostage to kill says 'you all agree the Mayor's wife has been the most annoying' after she started crying), plenty of explosions & a few plot twists as well.
Sudden Death (1995): Dir: Peter Hyams / Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Booth, Raymond J.
A good Van Damme 90's Die-Hard action film!.
Still Van Damme's decent action movie in my opinion."Terror Goes Into Over-Time" Sudden Death is a 1995 American action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Darren McCord, a Pittsburgh firefighter who during a Stanley Cup finals game finds himself trying to save his daughter and the Vice-President, who have been taken hostage by a team of terrorists led by former government operative Joshua Foss (Powers Boothe). |
tt5891144 | Spies Are Forever | === Act I ===
At the Russian Weapons Facility in 1957, Agent Curt Mega has been captured and is tortured for information involving his agency. Agent Owen Cavour is revealed to be one of the Russian operatives, and he and Curt escape the compound, communicating with Cynthia Houston, the director of the Americans and also Barbara Lavernor, who is one of the medical scientists. During the two calls it is learned that Owen works for the British and that Cynthia wants him to work for the Americans and that Curt plans to blow up the facility instead of just give Barb the plans he has stolen. Curt drops a banana peel and leaves it claiming that this whole place will be garbage in a few minutes and sets the timer for three minutes. Russian operatives surround Curt and Owen (Spies are Forever). Curt and Owen run away while the Russians are distracted by the blast and go to make their escape, but Owen trips on the banana peel and falls down, too injured to escape (The Coldest Goodbye).
Four years of grieving time and Curt Mega is back in the Secret Service. In Budapest in 1961, Curt goes to a bar to speak with The Informant. He says the code, "I hear the salty fish from down under is simply to die for" but has some trouble finding him. Once he does, Curt talks to him about his mission, and also implies the Informant's carelessness. The Informant implies Curt's incompetence because of his mysterious partner fatality. The Informant clears the bar and Curt wonders if he can do this again (Spy Again).
Moments later, on the loading dock, a deadly arms deal is going down with The Deadliest Man Alive and Co. and Sergio Santos, a family man (Somebody's Gotta Do It). Curt Mega and Tatiana Slozhno, the Russian Spy, stop the deal from being made, and both The Deadliest Man Alive and Sergio escape. Tatiana and Curt fight for the bomb, but Tatiana is the one who ends up taking it, but Curt grabs a business card from her, which has the hotel she is staying at.
A few days later, at the American Secret Service HQ Curt Mega walks into Cynthia's office, who is on the phone with Vice President Nixon. When she gets off the phone, she expresses her distaste in how the mission went. She talks about The Deadliest Man Alive and tells Curt to be a better spy, giving him some tough love. She talks about how there is a World Peace Gala this week, which is a coming out party for the New Democtatic Republic of Old Socialist Prussian Etc., and she calls the prince an "inexperienced inbred virgin" but she wants an alliance with him to get back at the Russians. She decides to teach Curt the implications of his failure (Keep Your Eyes On The Prize I). Then Curt goes to the A.S.S. Technology lab where he sees Barb again, and she tells him about all the new gadgets they have made and shaves the beard off of his face (Pay Attention). Once she gives Curt everything he needs and sends him on his way, Barb confesses her feelings for Mega (Barb's Lamlet).
At the Richman's Casino, Monte Carlo the following evening, Curt goes undercover to retrieve the bomb Tatiana has stolen (Eyes On The Prize II). Curt embarrasses himself in front of Tatiana along with the help of Richard "Dick" Big. Tatiana leads him up to her room where the Deadliest Man Alive is waiting to capture him. In Tatiana's hotel room, Dr. Baron Von Nazi reveals his plan and reveals why Tatiana is working for him (he has her family). He reveals that she isn't done yet even though she promised and hinted that she may never pay off her debt. He orders The Deadliest Man Alive to kill Mega, and The Deadliest Man Alive proceeds to torture him until he dies. Conflicted, Tatiana decides to aid Mega in his escape and knocks the Deadliest Man Alive unconscious, but while they fight about her motives, the Deadliest Man Alive shoots Mega (Torture Tango).
=== Act II === | dark | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0258038 | Pootie Tang | Pootie Tang, born in "a small town outside Gary, Indiana", is portrayed as a ladies' man who is "too cool for words", even as a young child. His life is marked by the deaths of his mother "Momma Dee", and shortly thereafter his father "Daddy Tang", who dies after being mauled by a gorilla during his shift at the steel mill (the third time someone had suffered that particular fate). Just before Daddy Tang's death, Pootie inherits his father's belt and is told that (as long as he has right on his side) he can "whoop anyone's ass with just that belt."
As a young adult, Pootie Tang rises to fame and becomes well known for a variety of reasons. He sings in nightclubs, stars in public service announcements for children, produces top-of-the-charts music hits, and generally defeats wrongdoers with the power of his belt. Dick Lecter, the CEO of multi-industrial conglomerate LecterCorp, learns of Pootie Tang's positive influence on society — and his negative influence on LecterCorp's bottom line. After his henchmen and a vile villain named Dirty Dee are sent away by Pootie's friends, Lecter encourages his right-hand lady, Ireenie, to seduce Pootie Tang into signing an agreement with LecterCorp that would stop Pootie Tang's influence on America's children.
Pootie Tang falls for Ireenie's tricks and subsequently falls apart. His status as pop culture icon is destroyed, and he engages on a quest to "find [him]self". This journey is encouraged by Biggie Shortie, who promises to wait for Pootie to return to her and to the rest of society. Pootie moves to a farm where the local sheriff decides Pootie and his daughter should start dating. After his single corn stalk dies, he has a vision of Daddy Tang and Momma Dee. Daddy Tang reveals that there is nothing special about Pootie's belt; instead, Pootie must fight evil with the goodness that is inside him. After dealing with Dirty Dee and his henchman Froggy (as well as getting his belt back), Pootie realizes he must move back to the city and fight crime once again.
Pootie Tang returns to the city just as Dick Lecter is unveiling the first of his new restaurant chain, Pootie's Bad Time Burgers. At a small news conference, Pootie confronts Lecter only to discover that Lecter has amassed dozens of "Pootie-alikes" who will spread the message of LecterCorp around the nation. Pootie Tang, with the help of Biggie Shortie, defeats all of these henchmen and Lecter himself. Good triumphs over evil once again, and Biggie Shortie finally gets her man: she and Pootie Tang plan to get married now that Pootie is back. Elsewhere, Dick Lecter leaves corporate life and becomes an actor, Ireenie leaves him and becomes a counselor helping at-risk teenage prostitutes, and Dirty Dee is still dirty.
=== Pootie Tang-isms ===
Although Pootie Tang speaks in a completely unintelligible jive, everyone he meets seems to understand him. Here are some examples of his vocabulary. See wikiquote for a more complete list. | cult, blaxploitation | train | wikipedia | I can imagine someone who isn't a fan, or at least an observer, of the above things would hate this movie like poison, but for me, who has seen more Jay-Z videos than I ever wanted to see and who can't help laughing when I see a man use kung-fu to bounce bullets off his hair (a gag too complicated to explain, but seamless on screen), POOTIE TANG is fantastic.I'd recommend it more, but it's just too hard to describe!.
Just to let the world know---if ya ain't seen Pootie Tang in it's full glory it's time to get your business in order!!!
If ya like the kind of stuff ya can laugh at for no reason at all (except that it's funny) then you need to rent it, invite over your friends who are non-believers and do the doggone thing!!!
A lot of my own friends here in the great city of Detroit have doubts about my precious Pootie but I am so going to erase all of their fears of letting loose-cause that's exactly what you do when you are all in like me.
Chris Rock absolutely needs to do a sequel and I think it should be called,"POOTIE TANGING JR." Now how's that for devotion!
Pootie--I love you and I always will!!Somebody please tell Chris Rock that we NEED some mo' Pootie Tang in our lives!!!.
Lance Crouther plays the title character in a short yet entertaining movie about a hero with a belt that helps him against the forces of evil, plus his gift of saying things that have no meaning whatsoever (like ebonics mixed with down syndrome, but it's funny).
Chris Rock (in 3 equally hilarious roles), Robert Vaughn and Wanda Sykes also star in this movie with it's only damaging flaw being that after a while it runs out of steam.
"Pootie Tang" was conceived on the HBO hit The Chris Rock Show, in this spin off movie, Pootie is trying to take all the junk food, drugs and alcohol off the street that is being distributed by Dick Lecter (Robert Vaughn).
"Pootie Tang" seems like a send up to 70's blaxpoitation films, but at the same time, I don't know what it is.
I don't want to see any formulaic structure from the drama side of things crossing over - which a lot of Holly-comedies have - it has to take on its own form and the Chris Rock produced "Tang" does that.
Having seen it three days ago, I have already forgotten virtually the entire movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed it at the time, and my girlfriend, who is less tolerant of pure silliness than I am, laughed throughout.
Pootie Tang is a character created by Louis C.K. with actor Lance Crother, who is a successful hip hop artist, who is also a ladies man and a crimefighter in his spare time.
Both films are made by people who obviously don't have all the mechanics of filmmaking down (Dolemite's boom mike pops into shots so much it might as well have gotten a supporting cast credit, Pootie Tang features possibly THE WORST narration in the history of film).
Both also have quite a bit of social satire, plus additional humor derived from the sheer stupidity of the filmmaking.Pootie Tang is, in itself, a bad idea for a movie.
There are some jokes that work (I liked Pootie's new hit single, and also the tense climactic standoff between Pootie and Dirty) but a lot of other material doesn't (Cameos by Andy Ricter and David Cross are totally wasted).
Pootie Tang is a very fun movie that cannot be taken seriously.
It was one of those movies where you say to yourself "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!!", "WERE THEY HIGH?!" specifically, Chris Rock, he could have done a lot better than this garbage..
Unfortunately, his talent does not at all shine through in Pootie Tang, and I honestly have no idea how anyone could find this movie funny.
Lance Crouther stars as Pootie Tang, a folk hero of sorts who speaks in gibberish but is world famous for his movies, his music and his general heroism (he often gets in fights with drug dealers who end up in prison).
Chris Rock co-stars in multiple roles (Pootie Tang's father and a member of his crew).
If you are liking off the way funny things to watch and having things that you don't expect happen this movie is for you.
Those who like the film probably enjoy absurdism, have a familiarity with various facets of African American oriented pop-culture going back to at least the early 1970s, and do not mind silly humor delivered in compact packages primarily for entertainment value.Pootie Tang is basically a spoof on various stereotypical (though rooted in reality) aspects of African American pop culture, ranging from Parliament/Funkadelic-styled goofiness and blaxploitation films to rap/hip-hop films, music videos, and other cultural items embraced by stereotypical African American pop culture, such as westerns, superhero films, and martial arts films (although the martial arts is also sourced from blaxploitation flicks).
Here is the basic punchline of this one-joke comedy (if that's what you consider it): The main character, Pootie Tang, blurts out a bunch of words and phrases that no one understands but the characters in the story.
Though, despite some a few low points, it's a talented amusing show with an original spoof superstar and something sharp to say which bitterly is that we live the era of (Pootie Tang) and his likes, imitators, wannabes..
I was put off from watching this film for a long time mainly because of the bad rep it has, which after watching the movie i just can't understand.
The movie was actually very funny, it is a comedy so maybe the story and the acting aren't flawless, but Chris Rock and Wanda Sykes are pretty good, I had no idea they were in it before watching the movie, the dirty villain guy was hilarious, and personally i thought the whole speech thing with Pootie Tang was funny, even though I had no idea WTF he was saying.
Nothing really made sense, everything was very uneven, i almost didn't realize i was watching movie because it is quite similar to a bad commercial trying to be funny.
Ok there are three reasons why I didn't like this movie at all.One: English isn't my mother tongue so I guess I couldn't possibly get the humor connected with the way Pootie "talks" (I assume he's trying to express something although I couldn't understand a single word he was saying).
Plus the jokes are so lame you can hardly take it without having to go to the bathroom at least twice an hour (breaks are needed in order to cope with the idea of having to sit through another bunch of painful not even remotely funny pranks).Three and most important of all: POOTIE TANG SUCKS...HARD.
I must say, just reading some of the other reviews made me laugh, especially the ones that say they didn't like this movie because you can't understand what Pootie is saying(duh!
It reminds me of embarrassing yet hilarious inside jokes among my family that I would never share with anyone else, only this time blatantly displayed in public.The best thing about this film is that it's not pretentious, like many comedies are these days.
In the tradition of all of the lame SNL movies, this is another in a long line of films based on short sketches that tries, and fails, to stretch about 5 minutes of good material into a (barely) full-length motion picture.
Haven't laughed a single time.I thought it would be nice with Chris Rock, but I was wrong.Never see Pootie Tang unless you want to really waste your time..
If your mind is open and you're willing to watch a stupid movie, Pootie Tang has some very funny scenes.
I don't really know if I'd call it Blaxploitation, but nonetheless, if you liked Dolomite you'll like Pootie Tang.I mean seriously, he has his own language, fights crime with a belt and deflects bullets with his pony tail.This movie deserves to be in the same class as Orgazmo, The Wrong Guy, Brain Candy and so many other under-rated hilarious movies.If this sounds good to you, go rent it..
Though savaged by critics and ignored by audiences -- the few people I knew who saw it in the theatre all said they were the only ones there -- Pootie Tang will definitely undergo a critical renaissance and re-evaluation as cult-film fans come to terms with its comedic genius.
Because this is a spinoff of a cable-only HBO show (Chris Rock Show) that had a much smaller following, and the skits with Pootie Tang were far less frequent than Wayne's World.
His deadpan approach is exactly the way Pootie needed to be played - just a cooler than cool guy who has a way with the ladies and a strong sense of right and wrong.This is a film that should have received more press and more marketing - some people will hate it, no doubt, but many more will love it..
In my case, I thought it was the second-funniest movie I'd ever seen, after Airplane!About a month ago, Pootie Tang was reviewed by my school newspaper, for a reason that's beyond me.
And, one of the most amusing takes on Western fast-draw camera angles that's ever been done (it sure puts "The Quick and the Dead" to shame...)Basically, although Pootie Tang's a weird movie, it's got a great subtle humor to it, a humor that is underappreciated..
Sine Da Tay on the Tippy TyePootie Tang biddies, Sa may NA!Seriously, even though I was the only white kid in the state of Michigan to see this movie, I thought it was the best film I've seen this year.
For everyone out there that was expecting there to be some complex plot and respectable acting, well, you must have Signed on da Tippe Fay, Just say DAH!Pootie Tang is the only movie I laughed the whole way through.
This movie was so bad that it even wasn't funny to laugh at how lousy it is.
I didn't pay for it but I still regret that I saw it because I wasted time on crap.In 1993 Chris Rock did a movie called CB4 which also was about superstars rise and fall.
The jokes in this movie was all the same over and over again which just was annoying.I think Chris Rock is a hilarious comedian and I even love his movies which flopped but this one...
The film started off pretty hilarious, but it got annoying over time constantly hearing pootie speak.
The PSA's done by Pootie were pretty funny I thought.This film got a 3 because of the redundancy of the humour and the fact that it was shown too many times on cinemax last summer.
And to think, they could have filmed Barney the purple dinosaur with this film; that's just how bad it is.When I saw Chris Rock and Wanda Sykes was in this movie, I thought it would be funny, but even THEY don't do enough to make you crack a smile.Luckily, this movie is only 70mins.
When he speaks,he's got entirely his own vocabulary(Words like 'cappatau')but this is about as funny as watching the Teletubbies and having everyone laugh at it because they feel as though they're 'supposed to' because well,it's supposedly cool!
Pootie Tang's language may have been funny for the Chris Rock Show but it's not enough to carry an entire movie.
the movie was just crap i expected so much more from chris rock it was point less he can't ever talk "hes to cool for words " that is just plan stupid it makes no sence at all.....................................pootie tang is the biggest load of crap i thing im going to try to get my money back or kill my self etheir or.
Watch it twice at minimum to get the full effect, just like "Napoleon Dynamite." Excellent humor, Chris Rock is a f$#$ing GENIUS and needs to make way more movies.
I can't think of another movie that made me laugh so much, once the point was made about Pootie's "problem."Watch this with someone who has an open mind and doesn't mind laughing at stupidity.
I try to avoid...no...well, "Pootie Tang" was honestly the last flick on my list of movies to watch (actually it wasn't even on the list...), but I did watch it when I'd seen everything else on the tube.
This is probably the only way I would recommend it because it is far from even the middle of the road for popular film.Of course Pootie Tang is not a movie that should be approached like anything other than the Three Stooges or something similar, because its just plain stupid humor, that will likely stick with you for long after the Pootie Tang experience.
Tang is a magnetic presence, a 100% proof chick magnet, every guy's best friend and an eternally – if inexplicably popular – marketing symbol, hugely influential and always on the side of what is good and right.EVERYONE loves them some Tang
but especially Biggy Shorty (Wanda Sykes) – a woman who is mos-def NOT a ho, even though she dances on street corners to unseen musical sources alongside prostitutes whilst scantily clad.The key plot-point is triggered when Tang has his reputation and image tarnished when he appears to side with big (naughty) business to endorse damaging products such as hard liquor and cigarettes, things he was previously known to abhor.He immediately steps away from the spotlight and all society seems to go to hell, with myriad "Pootie-alikes" stepping in to fill his endorsement and spokesman void – all seemingly hell-bent to hawk sh*t he wouldn't have previously gone anywhere near.()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()Before I tap another key I might point out that even if one microbe of this sounds amusing it really isn't.
The only time I chuckled was when Pootie released a single that featured nothing but silence, only to universal acclaim and chart success – though I immediately castigated myself.Despite comedians I absolutely love this is a laugh-free zone, something I would have thought impossible without watching it myself – twice.Look.
For me it's very simple; when a comedy amuses me and makes me laugh I consider it to be a good and effective one, no matter how bad and silly the movie got done.It's just the sort of movie in which things simply just happen, without often share a clear connection with each other and without featuring a real solid or clear main-story.
It's really simplistic, especially story-wise but lots of its moments are simply funny and therefor this movie does work out as a comedy.I really won't pretend like "Pootie Tang" is the greatest thing ever.
But luckily the movie is too short to start to further decline, below the level of average.Still the funniest Chris Rock comedy I've seen in years.6/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
Pootie Tang's language is hilarious and then there were just those golden moment that make me laugh every time I think back on them (like when young Pootie is being thrown out by one of his adult women and she tosses his stuffed animals and big-wheel out the window).
There were a few scenes that I didn't really think were funny but, all in all, this movie was a great blaxploitation spoof.
Pootie was like the black super man.My favorite character in this whole movie was Wanda Sykes as "Biggie Shorty".She gave hoes all over the world a new self confidence!!!The only thing in the whole movie that i really didn't understand was how Dirty Dee got out of jail?
Well for all you Pootie haters all i have to say is "SADATAY" and if you don't like it "I WILL SIGN YO PITY ON DA RUNNY KIND!" Pootie Tang was one of the best movies ever!
but its better than pootie tang.he should have just stayed with the chris rock show because he was actually funny in it.
If you are looking for a laugh you will love this movie especially the main character pootie tang..
"Pootie Tang", based on a sketch character from The Chris Rock Show, is another piece of evidence to add to the fact that sketch characters usually don't work for long periods of time look at most Saturday Night Live movies, and to a lesser extent Jay and Silent Bob.
I saw "Pootie Tang" for free on my University's movie channel, and even though it was free I STILL want a refund.
This movie is so funny i see it every time i get the chance.
Pootie tang speaks in the strangest language that makes it kind of fun to try to figure out what he says The girls go crazy for him and the bad guys fear him cause he can whip anyones ass with just his belt.
Pootie Tang has been on HBO for awhile now and every time it's on, I usually watch it unless there's better movies on.
Lance Crouther who plays Pootie Tang is hilarious with those great and memorable lines such as "Wad a ta." Other characters were really funny too such as the sheriff and Dirty Dee. The film is not great in any way and is so forgettable, it's not even funny, but like I said it's on HBO a lot, so you can't really forget it.
Overall, a funny film with hilarious lines and great flash scenes of Pootie like what they did on Austin Powers.
Pootie Tang is a very stupid film.
The difference between the aforementioned movies and Pootie Tang is budget, production values, and an audience that will accept it even if it is crap.
Pootie Tang is a laugh out loud comedy classic that will have you stomach hurting.
Whenever Pootie whips out his belt, comedy ensues and anyone watching the movie will laugh hard. |
tt5547858 | Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn | Radiant Dawn is divided into four parts, each of which begins with a prologue chapter that introduces the situation, followed by a series of chapters that is resolved with an "Endgame" chapter.
=== Part One ===
Three years after the Mad King's War, detailed in Path of Radiance, Daein, the war's instigator and eventual loser, and the victorious nation Crimea are still in the process of rebuilding. Although Crimea is ruled by Queen Elincia, Daein lacks a proper successor and is instead ruled by the occupation forces of the Begnion Empire. The Daein people are oppressed by the corrupt Begnion senate and imperial soldiers. A group of Daein rebels named the Dawn Brigade, headed by Micaiah (a young woman with a small degree of clairvoyance) and Sothe, act as vigilantes to provide some measure of hope against the oppressors. After being driven from the capital, the Dawn Brigade flees into the northern desert. There they encounter the heron prince Rafiel (who was long presumed dead) and the wolf laguz queen Nailah, whose people have not been seen in Tellius for millennia. Soon after, the Dawn Brigade locates and allies with the late King Ashnard's orphan son Pelleas, his scheming and ruthless adviser Izuka, and the former general (and antagonist in Path of Radiance) of Daein known as the Black Knight. The group launches a guerrilla war against the occupation army, liberating former soldiers of Daein from prison camps and gaining the loyalty of the people. Micaiah's efforts become legendary during these campaigns, with the people of Daein dubbing her the "Silver-Haired Maiden." Word of the plight of the Daein people eventually reaches Empress Sanaki of Begnion. She orders an emissary be sent to Daein to reign in the occupation army. The senate disavows and scapegoats occupation leader General Jarod, who is overthrown and killed by the liberation army in an assault on the capital. Unbeknownst to them all, Izuka tricks Pelleas into signing a contract known as a blood pact with the head of the Begnion senate, Lekain, which will kill increasingly large numbers of Daein citizens when triggered.
