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tt0112682 | La cité des enfants perdus | Krank (Daniel Emilfork), a highly intelligent but evil being created by a vanished scientist, is unable to dream, which causes him to age prematurely. At his lair on an abandoned oil-rig (which he shares with the scientist's other creations: six childish clones, a dwarf named Martha, and a brain in a vat named Irvin), he uses a dream-extracting machine to steal dreams from children. The children are kidnapped for him from a nearby port city by a cyborg cult called the Cyclops, who in exchange he supplies with mechanical eyes and ears. Among the kidnapped is Denree (Joseph Lucien), the adopted little brother of carnival strongman One (Ron Perlman).
After the carnival manager is stabbed by a mugger, One is hired by a criminal gang of orphans (run by a pair of Siamese twins called "the Octopus") to help them steal a safe. The theft is successful, but the safe is lost in the harbor when One is distracted by seeing Denree's kidnappers. He, together with one of the orphans, a little girl called Miette, follows the Cyclops and infiltrates their headquarters, but they are captured. Meanwhile the Octopus orders circus performer Marcello (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) to return One to them. He uses his trained fleas, which secrete a poison that causes mindless aggression, to turn the Cyclops guards against each other, before rescuing One. However he leaves Miette behind, who almost drowns before a amnesiac diver living beneath the harbor retrieves her.
Miette leaves the diver's lair to find One and Marcello both drowning their sorrows in a bar. Upon seeing Miette alive the remorseful Marcello lets One leave with her. However the Octopus confronts them on the pier, and uses Marcello's stolen fleas to turn One against Miette. A spectacular chain of events triggered by one of Miette's tears leads to a ship crashing into the pier before One can throttle her. Marcello arrives and sets the fleas on the Octopus, allowing One and Miette to escape to continue searching for Denree.
Back at Krank's oil-rig, Irvin gets one of the clones to release a plea for help in the form of a bottled dream telling the story of how they were created. It reaches One, Miette, and the diver, and the latter remembers that he was the scientist who made them, and that the oil-rig was his laboratory before Krank and Martha pushed him off to take it for themselves. They all converge on the rig; the diver to destroy it and the duo to rescue Denree.
Miette is almost killed by Martha, but the diver harpoons her. She then finds Denree asleep in Krank's dream-extracting machine, and Irvin tells her that to release him she must enter the machine herself. In the dream world she meets Krank and makes a deal with him to replace Denree as the source of the dream; Krank fears a trap but plays along, believing himself to be in control. Miette then uses her imagination to control the dream and turn it into an infinite loop, destroying Krank's mind. One and Miette rescue all the children while the now-deranged diver loads the rig with dynamite and straps himself to one of its legs. He regains his senses as everyone is rowing away, and pleads with his remaining creations to come back to rescue him, but a seabird lands on the handle of the blasting machine, blowing up him and the rig. | comedy, avant garde, neo noir, murder, dark, bleak, whimsical, violence, alternate reality, atmospheric, psychedelic, sci-fi | train | wikipedia | I can't think of a film that has such a concentration of memorable shots - time and again, especially watching on DVD with a freeze-frame facility, you realize how many beautiful compositions Jean-Pierre Jeunet gives us: though the cast of characters could easily fill a freak show, and the sets are dark and quite unglamorous in themselves, the cinematography is gorgeous and the mise-en-scène often strangely elegant.
In a sense Miette, like Krank, has grown old too fast: the orphaned street-children of this city are savvy and unsentimental, and never seem to have had a childhood; meanwhile there's something deeply childish, in various ways, about most of the adults.
One elderly actress who appears towards the end (Nane Germon) acted - as Jeunet's DVD commentary points out - in Jean Cocteau's "La Belle et la Bête" about fifty years earlier (there are, by the way, distinct references to the Beauty and the Beast story here), and "La Cité des enfants perdus" deserves to join that film as one of the classic cinematic fairy-tales.
Anyone who loves a visually stunning movie should watch this film it looks amazing.
This music fits the mood and plot of the story perfectly and stays with you(as does the movie itself) long after the credits have rolled.The casting director of "The City Of Lost Children", Pierre-Jacques Benochou, sure knew what he was doing, because there is not one poor (or mediocre one, for that matter) performance in the whole film.
Last, but not least, the children, with Judith Vittet as Miette in a stand-out performance, all carry out their roles with smashing results.Another reason for me choosing "The City Of Lost Children" as the best movie of 1996 is its stunning direction.
"City of Lost Children" is a beautifully-realized if derivative dark fantasy in which a mad scientist named Krank, aided by a half-dozen clones, a midget woman, and a brain in a tank, abducts children to his offshore lab so he can steal their dreams.
The images are the thing: with its rendering of a bleak, low-tech retro-future, "City" looks more like a Terry Gilliam movie than "Twelve Monkeys" does!
Since this is a film by Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet, you simply know to expect a unique and surreal story (remember "Delicatessen"?) filled with extravagant characters and bizarre dreamscapes!
Other actors appearing and giving freak acting are the followings : Dominique Pinon, Jean Claude Dreyfuss, Mapi Galan , Jean Louis Trintignant , Ticky Holgado and Rufus .This one results to be a strange , bizarre , surrealist and haunting film set in a dystopian society in which several fantastic incidents take place .
This peculiar movie has freaks galore , avant-garde costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier , breakgrounding special effects in charge by Pitof , and state-of-art production design by Marc Caro , all of whose function seems chiefly to be as bizarre as possible .Exceptional photography by Darius Khondji , a prestigious cameraman with known titles as Seven, 9th door , The beach , Wimbledon , Funny Games , The immigrant , Z lost city .
Instead the film mainly features imagery and sets from what appears to be the city from Alex Proyas's Dark City if it had been located on a French coastline in the 1940s.But getting to the point, what ruined this movie for me was not that it was to unfocused and lacking in action.
However, while I adored DELICATESSEN and gave it a very high score, I wasn't nearly as impressed by CITY OF LOST CHILDREN--mostly because this film seemed to emphasize set design and weirdness, while plot seemed almost unimportant.
As for the plot, it sure took me a long time to even understand what was happening--and it seemed like I needed captions to explain the captions as I read along with the film!!
I have liked this odd looking actor ever since I first saw him in DIVA and he was the best character in both this film and DELICATESSEN.
There's more to it than that, but really I didn't think the story was that important--it was more a chance to give a canvas to all the weird sets and characters.Overall, I liked seeing the film but I never came close to loving it.
Many disagree with the previous reviewer.Not sure what the last reviewer watched, but City of lost Children is amazing cinema from the sets, color, acting, lighting, plot, it had everything pushed to the Nth from what I experienced.
The City of Lost Children is a movie which soars above the Hollywood blockbusters in visual masterpiece.
No. The characters are unlikeable and not interesting at all like Amelie, the way of story telling is not serious which is one of the main problems of the film, after a while, the story is scattered and becomes 'watery' The story 'collects' itself in the final part a little bit, but it does not save it.
This movie is definitely more dark or tone but with still its very distinctive imaginative, fantasy-like world, spirit attached to it.If you aren't really taken by the movie its story, you should at least be blown away by its visuals.
Not just all of its sets and costumes are great looking but also its limited effects and odd looking actors who play the characters.Don't really understand why most people praise Ron Perlman for playing a French speaking role and all the claims that he does it flawlessly must have been written by his agent or something.
It does really slow the movie down at some parts and I do wish the movie would had been a bit more entertaining and comedy-like to watch but this is, as it seems, due to the hand of co-director Marc Caro, who seems to be more fond of post-apocalyptic and darker stories than Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
don't know if this also was the reason for their creative split-up as directors but fact remains that Jean-Pierre Jeunet has continued to make some beautiful, classic movies, while Marc Caro has had very little work since.One greatly odd and beautiful looking film.8/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
'The City of Lost Children (1995)' is one of the most visually-exciting films to emerge from the 1990s constructing an elaborate fantasy world of the weird and wonderful but, unfortunately, it often feels rather hollow and purposeless.
French co-directors Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet were already well-known for their distinctive visual style, having previously achieved success with the post-apocalyptic black comedy 'Delicatessen (1991),' and this film, the last of their collaborations, only extends their fascination with blending surrealism and fantasy into a veritable feast for the eyes and the imagination.
Caro and Jeunet fill the screen with grotesque human figures, apparently delighting in the stark contrast created between the weathered, disfigured features of the adult characters, and the soft youthfulness of the large cast of child performers.On an ominous oil-rig in the centre of a green, polluted ocean, an eccentric inventor (Dominique Pinon) has attempted to craft a family for himself, with ghastly results at every turn: his would-be wife is stunted and dwarfish, his "brain-in-a-tank" intellectual companion suffers constant migraines, the six clones "created in his own image" are clumsy and idiotic, and his supreme creation "more intelligent then the most intelligent man on Earth" is stricken with one disastrous flaw the inability to dream.
When the "little brother" of a dim but kind-hearted strongman, One (American actor Ron Perlman), is kidnapped by a cult of sinister blind men in Krank's service, he strikes out in pursuit, willing to stop at nothing.'The City of Lost Children' is part "Frankenstein," part "Oliver Twist" and part 'Labyrinth (1986),' a bewildering amalgamation of fantasy concepts, and an exceptional master-class in cinematography and set-design.
It certainly makes for an interesting film.It's kind of strange to see Ron Pearlman in such an out of place role, but then again, his character One was a man that truly matched his real-life predicament.
This is an excellent film from Jeunet and Caro with thier previous film - Delicatessen only half the film the city is (Although it is still a good film.) I would recommend people to watch it twice as you can then really absorb the visuals and the storyline (which may be seen by some to lack coherence.) Daniel emilforks character Krank is often labeled a monster but as he says it's not his fault, he was created.
It manages to capture our wildest dreams on film, the fantasies we only thought we could imagine in our sleep has in fact been crammed up into this brilliant, evokative, haunting masterpiece, thanks to some stunning (FASCINATING!) set decorations -which of course was ignored by the Oscar Academy- a fantastic cast: in particular giant Ron Perlman, young Judith Vittet, Daniel Emilfork, Dominique Pinon (who plays at least 5 characters), and the most incredible little group of kids.
Shortly afterwards he teams up with orphan Miette (Crumb in the subtitles) and they set out to rescue Denree and the other stolen children.This film is an utter delight with a surreal look and a cast of grotesque characters together with an enjoyable story.
The world in which this is set has a distinct yellow/green look and none of the adult characters are exactly attractive in the Hollywood sense, this is helped by the way they are filmed.
Overall I'd definitely recommend this to anybody looking for something very different.These comments are based on watching the film in French with English subtitles..
Step right this way into the nightmare/fantasy world of this truly bizarre, freaky and phenomenally weird tale that comes at you straight from hell.Very quirky and curious, The City Of Lost Children (TCOLC) is definitely something of an original (it's actually hard to believe this is even possible in this "been there/seen that" age of filmdom that we live in these days).You can be sure that this is one far-out fairy tale that you'll never, ever see coming to you from the likes of Disney Studios.This undoubtedly strange, and, yes, unsettling little tale is sure to leave quite a lasting impression on the viewer long after the closing credits have rolled on by.Directed with a truly astonishing visual flair, TCOLC puts a unique, new twist (that's very dark and surreal) on the familiar "Mad Scientist" theme.
(This is the sort of twisted twist that seems to work its magic about 75% of the time) Set in an awesome "otherworld" of shadows and light, TCOLC's story revolves around the doings of Dr. Krank (a total mad scientist, if you've ever seen one) who has his team of cloned henchmen abduct the young children of the city whom he wants for his experiments.Using a most unusual contraption, Krank (who is aging prematurely) then attempts to steal the dreams of these innocent babes because he, himself, cannot dream.This is one of those films where trying to go into any great detail about its story would only be an utter waste of time.
You really need to see TCOLC for yourself to fully appreciate it for the richness of vision that it has to offer.On the down side - 2 of TCOLC's drawbacks were that its story has a tendency to be quite uneven at times and actor Ron Perlman (whom I do not like) has a substantial role in the scheme of things.These 2 deficits are actually quite minor, though, in comparison to the up-side of this mighty weird and entertaining gem..
The film is called " The City of Lost Children " or course in French it's La cite' Des enfants perdus.
As a lover of fairy tales and stories, this movie suited me perfectly - in it's characters, plot, setting, and even dialogue it is like a modern dark tale of family, betrayal, and loyalty.The actors are wonderful, especially in such a range of unusual characters (the Octopus sisters, the cyclops men, even all the trapped children), and the script is well written: the tale Irvin tells of the origin of himself and the clones in spell-binding, and One and Miette's conversations are charming.I highly recommend this movie for anyone who loves dark fantasy stories..
Great antidote for to many syrupy sweet kid flicks, there is more to discover every time I watch it.This film takes you deep into the bowels of a surrealistic bizarre little world filled with the strange architecture of an artist gone slightly insane.The sets are just fantastic and the creepy weird characters that populate the city fit the atmosphere created just fine.