=== Part Two ===
Word of Pelleas' ascension reaches Crimea, and Queen Elincia's recognition of Pelleas as Daein's rightful ruler outrages the Crimean nobility. Fear that Crimea's hated enemy is rebuilding creates discontent throughout all levels of Crimean society. A Crimean noble named Ludveck takes advantage of the tension to organize a rebellion in order to claim Crimea for himself. Alerted to Ludbeck's plan, the Crimean Royal Knights attack and capture Ludveck's castle. However, this is a diversion, and Ludveck's troops lay siege Elincia's castle, but they are repelled and Ludveck is captured. He attempts to force Elincia to release him by holding her friend Lucia hostage, but she is rescued by Ike and the Greil Mercenaries. Ike reveals to Elincia that one of Crimea's nobles, Count Bastian, purposely left the country in order to draw out the rebels. Bastian paid the Greil Mercenaries to ensure that the rebels were defeated and that the Queen emerged victorious. Before Ike leaves, Elincia reveals the Black Knight's return in Daein. Ike is shocked by this revelation, as he supposedly defeated the enigmatic knight (who killed Ike's father in the past) during the Mad King's War.
=== Part Three ===
When Ike returns to his headquarters, he is hired by the Laguz Alliance, consisting of the hawk nation of Phoenicis, the raven nation of Kilvas, and the beast nation of Gallia. Their representative, Ranulf, explains that Rafiel has revealed that the Begnion senate was responsible for assassinating the previous apostle of Begnion and framing the heron clans for it, resulting in their near annihilation. This has led to the newly formed Laguz Alliance declaring war on Begnion. The situation quickly escalates, threatening to become a world war that will awaken the god of chaos Yune, who will supposedly destroy the world if unleashed. Begnion coerces Daein into preparing to join the war on their side with the blood pact and uses another blood pact to force Kilvas to betray the Laguz Alliance. The Alliance makes major gains in the early months of the conflict, aided a great deal by the tactical ingenuity of Ike and his mercenaries. As the Alliance prepares to march south into Begnion's heartland, the Begnion central army arrives to block the way. The central army is better equipped than the previous enemies of the Alliance and is led by the highly capable General Zelgius. Zelgius and his army hold back an attempted river crossing by the Alliance, and Zelgius defeats Skirmir (the hot-headed commander of the beast laguz) in single combat, severely wounding him. While this is occurring, Begnion launches an invasion of Phoenicis and razes its capital to the ground, severely weakening the capabilities of the hawk laguz. Seeing the weakened state of the Alliance, the Begnion senate orders Daein to enter the war and crush the Laguz Alliance. Seeing no other choice, Pelleas orders Micaiah (who, along with the population of Daein, know nothing of the blood pact) to lead the Daein army south into Begnion. Micaiah attempts to trap the Alliance between her forces and the central army, but a lack of concern for her soldiers on the part of the Begnion senate deprives her of accurate information on the size of the laguz forces. Ike is able to lead the Alliance to safety. Zelgius, openly loyal to Empress Sanaki in the decades long political Senate-Empress power struggle, allows the Alliance to escape, hinting to Ike that the Empress does not support the war. In response to this, the senators have Sanaki's prime minister and father figure Sephiran arrested. The Empress flees the capital of Begnion soon afterward with her royal guard. Now in control of the country, the senate orders Zelgius (who is an ardent supporter of Sephiran) to pursue and destroy the retreating Laguz Alliance, and sends one of their number, Senator Valtome, to enforce order in the army. The Alliance falls back to the borders of Gallia, the homeland of the beast nation. Ike is able to lead the Alliance through a perilous volcanic cave network and thereby elude the central army. Undeterred, the senate decides to invade Gallia by marching through the neutral nation of Crimea. Begnion demands that Elincia provide them with supplies, but the Queen refuses due to her alliance with Gallia (signed at the end of Path of Radiance) and because the earlier rebellion destroyed much of the kingdom's crops. Valtome, infuriated by the denial, orders the central army to take what it needs from the Crimeans, whom he views as subjects of Begnion. Begnion begins raiding Crimean villages for supplies, drawing the Crimean Royal Knights into a skirmish. As the Laguz Alliance and the central army prepare to fight a battle on Crimean soil, Elincia arrives and places herself in between the two opposing armies. She demands that both sides leave Crimean territory, as it is a land of peace. Zelgius leads the central army off of the field of battle, an action that enrages Valtome. He orders his soldiers to kill Elincia, an action prevented by the Royal Knights and Greil Mercenaries. Back in the central army camp, Valtome orders Zelgius to be executed for his disloyalty. This is stopped by the arrival of Empress Sanaki and her royal guard. The soldiers of the central army turn on Valtome, who flees with all of the men loyal to the senate. Soon after, the Crimeans, the Empress' men, and the Laguz Alliance members sign a treaty and make a pact to defeat the Begnion senate. Civil war breaks out across the Begnion Empire as the forces of the Empress and Senate begin to clash.
Unwilling to abandon her supporters within the Empire, the Empress demands that the Alliance march on the Begnion capital. However, as the now massive army prepares to depart, a messenger arrives from Daein demanding the surrender of the Empress to their custody on behalf of the senate. Realizing that they cannot advance with the threat of Daein to their north, the Alliance invades Daein. Micaiah and her army defend the border as long as possible, but are greatly outnumbered and are defeated. Suffering from battlefield fatigue, she returns to the capital to recover. While there she learns from King Pelleas of the true reason why they are fighting and resolves to fight on while the King researches a way to break the blood pact. The Daein army adopts increasingly unorthodox tactics, and through this are able to fight against the numerically superior Alliance. Their unshakable belief in Micaiah keeps the morale of the Daein soldiers high. In one engagement, Micaiah forces the Alliance to march down a narrow canyon road. She then employs boulders and burning oil to decimate the central army and Royal Knights. When she returns to the capital, Pelleas reveals that the only way to end the blood pact is to kill the signers, and he orders his own death; Micaiah can either do the deed herself, order one of their generals to do it, or refuse outright. Knowing that Daein remains heavily outnumbered, Ike orders the Alliance to assault a major Daein fort in an attempt to finish off the battered nation. The storming of the fort is ended by the arrival of Nailah and Prince Kurthnaga of the dragon laguz nation of Goldoa, who have learned of Daein's plight and sided with them. The next day a massive battle ensues, and the chaos begins to awaken Yune; Micaiah is forced to prematurely awaken her with the galdr of release. Yune's awakening also awakens the goddess of order Ashera.
=== Part Four ===
As punishment for bringing the world into chaos, Ashera subsequently petrifies Tellius; only the most powerful warriors and human-laguz half-breeds survive. She decides that humankind is unworthy of survival and must be eradicated, and recruits the Begnion senate to this end. Guided by Yune through Micaiah, who sides with humanity, Ike, Micaiah, and King Tibarn of Phoenicis lead three groups in a campaign through Begnion to the Tower of Guidance (a massive structure in Begnion's capital) where Ashera lies. Micaiah and her fellow Daeins seek to use the petrification of the world as a means to destroy the blood pact without harming Daein. Each of them run into the Disciples of Order, formerly regular men and women who have been empowered by Ashera to stop the protagonists. In separate engagements they confront various senators and Izuka, who reveals that Pelleas was not Ashnard's son, but an unwitting dupe used to place Daein further under Begnion's thumb. Ike also learns that the Black Knight's true identity is that of the Begnion general Zelgius. In an encounter with Senator Lekain, Empress Sanaki asks him why she has been declared a false apostle by the senate. Lekain responds that Sanaki lacks the clairvoyance and foresight traditionally associated with the royal line of Begnion as the trait only effects the eldest child, and that her (previously unknown) older sister was killed years previously. This revelation is outwardly refuted by the Empress, but she inwardly develops a degree of doubt in herself. All three armies eventual convene at the base of the Tower of Guidance. Fifteen heroes are then picked to be Yune's champions against Ashera.
=== Endgame ===
Within the tower, the champions defeat the Senator leader Lekain and destroy the blood pacts binding Daein and Kilvas. King Dheginsea of Goldoa also sides with Ashera and is killed by the champions. As they advance further into the tower, Micaiah begins to see visions of two men talking in the shadows over many years. In one chamber of the tower, Ike and Zelgius duel for one last time, with Ike emerging victorious. Zelgius dies content that he has met a swordsman superior to himself.
At the entrance to Ashera's chambers, the group encounters Sanaki's trusted adviser Sephiran, who bars the way to Ashera. Sephiran is revealed to be Lehran, a heron laguz of legend who in ages past aided Ashera in defeating Yune and sealed her within the Fire Emblem medallion. Lehran lost his powers when he mated with the first Empress of Begnion, but was through this act able to pass on his galdr and gift of clairvoyance to the females of his bloodline, the empresses of Begnion. Lehran freely admits during the ensuing confrontation that he was the cause of most of the major events of the past few years. He inspired the Mad King Ashnard of Daein to start a war, encouraged conflict between Begnion and the Laguz Alliance, and allowed the atrocities of the Daein Liberation War to take place in an attempt to cause the end of the world by creating enough chaos to release the dark god. He did not foresee, however, the lengths to which heroes would go to save Tellius. Defeated in the ensuing battle, Lehran agrees to assist the champions in defeating Ashera if he is spared. In the final chamber, Yune pleads with Ashera to allow the world to go on. Ashera refuses, however, and engages the champions in battle. Ashera proves unable to be killed by mortal weapons, so Micaiah and Yune channel their collective energies into Ike's sword, allowing him to kill Ashera. After a tearful goodbye with Ike and Micaiah, Yune departs from the mortal world.
In the aftermath of the conflict, the people of Tellius are freed from their petrification. With the Senate defeated, the treaty signed by the Alliance comes into effect, Begnion and Crimean withdraw from Daein, formally ending the war. Lehran quietly slips away into obscurity. Micaiah reveals that she is Sanaki's older sister, and that her clairvoyance is derived from their shared bloodline with Lehran. Sanaki asks Micaiah to stay in Begnion, but Micaiah desires to remain with her own people in Daein. She assumes the throne of Daein with either Pelleas' or the people's approval and ushers in a golden age of prosperity for her kingdom. Tellius begins to recover from a generation of warfare, and many of the heroes of Radiant Dawn and Path of Radiance settle down.
Hundreds of years later, Yune and Ashera combine to again become the goddess Ashunera, creator of Tellius. Lehran informs the newly risen goddess that, while three centuries (twelve since Ashunera was last whole) have passed since the Wars of the Radiant Dawn, the nations of Tellius are once again preparing to go to war. | violence | train | wikipedia | The most expensive best Fire Emblem game ever. I have payed a lot of money to find this game at a used video game store, then later on played Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn for the Wii, and boy that was a much longer challenging game, it was very long tedious game, much more complex than Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.This is the direct sequel to Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. First of all this game is divided into 4 parts with much more chapters than Path of Radiance.When you start the game in part 1, you are introduced to the Dawn Brigade group with a light mage named Micaiah with her thief partner Sothe with their allies who fight against Jarod and his army in Daein who oppress people.In Part 2 you have Queen Elincia and her allies fight against the town rebels in Crimea trying to overthrow Elincia.Then in Part 3 you finally get to play as Ike and his Greil Mercenaries with the Laguz army who has a feud war against Micaiahs Dawn Brigade army.Finally in Part 4 you divide your team up into 3 army groups trying to stop the Goddess Ashera in the tall tower.The gameplay is the same except there is now shop Bargain section selling expensive rare items which drains your money very quickly. Also you can promote your class characters twice instead of once.My thoughts for this game are, the artwork and CGI scenes with voice acting and the orchestral soundtrack is beautiful. But the gameplay is much longer and more tedious with much more level grinding. This game has 44 chapters whereas Path of Radiance has 29 chapters. This game is harder and more complex. Easy, Normal, Hard would be Normal, Hard and Maniac. I do wish that I could've found a good place to level up my characters and have much more money to buy stuff, otherwise this would be a great game.If you Fire Emblem fans are planning to buy and play this game, keep in mind this Nintendo Wii game is rare and hard to find, although not as expensive as Path of Radiance. But it's still a pricey game to find even in used condition. Also you'll need to buy and play Path of Radiance in order to understand the sequel to Radiant Dawn.I only hope that the Nintendo Company will reissue Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn on Wii U or put it on the Wii Virtual Console. Until then you can still play the game on the Wii or Wii U system. |
tt0278766 | Ten Little Indians | Ten people travel by aerial tramway to a snowbound mansion, invited there by a Mr. U.N. Owen to spend the weekend. They discover that none of them has actually ever met Owen, including his secretary as well as a married housekeeper and cook, all hired through an agency.
Framed copies of the children's nursery rhyme "Ten Little Indians" are hung on the walls of each guest's bedroom. Dinner is served by the butler Grohmann on a tray adorned with ten little Indian figurines, as well. At exactly 9 p.m., as instructed, Grohmann switches on a hidden tape recording. A man identifying himself as Owen reveals that each of the 10 guests has a scandalous secret, their involvement in various innocent people's deaths.
One by one, the guests begin dying off. Mike Raven chokes after taking a drink and dies, and a little Indian from the centerpiece tray is broken away. In the morning, the cable tram is cut, killing the cook, Mrs. Grohmann who attempted to escape. General Mandrake conducts a search of the chalet's catacombs, splitting everyone into pairs, ultimately leading to his demise, stabbed after being led to a planted distraction (a cat). It becomes clear that their unseen killer is following the nursery rhyme. Ann Clyde, the secretary, enters into a romantic relationship with engineer Hugh Lombard as they and the others begin a deadly cat-and-mouse game, ultimately deducing that Owen is not their host but, in reality, one of them.
After falling under suspicion from the others, Grohmann attempts to make his escape down the mountain peak, Devil's Leap, ending in his death after his lifeline is severed with an axe. Ilona bitterly confesses to having driven her husband to suicide, and is later found dead in her bedroom, killed with a syringe. By now, the five remaining guests fall under distrust of one another, and alliances are formed as the generator shuts down, casting the mansion into total darkness. At dinner, each person reveals the nature of their accusations, but before Ann can attest to her crime, she separates from the group to her room, where she screams upon discovering an Indian decoy hung from the ceiling. In the confusion, Judge Cannon is found with a gunshot wound to his head.
Dr. Armstrong intimates his suspicions of Ann, which Lombard angrily rebuffs. Lombard later comes to Ann's room and confides that his real name is Charles Morley, and that the real Lombard had committed suicide and he took his place for the weekend. Morley gives Ann his revolver for her protection. In the morning, Blore discovers that Armstrong has vanished and the three conduct a search for him. Blore separates and goes outside where he is crushed by a large statue of a bear. Ann and Lombard discover the body of Dr. Armstrong in the snow and conclude that the killer can only be either of them. Ann pulls the revolver on Lombard and shoots at him, before returning to the mansion. She goes upstairs and discovers Judge Cannon very much alive, who explains how he enticed Dr. Armstrong to help him fake his death and that he intends to poison himself leaving Ann the last remaining survivor, who must hang herself and fulfill the rhyme, or be punished by the law instead. As Judge Cannon is explaining his plan, Morley reappears alive, faking his death after the bullet missed. Ann and Morley had planned the fake shooting scene as they had figured out that neither one of them was the killer. Judge Cannon realizes his plan has failed, and Ann and Morley kiss in relief. They see the cat sitting among the fruit tray with only two Indians attached. | murder | train | wikipedia | This is a rare, live television Presentation of one of Agatha Christie's most famous mysteries.
First aired on NBC on January 18th, 1959.
Quite well done, with great performances from it's cast, Most notably Jones as the Judge and Brent as the Doctor.
The movie only runs about an hour, which makes some of the plot appear rushed, but it doesn't make the movie any less enjoyable.
This version actually follows the story more closely than you would expect.
It is the only other version, (besides 1945's And Then There Were None) to keep the location at the secluded Indian Island Mansion.
And it is in glorious black and white, which also makes viewing entertaining.Those who don't know the story,(and those who do) will probably not be let down.
The plot is: ten people are invited to a remote mansion on an island.
When they arrive their missing host (via phonograph) accuses them of crimes he believes they have gotten away with.
Soon the group begins to grow smaller, as their "Host" begins to kill them off one by one, according to the TEN LITTLE INDIANS (of course) nursery rhyme.
Soon they realize their "Host" is among them, and they have to figure out who it is.This is a highly entertaining flick.
I have seen every version of this movie That I can find, the only version I haven't seen is the russian version, Desyat Negrityat, And this is one of my favorites.
It doesn't surpass Rene Clair's "And Then There Were None" but for that matter, none of the remakes have.
But the performance of the killer (I won't say who) is quite good.
And for those who don't know the story, you will probably not be able to figure out who the killer is until he reveals himself (or herself) at the end.
The only two places that I have seen it available are Videoflicks (Where I got my copy) and EBAY.
If you like the story(Or just a good mystery) view it if you get a chance.*****/*****.
One of the better adaptations of one of Agatha Christie's masterpieces.
And Then There Were None has been one of my favourite books of all time since I was 12, it was my first Agatha Christie book actually and made me a huge fan of her work very shortly after.
This 1959 adaptation is one of the better ones of this truly great book, surpassed only by the Russian version- the most faithful- and the Rene Clair version.
The worst one is the 1989 film and in my opinion the only one that didn't do anything for me(the one 1974 has its issues but to me it wasn't that bad).
This adaptation could have been 20 minutes longer(it's just under an hour and I think that's too short), some of it read of one murder after murder and not quite enough of the suspenseful interplay between the characters and Nina Foch overdoes it as Vera.
However, it is beautifully filmed with a location that suits the mystery very well.
The dialogue is witty in a subtle way, and also thoughtful and intelligently written, while the story is true to the book, surprisingly well-paced for a film as short as it is and has a good amount of suspense and tension.
And yes you are kept guessing until the end, which is different from the book(in all fairness the book ending is very difficult and until I saw the Russian version I'd cited it as unfilmable) but doesn't feel too disappointing or contrived, like I used to think this particular ending did.
The version I feel that does this alternate ending best is the 1965 version though.
Expecting Foch, the acting is very good especially from Barry Jones and Romney Brent, a good thing as I have always considered Wargrave and Armstrong the most interesting characters of the book.
To conclude, nicely done and while not the best version of a masterpiece it is one of the better ones.
8/10 Bethany Cox. NOT BAD.....A MUST FOR FANS OF THE STORY.
I really enjoyed this one, and it moves along quite nicely.
Yes, it is only an hour long, but it is cohesive and well-done.
I have seen every version save for the 1949 TV version, and I must say that this is one of the better ones.
My ranking would probably go 1.Desyat Negrityat, 2.And Then There Were None, 3.Ten Little Indians (1959), 4.Ten Little Indians (1966), 5.Ten Little Indians (1989), 6.Ten Little Indians (1975).
You can find a copy from "Movies Unlimited." It's an old TV print, but it's not so bad.
I am keeping my fingers crossed for a digital remaster one day..
Pretty Good.
This rare version of Agatha Christie's book/play TEN LITTLE INDIANS is probably the movie version that is the closest to the actual book.
The movie starts with ten strangers arriving at an island.
After a strange voice accuses each character of murder, the people start dying off one by one.
The movie only lasts an hour, so all the event happening in the movie happen in one night.
Nina Foch plays the heroine, Vera Claythorne, very well, though she seems a little old for her part.
TEN LITTLE INDIANS also contains rare 50's commercial clips.
The movie is highly enjoyable and pretty thrilling compared to the other versions, for example:SPOILER!
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SPOILER!In the other film versions, when the killer is reavealed, He merely explains his motive, tells Vera to hang herself and kills himself.
In this version, however, the killer chases Vera around the room and cries, "I must have my hanging!" Then the hero, shoots the killer and saves the girl.
The one problem with this picture is that EVERYBODY was supposed to die!
Oh well, none of the other versions have this ending either(except the Russian version, which I have not seen.) so we'll just let that detail slip by.
I'm not saying this is the best version of TEN LITTLE INDIANS, but it's not bad!.
not bad but not the best version.
This TV version of Agatha Christie's best-selling novel was filmed in 1945 and shown on TV in England in 1949, as well as 1959.
In fact, the 1959 TV version aired in the U.K. a mere five days before this one was shown in the U.S.The story remains faithful to Christie's original work for the most part; action is set on Indian Island where ten strangers have been invited for a weekend by an unknown host.
They are all accused of past crimes, and are murdered on by one, according to the nursery rhyme.The difference in the ending here is that Lombard, who has apparently been shot by Miss Claythorne, is actually NOT dead and arrives on time to shoot the real murderer to death, just before he attempts to hang the final victim.The technical credits and direction are very good, as is the acting from the superb Barry Jones and Romney Brent.
Kenneth Haigh, James Kenney and Peter Bathurst are also good.
The one poor acting job comes from Nina Foch as Miss Claythorne, often overacting.
It doesn't help that she's close to 10 years older than Kenneth Haigh, as she is supposed to be the "love" interest here-she seems more like his mother!
All in all, a quite good production-unfortunately however it was done in slightly under an hour-some times we have one body discovered within seconds of another-it should have really been at least 90 minutes long. |
tt0469062 | Danika | Danika Merrick (Marisa Tomei) suffers from increasingly disturbing, paranoid hallucinations. Most of her hallucinations involve threats to her family and media-fuelled fears such as child kidnappings, car accidents, her children lying and terrorism. Danika confides to her husband, Randy (Craig Bierko), and Evelyn (Regina Hall), her psychiatrist.
The movie begins with Danika apologizing for being late, being scolded by her bank manager about incorrect calculations. Her manager leaves the office instructing Danika to remain there until errors are corrected. Danika then witnesses a bank robbery in progress with two trigger-happy robbers shooting anyone that moves. The alarm activates, and the robbers force Danika's boss to tell them where the security monitors are located. The manager points to her office where a shivering Danika seeks shelter in a corner. As the door opens, she expects to come face to face with a gun-toting bank robber, but is confronted by her manager who wonders what is wrong with her.