Also, much like other movies that improve after first viewing, this is one of those movies that makes the top ten on many film-buff's top movies list.The following movies/stories have major similarities to City: Brazil, for its own lack of focus and its similar retro-futuristic feel (note the hyper-intelligent brain's look as well as the cyclops'); Dark City, for its similar cinematographic style; Frankenstein, for its "scientist creates something awful and tragic" theme; and Amelie, for its imaginative similarities stemming from the director in common.
I have now along with my two Children have seen the movie over 100 times and although I do not speak French no longer need the Subtitles.
This is the sort of experience that I watch movies for, and so the film gets a huge thumbs up on that front.The plot follows a man named Krank.
Personally I'd just like to mention Gaultier's costumes for it - they fit perfectly to the characters and support the general comic book/children's book/silent movie/Expressionistic/Surrealistic/Film Noir/Farce Etc. feel.It's not everyone's cup of tea, probably because it's so open for personal interpretation and dependent on (I believe) a certain level of maturity.
The City of Lost Children is a film about a child's fantasy.
Personal Rating: 10 out of 10 Jean-Pierre Jeneaut, one of the most important French and worldwide directors, directed this wonder called La Cité des enfants perdus, with this movie he opens the door of love to all the sci-fi fans out there, making the perfect mixture between science fiction and love stories.
The problems with movies where children have a very important part, is the children's acting, and City of the lost children has a 9 year old Miette as main character.
Then the dream transforms into a nightmare.In La cité des enfants perdus (The City of Lost Children), Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caros' latest movie, an evil man and his companions, consisting of a sect of blind men and a brain in an aquarium (!), kidnap children to steal their dreams.
Caro and Jeunet are two people with extremely strange minds (you should see their previous movie "Delicatessen", then you'll know what I'm talking about) but somehow it all works out to the best.
Even "Dark City" - the movie that most people thought was artsy and atmospheric, looks like a rip-off of this one.
Beyond its near-perfect film making mastery and its unique baroque touch (OK, Gilliam and Welles are not far away..) lies a poisonous treasure no other movie ever gave to me like this one did : viewing my child's dreams and terrors right there on the screen...Thank you Jeunet & Caro.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro, perhaps better known for 'Delicatessen' & ('sans' Caro) 'Alien: Resurrection', have here created a mini-masterpiece, a film that is not only visually stunning but is also deeply involving, touching, macabre, & probably the most wonderfully inventive & imaginative film I've ever seen.If ever a dream was made real & filmed, then cross-bred with cinematic conventions such as plot & characterisation I think this film would come very close to the end product.
On the other hand this is definitely one of those movies which benefits from repeated viewings: it has such richness, depths & attention to detail that you will almost certainly notice something different or view it in a different light every time you watch it.The sumptuous cinematography is one of the outstanding features of this gem of a film - visually this is stunning: every scene looks like a painting; dark & moody but at the same time vividly colourful.However, what I most love about this film is it's wonderfully imaginative inventiveness.
Maybe I should just learn French & watch the original language version - this film is so good it's almost worth doing just for that reason!There is so much to this movie I found it hard to describe, & even as I was writing it all sounded a bit like a load of French arty-farty weirdness.
The story, simple and yet convoluted as befits a fantasy fairy tale, follows the fantastic, stone-faced Ron Perlman through the clammy greens and sticky browns of a nightmare world, inhabited by a delightful collection of freaks and evildoers, trying to save the angelic child from the crazed Emilfork and his City of Lost Children, hampered at every turn by the gang of street urchins and their wicked siamese Fagins.
It´s like watching an haunted fairy-tale sometimes.This is one of the best fantasy movies ever.
..) time, the subtitles become less important and you are able to spend up to 90% of your energy watching the visual (instead of reading the text).Once the language barrier has been broken down, this film manifests as it truly is: breathtaking cinematography, insanely detailed production design, beyond Oscar acting (from children as well as adults), captivating story, and other wise all around cool flick!I feel for these people; Ron Perlman as "One" the Forrest Gump-like strong man in search of his adopted "little brother." Judith Vittet as "Miette" the street thief who's been forced to mature way too fast for her tender years.
I highly recommend this movie for fans of visually stunnning films like Kurosawa's Dreams and Blade Runner..
It is like the director wanted us to see how stunning a visual experience he can bring, and how "wacky and crazy" characters he can imagine, and the result was a movie in which every scene lasts is too annoying to bear, where the caracters are some of the most pathetic and irritating ever seen on film. |
tt1680045 | 360 | 360 centers on the stories of a group of people from different social backgrounds through their intertwining relationships.
=== Vienna ===
Anna (Gabriela Marcinková) accompanies her sister to a photo-shoot, where her older sister Mirka (Lucia Siposová) is photographed nude by Rocco (Johannes Krisch), for an escort services website. Anna is hesitant about what Mirka is doing but goes along with it. There is a voiceover talking about how choices bring one to their current place in life. Rocco persuades Mirka to change her name into a more professional one, to which she chooses Blanca. While taking photos, Rocco tells Mirka how one of the girls got rich just the other day when she found out a client had lots of money with him and called Rocco. Rocco came and took the money, killing the client and splitting the cash with the girl. Mirka asks Rocco when her picture will be up on the site and he tells her there are lots of girls and that it could happen sooner. Mirka looks at Anna and tells her to wait downstairs. Unhappily, Anna complies. Later, Mirka comes down and they silently walk to the bus terminal. They return home on a bus to Bratislava where Anna comments on how Mirka should work more on her English. Rocco calls Mirka and tells her she will meet a client named Michael Daly (Jude Law) in Vienna the next day. She goes to Vienna, in the company of Anna and enters the restaurant of a hotel to meet her client. However, one of Michael's business associates looks on his phone to find out if she is a prostitute and start debating loudly whether she has been stood up by her client. Michael pretends to not know her and leaves. He goes to a small restaurant and calls his wife, leaving her multiple affectionate voice messages. Back in his hotel room, he receives a call from his business associate, who informs him that he talked to Blanca, and found out about Michael having ordered her, and blackmails him into accepting a business deal.
=== Paris ===
An Algerian man (Jamel Debbouze) spies on a woman wearing a red beret since leaving her home and on her way to the airport. It is clear that he has feelings for the mysterious woman but can't express how he feels. The next scene shows him talking to an imam about his feelings for the woman, and he further pursues her despite knowing that she is already married. He then goes to his mosque and also to a therapist and asks for advice on what to do about his life.
=== London ===
Rose (Rachel Weisz) strolls around the streets, unaware that a seemingly distraught woman is taking pictures of her. It turns out that Rose is headed to a hotel and meets up with a man named Rui (Juliano Cazarre) she is having an affair with. Although she tells him they must end the affair, Rose is still affected by his charm and they end up having sex. After the encounter, they part ways. Rui goes home to find his girlfriend Laura (Maria Flor), but he is rocked when he finds out she has left him. He opens the computer and watches a video she made for him; it turns out the woman who took pictures of Rose earlier is his girlfriend. Meanwhile, at Rose's house, we learn that she is married to Michael Daly, who had planned the liaison in Vienna. He's come home, and both of them then head out to their daughter's school play that night and tend to her after she forgets her lines. Later in bed, Rose then recalls Michael's voice messages the previous night, saying that he misses her and that he wished she could be there with him. He tells her that his next trip will probably be to Berlin. Rose exclaims that she has never been to Berlin and would love to go.
=== Colorado ===
Sex offender Tyler (Ben Foster) is being released after being imprisoned for six years, and is afraid he's not ready to face life in the outside world due to his temptations. Meanwhile, Laura boards a flight back to Brazil and gets to know an elderly man sitting next to her named John (Anthony Hopkins) who is searching for his missing daughter who ran away many years ago. They are both stranded in Denver due to bad weather. Meanwhile, Tyler speaks on the phone with the social worker about his stressful situation outside and how he could not control himself from his attraction. He and Laura bump into each other when Laura inadvertently sits at his table in a restaurant at the airport. However, they start a conversation when the drinks she has ordered for her and John are served. Laura seems attracted to Tyler and ends up offering him to stay with her in her hotel room. The intoxicated Laura then makes sexual advances toward him and asks him to kiss her. Instead Tyler controls himself and rebuffs her, locking himself in the bathroom.
The next day, John finds Laura who is about to board her connecting flight. They both tell how it was a pleasure meeting one another. Laura hugs John in a daughterly manner, which affects him. John arrives in Phoenix to examine in the morgue the unidentified remains which could be his daughter, but it turns out to be someone else. John later says in an AA meeting how he can finally accept his daughter's fate, whatever that might have been, and is willing to move on and let go. Next, a foreign woman named Valentina (Dinara Drukarova), just visiting Phoenix, shares her own story, where we learn that she was the same woman the Algerian man spied on back in Paris (unbeknownst to her). She speaks about her husband, Sergei, who is too consumed with his job working for a crooked Russian businessman, to love her anymore. She says that she will plan to divorce him. She has feelings for another, her boss, and she is secretly in love with.
=== Back in Paris ===
Valentina goes back home to her career-driven Russian husband named Sergei (Vladimir Vdovichenkov) where she informs him she wants a divorce and how she is interested in someone else, but Sergei ignores her complaint and leaves. He drives away towards Vienna while Valentina prepares herself to look attractive, then goes to work in a dental clinic. Her boss, the Algerian man, is the dentist. He is quite nervous around her, making clumsy mistakes and errors. It's clear they both have feelings for each other, but they repress them. He then talks to her privately and, without telling her why, he suggests it would be better if she looked for another job. Valentina is confused and sad, but leaves nonetheless and is seen walking away, without the red beret this time, her boss watching her from the window.
=== Back in Vienna ===
Sergei fetches his boss from the airport and is treated harshly by him. His boss reprimands him when he learns he is learning English and states that it's irrelevant. Mirka and Anna are also riding a bus going to Vienna for another client of Mirka. Sergei stops Mirka on the street in front of the hotel and tells her she is here for his boss. He searches her and then tells her to go to the boss' hotel room. While lingering outside, Anna comes across Sergei, and they chat a bit. When it starts to rain he lets her into his boss's car. They start to develop a friendly relationship from their mutual love for books and learning English. Anna then persuades the ill-treated Sergei to drive around the city.
Back at the hotel, Mirka lets the boss know his time is up. She offers to stay for more money and he shows her a briefcase full of cash. Remembering Rocco's story from the photo shoot, Mirka texts Rocco while ordering from room service. While having Mirka perform fellatio, Sergei's boss reads Mirka's phone and discovers she has texted someone. Realizing she is involved in robbing him, he knocks Mirka unconscious and calls Sergei. When Sergei picks up his call, his boss tells him to come protect him in the hotel. Rocco and Sergei are in the elevator together and Sergei holds back watching Rocco go to his boss' door. The boss calls Sergei and Sergei tricks his boss into thinking he's at the door when in fact it's Rocco. The boss opens the door and a fight ensues. Sergei then leaves the hotel and picks Anna up and they drive away together, she reading to him. At no time is she aware Sergei was acting as 'enforcer' for his boss. Mirka regains consciousness after the attack, sees both the boss and Rocco on the floor, empties the briefcase of the money, and leaves the hotel. In voiceover, you hear Anna reading a goodbye letter to her sister using the same phrasing as at the beginning of the film. | murder | train | wikipedia | Too bad, because in other parts of the movie the extremes--such as a prostitute getting started through sleazy photographer listing her on the web, even though she has zero experience--get pulled off with conviction.
Not that most of us know the ins and outs of that world.There are too many characters to make things clear here, but it's worth saying that Anthony Hopkins again shows how he can command a scene like no one else in the film.
His monologue at an AA meeting is a short masterpiece, and his performance in general is almost enough to justify seeing the film all by itself.Other characters are excellent, including Jude Law in a restrained part as a married businessman looking for some action on the road.
It even includes many cases of split screens reaching three or four simultaneous panels at times.You start to see how the world works for some people in a contemporary way.
The director, Fernando Meirelles, is ambitious, for sure, but he made of the most highly regarded films of recent years, "City of God," so this is worth watching even just for that connection.
After some clicking things started to unfold: the same author directed City of God and the movie is a loose adaptation of one Arthur Schnitzler's play.
Although i can't say much about the latter, the former impressed me even more since i've enjoyed that movie, as well.The cast is brilliant with famous actors popping in and out of view and blending discreetly with otherwise great performance of less known colleagues.
This time Meirelles brings us a beautiful concocted plan where some aspects of daily life are put into context, mixing different Nationalities and aspirations, dreams and sometimes tragedies that come together full circle, as the title itself states.
Some plots twist and turn until the very end, some evaporate like mist in the light of hearts restored while others end badly.I can understand how the film's pacing might annoy if you aren't in the mood but if you are prepared to be a bit patient and to do some of the work, 360 is a rare treat..
The Cast are made up of fine actors from around the world and headed by sympathetic and unshowy performances from Anthony Hopkins, Rachel Weisz and Jude Law. Ensemble films like this don't always work, but in the hands of a master director such as Meirelles, Peter Morgan's script comes to life in a vivid and evocative way.
Movies linking different stories taking place all over the world are usually are praised for the interweaving plot coming together with some big revelation.