The movie continues with increasingly paranoid hallucinations, due to schizophrenia, including seeing a little girl in front of her daughter's school being pulled away by a suspicious-looking man as she asks Danika to help her; Danika does nothing only to watch in horror as the same little girl's mother appears on the news begging for her child's safe return. Danika also finds a human head in a grocery bag as she's putting the groceries in the fridge. She's oblivious as, standing in front of the school looking for her daughter who ran off, her daughter's teacher is killed by falling glass, (it turns out it's the same person's head she found in the grocery bag a day before). She also believes her son's partner for a school assignment is trying to give him AIDS, after she imagines the girl crawling into her bed and confessing she is dying from AIDS and is going to give it to Danika's son.
Near the end of the film, the audience learns that Danika was in a car accident years earlier while driving her young children home and she makes a side visit to see Randy. The accident occurred immediately after Danika found out he was having an extramarital affair with the children's nanny in a motel shower. Did her husband's extramarital affair cause Danika to crash? Or had she had a psychological break before learning of her husband's tryst? Danika's vision of the nanny is that of her psychiatrist who's been treating her. The nanny reveals that both she and Randy thinks that Danika needs serious psychiatric help because her behavior is dangerous to her children. Danika slaps both Randy and the nanny and drives away with the children in tow. In the car accident, all of Danika's children die, leaving Danika, (and, of course, Randy who was back at the motel), as the sole survivors. It can be assumed she never saw Randy again and which he probably blames the tragic death of their children on Danika and her "visions."
As the film ends, a homeless Danika sits on a bench at the scene where the accident occurred, basically reliving the events of that day, presumably every day. She slowly walks away pushing a shopping cart filled with her children's belongings. All the events after the accident—reuniting with her husband and raising her children to adulthood, are hallucinations Danika experiences, caused by the tremendous guilt she feels for running the red light that led to her children's deaths. | suspenseful, murder, violence, flashback | train | wikipedia | Relatively new cinematic team of director Ariel Vromen and writer Joshua Leibner pounce onto the scene with a surprisingly fine little film that has basically gone unnoticed.
This is a tough movie to review: almost anything that is said about it diminishes the impact of a fresh look.Danika (the superb and grossly underused actress Marisa Tomei) is a beautiful, well-dressed successful professional woman, loved by her husband Randy (Craig Bierko) and her children Kurt (Kyle Gallner), Lauren (Nicki Prian) and Brian (Ridge Canipe).
Yet even from the opening scenes we can tell something is amiss: Danika 'sees' disturbing things, terrifying events and people that alter her attention to her job and her family.
Danika overcompensates for her fears by being an overprotective mother, an unfortunate trait that begins to fracture her family.The pace of the film changes to rapid fire events as the reasons for Danika's visions become clear: we finally see just what made this brilliant and strong woman the victim of a terrified and disturbed psyche and the manner in which each of the characters in the story impacts this discovery is well-illuminated.
The surprise ending scene is a stunner and one that will haunt the viewer.Marisa Tomei makes this very difficult, well-written role completely believable.
Regina Hall is especially impressive as Danika's psychologist.I would highly recommend seeking this movie out if it comes to a festival or theater near you!.
Let's see: I had great expectations towards this film, since Danika pretty much has the potential to be a fairly enjoyable thriller, but to my disappointment, it turned out to be one of those films that deliberately try to be confusing just for kicks.
You know, the typical soft-horror/thriller/drama flick in which the main character keeps having hallucinations and visions about horrible things happening around her and the rest of the characters are dead worried but they still don't do anything to help her out.
This film pretty much offers a nice variety of pointless hallucination sequences in which Marisa Tomei, giving a flawless performance, always repeats the same situations but in different scenarios.
During the course of the film, the mentally unstable woman, appears basically smothering her children and over-worrying about every little thing, making the rest of her family lose their patience.
However, it is clear to Danika that something is definitely not okay with her, as she realizes that she's experiencing weird hallucinations that turn her life into hell on earth.This film offers a few sequences that promise some sort of explanation whatsoever or at least a tiny little connection to the end.
Nevertheless, just like many other recent flicks out there with a twist in the end, 'Danika' turned out to be ambiguous for no reason and it tries to deceive the audience and doubt about their own intelligence.
I wouldn't label it as 'unwatchable', because that would be unfair, considering that there are a few good things that deserve to be appreciated, but it's mostly Marisa Tomei's performance actually.
'Danika' is not terribly bad, but frankly, I was utterly disappointed when the good atmosphere and the few achievements were suddenly overshadowed by the silly ending.
It's hard to comment on it without giving away details and spoilers, so let me just say, this movie takes your full attention (don't cook dinner and try to keep up!) Tomei is NEVER a disappointment.
I admit, there will be boo-hooers who dislike it because they haven't the patience or the depth to grasp the true meaning behind this film, but this is why Danika is a work of art and it's star a true artist.
Well, after 30 minutes of that, it becomes pretty annoying and tedious.At first I thought the movie was setup to make it hard to follow what was happening.
Non of the plot-points that were introduced during the repetitive scenes had any relevance to the eventual end of the movie.
I work at Blockbuster so I was telling everybody about this great movie coming out on Tuesday saying, "I'm only 45 minutes in but so far, it's really great!" Well, I finished it just now and I have to say, the ending wasn't all that great.
Don't get me wrong, it's a "think about it after the movie is over" ending and I did but I really wish they would have ended it a bit better.Great Story - Great Beginning - Great Middle - Okay End. Audiovisual hemorrhoids.
Marisa and Regina turn is great performances and the the writing itself makes this movie a winner.
This movie is more of a Psycho thriller then a Hooror movie and I cant wait to see what Blue Omega has lined up in the future.I would recommend this movie to anyone You will not be disappointed as it is a very good production and overall I give this Movie a 10 considering the budget was not that much and to pull off a masterpiece like this show you what good writing and directing can do for a film like this.I cant say enough about how wild and mind teasing it truly is.
For this movie it is very important that you watch it closely otherwise you will miss important clues for understanding the ending!
I saw trailer for this movie and looked really great.The plot: When devoted wife and mother, Danika Merrick, begins experiencing a series of terrifying delusions, she wonders whether she is actually having visions of future events or she is slowly slipping into.
It started of really well as the movie went, all things she knew was going to happen and she dose nothing to stop and this movie also some of kinda of twist,which I do not understand but I didn't really care if I understood or not, as was really disappointing in this movieI going to give this movie 4 out of 10 worth watching a least once.
It looks like someone had an interesting idea for the ending of "a movie" and then fit a long, boring and confusing film into it.
Everything about the movie, including Tomei's performance (who I generally like as an actress), was just bland.
I loved the different illusions of this movie and I began to understand it and like the it; I noticed she sees things from the past and it got me a bit confused.I really don't know if I like this movie ha-ha because honestly, I don't understand the ending one bit.
I feel like it's a really good movie and the thrill really gets to you but I just don't understand what happens in the end.This stupid thing requires me to have 10 lines and i really don't know what else to say besides that I just want clarification on the ending.
I just want to know what is the meaning then I will watch the movie all over again with a better understanding :).
For those who think its only people involved in the production making good reviews, I feel sorry that you couldn't grasp this film.
I have absolutely nothing to do with this film and I give it 8 stars.Marissa Tomei is still very Hot and a great actress who gave a stellar performance.
An all around great film, good acting, cast, plot, etc for those who don't like spoon fed plots..
The only good things about this movie are Marisa Tomei and Kyle..
It simply goes to great lengths to let you know something is wrong with her head.Apparently the filmmakers felt this gave them license to produce scene after scene of random, unrelated material with twisting camera angles and the characters moving from a somewhat solid, real atmosphere to a whirling dream world where everything spells disaster.This happens for an hour and thirty-five minutes, roughly.I would say it all culminates in a lackluster ending, but "culminate" is too strong a word.
What I do mind is a film that ends up being more like a Rorschach test than any kind of intelligent, coherent item of media.
Like I said, things are chopped, Marisa Tomei's acting chops are not part of this "film", if we can call it that.
I think a lot of people will hate this movie, because there is no a boy-loves-girl-marry-have children-happy ending story...
When I saw this movie, I thought it was an European movie, I couldn't believe it's an American one...I remembered "American Psycho".I think there's no "easy" movie to watch...I was horrified because the violence is very real, I live in a country with a lot of drug problems, with about 16 dead people every day (men and women and children), so everything is possible...
a psycho-thriller...In 50 or 60 years, when many of us were dead, someone will watch this movie and he will say: "IT'S WONDERFUL...
The short version for those who haven't seen the movie is there is no 'twist' in the now common cinematic style there is only the version inside Danika's head and the revelation of the reality.For the hard of understanding I'll break this down into simple terms.
DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T YET SEEN THE MOVIE.There are basically only 3 scenes in this movie.1) Danika's fantasy life where she rejects the terrible thing that happened to her and tries to substitute her own reality.
It is as though she is remembering the truth sitting on that bench but it is too painful for her and she quickly retreats back to the fantasy (her kids come back to life and join her and her husband) 3) The real world present day where she is down and out listening to parts of scene one and scene two replay in her head constantly courtesy of her Schizophrenia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia)The whole film up into the last scene is there to give you an impression of what being her and being schizophrenic is.
Yes Danika's over protective soccer mom persona is fundamentally unlikable but that person never existed, she is a reflection of her very real guilt over causing the death of her children.The hallucinations within the scene one fantasy are perhaps the weakest part of the film, they are used as tool to keep a viewer interested long enough to see the film through and while the provide clues that nothing else that is happening is real or at least that there is some level of menatl issue.
They are however representative of the way a schizophrenic's beliefs may vary and may represent her additional fears and paranoia.In short you are not ever likely to see a film that will give a better impression of what its like to be insane in this fashion (i.e. believing scene 1 is some kind of reality) but if you can't handle a film that does not have a completely sequential plot, or a writer changing the 'rules' of a film to make a point this will be wasted on you..
There are still lots of loose endings and unresolved questions, but maybe this movie was just too "psychologically thrilling" for us to understand!
Danika had the potential to be a great movie but it ultimately went no where.
There was massive build up and it seemed like there would be a big pay off but then the ending ruined the entire movie.If you ignore the last 20 minutes or so of the movie, the acting was great, the characters had enough depth to draw you in and you will really want to see how it all plays out.
The kids died long before they got to that age and it was ALL a hallucination of a crazy bag lady.I was really excited to see this film but it stumbled and fell at the very end.
With that MENTAL CONDITION we get to see her view of what could have been if she had forgiven her husband and went to work that crucial day instead of the motel.Good twist, but far too many psychotic sequences leading to a bizarre feeling of what the heck this movie is about.
I kept watching it to try to figure out just what was going on, and was so disappointed and confused when they revealed the ending.
If you're not watching it (or rewatching it) carefully, most likely you will miss out on important clues and end up disliking the movie.
but I would recommend it to anyone who likes to be surprised.One bit of advice for those people reading this review after watching the movie and not understanding it: go back and look >closely<, this time, to the items in the shopping cart at the end.
This film is good but I guessed the kids where dead pretty early on in this very short movie.
Danika (Marisa Tomei) is a thirty-five years old overprotective mother with a beautiful family composed by her successful husband Randy (Craig Bierko), two sons - the teenager Kurt (Kyle Gallner) and the little Brian (Ridge Canipe), and one teenager daughter - Lauren (Nicki Prian).
The lack of attention caused by her disturbed mind leads her family to a tragedy."Danika" is an impressive and challenging American dark movie showing the complexity of the human mind.
My interpretation of the story is very simple: after finding her beloved husband cheating her with the nanny of their children, Danika becomes an insecure, stressed and overprotective mother, affecting her professional life.
Were it not for the fact that Marisa Tomei is one of most undervalued talents in modern film entertainment, and someone who has consistently delivered heartfelt characterizations in the past, I would have skipped "Danika" entirely.
The teaser or blurb on the DVD made it out to seem like there was some kind of a psychic element in the plot, and given that "Medium" on NBC has been such a success, I thought that perhaps this film would be a surprise.What was surprising was precisely how bad this movie really is.Frankly, Marisa Tomei is now and has been for a long time, one of the truly luminous beauties in modern films.
There were plenty of "psychic" elements tossed into a mixer and poured out as a script, but that script started SOMEWHERE interesting and ended up going NOWHERE at a glacial pace.There are three people to blame for this cinematic disaster: the screenwriter who got the credit for this garbled mess of a movie, the director, who was apparently powerless to get script changes, or so totally clueless that he could not see the powerful beginning of a precognition-based plot simply disappearing halfway through it all, and me for wasting my money on this DVD rental.Additionally, the various and sundry persons who got "credits" for being this film's "producers," should be ashamed of wasting however much money this effort cost.
Seldom in the history of modern film production have so many good and talented actors and actresses been paid to do a movie that turned out so very badly.Regina Hall was good and the film earned a 2 because of that, and because Marisa Tomei made an obvious effort to interact with Hall in several critical scenes, keeping her 'angst' low-key while Hall's character got a chance to shine.If a meteorite or a comet comes by and burns every copy of "Danika" known, into dust, including the master and the daily rushes ...
Yes, obviously the entire movie is a fantasy in Danika's mind.
At first I was a bit confused as to whether she gets in the crash while her children are younger or older, like in the present, I thought maybe that was another twist they wanted to throw at you.
You really feel for her when you see Danika in the last scene sitting on the bench watching the world go by and all the while playing this drama in her head.
I couldn't move from the DVD the entire movie, i was so sucked into the story and wanted to get it but i realize now that i didn't so now there is a hundred thoughts in my head.
I really liked the movie, it was made good but i hope someone can explain it to me more so i can really get it in my head!
There is a revealing moment in "Danika" where the protagonist is sitting in a psychiatrist's office, and the first point she makes to the doctor is that "I'm going crazy." This film is successful in revealing the darkest caverns of the human mind in the character of Danika.Stylistically, the film was jumpy and made use of far too many confusing scenes wherein it was difficult to understand if the action was "real" or if it was one of Danika's hallucinations.
The same realization should have come to Randy that his wife needed to be institutionalized, if only for the sake of the children.While "Danika" was overly manipulative in its film technique, it is nonetheless worth seeing for the multi-dimensional performance of Marisa Tomei.
In a previous review of Ariel Vromen's debut, Rx, I suggested, without having seen Danika, that Rx, with a little adjustment could have been a better class of Lifetime movie.
She was trying to cope with the loss and pain, so she created an alternate reality in her mind.At the end of the movie, you get the real story.TBH, I enjoyed it at first, but at the end, I felt like I had just wasted that time.
I really WANTED this movie to be good, but the the whole point didn't seem very original to me, and I feel like I've seen twists like this done a lot better.There just weren't any redeeming qualities about this film.
DO NOT READ this comment IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THE MOVIE>>>>>IT will spoil it for youThis Movie was very good for about the first hour and then the end was like OMG!
The acting was good, the plot seemed interesting, the directing and scenes were good, and the movie keeps your attention well.
In the end, you simply learn that basically the whole movie was a hallucination. |
tt0803057 | The Promotion | Doug Stauber (Seann William Scott) is the assistant manager of a branch of Donaldson's, a supermarket chain in Chicago. He believes that he is a "shoo-in" for manager of a Donaldson's that is scheduled for construction just a few blocks away from his home. Everyday, Doug deals with the pressures of being the assistant manager. Among his ordeals are an unruly gang of teenagers loitering around the parking lot, the overwhelming amount of negative comments on the customer survey cards he collects (nearly all of which are caused by the gang's antics), a foreigner who constantly slaps him over a box of Teddy Grahams and the rumors about him being a former Junior Olympics medalist in gymnastics. Then one day, Richard Wehlner (John C. Reilly) and his family move in from Quebec, and he becomes assistant manager alongside Doug.
Over the course of the film, the two men fight for the managerial job, trying to impress the store's manager Scott (Fred Armisen) and the Donaldson's board of directors, led by Mitch (Gil Bellows). The competition causes strain on their respective marriages. Doug is under financial pressure to get the job because he has begun to buy a house that he cannot afford if he is not promoted while his wife Jen (Jenna Fischer) ponders on going to night school. Meanwhile, Richard's wife Laurie (Lili Taylor) and daughter leave him to temporarily move to her parents' home in Scotland when she sees he is losing control and reverting to previous problem behavior.
Since Richard's arrival, it appears that he has replaced Doug as front-runner for the job. But it soon becomes clear that Richard has disadvantages of his own, such as a past substance abuse problem and a tendency to make inappropriate remarks. In one incident, both men are challenged by the board of directors over a sign posted on the deli section window, citing the deli clerk as Employee of the Month for "cutting the cheese". Richard admits being manager on duty when the sign was discovered, and explains that he had not realized that the phrase is derogatory to the American public (claiming that "cracking the cheese" is what Canadians say).
One day, while helping a customer in the parking lot, Doug is hit on the back of the head by a bottle of Yoo-hoo thrown by one of the gang members. In retaliation, he confronts the gang and sprays one of them with mace. Further worsening the situation is an incident in the break room, where a furious Doug throws some frozen Tater Tots toward the trash can and accidentally hits Richard's hand with one; Richard fakes an injury by wearing a wrist brace at work. Days later, Doug gives an apology speech at a local community explaining his actions during the incident and wins the respect of the community, assuring them that a beautiful day should not be spoiled by a few "bad apples". After the meeting, the board of directors, the assistant managers and the community leaders have a brief meeting, wherein Richard inadvertently refers to the gang as "black apples", infuriating the head community leader (Chris Gardner).
After several attempts to eliminate each other as competitors, both Doug and Richard, along with another prospect, are summoned by the board of directors for a final interview. Richard's hopes are shattered when it is revealed that a drug test is required, as he has recently smoked marijuana. Shortly after the interview, Doug is given a call by Mitch and notified that he has landed the job, as Richard failed his drug test and the other candidate is too junior-grade for the position. He celebrates by doing cartwheels and backflips while crossing the street – finally confirming the earlier rumor about himself. Meanwhile, after reuniting with his wife, Richard and his family return to Canada to his old grocery store, where he is reported to have become the store manager after singlehandedly stopping an accidental fire (which is rumored to have been started by Richard himself). | prank, satire, boring, flashback | train | wikipedia | My first clue that "The Promotion" might have a little more below the surface than the usual Seann William Scott junior gag fest was the trailer...it didn't have too much easy humor and the plot seemed genuinely human, and even sensitive.
Something was up.After seeing the film, I am pleased to say that lurking under the veneer of a slightly stupid mass-market comedy is a deftly knowing little indie movie waiting to surface.The bad part of course is --- I don't know if many who would like the film will see it.
Yeah, there are a few pratfalls, but most of the time you're shriveling in your seat feeling horribly for John Reilly.He's always been incredible at cutting to the human core of all his characters and he really shines in this part.
Naturally there's some tension between both men competing for the position, but overall the humor is weak; the competitive nature of the applicants is unconvincing and the story flat-lines a couple of minutes into the film.John C.
Reilly is the hopeful manager from Canada while the incumbent is Seann William Scott.There's nothing to it, nothing to expect and with only a hint of infidelity or upheaval, it's best left out of the spotlight - preferably collecting dust someplace in a $1 rental outlet....
Reilly and Will Farrell, I was not expecting much when I watched Reilly star alongside Seann William Scott in what looked to me like your standard rivalry comedy.
Scott is Doug Stauber, a regular guy with a regular job at a supermarket and he's looking to get a promotion to store manager.
The simplicity of his character is illustrated in a charming interaction with his wife, where she assures him that things will be okay, she can get a job and help them make money.Doug: "I wanna be the primary breadwinner, Jen."Jen: "Female lions do the hunting
"Doug: "I'm not a lion, I'm a guy
"But then a Richard Wehlner, a charming Canadian transfer, arrives and they each realize that they are both seeking the same position.
Doug and Richard respect and even like each other, which makes their competition genuinely interesting.The movie centers on each man's inability to figure out how they are supposed to respond to and treat each other.
The escalation of their competition and the gradual collapse of their formality is far more than I had expected from the movie, and the best way that the movie succeeds is that it makes us want to root for both of them.I noticed another user said on the IMDb that the movie was like an attempt to "pull a Jim Carrey or Will Farrell." This person has missed the point of the movie so completely and so ridiculously that it's difficult for me to believe that he actually watched it.
The Promotion is a smart movie starring two guys best known for doing not very smart comedy.
This film is about two assistant managers of a supermarket fighting for a promotion to become the manager of the new branch.The two assistant managers, Doug and Richard, are both developed well.
Some comedies make you laugh out loud, but this one makes you smile inside.A languid tale of competition and two guys just trying to get bye in the world, both afraid of failure and willing to hurt the other to make it but each wrapped up in tragedy and common decency.It will come as a surprise to many that Seann William Scott can actually act and he has real if understated presence in this.John C Reilly is his usual excellent self but it is the tale that is the real star.It is easy to make a comedy based on physical slapstick or outrageous language and acts.
John C Reilly, who is both a tremendous character actor and a great comedy guy is the most disappointing aspect of the movie.
Her worse performance ever and would have been worthy of a Razzie award if the movie was higher profile and her role more prominent.There's still a nice basic plot, some moments are funny enough.
I felt like this was really obvious, but I guess not.It is great to see a movie that is funny, and does not have to use obscene material to accomplish this.
The strange fact is that it's the characters and the story of "The Promotion" which endeared the movie to me rather than the humour.That's not to say that "The Promotion" isn't funny because it is.
It may not be laugh-out-loud funny but it's filled with enough strange little moments (a scene of one employee at the supermarket shaving in the middle of the aisle for example) to raise a few smiles.Of the two main characters, Sean William Scott is the one whom the audience is drawn towards.
His competition for the position is played by the always reliable John C Reilly and it's nice that Reilly's character isn't presented as the bad guy but just a normal man with his own aspirations and dreams.
The same is also true if you enjoyed "The Weather Man" (also written by Steve Conrad) or "Juno" (Jason Bateman from that movie appears here in a brief cameo incidentally).Beneath the humour, i liked the message of "The Promotion" and the way in which it told that message.
sometimes we bump into each other" Reilly's character explains at one point) and, more specifically, on what it's like to be a man in the modern world.It may have some problems here or there (the Scottish accent used by Reilly's wife is terrible for example) but it has a big heart and is incredibly entertaining.
This movie looked like it could be funny, so I went this afternoon and wasn't disappointed.
Reilly), who were joined with a good supporting cast, including Jenna Fischer (from NBC's "The Office"), who plays Doug's wife, and Fred Armisen (from "SNL"), who plays Doug & Richard's boss.The writing was excellent and the dialogue seemed to flow naturally.
It at least makes up for the forgettable "Mr. Woodcock".I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone in the mood for a good comedy, well written & acted..
After watching Mr.Woodcock and Southland Tales, I was really looking forward to Seann William Scott's next production "The Promotion".
Reilly gives a good performance although his character was a bit unpredictable, at first I sort of expected an intense but wacky rivalry like one of Vince Vaughn's treacherous characters, but John played a goofball with some serious cultural clashes.
The other characters fit in well, with notable exceptions to the store manager and the executive guy, Mitch, who was very suave and professional throughout the movie.7/10, it's a good viewing for those who like to laugh, settle down, perceive some rather dramatic or emotional parts, then laugh again..
I went into The Promotion hoping for a nice comedy to pass the evening, seeing as, after all, it was Sean Williams Scott and this John Reilly fella.
Mr. John C Reiley has made a name for himself through such drama filled gems as "walk hard" and "talladega knights." It's good to see The Promotion allow him to evolve and branch out into such a complex character.
God forbid the actors/actresses in this movie make the slightest effort to provide any humanistic qualities or emotions in their roles, and actually make you identify and relate to them.acting was god-awful, writing was even worse, there is no cinematography to speak of, etc.P.S. Lili Taylor (she's amazing in 'six feet under') with an F-ING Scottish ACCENT?!?!?!?
Sean William Scott played a push over, a wimp who was the opposite of the American Pie Stifler character that he's known for.
it is clear to me that Seann William Scott has been chosen to play his part here because his appeal towards the "American pie" franchise; those teenagers that are a bit older right now and find themselves in a corporate environment that "takes no prisoners".
i kid you not, there is NOTHING to be learned here at all, i can not believe i have wasted my time to watch such nonsense.this is about the struggle and stress any American worker encounters at his/her work place; the competition that is promoted within any corporation for achieving "maximum best".
all black people are complete stereotypes(the worst ones), all Latin people always work the low end jobs(!?), Canadians are "wiered", and the list can go on...for anyone thinking this is anything like "office space", i warn you; stay away.
I sat there watching this film, waiting to be entertained, waiting to laugh and waiting to see these characters battle for said promotion.
It's an unfunny, undecided film that lost it's focus from the script stage.The two leads are Sean William Scott and John C.
He seems to be trying to leave the immature image of him at the door, it doesn't seem to be working because he is boring people to death.The main problem with the film is that these two guys don't battle for said promotion.
An assistant manager (Seann William Scott) works for a grocery store for years, he apply for the manager spot at a new branch opening near his home.
Now the two workers start competition with each other for the job and as well for finding their weakness.Written and Directed by Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happiness, The Weather Man, Wrestling Ernest Hemingway) made an uneven, sometimes amusing comedy about two different men, who have goals for their future.
Fairly sloppy indie comedy about two guys, Seann William Scott and John C.
Reilly, vying for a promotion to head manager at a soon-to-open branch of the grocery store at which they work.
But when it works sometimes it does so brilliantly, and the film certainly has its great moments (Scott's discovery of the ancientness of a Hilights-like magazine he finds at the doctor's office, for example, or the brief flashback to Reilly's improbable biker gang days).
In this film, the director and writer (Steve Conrad) and the writer stereotype the actors playing characters who are considered to be insiders or outsiders (this is clearly seen in characterizations by Seann William Scott and John C.
Strangely enough, these acts of sabotage are few and far between, and didn't come off as either funny or essential, but more like that of desperation.Seann William Scott can never seem to be able to break out from his jock role, though his Doug Stauber tried hard to carry the movie through by sharing with the audience his hopes and dreams, of being stuck in a dead end routine job with an incompetent boss.
Reilly's Richard Welhner from the supermarket's sister company in Canada, and he too is eying that job so that he can feed his family and provide them the nice to haves like various enrichment classes.
I have been use to hilariously great movies from SWS, i hope this backwards step isn't going to be an ongoing feature of his films.
Another probably otherwise pointless genre teaser In writer Conrad's directorial debut, Doug (Seann William Scott) assistant manager at a chain store called Donaldson's, must make it to manager at the new branch soon opening up so his wife can continue her medical training and they can make a down payment on a modest house.
And in the end somebody wins the job.Is this a serious film with some comic moments (and overly pushed recurrent jokes), or a comedy that isn't very funny?
Reilly as an increasingly uninteresting loser; at best it may give Seann William Scott hope, if he wants it, of taking on more serious roles; but has he the depth for them?
Some of the jokes in The Promotion (IE: "black apples" and the foreigner who gets violent over a box of Teddy Grahams) seem geared more for mainstream comedy films, while the observations the film makes about male masculinity along with the nine-to-five hell of the workplace make the film a more low-key comedy with abrupt situational humor.A strange hybrid this is, placing two talented actors at its core - the inherently likable Seann William Scott and the exuberant character actor John C.
The blatant comedy actually works more often than not, and the ideas it throws in about male masculinity and striving for the top position work, even if they're only given a surface explanation and depiction in the film.Scott and Reilly also nicely and subtly personify the conflict between younger, more adaptable blood and older, more traditionalist blood.
Very often it feels like a teenager who occasionally wants to be insightful and sometimes just wants to be lazy.Starring: Seann William Scott and John C.
A lot of familiar faces keep popping up in the course of "The Promotion," a charming indie comedy set in the outskirts of Chicago.The ever-endearing Seann William Scott (Stifler from the "American Pie" series) plays Doug Stauber, an assistant manager at a grocery store who's having trouble controlling not only his own subordinates but the obnoxious gang members who seem to have taken up residence in the parking lot and spend their time harassing the shoppers.
Seann William's Scott (Doug) was okay but he never really seemed that interested and wasn't funny.
Brave in that it doesn't give you what you expect from a comedy about Sean William Scott and John C.
Some will find this violation of expectations refreshing -- others will end up let down and bored.Scott and Reilly are assistant managers for a fictitious supermarket in Chicago.
So if understated humor is your thing, it's pretty entertaining.Sean William Scott as a straight-laced operator is pretty rough cause you're always expecting him to break out into hijinx and act like a goofball.
American Pie famous Seann William Scott really acted well in tough situations, John C.
The main beauty of the movie is simplicity, characters feel like real humans.
I saw who was in the movie and I thought this would actually make for a good comedy.
I was expecting more comedy from the movie.Seann William Scott (playing Doug Stauber) and John C.
Reilly did add their own personal touches to the movie and their characters.
Fred Armisen (playing Scott Fargas) was also quite good in this movie, despite having only a supporting role."The Promotion" has a good storyline, but it is not really all that rich on comedy, which was a disappointment to me.
Reminded me of jobs I had worked in where people didn't take things very seriously.I would recommend this movie to others (and I have).BTW, it was nice to see Seann William Scott take a departure from his usual idiotic roles..
Scott wasn't really very convincing saying all the time he loves the movie.
Doug (Seann William Scott) is a seemingly ordinary guy who works as the assistant manager of a supermarket near Chicago.
Reilly), a gregarious recent hire at the store who has relocated to Illinois from Canada, announces he's also applying for the management position, and a keen rivalry develops between Doug and Richard even as they strive to act like friends on the surface.
"The Promotion" from the writer of "Pursuit of Happiness" and one of my favorite films of all time "The Weather Man", Steven Conrad makes his smashing directorial debut that delivers all the laughs and the no-holds barred satirical commentary on modern day corporate environment.
Reilly and Seann William Scott worked really well.
It started off great, story was OK (tho overdone it never gets boring cuz it's so real) and characters were decent -although John Reilly's character kept switching (I don't think the writer/director knew what he wanted exactly).
But that basically is the problem with this movie: the two assistant managers compete for the main managerial spot at a new location opening soon BUT instead of quirky and witty games, tricks and etc to play on each other NEITHER of them are bad guys so neither of them are doing it...
Seann William Scott and John C Reilly are competing assistant managers in a large scale chain store who end up competing for the manager spot in a soon to open new location.
I expected better from Steve Conrad who has written really good films like The Pursuit of Happiness and The Weather Man. The plot was unoriginal.
Outrageously stupid film with 2 basic losers vying for a store manager's position that is opening in a new branch store being opened.How any member of personnel could even think of choosing these 2 jerks is beyond me.The jokes are corny but there is plenty of racism here and it's real stupidity depicted at its best.How did John C.
THE PROMOTION (2008) **1/2 Sean William Scott, John C.
"The Promotion" stars Seann William Scott (in his most challenging role since "Dude, where's my car") and John C Reilly (in his best work since "Never Been Kissed") as two rival assistant managers at a grocery store.
I was hoping for non-stop pranks and capers, yet the film didn't go there and just placed Reilly's character, Richard, in a few awkward moments where he was made to look stupid.
You'd expect some non-stop shenanigans and then it turns out neither gets the job, but the film plays out quite like how it would in real life.
Neither actor is given much of a leash and is played reasonably straight.The film was OK (wifey actually really liked it), but I guess didn't turn out how I expected.
I felt like a night of silly jokes but the film didn't deliver, although I kind of respect what the writer/director (Steve Conrad, who wrote "The Pursuit of Happiness") tried to do.
But that sort of comes when you have Sean William Scott and John C Reilly as your stars.
Scott is pretty good but Reilly's character is dull and boring and the film takes on those characteristics as well.
Ahh, it seems to be that director (Steve Conrad) remembered everything, and – as the movie's writer – forgot the script !(The Promotion) is a delicate movie, but cold as a drama or comedy. |
tt0064137 | Castle Keep | The film opens with long, beautiful shots of ancient European art and sculptures being blown to pieces amidst the sounds of war and dissonant screams; a lone narrator begins his tale of "eight American soldiers" as the scene abruptly flashes back to a few weeks beforehand. Prior to the Battle of the Bulge, a ragtag squad of American soldiers (strongly implied to be some sort of replacement outfit), led by one-eyed Major Falconer (Burt Lancaster) and including Sgt. Rossi (Peter Falk), art expert Captain Beckman (Patrick O'Neal), and the highly intelligent narrator and sole African-American, Pvt. Allistair Benjamin (Al Freeman, Jr.), takes shelter in an ancient Belgian castle, the Maldorais, containing many priceless and irreplaceable art treasures. Although Falconer begins an affair with the young and beautiful Countess, he is surprised to find the Count (Jean-Pierre Aumont) encouraging him; in fact, the impotent nobleman hopes the Major will impregnate the Countess so that his line may continue. Meanwhile, Beckman begins to butt heads with Falconer over both the value of the art (in the context of either saving or destroying it in the event of a German assault) as well as Beckman's own unrequited attraction to the Countess, who seems to symbolize the beauty and majesty of the European art he studied before the war. The enlisted men seek their own pleasures in the brothel of the nearby town, the psychedelic "Reine Rouge" (Red Queen) run by a mystical madam, whilst Beckman marvels at the castle's artworks, many of which are stored beneath the castle for safekeeping. Sgt. Rossi, a baker before the war, falls in love with a baker's widow and decides to go AWOL, resuming his pre-war life; another soldier falls in love with a Volkswagen Beetle; his affection for the foreign vehicle borders on paraphilia and becomes a long running and anachronistic gag throughout the entire movie.
The film from this point on begins to reach a surreal climax, as the soldiers' days of leisure and peace threaten to undermine the very reality of the war itself. A recurring theme throughout their escapades is the very idea of eternal recurrence itself, as one soldier drunkenly ponders out loud if maybe he's "been here before". Although the men are eager to sit out the war that they feel will soon end, the experienced Major Falconer predicts that Germans will attack the thin American positions in the Ardennes and that the castle is a strategic point in the Germans advance towards the crossroads of Bastogne. The Major's theories are confirmed when he sees German star shell signals and successfully ambushes a German reconnaissance patrol led by a German officer who was once billeted in the castle and was a lover of the Countess as well.
Captain Beckman and the Count are horrified that the Major will not abandon the castle, a decision that will surely lead to its destruction; Falconer, however, is adamant that to give the Germans one thing means that they'll just end up "taking everything" later on (see appeasement). Falconer prepares defensive positions around the castle and sends his unit into town. The Germans are initially taken by surprise, as Falconer directs the local sex workers at the "Reine Rouge" to draw them into a trap with Molotov cocktails; however, the defenders soon find themselves outnumbered and outgunned (although two GIs manage to steal and repurpose a working German tank, which they jokingly claim is "better than ours"). Seeing no other choice but to retreat to the safety of the castle, Falconer attempts to rally shell shocked American troops retreating from the Ardennes into the Maldorais, forcing (at gunpoint) a band of zealous, hymn-singing conscientious objectors, led by Lt. Billy Byron Bixto Bruce Dern, to lead the dazed survivors in a bizarre Pied Piper-esque procession; symbolically, they are all mostly killed by an exploding shell, all except for Falconer, who stoically returns to the castle for his last stand astride a pale white horse. He returns to find that the Count has run over to the German lines; Beckman thinks he has a scheme to betray them and let the Germans seize the castle by using the underground storage tunnels to gain access; however, it is soon revealed that the Count was really only trying to buy as much time for the Americans as possible so that they could make it to the castle and strengthen their defenses. As soon as his ruse is discovered, he is gunned down trying to run from the Germans. Falconer and Beckman put aside their personal and ideological differences and grimly prepare for the oncoming assault with a .50 caliber machine gun pointed across the castle grounds.
At the conclusion of the film, everyone defending the castle—with the exception of Pvt. Benjamin and the pregnant Countess, who escape to safety using the art storage tunnels, following the last, direct orders of Maj. Falconer—is killed by waves upon waves of besieging Germans in an absurd battle scene featuring the enemy storming the gates using the ladder carrying fire trucks, and much of the castle (along with its art treasures) is eventually obliterated by artillery, incendiaries and other modern day weapons. Falconer, the last defender left alive, begins to think of all of the people whom he has killed or have died because of his actions as well as the Countess as he guns down the rapidly approaching swarms of German soldiers, implying that he did indeed feel guilty about their deaths and that he had indeed loved the Countess much more than he had ever let on; a shell finally lands on top of his position and explodes as the screen goes white. The film ends where it began, echoing the theme of eternal recurrence, with more long shots of the undemolished Maldorais as it once stood as well as a voice-over of Benjamin's narration from the very beginning before the scene fades to black. | tragedy, anti war, psychedelic, satire, violence | train | wikipedia | Now that I've watched CASTLE KEEP for myself, all I can say is that it's arguably the strangest mainstream war movie ever and decidedly not for all tastes!The relatively large cast (for what turns out to be an introspective film) is uniformly excellent and is well up to the requirements of the brilliantly surreal, funny and literate script; Burt Lancaster, wearing an eye-patch throughout, has an unsympathetic role as the formidable leader of a group of misfit soldiers taking over a Belgian castle against unseen invading German troops.
He is skillfully abetted by Peter Falk (as a soldier who abandons his post to indulge in his vocation as a baker), Jean-Pierre Aumont (as the "degenerate" owner of the titular castle), Patrick O'Neal (as a celebrated art historian all at sea on the battleground but well in his element surrounded by the castle's objets d' art), Scott Wilson (as a soldier who gets into quite a unique relationship more on this later), Tony Bill (as the most spiritual of the men) and, the other side of the coin, Bruce Dern as a Bible-thumping conscientious objector who walks the Belgian rubbles with his ragged band of revivalist deserters-followers.
The terrific cinematography of the awesome European locations courtesy of Henri Decae is complimented by a fine Michel Legrand score and, when they finally come, spectacular battle sequences.But it's the odd, surreal touches including Scott Wilson falling in love with a Volkswagen, the same car rising from the sea after it has been drowned by his envious companions and floating ashore all by itself, the moving sequence between Tony Bill and an unseen German soldier (subsequently needlessly shot by Peter Falk) where the latter teaches the former how to play the flute correctly, the unusually realistic talk of fornication, sexual organs, impotence, the ambiguous (perhaps ghostly) nature of the characters involved and the events being enacted, etc.
The theme of the relevance of art in times of war brings forth comparisons to John Frankenheimer's THE TRAIN (1964), also starring Burt Lancaster, whose third (and final) collaboration with director Sydney Pollack after the previous year's THE SCALPHUNTERS and THE SWIMMER (where Pollack replaced original director Frank Perry but goes uncredited) this proved to be
perhaps as a result of the critical beating the film received upon its original release!.
War is hell and war is insane, we've been told many times before, but rather than a bitter, angry polemic, this film is a surreal, dark-humored allegory that is as light as a fairy tale at times but ends up being the movie 'Apocalypse Now' wanted to be.
Their commander (Burt Lancaster) stubbornly decides to fortify the ancient treasurehouse and put up resistance to the enemy rather than passing it by, risking the castle's destruction along with a millennium's worth of acquired art.It's impossible to imagine this movie being made even five years before it was, but by 1969 the Vietnam War had done a number on a lot of people's thinking and provided some different perspectives.
The squad, led by an eye-patched Burt Lancaster, try to halt the German advance by hunkering down in a medieval castle that has been miraculously unaffected by the tribulations of the war.
Unusual (more realistic - and surrealistic - than in other films) point of view on horrors of war, good directing and a strong cast.
Very unusual films for Hollywood standards, very brave, and as it seems timeless.In an interview Mr. Pollack once said that he thinks Castle Keep was way ahead of its time.
The film is nominally about a group of American soldiers who are making a stand at a Belgian castle--waiting for the inevitable attack from the Germans around the time of the Battle of the Bulge (December, 1944).
There's the wife of the castle who sleeps with various men because her husband is impotent and he wants a son, there's an art historian(!) who gives lectures to men who have zero interest--but who LOVE to hang out at a brothel filled with 1960s-style prostitutes, a guy who is in love with a VW and predicts it's the car of the future, a guy who wants to do nothing but bake--so he hangs out in town and bakes bread, a group of religious freaks who are pretty much guaranteed to offend and folks talking about the meaning of life.
A cult film that Columbia Pictures has done the devil to bury, keeps resurfacing because of it's exceptional poetry, invention, and flawless execution - on the part of director, editor, and camera crew, but also thanks to some of the most powerful acting on film, especially from Lancaster and Falk.The writers and the director have striven hard to push the boundaries of cinematic story telling, and to do so without looking 'low budget', as many other more intellectually advanced films of the period did.In the last analysis, calling this film 'anti-war' is as inappropriate as saying that of Sam Fuller's "Big Red One".
But as Fuller made plain in his wholly realistic film, war creates just the sort of environment where the surreal happens.BTW, what made this a cult film in the first place is not any 'anti-war' message (the message is actually more 'anti-European' if you follow the dialog closely), but rather its remarkable comedic sense of the absurd, made most famous by the affair with the Volkswagen, but actually more impressive with Falk's baker (who moves in with the Belgian town's baker's wife, because, well, that's what bakers do, they live with baker's wives).All this adds up to a stunning, even shocking film, that is still highly entertaining.
Travelling through Ardennes forest, American Major Falconer leads his small rag-tag platoon to the medieval castle that belongs to the Count of Maldorais, so they can use it as a stronghold against the German soldiers.
Adapted from William Eastlake's novel, this is pretty much a calm conversational piece that likes to philosophically reflect on itself with a haunting and decisive charge, before it changes pace (and somewhat direction) to actually lead up to a loud, chaotic, brutal and taut action climax in the dying stages of the film.Pollacks' smooth n' breezy execution leads the way to a slow plodding pace, where it's a clash of personalities and a lot little trivia set in motion.
Burt Lancaster's stoically dominating portrayal, with a smart slight tongue is excellently delivered and Peter Falk's no-nonsense, grounded to reality performance is superb as the baker at heart Sergeant Rossi.
It took me a long while to think of it, but he's almost like the Eleanor character in The Haunting, because of the way he's taken over by the castle completely, and his "private war" with the major because of it.
Burt Lancaster is a Major with an eye patch in the U.S. army commanding a squad of men charged with protecting a medieval castle.
Then the Germans arrive and the action begins in this last stand film as the Battle of the Bulge gets started.This was director Sydney Pollack's second film with Burt Lancaster and he was something of a protégé for Lancaster.
There's good reason for this.THE PLOT: The Germans are marching on a Belgium village in the Ardennes where a squad of American soldiers makes a stand at a 10th century castle."Castle Keep" has a lot going for it: a great cast, including Burt Lancaster, Peter Falk, Bruce Dern & more; fabulous Yugoslavian Winter locations & castle; thrilling action scenes; it's well-made on a technical level by renowned director Sydney Pollack; and it hardly comes across dated, even though it's fifty years old (as of this writing).
Fans of the film describe it as "poetic" & "haunting" and it's obvious the filmmakers were shooting for something groundbreaking, meaningful, artistic and amusing.Unfortunately "Castle Keep" is mostly uninteresting until well into the second half, which is when the great action scenes start.
I busted out laughing!Speaking of which, I busted out laughing quite a bit throughout, which shows that the movie works as a satire or low-key war comedy.A reviewer offered the interpretation that one soldier, the writer, is simply remembering how it was, not how it really was, and that's why it comes across so dreamlike and bizarre.
Starring Burt Lancaster, Bruce Dern, Patrick O'Neal, Jean-Pierre Aumont and Peter Falk.
The action when it comes is savage and colourful, and Lancaster's one eyed Major is good fun, it's just everything else is masquerading as a near hallucinogenic anti-war movie mixed with euro pontifications.
Set during the time of The famous Battle of the Bulge, this war film will stand the test of time and become part of Lancaster's greats.
The story concerns a war weary company of U.S. soldiers who have been ordered to hold a particular crossroads near a 10th century pristine Castle.