On a different merry-go-round we have the stories of an English businessman ready to stray with a prostitute in Vienna, while his wife is already straying in London with a Brazilian guy, whose fiancée is dumping him for said infidelity and traveling back home, etc
Since the prostitute is having her photos taken by a photographer for her online advert, the movie starts and finishes with a girl entering the study, thus coming round 360 degrees.
A couple of stories are quite weak, such as the Brazilian girl meeting a sex offender en route to Brazil and the prostitute's sister running away with a stranger.
Taking as its, admittedly uncredited, source Arthur Schnitzler's play "Reigen", screen-writer Peter Morgan and director Fernando Meirelles' 360 combines several stories in something of the disjointed manner of Inarritu's "Amores Perros" or "Babel".
Still, there is at least one thing about this film that is great and it occurs whenever Anthony Hopkins is on screen.
As can he guessed from the title, the film is called 360 because the stories go full circle; if only they had been better this film might have been as great as something like "Amores Perros" or "Pulp Fiction" which were constructed in much the same way.
The film immediately grabbed my attention, and the longer into the movie the more interesting it gets.
Bratislava, Paris, London, Phoenix, Colorado...He film is full of such strong actors and performances that it's almost a reason of it's on to watch this movie.
Brilliant cast, brilliantly instructed.When this film doesn't get a 10 from me is only because I wanted to know more about the ones we weren't seeing in the end.
What a screenplay writer!A gem if you like a mosaic of life story, well acted, but far from a popcorn movie.
360 falls flat with a lame storyline though it assembles some of the finest actors - needless to say all of them wasted - and for a thread about human connections and relations, it leaves a lot to be desired in the end.The making style, the narration and the editing were good, but the screenplay had nothing new to offer, seen all of them and many of these characters and plots else where - Magnolia, crash, 96 minutes, traffic, Nine lives to name a few.
I mean where's the novelty in showing interlocking stories of characters in pursuit of money, sex, love which have been told a million times!
In London, Rose (Rachel Weisz) ends her love affair with the Brazilian photographer Rui (Juliano Cazarré) but they have sex for the last time.
Their lives are entwined and life goes on."360" is not a bad movie and would be great if it were an independent production; but considering the director, the cast and the budget, it is but pointless and deceptive despite the fake reviews promoting this film.Maybe the best subplot is the story of the aspiring prostitute that ends with her dream coming true.
"A wise man once said if there's a fork in the road take it." This is a movie that deals with many different characters from different parts of the world from different social classes and how they deal with day to day problems from doing anything to earn money to getting stranded while traveling.
The cast in this, which includes: Rachel Weisz, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins and Ben Foster is great and honestly the cast is the best part of the movie.
The acting is great in this and the story lines basically end up being tied together I guess but the movie is just so slow moving that it makes it really hard to stay interested in.
This film is about a married couple, and the people linked to them through their respective infidelity."360" is an artistic film that tells the live stories of may different individuals, loosely linked with Jude Law and Rachel Weisz.
The movie has good character development but the downside is that the beginning of the film is slow due to the nature that the characters are built.
If you are a fan of the cast or the type of development that occurred in the movie Crash, you will like this work.
360 (2011) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Director Fernando Meirelles' latest takes place in seven cities as a wide range of people with different backgrounds are thrown into difficult decisions due in some way to sex.
A Russian (Gabriela Marcinkova) woman decides to turn to prostitution; an older man (Anthony Hopkins) searches for his daughter who is missing; a sex offender (Ben Foster) is released from prison and fears he's going to commit another crime; a married man (Jude Law) thinks about having an affair while a married woman (Rachel Weisz) tries to end her affair.
The funny thing is that while each character here gets several bits of development, all of the stories pretty much end without anything ever being solved so the viewer is left to wonder what will happen or if they'll be connected in some sort of way.
I think one of the problems with a film like this is that the great stories don't get enough time while the more boring ones feel unfinished or you wish that they'd get to another story.
360 is directed with style and there's no doubt that it's a well made film but there's still too many frustrating or weak things that keep it from being a good movie..
Some story lines, such as Hopkins' search for his lost daughter could have been explored more deeply, on the contrary it remains faded like the other stories.Nothing to say against shooting, the use of split scenes is effective and tries to underline the idea of interconnections, and the subtle use of camera tries to make the characters' personalities come out, but in the end do not make up for a general underdevelopment.
There isn't a clear enough main plot line and there are just too many distractions in it with characters that by the end add absolutely nothing to the story and let this movie go nowhere.
You just keep waiting for this movie to do something clever, which will connect all of the different story lines or makes them come together by the end of it.
Characters disappear and story lines just end, without wrapping things up properly.This movie might still sound good on paper but the execution of it is far too lacking.Director Fernando Meirelles really did a poor job with its storytelling and at trying to get its point across.
There is just no good reason to watch this movie, though it's still far from the worst thing you'll ever see.What also annoyed me about this movie were the many different languages spoken in it.
Each are given an equal amount of screen time but what's a waste about it is that the A-list actors are all playing the most redundant characters out of this entire movie.
Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Foster, seriously, this movie could had so easily done without any of them and their characters they were playing as well.
That's also the only thing that it has in common with Crash (the type of movie it is).The actors are great (especially Anthony Hopkins as always) and the stories are decent enough.
But even with strong performances from Anthony Hopkins, Ben Foster and Maria Flor, the movie never took off.
I love social movies, but unfortunately this one was Boring, slow and without any exciting twists in the story.
Antony Hopkins' monologue at the AA meeting is the best part of the movie as far as I'm concerned , because you know he will never disappoint you, but other than that ,it really isn't a movie that will enrich you in some way, it is a waste of time really.I also disliked the music, it was poorly chosen and made the movie look even worse.
I was disappointed because I thought that actors such as Jude Law and Hopkins would eventually offer some excitement in the movie,but mainly, it tells common stories of our daily lives, so..what else is new?.
There is a premise with much promise, which was written by acclaimed British screenwriter Peter Morgan, directed by respected director Fernando Meirelles, and features some top acting talent from around the world, notably Anthony Hopkins.
It's one of those connections movies with an ensemble cast, which had been done so effectively in movies like "Short Cuts" and "Magnolia", and it's hard to say how disappointing this film was.
Fernando Meirelles, an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee, was evidently able to employ such a great cast (Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Ben Foster - above all) thank to his prior fame, and screenwriter Peter Morgan is no amateur either, but the outcome is somehow protracted and arid (however, strange references to my country were included, not often in English-speaking films).
Some movies with seemingly connecting stories about central themes may succeed, like Pulp Fiction, but 360 doesn't seem to live up to that completely.
But, that's the way life works.Jude Law and Rachel Weisz's storyline seemed pointless to elaborate on.