Though the heart of the movie concerns the holding of the Castle, the story also delves into the personal thoughts and feelings of the Major's men.
The amount of drama and exciting war time action is enough for any viewer who enjoys films of military conflicts.
A group of American soldiers defend an isolated castle against German soldiers.Castle Keep (1969) is an anti-war film directed by Syndey Pollack.The cast list looks quite handsome, starting from Burt Lancaster, who plays the one-eyed Major Falconer.Then we have Peter Falk playing Sergeant Rossi.Sadly we lost Peter, the great actor, last June at the age of 84.Patrick O'Neal plays Captain Lionel Beckman.Jean-Pierre Aumont is The Count of Maldorais.Scott Wilson is Corporal Clearboy.Tony Bill plays Lieutenant Amberjack.Al Freeman Jr. is Private Allistair Piersall Benjamin.Bruce Dern plays the part of pacifist Lieutenant Billy Byron Bix.This movie is quite surreal, maybe even to the point it turns against it.But there was something I liked in this movie.One quite interesting scene was the German flute expert in the bushes.
And man's undying love for Volkswagen is something I can't remember seeing in any other movies.Not to forget Peter Falk and the breads.If you have seen many war films, and you want to see something different, then you should watch this..
Almost incidentally about war, it features a delightful supporting role by Falk, a subdued and powerful Lancaster, a literate script and Sydney Pollack's sure hand at quirky story telling.
But let's not forget the strong performances delivered by Peter Falk (as a private who prefers to bake fresh bread, rather than fight a dirty war) and Bruce Dern (as a sort of conscience objector of the times).The landscape, the scenery, are magic to say the least.
These soldiers, all want a spot in which to be at peace, and thought they have found it, are then suddenly, brought back to reality through the German counteroffensive in the Ardennes.Most of the movie, is a consideration on what a folly war is in the face of so simple realities of everyday life, such as indeed, baking bread, early in the morning and smelling its fresh and "clean" scent.
What matters is that when in the right frame of mind and when the occasion justifies it, we all are guilty of "willing" a war.This is why "Castle Keep" is not just a novel or a movie, but rather a mirror placed right in front of us, forcing us to think and think hard.
I remember that even in the movie theater, it was shown in a Monaural version.Pity they don't make them anymore like this, but then again, where would you find actors of a caliber such as Burt Lancaster, Bruce Dern, Peter Falk or even, Patrick O'Neal?
He was given an all star cast of excellent actors, a fantastic castle and town set locations, a great premise for an epic movie and he comes up with *this* drivel?The film has absolutely *NO* plot, it alternates between a war movie, a comedy, an anti war movie, and does a uniformly bad job at all of them.
There is 1960's "hippy" speeches, a roving group of religious zealots, a fully equipped fantasy whorehouse, a beautiful unblemished story book castle in the middle of a war zone late in 1944, and that's just the few things that pop immediately into my mind.This movie is too bad to be good, too lame to be camp, too stupid to make *any* point except "-Look at just how bad a director can fail-"Do yourself a favor and skip this one.
During the first half of this 106-minute movie, castle owner Count of Maldorais (Jean-Pierre Aumont of "The Siren of Atlantis") welcomes Major Falconer, Captain Beckman (Patrick O'Neal of "El Condor"), Lieutenant Amberjack (Tony Bill of "Ice Station Zebra"), Sergeant Rossi (Peter Falk of "Anzio"), Sergeant DaVaca (Michael Conrad of "Sol Madrid"), Corporal Clearboy (Scott Wilson of "In Cold Blood"), Private Allistair Piersall Benjamin (Al Freeman, Jr. of "The Lost Man"), and Elk (James Patterson of "Lilith") to the castle and hope that they will defend it from the enemy.
Principally, Maldorais wants them to save his works of art and hopes that the virile Major will get his classically gorgeous wife, Therese (Astrid Heeren of "Silent Night, Deadly Night"), pregnant because the count is impotent and needs a male heir.After the Americans settle in—Falconer warms up the master bedroom with Therese, the soldiers head into town to the Red Queen brothel, while Rossi befriends the widow of a baker (Olga Bisera of Women in Cell Block 7") and starts baking bread.
The second half concerns the castle defense and a brief but explosive battle with tanks blasting away at the architecture as well as the Americans concealed behind it.Despite its pretentious, cool attitude toward warfare, "Castle Keep" qualifies as a traditional war movie, but it is far from conventional.
Indeed, some of the best World War II era films dealt with gallant last stands, such as "Wake Island," "Bataan," and "China." The Germans constitute a faceless enemy.
You can tell that "Castle Keep" is an anti-war movie because it refuses to glorify warfare.
If a bunch of hippies teamed up with Federico Fellini to make a WW2 film after attending an anti Vietnam war rally, it would probably look something like director Sydney Pollack's "Castle Keep".Psychedelic, surreal and zany, "Castle Keep" opens with a series of dreamy shots.
Recognising that the German Army is advancing toward a nearby town, Falconer decides to turn a medieval castle into his own private fortress; the Germans will have to destroy it and him if they wish to advance any further.Fittingly for a film released in 1969, amidst the social turmoils of then-contemporary United States, Falconer's men are a gang of Vietnam-era slackers, shirts untucked, jaded, cynical and tired of killing.
Destruction, for Falconer, is its own brand of beauty.Late in the film, it is revealed that Falconer is sleeping with the wife (Astrid Heeren) of the Count (Jean-Pierre Aumont) to whom the castle belongs.
The only one who gets what he loves, seems to be Falconer."Castle Keep" echoes the counterculture-inflected war films of the 1960s and 1970s ("Catch-22", "Kelly's Heroes", "Go Tell the Spartans", "MASH", "Dirty Dozen" etc).
The film hits its height nearing the end with an air attack that is quite brutal.When the plot does finally kick in (essentially their story of survival and keeping the Germans from taking over the castle), you are engrossed with what's happening, so it's easy to be inclined to think that it's a better film than it is.
No doubt someone will tell me I'm missing a deeper meaning to the film, but I'm not sure I want to know what it is.To top it off, the movie is so dull that I could have cared less what was happening to the characters.
During World War II a small squad of 8 American soldiers led by Major Abraham Falconer (Burt Lancaster) relocate to a castle in Belguim.
The count and his castle have survived German occupation, and he does not want his world destroyed by GIs turning it into a modern war roadblock.
His ally is Patrick Neal's Captain Beckman, who happens to be an authority on art and pleads with Falconer to continue their retreat so the castle and its art treasures can be spared.On the other hand, the scheming count wants his beautiful young wife impregnated for an heir and the predominating Major Falconer takes diversion from his unit and the war to do that duty, while killing a young German officer who had tried to return to see her.
TV series: the château program with Joan Hackett as the count's daughter and the demolition - of all the beautiful statuary in the cave under the bombed out château and German observation point - program with Charles Bronson.Finally, Private Benjamin represents what Pollack may have thought was the most relevant and valuable art, chronicling the castle's last epic, and his and the countess's fate - dictated by Major Falconer - is the true climax and message of the film.Lou Coatney.
Where they came from is unknown.Leading the group is a one-eyed Major Falconer (Burt Lancaster) who wastes no time in bedding the castle's Mistress Therese (Astrid Heeren) who is by the way, the wife/niece of the Count.
Beckman (Patrick O'Neal), Sgt. Rossi, a baker (Peter Falk) who moves in with the local town baker's wife, Cpl. Clearboy (Scott Wilson) who falls in love with a Volkswagen, young Lt. Amberjack (Tony Bill), Sgt. Devaca (Michael Conrad), Pvt. Elk, an Indian (James Patterson) and Pvt. Benjamin (Al Freeman Jr.) an aspiring author who narrates the story.Count Maldorais manages to convince the group to defend his castle and its treasures against an expected German attack.
As stated before, a group of American soldiers are stationed in a castle near the end of World War 2, and eventually meet a German offensive at the nearby town and at the castle itself.
All in all, Castle Keep is a surreal film, which may turn some viewers off, but the combat sequences are good, and the movie is good entertainment for an evening.. |
tt0367652 | Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo | Gigolos in Europe are being terrorized by a serial killer. In Malibu, Deuce Bigalow's wife Kate has died from a shark attack, and Deuce is invited by his former pimp T.J. Hicks to Amsterdam. Deuce goes to take his mind off of Kate.
After T.J. shows Deuce his boat, or "float crib," the pair go to a coffee shop where they get high and bump into Heinz Hummer, a German gigolo. After leaving the coffee shop, Deuce finds Hummer dead in an alley, but thinks he is merely stoned and takes the dead gigolo to T.J.'s float crib; when T.J. gets back, he immediately realizes that Hummer is dead. T.J. plans to dump the body, but skeptical of Hummer's reputation of being well-endowed, unzips his pants and examines his genitalia and is caught by a tour boat.
Upon his release from the police station, Deuce finds T.J. at a restaurant and recalls that he saw the killer walking away from Hummer's body. Deuce says it was a woman, so they both figure it was a she-john, a former client of the murdered gigolo. T.J. convinces Deuce to find the killer by becoming a gigolo again, visiting the former clients and "rooting" out the killer. They attend a meeting of the Royal Order of European Man Whores, but fail to procure a list of the clients.
Deuce and T.J. visit the first client on the list. While Deuce distracts the woman, T.J. breaks into her residence and finds a brand of lipstick which might be the kind found on all the victims. After leaving, Deuce finds Gaspar on the street and shows him the lipstick. Gaspar throws the lipstick in the trash, mentioning that the lipstick found on the victims "is a very rare one: Lavender Love #66". As Gaspar enters the police station, his niece, Eva, approaches him and gives him his lunch. Eva slaps herself three times when Gaspar sneezes. Deuce helps her pick up the things she dropped, and Eva explains to Deuce that she has obsessive-compulsive disorder. Deuce sees that she has a painting of a fish, so they go to the Amsterdam aquarium together. Deuce continues to investigate different women from Antoine's book.
Deuce rides with Gaspar to the Man-Whore Awards Ceremony under the guise of protecting the man-whores. Gaspar pulls a gun on Deuce and tells him that he was once a man-whore hopeful. While Gaspar was observing a demonstration on how to perform a certain sex act, one of his classmates offered to let him use his penis-enlargement pump. When the demonstration ended, Gaspar was horrified the demonstration was his fiancée. Gaspar was so angry and shocked that he continued to pump until his penis exploded, causing the other men to laugh at him. He blames man-whores for the loss of his fiancée and his penis, and plans to kill them all at their awards ceremony.
At the ceremony, Deuce evacuates the building and gets into a sword fight with Gaspar, during which he mentions the other romantic ways of pleasing a woman; his words move the ladies in the crowd and the male gigolos. Gaspar beats Deuce, but before he can detonate the bomb, the woman with a penis for a nose and the woman with the tracheotomy distract Gaspar. Deuce knocks out Gaspar with a trophy taking the bomb detonator. For his bravery, Deuce is given the Golden Boner award. He shares a passionate kiss with Eva, and accidentally sets off the bomb when the statue's penis bumps the detonator button. Deuce and Eva leave the scene. The following day, Deuce and Eva come to pick up T.J., who has been released from jail, and tells them that he is entering a brand new prostitution market: gay man-whoring.
In an epilogue: T.J. stops gay man-whoring and becomes a rapper, Deuce and Eva got married with Eva being pregnant, Gaspar becomes a man-whore in prison, Kate's prosthetic leg is turned into a bong by a lady without a leg and Norm Macdonald is mentioned again. | comedy, humor, satire, entertaining, flashback | train | wikipedia | Americans may even be offended at how the war in Iraq is mentioned by a Frenchman, and the aggression against people waving an American flag, sending out a political stab by Mr. Schneider.There is much eye for detail, like the shirts Deuce is wearing, or the fact that he calls Eva 'ay-va' as the Dutch would do, the fun with the street name ('Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal', notorious in Holland for its red-light district) and the names and phone-numbers in the little black book (DVD freeze frame).So, being Dutch myself, I found this flick pretty amusing!PS.
Meanwhile, he meets the gorgeous Eva (Hanna Verboom), and while dating her, he suspects that she may be the wanted killer."Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo" is politically incorrect, rude, gross but also hilarious and extremely funny.
This movie is a great entertainment for non-conceited people that accept jokes with stereotypes and like this type of humor.
This sequel of DEUCE BIGALOW: MALE GIGOLO is pretty funny too, but even so, I think the first one was a bit more hilarious.
The scene where the cop is lightning TJ's joint, at the coffee-shop, or the scene where this guy says that the truck full of Marijuana that he's driving is to his daughter's birthday party, which is going to make 13, are hilarious and are hyperboles that clearly prove that exaggeration I mentioned.Once again Rob Schneider does a great job in this funny and entertaining movie..
Despite the fact that the story is a little simple, generic, and weak, the movie contains non-stop jokes that will make you laugh, whether you want to or not.
The movie does contain some immature humor, like the occasional fart joke, however, they are still funny.
This is definitely worth seeing if you want to laugh and enjoy crude and simple humor, such as in a good Adam Sandler movie(an old one, the new ones suck) or a good Farrely brothers movie..
Another funny sequence is when Schneider and his buddy attend a Coffee shop.With lines like "Kaizer, get back to your work" or "why is it called Space cake?" this movie is totally hilarious in all its stupidity.One of the worst movies of all time but also one of the funniest!See it and laugh your balls off!
surprisingly much better then the original with a interesting story line, also I found old jokes wern't repeated for cheap laughs, keeping the film fresh, which was a relief, as many sequels of comedies end up using the same jokes over and over again (like Austin Powers 2 and 3).
Eddie Griffin was great too, in his role as the "he-bitch", for those who have seen the movie, i'm sure that most of you would of, like me, had much difficulty to laughing when TJ found himself in a certain position, by the riverside, with a dead male gigolo.
I had walked in looking forward to the same fun and entertainment that I had experienced with Deuce Bigalow in the first one, and I think many of you movie- goers are in for the same huge let-down from this flop.
If you are really into the "college boy - crass, un-funny sexual jokes and bad language" type of movie, then you'll love it..
I think it's a very good movie, with lots of funny scenes.
The story line is the same, meaning innocent Deuce is more or less forced into man-whoring, so lots of funny scenes will follow (weird girls/men, unexpected situations); I don't want to say to much so I don't spoil the surprise...
Rob Schneider is great once again in the role of Deuce Bigelow and being in Amsterdam with a hole new country to 'play' in makes the film a great laugh.Parts of this film reminded me of Undercover Brother, which i also thought was a great film, and other parts of the film i wasn't expecting to see.
If you didn't like the original
.then don't watch European Gigolo
.it's as simple as that!European Gigolo is actually funnier than the first
..more jokes
..more visual mayhem.This film is not even close to as bad as everyone is saying.
In the tradition of terrible comedies such as John Goldfarb Please Come Home and Which Way to the Front, this R-rated entree is trouble from start to finish.Deuce Bigalow takes up where he left off as a jinxed widow who travels to Europe to join his pimp friend, T.
It's one thing to have bawdy sight gags and vulgar humor which can actually spice up a comedic romp like Animal House or American Pie, but the jokes here are terrible to begin with and inserted at awkward times as if the filmmakers didn't trust the material and threw in the kitchen sink, albeit a dirty one.
It does try to be good hearted and at times there is a glimmer of a decent scene only to be undermined by a sick punchline.Schneider tries too hard at being funny and seems like he is forcing the jokes which makes it even worse.
Not even the cameo/bit roles by Saturday Night Live alumni Norm MacDonald, Fred Armisen, and even Adam Sandler can bring life to the proceedings.It is best to avoid Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo at all costs, and unless you have nothing better to do with your free time, it is still best to sit in a corner and stare at a blank wall; you will be far more entertained.
But he has to make sure that he finds this killer before he ends up being murdered too.Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo was just a silly attempt at trying to make some money, because while there were still a couple laughs here and there, this still was a lame film.
Another funny thing is that I know that this was just a movie, but I'm American, and I was just offended for the way they handled the Europeans and how they are.
THE EYE CANDY as far as the ..uh eye could see!Some (a lot) of the movie was absolutely stupid, but you don't watch a Rob Schneider film for its intellectual qualities, you watch it for eye-candy.
It bashed America and Europe alike, had some degree of political humor, but stayed pretty neutral- offensive to everybody at some point or another!Humor was along the same lines as all the other Rob Schneider movies, you either like it or you don't :).
These types of people are probably living with the mothers and watching Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I also hate that this got a nominated as one of the worst movies of the year when movies like Syriana, Munique, and goodnight and good luck, all got nominated for Oscars but no one ever saw them.
This film will by no means change the world of comedy, but if you want simple entertainment and nothing but, you could do a lot worse than this movie..
And believe me i've seen a lot of movies but none as good Deuce Bigalow : European Gigalow if your the kind of person who likes comedies this is a must see oh yeah!
Really Not Worth It. Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo was a funny movie that really was a break out role for Rob Schneider.
If you don't find this movie funny, then you truly do not have a sense of humor - you are probably one of those people who need jokes explained to you.
Get a sense of humour and get it fast, this film is indeed crude it is indeed crammed full of sexual innuendo's but that's the point.I didn't go into the theatre expecting much in the way of a plot, and came out very pleasantly surprised by just how funny this film actually was..........its not smart comedy, its not subtle...its in your face, brash and sometimes down right disgusting, but it did what few "comedies" have managed to do this year and thats bring a genuine smile to my face.Comedy in my humble opinion has lost something that it had in the nineties.
Now as we reach the halfway point in this decade, the spotlight falls on one Deuce Bigalow, by far and large, the surefire, shoe-in worst movie of 2005.Do you remember a film that was compressed full of shouting, toilet jokes, pointless sick humour and downright deplorable?
When I was told that I could pick an older movie for free because I was renting a new release, I looked around and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo was sitting right there, so I grabbed it.(hey, Rob Schneider has always been cool with me) When I sat down to watch it I had low to no expectations, because I heard that the movie was pretty terrible, but to my pleasant surprise, it wasn't that bad.
They got me to laugh out loud quite a few times within the first couple of minutes and it continued throughout, I found that the story was actually interesting (for this type of movie), and I enjoyed the characters.
For example when deuce "dates" this girl who have a penis as a nose and when she sneezes she shouts cum, that is not great comedy just exaggerated sex jokes.The people who have voted 1 on this movie hasn't given this movie the correct vote, and they know it.
Little things like the OCD problems his girlfriend has, Adam Sandler as one of the dead Gigalos honored.Maybe I'm just highly attuned to the comedies deep sense of hidden jokes, but that's OK, its funnier when you watch a movie again and again and see little things you've missed.The best part wasn't easy to pinpoint, I was about to write about Chicken and Waffles, but then I thought of the burnt crispy penis in the pimp's hand.
Deuce's wife passed away before the mishap, two years before his visit to Amsterdam, and he carries around what's left of her to mixed reactions.Though I suppose you don't have to see the first movie, it does help, as his antics are similar: women who need men like him and their services, and they're a fine bunch, something I laugh about here!
Don't even listen to the other comments about this movie, i haven't watched such a good comedy in a while, went 3 times to the cinema to see it, and i still laugh my guts out, and not only me but the whole cinema room.It's a fresh movie brings a lot of new comedy acts with almost no cliché, brilliant role play by Rob Schneider and Eddie Griffin(probably the funniest thing in the movie,like Martin Lorans in Bad Boys ) and if you like watching comedies and you want something new you will definitely enjoy it.And about these comments about this being a shitty movie,please, don't even bother reading what those elderly people who watch only romantic or drama movies wrote....
The dialogue on coffeeshops brought back memories of my time in Amsterdam (no, I did not smoke nor inhale, in case you're wondering), and so do some of the scenery (I've been there!) And while there are some good looking jocks in this movie for the girls to ogle at, the guys will probably have their eyes transfixed on Hanna Verboom, who plays Deuce's main squeeze Eva. The Elite Model Look of the Year 2003 is mesmerizing - some guys have all the luck.It might not be THE comedy of the year, but it certainly has its moments.
I loved 'Deuce Bigalow:Male Gigolo.'Even though the sequel was much funnier than the first,I can't admit that it was as good as the first.Sure,there were more funnier moments in it,but the first had more potential.The plot is basically the same as 'Male Gigolo',only it takes place in Amsterdam.Rob Schneider and Eddie Grifin return to their same roles as in the first.Rob Schneider plays Deuce Bigalow and Eddie Griffin plays TJ the man-whore.So you can tell that there's a good cast in this movie,since those are the only actors that I know in the movie.There's more gross-out humor and inappropriate dialouge than the first,which basically keeps the movie flowing.Bottom line?This is a worth-watching comedy that fans of the first movie will enjoy..
It is now up to Deuce to go back to man-whoring in order to find out who it is that is trying to frame T.J. for the murder of several male gigolos all over Amsterdam.This movie falls short of its original.
And as I mentioned earlier most jokes do fall flat and there really isn't much here to keep the film going other than seeing Deuce try to help out dysfunctional women and fall in love with hottie Eva (Hanna Verboom) other then that the movie felt pretty flat.
All in all it might be a decent matinée or DVD rental for fans of Schneider or of the original film however if you didn't like one of the two or neither then I really do suggest you skip this film.MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo" is a 6/10.
Finally a true comedy that is rude crude and friggin' hilarious.Deuce Bigelowe 2 is so funny i ran out of breath from laughing so hard i began to gasp for air.This movie is filled with slapstick and crude humor that truly define comedy.A comedy is meant to make you laugh and even though this film didn't have solid characters,or witty humor it was still the best damn comedy i've seen in awhile.Dirty humor like American Pie,Euro-trip,and Wedding Crashers is all this film has and still it gets a low rating.Why?Sure this was over the top,rude,slapstick,and stupid-humor but that's what it was meant to do.This movies purpose was to entertain and amuse and in my opinion it did just that..
first off,i wasn't that big a fan of the first one,it had a few funny moments,but for the most part it was just stupid,so if you liked the first one then you're probably not going to agree with me.that said, i liked this one a lot more than i liked the first one,even though it was the dumbest movie I've seen in a while (& i see almost all of them )but i admit there were 2 maybe 3 parts where i laughed hard & out loud,so its not with out its merits.also i have to admit that the rest of the test audience was laughing a lot,so i guess this just isn't my thing.i don't bother with telling the plots or spoiling any secrets or twists,i just say whether or not i think you'll like it,& if you liked the first one,you should love this one.for me most of the jokes were just either lame,bad, or miles away predictable,there were lots of bad cuts,plot holes that were just jumped over for the sake of getting to the next bad joke,& as for trying to figure out who the killer is,its just so completely obvious from so early on,i have to hope it was meant to be...they cant really think any one was gonna have any trouble figuring it out...any way,you want some raunchy laughs then shut your brain off & enjoy,if you're looking for an intelligent story...RUN !.
Heart-broken after the tragic death of his one-legged wife Kate, male gigolo Deuce Bigalow (Rob Schneider) is talked into taking a trip to Amsterdam by his ex-pimp TJ (Eddie Griffin), where the pair become involved in the hunt for a serial killer targeting the city's man-whores.I loved the first Deuce Bigalow for its unashamedly tasteless low-brow humour, but this sequel tries too damned hard, not to just match the original, but to outdo it; as a result we get loads of extremely OTT and very puerile gags, few of which actually hit the mark.Where the first movie saw Deuce's services hired by a tall woman, an obese woman, a narcoleptic, and a Tourette's sufferer, this one has the reluctant man-whore meeting an OCD sufferer, a babe with a serious hygiene problem, a 'big bitch' with a baby fetish, a hunchback, a lady with a tracheostoma, another with unfeasibly huge ears, and a Russian woman with a penis for a nose and who sneezes jizz!!!.There are a few giggles to be had with all this nonsense, but most of the jokes are too far-fetched and fall flatter than a Dutch landscape.
But if the thought of seeing a dwarf tossed, a man eating a wad from a bowl of soup, and enough penis jokes to fill a novel don't give you cause for alarm, then you will likely enjoy what Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo offers.
But to my own big surprise I had a good time with the first Deuce Bigalow movie and so I was willing to give this sequel a try.
A comedy is never a good movie to get to know something about a country or several countries, so I already prepared myself for several American prejudices about Europe before watching this movie.This time Deuce is no longer a gigolo, but a normal guy who tries to make a living out of showing sharks to tourists.
Don't get me wrong there are laughs and chuckles but they are few and far between, and usually coming after a long obvious set up that telegraphs the punchline.The real problem is that this movie at plays more like murder mystery than comedy, with Deuce trying to figure out who's killing the other gigolos.
Deuce hops the next flight over and begins the worst film comedy adventure ever.I would say that it was funny at times, which it was, but that really doesn't save it from how horrible the movie was.I don't even think I want to go on writing this review, because there is absolutely nothing to write.
If you love Rob Schnieder films than this is the film for you, lots of funny laughs, jokes about fish, and dick humor. |
tt0102432 | Men of Respect | Mike Battaglia, a powerful lieutenant in the D’Amico crime family, executes a large-scale hit on the family's enemies, earning a promotion to caporegime and the undying respect of his boss, godfather Charlie D'Amico. Despite the Don's generosity, however, Battaglia secretly resents D'Amico for passing him over as his successor.
At the instigation of Ruthie, his wife, Battaglia murders D'Amico and has his sons shipped off to Florida, clearing the way for him to assume control of the D'Amico family. He becomes an underworld despot, deciding to kill anyone he suspects as a threat to his power, including former ally Bankie Como and his unconnected son, Philly, who survives an assassination attempt.
At his coronation as boss, a drunken Battaglia alienates two more of the mob's powerful soldiers. Afraid that Battaglia's reign will spell the end of the D'Amico family, several of Battaglia's underlings desert him and ally themselves with D'Amico's eldest son, Mal.
Battaglia puts a hit out on his chief rival, Matt Duffy, but the assassins cannot find him, instead murdering his wife and children. Determined to get revenge, Duffy comes to kill Battaglia, who arrogantly proclaims that "no man of woman born" can harm him. Duffy responds that he was delivered via caesarian section, and therefore was not technically born of a woman. Disposing of Battaglia, he clears the way for Mal to assume control of the family. | revenge, violence | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0067824 | Tang shan da xiong | Cheng Chao-an (Bruce Lee) is a Chinese man from mainland China who moves to Thailand to live with his cousins and work in an ice factory. He meets his cousin Hsu Chien (James Tien) and Hsu's younger brother by accident when Hsu Chien stands up to local street thugs - Cheng Chao-an had largely stayed out of the fracas as he swore to his mother he would resist participating in any fighting.
Cheng begins work at the ice factory. When a block of ice is accidentally broken, a bag of white powder falls out. Two of Cheng's cousins pick up the bag, and are asked to see the manager. The factory is really a front for a drug smuggling ring led by Hsiao Mi, also known as the Big Boss. When Cheng's cousins refuse to cooperate, they are killed and their bodies disposed of.
Hsu Chien and another cousin go to Hsiao's compound to find out what happened to the two cousins. Hsu doubts Hsiao's claims he does not know what happened to them and threatens to go to the police. Hsiao has the duo killed before they can leave. When the workers at the ice factory learn that Hsu is missing as well, they start to riot. To ease tensions, Hsiao makes Cheng a foreman, providing him with alcohol and prostitutes.
Cheng gets drunk at Hsiao's dinner party and is seduced by Sun Wuman, one of the prostitutes. She later warns Cheng that his life is in danger if he goes after Hsiao, and that Hsiao is running a drug trafficking operation. Immediately after Cheng leaves, Hsiao's son, Hsiao Chiun, sneaks in and kills Sun by throwing a knife at her heart. Sun's body is disposed of in the ice factory, just as Cheng's cousins were. Cheng breaks into the factory and finds the bodies, and is discovered by the gangsters.
Cheng fights his way out, killing Hsiao Chiun and many gangsters in the process. He returns home to find that almost all of his family have been murdered, while Chiao Mei has gone missing. Cheng exacts revenge by killing Hsiao Mi in a final fight. Once he knows that Chiao Mei is safe, he surrenders to the Thai police when they arrive at Hsiao's house. | cruelty, grindhouse film, murder, cult, violence, tragedy, revenge | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1584730 | III Slices of Life | "Sexual parasites, disembowelment, zombies, serial killers, demon children, violent vixens, rabid office workers, aliens, mummies, skeleton warriors, vampires, werewolves, dragons, medusa, beasts, giants, robots, cyclops' and angry mmbryos all spring to life from the flesh covered sketch books featured in Anthony G. Sumner’s (Gallery of Fear) Slices of Life.
Mira (Kaylee Williams) awakens in front of a seedy roadside motel with amnesia. She searches for clues to her identity in the pages of three bound sketchbooks, in which each book represents a different aspect of everyday life, maybe her life.
WORK LIFE
A lowly clerk at a nano technology firm unleashes a deadly virus at the office headquarters, giving new meaning to the term corporate zombie.
HOME LIFE
As local girls begin to disappear, a young pregnant woman is haunted by visions of evil demonic children hell bent on stealing her unborn fetus.
SEX LIFE
A young brother and sister on the run from a sexually abusive home life, take refuge in a countryside Victorian manor- only to discover the monsters hidden in this house have been looking for a new home.
Convinced that the characters from these books are roaming around the motel, Mira’s reality begins to crumble. Are these visions real or is she going insane? Desperate, Mira turns to the motel caretakers (Marv Blauvelt and Helene Alter-Dyche), only to discover the true evil bound in the flesh covered books and the destiny they hold for her.
At home… at work… at play… terror is never far away." | violence | train | wikipedia | I was hoping to be able to look past the budget and enjoy the film.Unfortunately it is impossible to look past non professional actors and watch a film in which this will be the only movie the main characters will be in because it just makes you want to cringe wit every line of dialog spoken.This has three stories and a wraparound story much like Creep show.
The only story bearable is the final of the three.The movie is not scary, has zero tension, and when it attempts humor it falls flat on its face.I do not recommend this movie to even die hard horror fans.
I do believe the stories could have been rewritten and made into a good little horror flick.
After reading the six reviews here, and then watching the film, I can only conclude that these six are either friends of the actors, or they work for the production company.
Dreadful.In Home Life the acting improved, and it showed some early promise of wit, but the wretched screen play fizzled out before the end.
And yet this part was the pick of a bad lot.Sex Life, had it been played for humor, might have been marginally entertaining, especially the scene that's a takeoff on the movie TEETH, but on steroids.
The last one is of the "kids run out of gas and find a place" variety which manages to throw a history twist and but then goes straight into the dumpster halfway in.This movie could've been a WHOLE lot better and that's the real waste here (and why the movie gets only a 3)..
After the first story I was ready to turn it off but instead I went to IMDb.com and saw the good reviews and thought maybe one of the other stories would have some redeeming factors, unfortunately I was wrong if you have already rented this movie quickly burn it..
But this - uh, movie - this is one of the most boring, lame and totally dumb films I have ever seen.
I read some of the first reviews, but like my predecessor said, they must have been friends of either the director or the production company.
As a fan of low budget and indie films I was so disappointed in this movie.
I have seen better acting in grade school plays, seriously it amazes me that these "actors" are not embarrassed by this disaster of a film.
Half of them were surely even written by the same person as they end in the same way, with an enthusiastic, "If you want to see a great movie or great horror or a good time or whatever, see Slices of Life" followed by an exclamation point.
I think it's disheartening to see that some people worked so hard (it isn't easy, I know that, whether you're making something good or bad, filmmaking requires some real effort) on something that turned out to be garbage.All that there's left to say is, if you want to see a great horror movie with gore-galore and plenty of laughs.....
From the first few minutes of "Slices of Life" you can clearly see that this movie will be dumb, dull and amateurish - but in fact it is much worse than one might imagine.In this textbook example of mediocrity you can find more or less each and every aspect of a horrible movie: annoying and stupid characters, senseless and retarded plot(s), terrible sound and miserable special effects.
And of course basically non-existent acting in general.Considering that it was just an indie movie without a huge budget, I would gladly overlook those poor effects and maybe the stiff acting - but the plot was so stupid (in all short stories) and there were so many flaws and continuity errors, that there is no excuse anymore.
I have seen students with no experience or funds making and posting better short clips/movies/songs/spoofs on Youtube than this pathetic movie, Not only it disappoints you for seeking a good horror movie but it will make you hold a grudge against these no life actors who made this terrible joke.If this is what they call acting is,then I guess I'm done watching movies...
It is so lame and badly acted that words aren't enough..the only way one can understand the viewers pain is to actually watch the movies themselves..
Or 3 Slices of Life as the film seems be called in the credits is a low-budget anthology film featuring amateur actors and lots of gore.
As she reads each the film fades into to tell the story.
As each story ends she find that they are describing real events W.O.R.M – a lonely nerd working in the basement of a large marketing company thinks he has found a solution to getting people to like him but his plan goes very wrong.
After taking him to the hospital they return to house and find his daughter locked up in the basement.The amateur acting film is definitely going to be a major turn-off for most people especially in the wraparound story but I kept watching and I have to say that the stories and the special effects really made it worth the effort.
This movie was forced upon me at a friends house and I should be clear that I did not enjoy it at all.Firstly I'd like to mention the acting.
Each one of the "actors" puts up a truly terrible performance and I don't believe that it's a matter of them trying to do it on purpose, these are just purely untalented people.The production value of the film is also laughable.
It looks like some kid filmed it and used any number of computer programs to add his own gore and silly effects after he was done.The stories themselves were pretty predictable as you could easily tell how they were going to come twisting around since the poorly written script and even more awfully acted portion instantly gave away any surprises that would be coming later in that particular story.This has to be one of the most awful "films" I've ever seen, if not the absolute worst.
Making bold statements as fact such as 'only people involved in this movie submitted all the decent reviews' are ridiculous, because how could you possibly know that!?
I am purely a horror movie fan with a great love of independent cinema.
Slices of Life is a gem.Focusing on three stories (Work Life, Home Life and Sex Life) with a genuinely intriguing wrap around story (featuring a very sweet and vulnerable Kaylee Williams) the film far exceeds expectations considering its very low budget.The first tale 'WORM' (Work Life) is a hilarious story of a nano virus gone horribly wrong; resulting in a blood bath of body horror and out and out gore.
Admittedly it is the least enjoyable of the three but that isn't to take away from its worth.Second up 'Amber Alert' (Home Life) is a dark tale of kidnapped children, a young pregnant woman haunted by demonic forces and a deeply disturbing truth which rears its head at the end in gory fashion - *ahem* sledgehammer scene!!!
Toya Turner as the pregnant-lead-in-peril shines here as her character 'Vonda' and she really raises the bar for acting within independent horror.Finally you have the craziest segment of the bunch 'Pink Snapper' involving a brother and sister on the run, a house masking a terrible secret and gore galore.
Deneen Melody plays the perfect damaged women character, 'Susan', in this tale who, after supposedly killing her abusive uncle, stumbles upon an even greater horror, along with her brother Eric (Galen Shloeming).
This one was my favourite of the bunch and really ended the anthology part of the movie on a blood splattered high.The wrap around segment ties things up in an interesting and highly original fashion but again I wouldn't want to spoil anything.
Slices of Life is one of those indie horror flicks that needs to be seen – it's well made, well acted and really delivers the horror goods.
I am sure I will be accused of being the director's brother on the back of this but I don't mind - I truly loved Slices of Life and I know it's very quickly finding its audience which is just fantastic..
"Slices" hearkens back to those horror anthologies of the '80s where there are a number of story segments (in this case three of them) along with a wraparound story that brings them all together.
Each story has its own tone, look, and feel that probably owes much to the film's length of production, with each segment looking better than the last.
I don't remember the segments names, but story-wise there are Office Techno-Zombies, Demon Kids, Vagina Monsters, and Magic Books of Flesh!
I went with a couple of friends, and each of us had a different favorite story segment.Considering how low budget the film must have been, the end result is very impressive.
The 'movie' looks as though it was shot with a poor quality home video camera.
Obviously, I wasn't anything great or even good but at least something entertaining which '3 Slices of Life' fails to deliver..
Anthony's writing and directing and Eric's cinematography brought to life the anguished and tormented characters, so well portrayed by the wonderfully-talented actors!
I recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good horror movie that doesn't take itself too seriously..
I saw this film at its premiere at the Chicago Horror Society Festival and found it to be a lot of of fun and pretty creepy.
Slices of Life is an anthology of three short horror films with a wraparound story to tie the films together.
The stories themselves are a lot of fun - very reminiscent of Tales from the Crypt, Creep Show, and other 80's horror.
These are definitely actresses to keep your eye on!Check out Slices of Life - it's a great low-budget indie horror movie that feels like a 80's film.
SLICES OF LIFE really does have something for every horror fan.
The first segment, "Work Life," focuses on an unpopular clerk at a Nano Technology firm who unleashes a bizarre virus that transforms the workers into an assortment of zombies.
"Home Life" tells of a young pregnant woman who is tormented by visions of demonic children while a series of local girls mysteriously disappear.
In the final segment, "Sex Life," a young brother and sister flee a sexually abusive home life and seek refuge in a countryside Victorian manor, where further horrors await them.
This indie film truly is better than any big-budget studio horror produced today..
I almost had zero expectation from this Movie But It turned Out to be One of the Best Anthology Movies i have ever seen in Hollywood.I wonder why the rating is 3.2 and which mean people have rated this movie Below 7 as it deserves above 6 at least.SLICES OF LIFE is a combination of 3 Horror stories.
WORK LIFE is a story of a lowly clerk at a nano technology firm unleashes a deadly virus at the office headquarters, giving new meaning to the term corporate zombie.The story is lil weak compared to other two.
HOME LIFE is a story of a local girls begin to disappear, a young pregnant woman is haunted by visions of evil demonic children hell bent on stealing her unborn fetus.I found it to be the best of the three stories.Visual effects has impressed me a lot.SEX LIFE is a story of a young brother and sister on the run from a sexually abusive home life.The Twist at the end of this story will make you shock for sure.On the Flip side, The Original story of a girl working in a hotel doesn't make any sense.Overall SLICES OF LIFE is a Horror Anthology at its very Best.You can't afford to Miss this Flick being a Horror Fan.Highly Recommended.9/10 from My side..
I feel like direction may have been seriously lacking for the multitude of actors in this film.
Work life features meaningless dialogue with characters who have no impact on the story (stretching a thin plot for length).
Not caring much about or for the protagonist means the climax (if not the whole story) is meaningless...which a girl who likes a guy who feels lonely being shot in the head is a pretty poor climax regardless.
Home Life (book 2) starts out promising but quickly falls flat as the set up is trumped by an over eager jump into the horror.
The 4th frame story is just weak and pointless with zero pay off as of course the girl named Mira is in fact Irma...must have taken a page from Troll 2.
Look, bottom line is this should have been just the stories as shorts, this way the proper funds and time could be allocated to make the stories more interesting and the final screen product more valuable and entertaining.
Romero's CREEPSHOW but also owning much to the classic British omnibus flicks from Amicus and other studios (TALES FROM THE CRYPT [1972] comes to mind), 3 SLICES OF LIFE -- I shall drop the Romans as the end credits revert to the Latin -- is a mixed bag but one that, in the end, I liked.
The best episode in the trilogy, SEX LIFE, closes the film.
The acting in SEX LIFE is, likewise, far better than in the preceding segments, HOME LIFE and WORK LIFE.
However, SEX LIFE (as with the rest of the segments) suffers from director-writer Anthony G.
SEX LIFE is good enough to stand alone without the baggage of 3 SLICE's framing story or the other pieces, of which the framing story is the most valid.
The second segment, HOME LIFE is also smartly framed, presenting some truly frightening ghost children who haunt the very pregnant protagonist.
The bane of many low-budget horror movie directors is they give up and rely on banal in-jokes and references to other movies to cover up obvious plot holes; or, they are just lazy and think a good wink and a nod in the direction of zombified George Romero-isms will tide them over.
Sumner cheats us in the latter way in the first tale, WORK LIFE.
3 SLICES OF LIFE succeeds admirably in some ways, especially in the last segment.
When i read the review, the idea looked nice: 3 stories in one movie.The opening looked promising, a girl wakes up, confused, and is put back to work by her (weird, drunk?) boss.
When she reads it, you see the story.The idea of the first sequence is nice; to program people to like you.
and i do NOT mean that the acting or the story is so nice/great: A brother and sister escape from their father, who sexually abuses his daughter.
Weird story..Overall, the zombies in the movie look like they have been made by the "zombie booth" app for your smart phone, awful and not scary at all.
I laughed out loud a couple of times because of the crappy sfx and storyline.I recommend to NOT watch this movie is you are an "experienced" horror fan, you will end up laughing out loud and regret the fact that you wasted an hour and a half of your precious time.
Even then i would not recommend you to watch this movie, but instead look a bit further.The idea of the movie is nice, but the result is really disappointing and a total waste of time!.
This is by far the best indie horror film I've seen, and I've seen many!
Horror anthology low on scares and humor, terrible on acting and cinematography..
Oi, there's a rotary telephone receiver.The first book was about WORM; the protagonist is an office drone named William, who works at Nimrod Enterprises.After completing the WORM section, Mira talks to Tiny and Irma, then starts reading again.
This time, it is the Amber Alert section of the picture book.Vonda and Ally visit Mira, then Mira starts reading the Pink Snapper segment.After Mira finishes Pink Snapper, a drunk comes in followed by Susan.
Mira kills Irma, and Irma's spirit (or whatever) passes to Irma as low energy lightning.------Work Life Segment: W.O.R.M---WilliamOne meaning of WORM is the derisive nickname that a lazy co-worker gives William.
The authorities contain this, and lock up William because he started it, because he did not turn into a zombie, and they don't understand why not.------Home Life Segment: Amber Alert--Vonda, Lamont, AllyVonda is quite pregnant.
The baby decides to show up about then as well.This segment has a happy ending, except for Lamont.------Sex Life Segment: Pink Snapper---Susan, EricSusan gets a call from her brother Eric while her drunken cop uncle Jack sleeps.
Sort of.------Scores-------Cinematography: 0/10 Sound: 8/10 Acting: 0/10 Hire some actors next time.Screenplay: 4/10 Not executed well, but there were story ideas in each segment, and the ending made sense, given the nonsense that preceded it.
This is a really low budget movie but I totally enjoyed it.
The stories are fun and have a twist, the production value and effects are really good and it never takes itself too seriously.
I recommend this to low budget horror fans who liked the first Evil Dead, Basket Case, Bad Taste and other imaginative low budget horror movies.
It definitely has that low budget-indie feel to it but you quickly forgive that because you immediately get sucked into the story.I loved the concept, plus there are definitely some very creepy and bloody moments..
The not-so-good story would be the Home Life segment (also titled Amber Alert).
The better segments include Work Life: W.O.R.M.
The wraparound segment was not so great, since I expected quite a better twist ending.
The stories are at the core of the movie.
But who watches anthology horror movies for the framing device?
I'm not a fan of computer work that looks fake, and there's a decent amount in this story.
The story itself is probably better than this filming let on. |
tt0399942 | Paap | The story is about a young girl, Kaaya (Udita Goswami), living in the beautifully serene valley of Spiti, waiting to join a Buddhist monastery, an idea which has been fed to her since childhood by her father (Mohan Agashe) and one which she has never questioned. When Lama Norbu, a senior lama from the monastery has a dream that the Buddhist teacher, Rinpoche has been reborn, he sends Kaaya to Delhi to bring him back to the monastery. Kaaya goes to Delhi and manages to get the child, but just when they are about to return home, the child witnesses the murder of a police officer in a hotel. The investigations are taken over by another police officer, Shiven (John Abraham) who prohibits Kaaya and the young boy from returning home. During this time, the boy identifies Raj Mehra (Gulshan Grover) as the murdered. Soon Shiven finds himself in a web of intrigue and deceit where he can trust no one. He is forced to make an escape to Spiti along with Kaaya and the young boy who he is now determined to protect. Shiven has however seriously been injured and upon reaching Spiti has to undergo treatment at Kaaya's home.