It connected with the other story lines, and was a crucial link to pull the stories together, but it wasn't interesting at all.The storyline with the sex offender and Lara had a good ending and a lesson learned, but it was kind of stupid.
While she obviously didn't know he was a sex offender, she didn't know who the man was to begin with, and that plot point was desperate and unrealistic.Anthony Hopkins' quest to find his daughter was very well done, and I loved this storyline.
On a stop-over, sex offender Tyler (Ben Foster) has just been released and is tempted by aggressive Laura in her hotel room.There are a couple other story lines.
The film is more interested in characters than story; an unusual approach, yes, and arresting for a while, but ultimately not fulfilling enough to carry it for almost two hours.Director Fernando Meirelles has done some very good films (City Of God, The Constant Gardener for example) so one could be forgiven for expecting big things of 360.
this film blows your mindMise-apart from the the characters, and the stories of their choices, responsibilities and change of point of view.
the inter-connection of lives all this beautifully performed by all the cast, needless to say it's always a pleasure watching some HOPKINS' MOMENTS.
Although it's sometimes very hard to grasp all the relationships at once, different characters, languages and locations make watching this film an interesting experience nonetheless.Out of those many stars, perhaps Anthony Hopkins, Maria Flor, Jude Law, Gabriela Marcinkova play slightly more important roles than other actors (it's worthy to note Flor and Marcinkova don't even have their IMDb head pictures as of now).
It's a refreshing change to see none of the big names are claiming the entire show.Though all the threads neatly come full circle by the end, I wish the filmmaker had added a bolder message or impact to make the film more enjoyable to compensate the lack of true lead characters.
Interconnected story lines of various people's lives criss-crossing across the globe film in the vein of Babel--doesn't have much to either recommend or even keep you watching once you're a good half hour or so in it.
I kind of liked Anthony Hopkins' performance and i kind of thought Ben Foster's storyline was interesting--at least at first since it doesn't really go anywhere after the big reveal of his character---i kind of liked the ending with the big hearted Russian guy and the younger sister of the exploited call girl coming together with their story lines (does that count as a spoiler?
i'm honestly not sure because i'm not sure anything that happens in this movie could be called a spoiler since a spoiler would imply that something happens towards the end of the movie that affects the outcome of the story---and that's really not the case with anything that happens in this movie) I wanted to like Jude Law--indeed i thought the first scene with him was setting up a potentially interesting storyline but then he all but disappears throughout the majority of the film only coming back at the tail end to give the illusion of coming full circle.
This film doesn't seem to have much of a point unless you count the very vague notion that we're all people living on this planet and we're all worthy of happiness even if we're not entirely sure that we are worthy of it---i suppose that could work as a synopsis for a film but its about as vague as anything else that i managed to take away in the two hours of watching this movie unravel.
Meirelles and Morgan weave together the stories of an array of people from disparate social backgrounds through their intersecting relationships in locales such as Paris, London, Bratislava, Rio de Janeiro, Denver and Phoenix.The audience must pay full attention to the stories as they unwind as there is a huge cast of characters and most of them, even though briefly at times, are interconnected.
360 is a movie about a huge international cast (and wasted as well) playing characters that are connected by a fact in common: the difficulties to decide which may be the right decision to take.I guess that this is the worst movie by Fernando Meirelles and also the worst one to use this kind of 'hyperlinked' narrative.
The best thing about Meirelles is the way he uses the camera angles to pick up right moments and that is always a great thing to observe, but the movie lacks of depth and soul.
One thing that is very interesting is the fact that seems that all characters are faded and used to their conditions in a ordinary simple and miserable life, but you never get close enough to any of them because every story is told like a chronicle and not as relevant example.
Maybe that was the intention, but that distance doesn't work here.It follows and uses the same characteristics of movies like Magnolia (1999), Crash (2004) and Heights (2005), just some examples as the list of Short Cuts-alike is huge and a now a sad cliché.Maybe the main problem of entire movie is its huge number of characters and their bad developed stories which makes you never get an entire one or a whole idea.A forgettable one..
The stories consist of an escort, infidelity, a sex offender, a man looking for his missing daughter, and a Russian.
Unfortunately, this film was done better before by Max Ophuls in France.This new retelling of the play was the work of the ambitious team of Fernando Mirelles, its director, and Peter Morgan, the screenwriter.
Take the cases of Jude Law's businessman prevented from having sex with an aspiring prostitute, or the grieving Anthony Hopkins coming to identify the body of who can be his runaway daughter.The large cast is easy on the eyes, but in the final analysis, there is no substance to most of the vignettes.
When initially watching the beginning of the movie i thought it was another film because i didn't recognise the actors and it was in another language.
I think the film was put together in a great way but the plot of the story wasn't as good as i was expecting. |
tt3956562 | Gangster Ka | The first part follows Káčko during his criminal career in the Czech Republic. Káčko is a gangster in Ostrava who is known for that he doesn't kill his rivals but has them shot in leg. He decides that Ostrava is too small for him and departs to Prague. Prague criminal world is dominated by Milota and Sivák. Káčko starts a business with them and steals them 260 million crowns as a result. Milota decides to not revenge yet. Káčko then gains more influence and earns millions crowns during variable frauds and plans to overtake Čepro company which owns all fuel resources in the country. This plan fails when he is betrayed by one of his associates. Káčko is arrested and taken in custody awaiting trial. Milota and Sivák use it to revenge and try to steal money from his accounts. This fails because Káčko gave pin codes to his father and account numbers to his pregnant wife Sandra. Káčko's father dies during torture but doesn't give those codes. Sandra who was abducted by Sivák is then released but loses the baby as a result an abduction. Káčko is released from custody thanks to a murder of an investigator and thanks to his lawyer. He leaves the prison as a different person and decides for revenge against Milota. He decides to spare Sivák because he was just obeying Milota's orders. Káčko gives Sivák a list of people he is supposed to murder. Sivák kill people on the list one by one and gains a nickname "Butcher". Klein meanwhile tries to negotiate more money from Káčko but Káčko slaps him and threatens to destroy him if he doesn't obey. Klein is scared and asks Milota for help. Milota has materials that can be used as evidence of Káčko's crimes. He gives the material to Lánský an investigator who wants to get Káčko behind bars. Police raids Káčko's mansion and arrest him but Káčko escapes when he asks for toilet. Káčko then flees from the Czech Republic. Milota is meanwhile murdered on Klein's orders.