While nursing him back to health, Kaaya is attracted to Shiven, an exciting feeling she has never experienced before. Shiven too finds himself drawn to Kaya, a girl unlike any he has ever known. Kaya is caught in a dilemma for she has too long subdued her basic instincts and desires in her search for the 'ultimate truth'. A sexual attraction is one that her conditioned mind sees as a sin (paap), but one she cannot deny. Shiven sees this dilemma and tries to show Kaya that there is a life out there which she has a full right to live. In the meantime, Kaya's father finds out about what has been going on under his roof and is furious with Shiven. He sees Shiven as a polluting influence upon his peaceful life, a man who has brought defiling things like pistols into their home. At this juncture, Shiven's past catches up with them and Mehra's men are close on his heels.
After much chaos, finally Shiven and Kaaya are shown re-uniting with the passionate kiss in the climax. | pornographic, romantic, murder | train | wikipedia | A unique visual experience......
This film has a sort of small independent filmaker arthouse feeling to it.
The story itself is quite simple and starts of with some very stunning visuals i the title song.
Then begins the story with a violent murder.
thus this is where Kaya(Udita Goswami) the budhist monk girl meets the dangerous dashing hollywood stlye cop(the Antonio Banderas of India-john abraham).
After a gun battle in a dodgy carpark and a semi serious gunshot wound, begins the cop's escape from the corrupt and dangerous police force who want to protect their own backs!
in the meantime Kaya is strugling with her love for shriven(the cop).
The musical score is simply spectacular with earthy ethnic beats to match the spectacular locations where the film was shot!
Some of the Scenes are simply stunning whereas a couple leave something to desire.
on the whole a thouroughly enjoyable film that shows us that bollywood can be more than just mindless entertainment for the masses and that it sometimes has something of value to offer more films like this please bollywood needs them....
Disappointing.
With all the slick and the appealing trailors, I was expecting a very fascinating film.
However, I was sadly disappointed.
From the trailors, it seemed as if Uditi rebels against her traditions right from the film's start, but her character was misrepresented.
I was expecting something more along the lines of Jism.
The best part of this film is its setting.
It is very unique, and I have not seen it before in an Indian movie.
Spectacular cinematography in the mounatainous Karachi depicting Tibet was absolutely breathtaking.
The look of the film is completely fresh and new.
However, when going to the real hero of the film, the story, there is the rehash of the same Bollywood storyline.
An extremely different setting does not give an excuse to use the same conflicts that we have seen over and over again (boy meets girl, dad against their union, etc.).
John's character was different and rather self-centered.
Songs were excellent..
Paap is an almost exact remake of 'Witness' starring Harrison Ford, but made very well..
Paap is an enjoyable romantic thriller, made very well.
It is one of the few Hindi films that is very enjoyable, although the musical score is somewhat disappointing.
Even if you've seen 'Witness' (starring Harrison Ford) before, the film will engage you.
Witness dealt with an Amish community, and this one is set in a small Buddhist community.
Remake or not, this is good cinema.
We ought to see more of this kind of films rather than the mindless ones churned out regularly from the Hindi film industry.Some other remakes that are recommended: 1.
Dewaange - Akshay Khanna - (after 'Primal Fear' starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton)2.
Aithraz - Akshay Kumar - (after 'Disclosure' starring Michael Douglas and Demi Moore).
A Monastery of a Movie..
We need more Pooja Bhat's since she has singularly elevated the Hindi Filmdom to a new level.
She has a incredible feel for the content and Characters.
The new Entrant Udita Goswami as "Kaaya" bristles with a subtle nuance of a performance.I reckon she has a great potential.
Pooja Bhatt's another find John Abraham could do better if he can get out of his Jism-trademark-psychosis looks, but he is refreshing to watch after you are fed the filth in movies like "Baazigar" and Ugly morons like Sharukh Khan,Salman Khan,Shakti Kapoor,Johnny Lever who have polluted the Hindi Films so much so you need a toxic cleanup.
After you see the likes of Goswamy,Abraham,Jr.Bachchan,Saif Ali Khan, you feel you were duped and taken for a long time.The Music has a feel of the Fathe Ali Khan's divine melody with the superb Background music and one number that makes owning the CD a must.
The Script tries to rancour and instill some Monasteric Principals and does it well, albeit with drama, since love is universal, neither Bollywood nor Hollywood has any Stakes as to how it should be depicted.
The Fight scenes are cleverly done especially the one with the Rope.
As far as the Villain's in Bollywood they are dime a dozen we need these morons for the front benchers who comprise the "Box-Office", who dictate much of the Filth and contribute to the decadence which explains the flourishing of movies like "Main Hoo Na", "Devdas" etc, since unscrupulous Media has to decipher and dictate for the unsuspecting audience.
Overhaul the credit goes to likes of Pooja Bhatt,Aparna Sen,Nagesh Kukanoor who have the courage to standup and call a Spade a Spade..
Witness and Paap pretty much the same.
This movie remember me of Witness 1985 with Harrsion Ford.
But a different ending.
I like both movies.
Its a nice action film.
Music nice.
You feel for the two.
And you wonder what will happen at the end.
Will they end up together.
Check out both versions of the movie..
A subtle remake of the Hollywood film 'The Witness'.
This film was very heartwarming and thought provoking, although the opening song was a bit drowsy and long!
John Abraham is in fine form here, starring as a police detective who falls in love with a pretty but naive girl (who is protecting a little boy in her care) during a murder investigation gone awry.
The storyline is solid until it reaches its mostly unbelievable climax!
It's almost like the writer had a good idea for this very picturesque film, but halfway through lost focus!
To me, its silly when writers or directors (and I've seen this especially in Bollywood cinema) try to make the actors forcefully send a message to the audience.
It should be purely entertainment or left to the audience to decide what their point of view is.
When it comes across as an opinion being forced on the viewer, it ruins the film and makes it subjective instead of objective.
I don't want to give too much away but it is worth a watch!
John Abraham is a total 'Paap' in this role, no puns intended!.
A Good Tour Of Spiti Valley.
This film came in 2003 and did not work because it was very simple till the climax it could have been a direct home release but it went theatrical it was also a remake of Harrion Fords Witness i have not seen that film so i cant comment on that however Paap is decent attempt by an actress turned director Pooja Bhatt the daughter of veteran director Mahesh Bhatt very nice,the actors,music & landscapes were awesome,it was a good tour of Spiti valley located at Himalayan mountains in India.The Plot:a cop protects a murder witness along with a Buddhist village girl from Spiti.The cast:John Abraham just looked awesome his body is amazing just like Van Damme in 90s,Udita Goswami made her debut in Bollywood and her performance was amazing,the voices of actors are dubbed but sounded great on theme.The highlight of this film was the soundtrack i loved all the songs but Garaj Baras by Ali Azmat is amazing the song fits on marvel comics hero Thor i don't know why but it reminds me of him the song used in this soundtrack is a bit edited at places if you know about Junoon band you must know that the song was from Daur-E-Junoon 2002 but also featured in album Dewaar 2003 still the score and rest songs make the CD a must buy.Not much is in this film its about how Shiven protected the little kid from corrupt cops and the sin Kaya is committing by falling in love with Shiven there is a funny scene in this film when John Abraham sits on a donkey it made me laugh hard director Pooja Bhatt shot this film with a beauty regardless of flaws i say its a nice film and should be appreciated for what it was.Overall Paap 2003 is a nice film to see if you like some good acting and breathtaking locations.My Rating is 5/10..
was that the greatest comedy ever made or what?.
what happens when a great director turns to script writing, a seemingly successful producer takes up the task of direction, a not-so-known model thinks she has got the caliber of becoming a top actress, and a flop actor who thinks, not wearing a t-shirt will make him as popular as salman....?
they can churn a comedy out of it!don't believe me??
have an example: (writing only the English translation of the dialogs, watch out the movie for the actual Hindi dialogs)scene: The climax: The villain is holding his gun and pointing it on the heroine.
While everyone is watching this helplessly, the hero steps forwards.Fire the shot.
I said fire the shot.
If you want to kill someone, kill me.
(He comes closer, and puts his head in front of the gun)who you're going to kill?
(points to heroine)or him?
or this kid?
| (camera moves to her father, then to a small kid...)and if you still don't get satisfied..
are you going to kill all of 'em?
| (This time you see a dozen of villagers.)how many people you're going to kill?
Stop all that (crap).|(The villain starts feeling sentimental, drops gun, bends down to knees, surrenders!
Bravo...
The power of emotions!)So this is what you see in this terribly acted, "witness"-copied, two hour drama: paapThe characters: A kid: who is the eyewitness of a murder.
The hero: who is a police inspector, and his sole task is to save that kid from any danger, and taking him from DELHI to MANALI, safely.
The heroine: who does nothing but feels lonely in the silence of MANALI, & then she writes some sentimental Hindi poetry (watch out the movie for a class poetry, well I mean, a third-class one.) A gang of three villains: who have got this big task of tracking down the hero & the only eyewitness of the murder, the kid.The storyline: The heroine comes to DELHI to take a kid (who is supposedly some avatar, according to her guru) back with her to MANALI, meanwhile the kid witnesses a murder.
The hero jumps in, and finds out that the murderer was one of his senior officers.
Now to save the kid and the heroine, he has to drive till MANALI (driving is a tough task you know.), meanwhile he gets hurt and then spends an entire month while getting well...No!
he doesn't come back, its the villains who track him down, and come all the way to MANALI, & get killed (2 of them , the third one surrenders, as described earlier...) And what the guy does, while he is in MANALI??
well, one day he prepares daal (an Indian dish), the next day he milks a yak (watch out on discovery), another day he rides a donkey, & so on...Ohhh...
by this time you must have been thinking, what the heck this name PAAP (means "sin") is given for then?
In the entire movie the heroine is told almost a dozen times (by her father) that its a 'paap' for her to think about this guy!
& here goes a dialog describing the complete movie in a sentence:heroine: "agar ye paap hai, " | If thats a sin..
| "to aaj mujhe ye paap kar lene do," | ..then lemme do it.
| (and she touches hero's face and starts crying)Oh god.
Was that the greatest comedy ever made or what?I heard this comment while walking out of the cinema hall:what the "#$@@!, Its us, who committed the sin.
Bought a ticket worth 140 bucks.
Might have got two bottles of beer w/ that money. |
tt0075201 | Shao Lin mu ren xiang | Little Mute (Jackie Chan) is a new Shaolin student who is mute. He struggles to keep up with the other students and to complete the grueling tasks assigned to him by his instructor. He is haunted by the memory of his father's murder at the hands of a masked bandit who was skilled in martial arts.
One night, a drunken monk leads Little Mute to a secret cave behind a waterfall. A man is imprisoned there. Over time, Little Mute befriends the violent prisoner by bringing him food and wine that he steals from the monastery. He learns that the prisoner is a deadly martial artist who is developing a technique called the Lion’s Roar, which he will use to escape his captivity. Little Mute convinces the prisoner to train him. The prisoner's style aims to kill the opponent as fast as possible. A Shaolin nun sees Little Mute practicing these killing techniques. She tells him that martial arts are not for killing; rather, they are for self-development, with self-defense employed only when necessary and with minimal violence. She trains him in the Gliding Snake style, the ideals of which clash with those of the prisoner's killing style. Nevertheless, Little Mute continues to study both styles. Finally the prisoner judges that Little Mute is ready to attempt to pass the test of the Shaolin Wooden Men Alley, a narrow hallway containing thirty-six Shaolin Wooden Men, which are mechanical wooden dummies that attack anyone who enters the hallway. Little Mute successfully fights his way through the Wooden Men Alley.
Shortly after Little Mute's triumph, the prisoner perfects his Lion's Roar technique and uses it to escape. He resumes his former role as the leader of the infamous Green Dragon Gang, murdering the men who were responsible for his imprisonment. It is revealed that he was a Shaolin student who went renegade, and was then captured and imprisoned. The head abbot of Shaolin felt responsible for the student's misdeeds, so the abbot blinded himself and left the Shaolin Monastery to live as a hermit, appointing a new abbot in his place. However, he promised to help Shaolin in the future if it was needed.
Little Mute and the current head abbot of Shaolin seek out the hermit monk. The escaped prisoner has killed all those responsible for his imprisonment except the monks of Shaolin, and he is now on his way to destroy the monastery. The hermetic monk hands over a book containing the "ultimate" martial arts style, and Little Mute masters this style under the guidance of the current head abbot. When the escaped prisoner comes to destroy Shaolin, Little Mute stands ready to defend it against his former instructor. It is also revealed that the escaped prisoner was the murderer of Little Mute's father. Little Mute reveals that he is not mute, but he swore never to speak until he had found his father's killer.
Little Mute counters his opponent's killing techniques, since he knows all of them. He creates multiple openings, but fails to exploit them due to the Shaolin nun's teachings, which said never to kill his opponent. Despite this, he manages to win. He offers to spare his former instructor on the condition that he returns to Shaolin for the remainder of his life. The escaped prisoner says that he is beyond salvation, but that it makes him proud that his student has learned so well. However, he then makes a final attempt to kill Little Mute. He grabs Little Mute from behind and attempts to crush his throat, but Little Mute moves out of the way, and the villain's strike hits his own throat, causing him to kill himself. Deprived of its leader, the Green Dragon Gang flees.
Little Mute returns to the Shaolin monastery and is ordained as a monk. | revenge, violence | train | wikipedia | Kung Fu film "branches" out....
Under-rated film featuring a mute Jacky Chan who begins training at a Shaolin monastery.
This films best draw-card is it's plot.
The typical plot mechanisms are used, but they didn't bother me, and the story held my attention better than most modern movies I see.Jackie's fighting is great, and I particularly enjoyed the training he receives from the Nun(?).
Not to mention the inventive and really quite absurd training he gets from the imprisoned man.As like other films of this period, I think that only Kung Fu genre die-hards will really sit through this and feel rewarded.
The Wooden Men themselves never seemed as dangerous as the real men in the film - is this some kind of comment on human nature in a Kung Fu film?.
Sal. If you like Jackie Chan and have never seen this film, you sould hurry to the video shop in your neiborhood right now.
This is definitely the BEST in his early 70's.It was made with very cheap budget the same as his other 70's films made by Lo-Wei,so "Wodden Men" robots looks so shabby, even kids will find out that.But Jackie did his best in both acting and action on this.
This film was shown in Japanese movie theatre soon after he became popular in Japan with "Drunken Master", and this movie is still popular in Japanese fans (so they said in many Japanese websites!!).
Okay early Chan starring vehicles; very heavy handed, with little humor; a lot of training sequences, more than usual for the genre at this time - these are more realistic than similar training episodes of the period, but they lack of any inherent interest, perhaps for that very reason.
The fight scenes are well-choreographed, largely because Chan is clearly choreographing himself.
The actual 'wooden men' sequence is unconvincing; this particular legend was best presented by Joseph Kuo in "The 18 Bronzemen," where Kuo presents the Bronzemen as men in bronze paint, rather than the robots or spirit-possessed statues of other films.
Here they are rather ungainly robots, and not very threatening, to be honest.The big plus of the film is the relationship between Chan and his teacher, who is also the lead villain - that double identity gives the film its real weight, and the resolution of this relationship in the final fight is almost carried off - enough so to leave the fan of such films of its era satisfied..
Vowed to remain silent until his father was avenged, Dubbed "dummy" by the other students, he proved himself more than capable as a fighter.I bought this video some years back and I recall it had the title "Shao Lin Temple of Doom".
I remember the plot very well as it was one of my favourite Jackie Chan movies.
The wooden men reference made me wonder if it was the same film and the synopsis from others here assured me it was.
It may possibly have been that the company doing the packaging for the DVD I bought didn't translate the tile at all, they probably tried to use the cover picture to figure out the translation and got it totally wrong.As usual, Jackie Chan is a master at injecting a little comedy into an otherwise, serious story.
He also does all of his own stunts and often there is an out takes section at the end of his film showing, not only forgotten lines and such, but some ways his stunts have gone terribly wrong.
However, the final result makes you wonder if he used camera tricks to do it but no, he doesn't do camera tricks to make himself look almost superhuman, it comes naturally..
Good old school Jackie Chan movie.
Jackie Chan stars in one of his early career movie.
Lowe Wei who directed Fist of Fury, and the New Fist of Fury directs this movie as well.Jackie Chan is a new student of kung fu at the Shaolin Temple.
Witnessing his father getting murdered, by a masked kung fu artist.
One is a drunken monk, the other is a nun, and finally a prisoner in a dungeon.
These three teach Jackie Chan techniques of kung fu.The graduation at Shaolin temple consists of passing the corridor lined with wooden men that will kick and punch at anyone who tries to pass.
Jackie Chan with his knowledge, succeeds in passing the corridor.
The man in the dungeon escapes and threatens to destroy Shaolin temple.
In order to save the temple, old master teaches Jackie Chan the secret technique of Shaolin temple.
The man that's threatening the temple is revealed to be Jackie Chan's father's killer also.
Jackie challenges him to a duel.The movie is old school, but compared to other old school kung fu movies where quality usually was very poor, ones that stars Jackie Chan seems to consistently have high qualities.
This was before he got his role as the student in "The Drunken Master" and his comical side has not yet emerged.
The story has all the old school kung fu movie elements.
Shaolin temple, revenge, student coming of age, and a secret technique.
It's not a masterpiece by any means, but is a good movie to watch..
This film is really good.
This film is really good.
This film has Jackie talking mostly at the end.
The film has Jackie training from two different teachers.
Where Jackie has to fight one of his teachers who turned bad.
This film is great for people who liked "Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin" and "Dragon Fist" with Jackie.
I find Jackie's old films have the best action packed endings ever seen on tv!!!
This film was great to watch because "Wei Lo" like I sad before makes Jackie look good on screen by being the director or Producer of the movie.
This film is great to buy or to see.
I love to see the training sequence in any Jackie film.
Shaolin Wooden Men was the second film Jackie Chan did for Lo Wei Productions and the first film he did under director Chen Chi-Hwa (who also directed Jackie in Half a Loaf of Kung Fu) though Lo would get Supervising Director credit.
Chan was lent out to this up-and-coming director who would give him more room to experiment.
Jackie gave more effort on his martial art styles by mutating traditional forms like the snake form (one of Jackie's favorites) giving more flowing and flamboyant movement and being less classical in structure.
Shaolin Wooden Men was considered the second flop in a row for a Jackie Chan led film.Jackie played a mute young man (called Dummy in the dubbed version) whose father She Lan was killed by an unknown assailant.
I've read a couple of different rumors on why Chan was mute in this film: to make it easier on him acting and the other rumor was that Lo did not have confidence in his acting skill.
Jackie's character has sworn revenge and to increase his martial artist skills he becomes an earnest student in a Shaolin monastery.
Such activities as using lead shoes to carry water up and pour in barrels and chopping wood was difficult for the mute but he would note be prevented from learning Shaolin martial arts.
It would normally take five years of this training before he could start on his fighting training, but the mute was crafty.
He learned balance techniques from a drunken monk (Miu Tak San).
Several scenes of this technique reminded me of several of Missy Elliot's videos.In order to leave the Shaolin monastery Jackie would have to pass a test of fighting.
He would have to go through a gauntlet of mechanized Wooden Men (strangely looking like a Monty Python gag) that many monks with more advanced training that the mute have failed.
The mute was lucky in finding a Shaolin prisoner who befriended him and in exchange for food and wine would train him.
Fa Yu (Kam Kong) is a curmudgeon character who says he is only captured until he learns "The Lion's Roar" which will shatter the internals of his enemies (or at least provide a cheesy sound effect.) He taught the mute several techniques which would help him pass the gauntlet as well as improve his fighting prowess.The Shaolin Wooden Men only play a small part of this film.
The mute inevitably passes the test and burns the dragon and tiger insignias into his forearms by lifting a searing hot cauldron that marks the opening into freedom and the beginning of his travails.
This pretty much establishes Fa Yu with those gangs and the rest of the film deals with the (other) inevitable aspects of his escape and why he was imprisoned by the Shaolin.The martial arts are above standard, but not as good as the later Jackie Chan films.
Though the final fight sequence does last awhile and is the highlight fight of the film.
The plot is a martial art cliché with a student enrolling in a Shaolin Academy to learn Kung Fu to avenge the death of his father.
There is also the ubiquitous training manual "Justice against the Devil" given to Jackie by a blind monk.
However, the relationship between the mute and his teacher Fa Yu is an interesting angle reminding me of the relationship of Yuen Biao and Lau Kar Wing in Knockabout.
Chan seems a little unsure of his acting ability, even without voice, but he always looks professional with the martial art choreography.
I think most people will like the later Jackie Chan films better, but if you find a decent copy of this film they will think it is a decent film -- though not much better.
Note: look for an early small speaking role for Yuen Biao.DVD Info: Choosing the right copy is also important.
I own two different copies of the film both with their own problems.
The Columbia copy reigns in about 96 minutes though it misses 10 minutes of the beginning.
It includes the "showcase" beginning with Jackie fighting four monks each with a different animal style.
It then includes his character having a nightmare dealing with the Shaolin Python Wooden Men and then a sequence showing normal life at the Shaolin temple.
The second version I own is the Telefilms Internation DVD (also R1 and also hooey about being the Original Uncut Version) which has the original aspect, a more clear screen and the beginning that is missing in the Columbia version.
So the best thing to do is look for a copy that has 106 minutes or over, is not cropped and is not R1..
A Jackie Chan movie is like pizza, even when it's bad it's still pretty good.
First the good, it's a standard revenge plot.
Even the hokey part fighting the wooden men (which easily could have failed) was done surprisingly well.
There was the expected build up to the big fight at the end and the fight finale could have been better but again, that pizza analogy.
The bad part was making Jackie a mute until the last fight.
I really think that keeping Jackie silent made the difference between this movie being a miss instead of a hit on it's initial movie theater run.
Think of how history would have changed if Jackie came to stardom in 1976 instead of a few years later!
Early Jackie Chan.
This is a very interesting Jackie Chan film.
It has the usual revenge cliché's but already you can see several elements that would become common place in his later movies.Two scenes stand out in this movie: the opening scene with the fighting monks and the final fight scene where 'Dummy' confronts the killer of his father.