=== African ===
Káčko escapes to Seychelles where he only drinks and lies on a Sunshine. Meanwhile, Sivák takes over Milota's business and starts to work with Klein. Klein wants to get Káčko back to the Czech Republic because Káčko has evidence that can compromise Klein. Lánský starts to investigate Klein but his wife is killed in a murder attempt ordered by Klein which devastates him. Lánský starts reopens his investigation of Káčko. Káčko at the time "sobered up" and made money on selling imported Toilet Paper in Seychelles. Káčko becomes influential in Seychellois politics and helps local politician Dr. Martier during his campaign with hope of getting Seychellois citizenship. Lánský organizes another plan to take down Káčko and puts agents on him. Agents are later revealed and Káčko angrily reveals his association with Klein to media which leads to fall of government. Káčko then moves to South Africa because his friend Darda starts to work with Lánský. Káčko gains a fuhgitive status in South Africa and creates connections in South African crime world. He forms a business partnership with local mob boss Uncle Cyril. Káčko later murders Cyril and takes over his place. Káčko becomes the most powerful mobster in South Africa but starts to have problem with public and is threatened by possible loss of fugitive status which would lead to his extradition to the Czech Republic. Káčko decides to sell drugs which is against his principles. His plan to sell drugs in Australia fail when his associate John Greengrass betrays him and drugs are stolen by Pakistani mafia. Káčko then leads group of criminals in Pakistani quarter with intention to get drugs back. It results in shootout and Dardan is shot and dies which strucks Káčko. Káčko is arrested when Lánský gets a map that marks graves of Kraviec's victims. Lánský tells Kraviec during the investigation that Kraviec's family returns to the Czech Republic but he can't assure their safety against Sivák. Kraviec has Sivák killed to protect his son and wife. The film concludes with Kraviec facing trial for his crimes. | murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0458253 | The Closer | In the opening scene, 24-year-old Alice Ayres (Natalie Portman) and Dan Woolf (Jude Law) see each other for the first time from opposite sides of a street as they are walking toward each other among many other rush hour pedestrians. Alice is a young American stripper who just arrived in London, and Dan is an unsuccessful British writer who is on his way to work where he writes obituaries for a newspaper. Alice looks in the wrong direction as she crosses the street and is hit by a taxi cab right in front of Dan's eyes. After he rushes to her side, she smiles to him and says, "Hello, stranger." He takes her to the hospital where Alice is treated and released. Afterward, on the way to his office, they stop by Postman's Park, the same park that he and his father visited after his mother's death. Pausing in front of the office before he leaves her and goes to work, Dan reminds her that traffic in England tends to come on from the right, and on impulse, he asks her for her name. They soon become lovers.
A year later, though the two are in a relationship, Dan is straying. He has written a novel based on Alice's life and while being photographed to publicize it, he flirts with the American photographer Anna Cameron (Julia Roberts). Anna shares a kiss with Dan before finding out that Dan and Alice are in a relationship. Alice arrives and uses Anna's bathroom, leaving Anna and Dan alone again. Dan takes the chance to try to persuade Anna to have an affair with him but is cut short by Alice's return. Alice asks Anna if she can have her portrait taken as well. Anna agrees and Alice asks Dan to leave them alone during the photo shoot. While being photographed, she reveals to Anna that she overheard them, and she is photographed while still weeping over it. Alice does not reveal what she overheard to Dan, even as he spends a year stalking Anna.
Another year later, Dan enters a cybersex chat room and randomly meets Larry Gray (Clive Owen), a British dermatologist. With Anna still on his mind, Dan pretends to be her, and using the pretense that they will be having sex, Dan convinces Larry to meet at the aquarium (where Anna told Dan she often went). Larry goes to the rendezvous and has his rude awakening there. Anna tells Larry that a man who had pursued her, Dan, was most likely to blame for the setup. Soon, Anna and Larry become a couple and they refer to Dan as "Cupid" from then on.
Four months later, at Anna's photo exhibition, Larry meets Alice, whom he recognizes from the tearful photograph that is one of many being exhibited. Larry knows that Alice and Dan are a couple, from talking to Anna. Meanwhile, Dan convinces Anna to become involved with him. They begin cheating on their respective lovers for a year, even though Anna and Larry marry halfway through the year. Eventually Anna and Dan each confess the affair to their respective partners, leaving their relationships for one another.
Alice goes back to being a stripper, heartbroken by her loss. One day, Larry runs into her accidentally at the strip club and he (heart-broken himself) is convinced that she is the girl he met before. He asks her if her name is Alice, but no matter how much money he gives her, she keeps telling him her name is "Jane Jones." He asks her to have a one-night stand with him but she refuses. The line of questioning becomes pornographic, albeit without any explicit nudity.
Eventually, Larry convinces Anna to see him one last time; she agrees to sleep with him so that he will sign the divorce papers and leave her alone. Dan suspects the affair, to which Anna confesses, and following their argument, she returns to Larry. Distraught, Dan confronts Larry to try to get Anna back. Instead, Larry tells him Alice's whereabouts, and suggests that he go back to her. Suddenly, however, out of a sheer malicious impulse, he also tells him that he had a one-night stand with her.
Alice takes Dan back. Alice also decides that she wants to return to her home country and invites Dan to come with her and he agrees. While in a hotel room celebrating being back together (and noting that it has been four years when they first met on that London street when Alice was hit by a car in the opening scene), Dan asks her whether she had a one-night stand with Larry, she initially denies it. But when he insists on the truth, she suddenly tells him that she doesn't love him anymore and goes on to say that she did sleep with Larry. Dan reveals that Larry had already told him about the one-night stand but that he's already forgiven her. She insists that it's over and tells him to leave. The argument culminates in Dan slapping Alice.
In the end, Alice returns to New York alone. As she passes through the immigration checkpoint on her way back into the United States, a shot of her passport shows her real name to be Jane Rachel Jones. Thus she had lied about her name during her four-year relationship with Dan.
Back in London, Dan returns to Postman's Park, and to his surprise, notices the name "Alice Ayres" on a memorial that is dedicated to a young woman, "who by intrepid conduct" and at the cost of her young life, rescued three children from a fire. The final scene shows Alice/Jane walking on Broadway towards West 47th Street with male passers-by staring at her beauty. This completes the visual symmetry within the film as it echoes the opening scene where Alice/Jane and Dan are staring at each other on the sidewalks of London. | murder | train | wikipedia | 2007), I feel it's time for me to commend every aspect of this series about an elite homicide squad.Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Segdewick) is consistently one of the most engaging television series characters I've seen in a very long time.
Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson is the head of a elite detective unit that solves homicides, now here are a few things you should probably know.
If you're looking for that, look somewhere else.Watch the show for the charming character portrayed by Kyra Sedgewick, who looks like she's in over her head and a mess, but never really is.
Like Law and Order the show puts more focus on the cases themselves rather than the personal lives of the characters, but The Closer opens the door a little more.