This film is a must for die-hard Jackie Chan fans but if you are an occasional Jackie Chan viewer you might be put-off because this early movie is much darker in tone than his later movies (e.g. Project A) and thus has none of the humor that characterizes his later movies so much..
Jackie Chan vehicle sorely devoid of action.
SHAOLIN WOODEN MEN is an early Jackie Chan film that marked only his second starring role after 1976's NEW FIST OF FURY.
SHAOLIN WOODEN MEN sees Jackie labouring under the control of producer Lo Wei while the film offers a plot of revenge and retribution that was done to death in '70s kung fu films.
The movie kicks off with a fight scene – always good for a martial arts flick.
It sees Jackie battling various monks who have been trained as animal masters.
The fights go on for a good while, and are well choreographed – in fact they're the best fights in the film.
It soon becomes clear why this scene – which has nothing to do with the rest of the movie – was added at the film's beginning; it's because there's no human fighting for the next hour.We're soon into the cheesy titles and then a dream sequence in which we get to see the wooden men of the title.
As the wooden men sequence only occupies a very small amount of screen time in the film itself, I guess the film-makers decided to put them in at the beginning as well to try and justify the title.
The story finally begins for real at the Shaolin Temple, as Jackie, playing a raw recruit, starts his work as a handyman for the monks – carrying water, chopping wood.
A bald drunk appears for the purposes of comic relief, but he fails to make much of an impact.One day, Jackie follows two of the monks into a cave and comes upon a prisoner who has been chained in the depths of a cave for a decade.
Jackie befriends the man, bringing him food and wine, and in repayment the prisoner trains him in the martial arts – the story going that Jackie isn't actually allowed to learn Shaolin techniques from the monks for another three years.
There's also a weird old woman who teaches Jackie the 'snake step' technique, which involves him climbing into an oil pit and skidding all over the place.
Finally Jackie is ready to fight the wooden men for real, and the result is an action scene that can only be described as cheesy: the wooden men are cumbersome, and it's not clear how they work – the chains that are supposed to move them are useless, and it's obvious that real men are inside the wooden costumes.
This scene is clearly ripped off from an earlier kung fu film called 18 BRONZEMEN, although nowhere near as effectively.This film sees Jackie saddled in a Bruce Lee-type role – he's even got the same haircut as the late kung fu master.
He's forced into doing some Bruce Lee style emoting at the film's climax, but for the rest of the film he's mute, a strong silent fighter in the Lee tradition.
It's clear that Jackie was uncomfortable acting in Bruce's shadow, and his character is a bit foolish – I never did figure out why he took the ten-year vow of silence after his father was murdered.
His character's habit of frantically bowing to everybody he meets is the funniest thing in the film.
It's a shame SHAOLIN WOODEN MEN is so devoid of action, because a martial arts film without fighting is like butter without bread – there's no point to it.
Director Chen Chi-Hwa experiments a little by skipping frames in places and overdoing the zoom technique in one scene, but it's clear throughout that Lo Wei, as producer, was calling the shots on this production, and that he was determined to produce a film in virtually the same style as a Bruce Lee movie, with Jackie standing in as a replacement for the late star..
Pretty nifty for one of Jackie's Kung-Fu cheapies, it has some pretty good fight scenes to keep you entertained.
(Partial credit to IMDb) Jackie witnesses the death of his father, at the hands of a merciless killer, who just happens to be a martial arts master.
Jackie vows to never speak again until he avenges the death of his Father, and become a Shaolin Monk.
They all teach him different aspects of Kung-Fu (Drunken, killing, slippery snake, and more) I wouldn't exactly call this movie great entertainment, but it does manage to entertain for the most part.
Right from the outset of the movie we are treated to rather lengthy fight sequences.
The Wooden Men thing is more than just a gimmick.
It acts as an insurmountable obstacle, no matter how great your Kung-Fu is.
I won't spoil it, but the one involving Jackie Chan & The Wooden Men is absolutely exhilarating!
I would consider it to be a fight sequence, essentially, and it's one of the greatest fight scenes I've ever witnessed in all my years of watching martial art films.
Jackie's ability to move out of the way of these things countless times, time and time again is incredible.
Jackie Chan has barely any dialog, as a matter of fact
He doesn't speak until the very end of the film (!) He is a mute for most of the duration, to sell the death of his Father.
The big fight at the end is also very enthralling.
I wouldn't call this one of Jackie's best films, but its entertainment value is unequivocally high.
If you manage to find it, and you're a big Jackie Chan fan, I definitely recommend seeing this movie.
Jackie Chan stars in a role that could have been taken by...hmmm...lets say...anyone.
This coming of age tale detailing the life of a mute-struck kungfu student and his eccentric teachers, is not as bad but just as weird and predictable as any other kungfu tale.Your basic unlikely hero emerges from his shell to rise to the occasion, type of thing.You're better off with sci-fi on this one folks. |
tt0049706 | Safari | While American white hunter Ken Duffield (Victor Mature) is off leading a safari, Mau Mau terrorists attack his farm, slaughtering the labourers and livestock. Duffield's young son Charlie and Aunt May (Estelle Brody) defend their home against the mass attack but they do not know that their houseboy Jeroge (a corruption of Njoroge) (Earl Cameron) is actually a Mau Mau general. Inside the farmhouse, Jeroge murders Aunt May with a machete and Charlie is killed with May's rifle.
When Duffield returns to his destroyed homestead, the police have obtained information about Jeroge's role in the affair. Surmising that Duffield will use his hunting expertise to track down and revenge himself on the terrorists in general and Jeroge in particular, they escort him back to Nairobi and revoke his hunting licence until the situation and Duffield cools down.
Duffield spends his exile in Nairobi drinking and gathering information about Jeroge from his African friends. He gets his chance for revenge when the rich Sir Vincent Brampton (Roland Culver), accompanied by his flunky Brian (John Justin) and his young American trophy fiancée Linda (Janet Leigh), arrive in Nairobi. They are keen to hire Duffield to lead a safari so that Sir Vincent can kill a legendary man-eating lion named "Hatari" (Swahili for "risky" or "dangerous"). Duffield knows that Hatari resides in an area which Jeroge is known to frequent, and that Sir Vincent can use his influence to get his hunting licence back.
Setting off on safari with his boss boy Jerusalem (Orlando Martins) and Odongo (Juma), Sir Vincent suspects Duffield is not interested in hunting lions when he carries a Sten gun; Duffield explaining "you never know what kind of animals you may find". Sir Vincent has his suspicion confirmed when Duffield jumps out of his Land Rover to join the police in a firefight against the Mau Mau and is keen to extract information from the prisoners.
Duffield keeps his promise to bring Sir Vincent and his party to Hatari's turf in the land of the Maasai, where the audience witnesses a traditional Maasai lion hunt. But his plans face peril when a police radio report reveals that an unknown member of the safari is a Mau Mau plant. In addition, the obsessive Sir Vincent is determined to get sole credit for killing Hatari and therefore unloads Duffield's rifle, while Linda decides to take an excursion down a crocodile-infested river in a rubber dinghy. Another police radio report warns that 200 Mau Mau prisoners have escaped and are headed towards Duffield's safari to link up with Jeroge.
Sir Vincent is so obsessed with killing the lion that he fires at Duffield. In the midst of this situation, Hatari the lion appears on a ledge above Sir Vincent and pounces. Although the lion is killed it has fatally wounded Sir Vincent.
In a final scene, the group and local police, have to each take arms to defend themselves against an onslaught from Mau Mau attackers, and Nuffield's sten gun is put to good use. | revenge | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0780485 | Blood Car | Archie Andrews is a vegan kindergarten teacher who buys products from Lorraine's vegetarian road side stand. He is developing an engine that runs on wheatgrass with no results until he accidentally cuts his finger and the blood falls in the wheatgrass, which filters to the engine and then causes it to run.
Andrews then tests his car out and offers a ride to Denise, who runs a meat stand and is a rival to Lorraine. After Denise expresses an interest in Archie (believing he can afford 30+ dollars a gallon gasoline), he drives her home, but runs out of fuel. Archie turns to hunting animals, but they do not provide sufficient blood. He turns to larger prey such as predatory people, and eventually, settles for any victim after rebuilding a more efficient blood engine.
The government, which has been tracking Archie's progress, eventually offers him any position he wants, provided he can create more "Blood Cars" after the original is destroyed, and his existence is erased. Archie is concerned where the fuel for the new cars will come from, and the federal agents promise him it will come from invalids, convicted criminals, and the homeless. Archie agrees. Images of Archie's rise as President are cut with the government agents murdering Lorraine, Denise, his kindergarten students, and anyone that saw him developing the Blood Car. | romantic, murder | train | wikipedia | That is what works for "Blood Car." This indie film, directed by Alex Orr and starring Anna "My Girl" Chlumsky and Mike Brune is a fun romp into the camp of yesteryear, serving up generous portions of horror, humor, and political satire of our current affairs.
"Blood Car" bested my expectations with its over-the-top acting, a silly yet disturbingly plausible story (plausible in the most twisted of minds), and some brilliant editing work considering its indie film budget.The film is set in the near future where gas costs hundreds of dollars to fill a tank.
Plenty of humor runs between all the pseudo-violence as our poor anti-hero just wants to make good for the world, while spilling human blood.
Granted it's low budget, the whole concept of the movie is ridiculous but Katie Rowlett was hilarious in the movie."Why don't you go home and write a Haiku about my box!" I had to pause the movie because I was laughing so hard.The ending was kind of weak but overall its one of those great B movies where you say....
Great movie all around.It's obviously not for everyone but for those millions of us out there that love silly comedy horror movies like Army of Darkness style then you will love this movie.It's not often you laugh so hard at a scene where a guy tries to kill a puppy with a BB GUN!!!
The comedy is laugh out loud throughout, plenty of bloody goodness (the scene where Archie taps himself for blood will make even hardened gore fans squirm), and...oh my God...a message that you can sink your teeth into.
What a concept, a comedy/thriller that has a point (anyone who doesn't "get it" can find Hostel 2 out on DVD)!Watching this film is like seeing a good local band.
In this eco-friendly age where wheatgrass is the new cool, clean-cut kindergarten nerd Archie hangs up his teacher hat and goes home to work on a new invention a car powered by the green slime itself.Archie stops for supplies at the vegan store where a prim and proper bespectacled girl sells him wheatgrass while sketching artistic pornography ("your cum tastes like tofu") under the counter.
As they compete for his affection, Archie accidentally discovers that blood added to wheatgrass makes the engine work a treat.
But having bagged a few quadrupeds there is even more anguish when he realise the car wants human blood or nothing.Blood Car is a crisply-made, ultra low-budget movie that has been compared to the Troma films or those of Russ Meyer and John Waters.
Blood Car was made by talented people who knew their trash movies.
That's right, Blood Car probably ranks as the greatest thing ever made - step aside Hollywood, Alex Orr is coming through!
From the genius and hilarious script, to the minimalist sets and amazing shirts of the protagonist, this movie is pure awesome - anyone who thinks otherwise only attends mindless blockbuster Hollywood films, or is too bitchy and pretentious to appreciate this wonderful addition to the cinematic world.
If there's anything funnier than gratuitous sex, vegans covered in blood, poisonous tarantulas in vending machines and child/puppy/war vet murder, I don't want to know what it is because I would probably die laughing (as I almost did for this film).
The point is, don't listen to these pretentious and/or ignorant pricks who tell you that this film is bad because it's low-budget or because the plot is (god forbid!) original.
It was awful...a stupid movie about sex and blood with no plot at all and a very bad screenplay.
The producers have only a business model in mind, and that business model is based on spending the majority of the movie's dollars on manipulating the public into believing we've created an avante-garde, Indie-funk art-house master-quirk film, when actually absolutely no emotional energy was spent on the script, casting, direction or production at all.
With this understanding, I encourage you to Boycott Blood Car, as it is a fake, phony and plastic virus that tries to manipulate us all into believing we are going to be treated into something like Quentin Tarantino's Kurt Russel masterpiece.
The main character, Archie is a school teacher, who thinks he knows a thing or two about engines.
After realizing that his engine works on human blood, the rest of the movie is about his chase of this dim witted and ugly girl that wanna bang him cause he has a car, and the government chasing him around.
Don't start watching this movie - you'll end up wasting an hour and 15 minutes of your life!.
Let me just say this to those unfortunates who have yet to experience the glory that is Blood Car: there are moments in peoples lives that define them, that change who they are forever, once you have seen this movie, you will be able to break your life down like this: BBC and ABC, life before Blood Car and life After Blood Car. Why are you reading this and not watching Blood Car???
Do something useful with your life, nut up and watch Blood Car. IMDb is making me write more so try this on for size: A car that runs on blood.
Comment on Blood Car. I saw this film last night, i needed to check out the rating of this film just out of curiosity, when i found out it had been given a six out of ten i was very surprised.
Do you get my point, don't watch this film cause you will more than likely laugh, or just get annoyed about how bad it is.
And with the amazing title, Blood Car, we are once again given a film that uses a simple approach to put smiles on the masses eager faces.Eh, to get to the flick, that ramble above wasn't very funny and neither was this movie.
Getting back on point, the dork eventually finds out that blood makes his lil engine run, and he eventually gets laid by some hot meat lovin' chick, and he ends up killing people so he can get laid more and be successful.
While the premise is interesting, there's not enough substance to sustain the entire length of the film, which feels too long even at only 76 minutes.It's a notable achievement for their shoestring budget, but otherwise it comes across as very amateurish, the comedic scenes are forced (as in, "look at me, I'm trying to be funny"), and the characters are really unlikeable (save for Anna Chlumsky, whose portrayal of the girl next door is one of he few redeeming factors of this film).
This movie, on the other hand, wants to come off as laughable and ends up too forced.If Troma's your thing, go for it..
Oh, and it's the worst movie i've seen...so....'Blood Car' sounds like the shitty movie I would view out of boredom or just sheer intrigue, but from the word go, i was lost.
Badly written (the narrator WTF?) badly acted (Everyone in this movie is under 25, including the FBI Agents!!?) and poorly executed, Blood Car ranks high on my list of regrettable titles I've watched.
I Liked the sound of the plot, i thought it be a really funny movie but I did not enjoy this movie at all.I not did found this movie funny at all, all of the Jokes were just really bad, fall flat before then even ended.The rest of the movie, I found it too dull, from the start there wasn't anything really keeping me into the movie.They could have made this a lot better, with some better and funny jokes that worked, the ones in here did not work at all.There is one good thing, i can about this, is that there was one good bloody scenes that, only stick to my mind.The movie dying from the start, then goes on, stick the nail in the coffin even before the movie ended with the last scene, which was not funny on any level.
The absurd idea of a car developed by a vegan kindergarten teacher that runs on blood is inspired.
Sure there are scenes that drag, sure there is an annoying amount of unnecessary four letter words, sure there is too much gratuitous sex, but in the end the film works because of the creativity on display.
It was the title that caught my attention at first, but after watching this horror-comedy-parody hybrid I'm pleased to say that it's a good movie as well.Set some time in the future where gas prices have reached extreme levels, a well mannered school teacher called Archie is trying to discover an alternate fuel source.
Set your expectations down a few notch, realize this is low budget and you'll find a movie that is worth the time..
I personally had great fun watching this movie.From the moment I knew about the title, I went like 'wow what an idea'.
Surprisingly, unlike many good movie concepts, this one was actually perfected into details of context.The main character, is creature-loving vegan, whose job is to teach little kids in elementary school.
When he happens to perfect a car that runs on alternative fuel - human blood - in world where gas is so expensive that driving car becomes a dream, and actually riding a car gives you god-like feeling and appreciation of women...
In his spare time, he's attempting to construct a car that runs on wheat grass, a vegan alternative to excessively costly oil.
There's a treasure trove of great low budget independent gems out there just waiting for the right person (someone who appreciates them) to discover them.Blood Car is one of the best I've ever seen though, and it's not one of the "so bad it's good" style (which are a related, but subtly different taste).
I have doubts bigger than aircraft carriers that Postal is going to be anywhere near as irreverent, controversial, outrageous and over-the-top funny as this little indie gem.I'm also loving the comments from people complaining or saying that they marked it down due to whatever their little personal boundary was that the movie breached, ...********** SPOILERS FOLLOW!
Blood Car. Sick-in-the-head, foul-mouthed, crude-humored comedy satire on the obsession of fuel about a quiet, scrawny, geeky vegan kindergarten schoolteacher, Archie Andrews(Mike Brune)who discovers by accident that his wheat-grass engine in fact works on blood.
Through trial and error, Archie creates a metal fan chopper which he sets up in his trunk for animals with a long plastic tube that feeds blood to the engine..but soon Archie finds that people make his car's engine run longer.
What ultimately motivates Archie to commit such atrocities like dumping the carcasses of a dead old woman neighbor, war vet with plastic limbs(..he actually beats the poor guy into the trunk with his own plastic leg), a bubbly hot brain-dead blond(..he goads her to his trunk by proclaiming that puppies are back there), and black gangster(..and a gas station owner who wishes to know why the black gangster was in Archie's trunk)in his trunk body smasher is the fact that profane and slutty Meat Stand operator(!)Denise(Katie Rowlett)will perform all kinds of sexual acts just to have the pleasures of riding in a car(..she has a superiority complex deriving from the idea that those who ride in cars are simply better than those who can not afford to).
But, most of the film shows Archie escaping endless threats by government suits who wish to commandeer the vehicle so that his blood car can be studied and mass-produced for the marketplace since gas runs 33 dollars a gallon(..this warped comedy is set slightly in the future).
Also, a running series of gore-gags concern the government agents who always seem to foul up either capturing Archie or his car, often ending up as fuel.
SPOILER Or, the final gag where Archie, now perhaps President of the USA, holding an infant, does something with the newborn so that good ole America could still run those cars.
Although it is ridiculous and would never work, in this movie the car actually runs on blood.
And although one can buy gas in this movie, albeit at astronomical prices, you see nobody drive a car.
Alex Orr blatantly uses sex, gore and bad taste to drive large parts of the film and it almost felt that you were in the 80's again with the large amount of breasts being shown on the screen.The plot is simple enough and nothing unusual given the horror genre this film fits into.
"Blood Car" is a witty, refreshing, inventive, daring and surprisingly self-preserved new horror comedy that turned out a hugely pleasant surprise; especially since I set my initial expectations very low (as I always do with new low budgeted productions that try to blend gore and laughs).
The ever increasing gasoline prices are piping hot news at the moment, so it was just a matter of time until a clever scriptwriter would come up with the idea of cars running on blood or other horrific material.
"Mad Cowgirl" is another example of a horror movie that slyly cashed in on current events (the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease), but "Blood Car" is much better that that one, since it remains unpretentious and coherent at all times.
In the near future we'll all be incapable of driving our car since the fuel prices are set at $33 per gallon and continue to increase non-stop.
Archie Andrews is a vegan kindergarten by day, but at night he's an alternate fuel source researcher working on an engine that runs on wheat grass.
Accidentally, Archie discovers that blood is much more efficient than wheat grass and builds himself the world's first and only car with a human meat grinder in the trunk.
The concept of "Blood Car" is indeed grotesque and ludicrous, but so is the entire tone and pacing of the film.
"Blood Car" is definitely a gem to cherish and Alex Orr a name to remember..
This movie is about Archie, a school teacher who is attempting to build a motor that runs on a natural fuel source.
The movie takes place in the future where gas prices are at a ridiculous $30 dollars per gallon and driving is an expensive commodity.
In the end the government makes use of Archies knowledge but with a very dark intention.
Lots of gratuitous nudity, violence, and shock in this little horror flick that really borders more on macabre comedy.As a previous poster mentioned, the female roles seemed much better written and acted than the lead.
Blood Car is set in the near future where the price of fuel are at an astronomical high, the majority of people cannot afford to fill their cars up & as such the streets are empty.
Only the super rich can afford the high cost of fuel but kindergarten teacher Archie Andrews (Mike Brune) has been working on an engine that can powered by wheat-grass with little success, while drinking some Vodka he breaks the bottle & cuts his hand & lets blood drip onto his invention which begins to work perfectly.
Archie realises that instead of wheat-grass his engine needs human blood, at first he cuts himself but it's not enough & as the power he gains from just having a car increases he becomes more desperate & eventually uses a dead body.
However Archie needs more fuel & resorts to killing people to power his car which is getting him lots of attention from attractive girls & the US government who want the blood engine for themselves in order to solve the countries fuel crisis...Co-written, co-produced & directed by Alex Orr this has a terrific premise that I am sure we can all relate to one way or another, in fact in Britain at the moment the price of fuel is so high it's ridiculous & it's going up all the time (although to be fair a lot of what we English pay at the petrol pump is Government imposed tax) with no sign of abating.
So the story of rising fuel prices is obviously a political & social one the actually film itself isn't very good, Archie uses his blood car to have sex with a dirty, yet hot, woman with his addiction to fuel & his desperation to keep his car running fueling his need to kill & little else.
There are some evil US government agents & an ending in which it's spelt out that because Archie controls this new engine & new type of fuel he is basically the most powerful man in the world & even becomes President!
The whole premise is amusing & the parallel that you have to literally give blood to pay for fuel is understood but as a serious horror film Blood Car doesn't work, there are already other types of engines being made like electric ones, ones that run on alcohol & the like so the idea that petrol is our only source of fuel is wrong even now & at only just over seventy minutes long Blood Car still feels like it drags in places.
Once you get past the initial premise then there's really nothing left here at all, I mean the character's are thin, the dialogue forgettable & not that much happens.Blood Car looks alright, it was obviously shot on a low budget & some shots are poorly lit & shot but overall it's not that bad.
Blood Car is never scary or funny & plods along without ever being anything other than a one gag curiosity.With a supposed budget of about $125,000 this was filmed in Atlanta in Georgia.
The acting is alright, the babe that plays Denise the meat stand worker is hot by the way.Blood Car obviously had lofty ambitions & has a neat little concept that I am sure most people will be able to relate to in one way or another but as a full length feature it's surprisingly empty with little incident before a political ending that is nothing more than a rant. |
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