The writers were also keen to make Brenda Johnson a real person, not some super-hero who always wins and always knows the every move of the bad guy; sometimes Brenda makes mistakes and pays for them and sometimes she is insecure about her looks or being freshly relocated to the big city of Los Angelos.
From the beginning episodes where Brenda's staff worked against her, sometimes with the expressed desire for her to fail, to the latest season where they appear to be firmly on her "side" there is an interesting dynamic in showing an intelligent and capable woman as authority-figure and the gradual and sometimes reluctant acceptance of her as the officers she works with see for themselves what she is bringing to the dept.The show brings a lot of elements of the classic mysteries, and uses clever reveals and intelligence as well as past personal experiences and leaps of intuition in solving crimes.
I didn't see the first episode of this series, but from the first time I watched it I could tell it would be one of my favorite shows.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 4-disc DVD set of the entire first season and will usurp sole possession of TV remote on June 12, 2007 so that my hubby won't be able to interrupt my sweet fix of watching my new favorite TV star in this season's debut episode.Here's to Kyra Sedgwick's Emmy for her stellar, spellbinding, hilarious, adorable portrayal of TV's newest heroine, Brenda Lee Johnson..
I have to say I've enjoyed just about every episode of the closer over it's 7 seasons.I especially like the way the initial hostility of the other detectives eventually turns into respect and finally into a willingness to do what it takes to help BLJ in some of her times of need.I also like that there's been a few episodes that are tongue in cheek - who can forget Provenza popping his little blue pill only to find a dead body in the bath tub, or the recent ep with Santa drinking his egg nog.Maybe things get sewn up a little too well at times, but she's also had a few cases get away from her.
Kyra Sedgwick is great as Brenda Johnoson a real true southern belle from Atlanta, GA with both charm, wit, grace, and intelligence who starts a new life in Los Angeles as a chief deputy detective.
Brenda also is very witty and smart when looking for clues upon the crime scene her investigative work is hands on, but underneath it all she never losses her southern charm and nice gentle ways.
Really this series is good a tribute to police detectives and their hard work of crime solving skills, even better it's nice to see the fine Kyra Sedgwick doing a role so well a real role model to every working woman!.
From the beginning episodes where Brenda's staff worked against her, sometimes with the expressed desire for her to fail, to the latest season where they appear to be firmly on her "side" there is an interesting dynamic in showing an intelligent and capable woman as authority-figure and the gradual and sometimes reluctant acceptance of her as the officers she works with see for themselves what she is bringing to the dept.
Each episode also allows the viewer to see some of the personal drama without being heavy-handed or too soap-opera, keeping a good balance between the police investigation and the people who are doing the investigation.I find it interesting, however, that most of the people I know who do not like the show are male and love similar stories where a male in the central authority and does the exact same things that Brenda does to close a case.
Each episode also allows the viewer to see some of the personal drama without being heavy-handed or too soap-opera, keeping a good balance between the police investigation and the people who are doing the investigation.I find it interesting, however, that most of the people I know who do not like the show are male and love similar stories where a male in the central authority and does the exact same things that Brenda does to close a case.
For someone who likes police drama, with realistic characters who are not always perfect, this is an excellent show to watch.
For someone who likes police drama, with realistic characters who are not always perfect, this is an excellent show to watch.
Kyra Sedgwick plays Brenda Lee Johnson brilliantly, and who can help but love her quirky mannerisms and genius?
I also love the show because it is funny (watching Johnson's staff react to her quirkiness is a trip), it makes you think, and the story lines are usually always excellent.
Just right.My sister-in-law with three small children watches very little television, but loved The Closer from the start - and then was thrilled to realize that Brenda's FBI love interest was a former college classmate.
I really think the new cable style of short seasons pushes shows like this to the utmost, making every episode highly watchable..
Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (who often thinks rules don't apply to her and was brought in by Assistant Chief Will Pope/J.K.Simmons , her former boss in the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington D.C., with whom she had an affair) as the head of the Priority Homicide Division of the LAPD , which was created to focus on high profile cases .
Brenda runs the Priority Homicide Division of the LAPD with an unorthodox style , she is a well trained interrogator and has a great innate ability to get confessions and to read people resolving the city's toughest , most difficult , hardest cases .
He knows Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson/Sedgwick from when they both lived and worked in law enforcement in Washington D.C. He has been in L.A. for three years when the series begins and has a sister, Claire, who believes she is psychic.
Little else to be said.Kyra Sedgwick is Brenda Leigh Johnson, who comes to Los Angeles from Atlanta to run the Priority Homicide Division.
Chief Deputy Brenda Lee Johnson, along with her co-workers, family, victims and suspects are combined in story lines dramatically different from the popular CSI, Law and Order and copycats.
Her problems with her fiancé and parents may be a bit exaggerated and contrived at times, but Kyra Sedgwick carries Brenda Lee's life into the viewer's heart in such a way that any flaws are easily overlooked.
I don't doubt the talent of any of the cast and crew, it's just that after watching things like "the wire", I've come to expect great things from cop drama..
Think Ralph Fiennes in 'Schindler's List' or Michael Caine (*not* Sly Stallone) in 'Get Carter', and you may get the idea.While Detective Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson is not quite in Amon Goeth territory, she is undoubtedly one of those people who you're glad is 'on your side', and who you probably wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, let alone on the other side of an "interview" table at Parker Center.As far as I'm concerned, she is a murderer (quite possibly a serial one), and my 'voice of conscience' tells me that the Philip Goldman character should nail her to the wall...in court.
And that's what makes good television.Of course, most great shows are the result of team-work, and this one is no exception: I've seen G.W. Bailey I don't know how many times, yet to me he is now Lt. Provenza; and the show has now been running long enough to get under the skin (as much as TV allows) of all the characters in the squad.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if some spin-off wasn't spawned based on him and Lt. Flynn (or indeed Det. Sanchez); and I'd certainly check out the first few episodes.My favourite character of all though is Captain Sharon Raydor - one of the best 'introduced' characters I can remember in a TV series – and I look forward to the battle of wits between her and Goldman (and maybe Johnson herself).I hope by now you can tell I'm a fan; and although I still think Brenda Leigh and her delicious "Thank you so much" should be on the other side of her own interrogation desk, it makes for great viewing.Keep 'em coming..
Good writing takes time as the writers and the actors get a chance to know their characters; the possible plots in L.A. are endless so I cannot wait for Monday nights.
Perhaps the southern bit is a little over the top, but I've lived in the south my entire life and think she does a great job with the accent and comes across as a "real" southern lady.
Every character is great, but Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson takes the cake.
Kyra Sedgewick is superb, but what helps a lot is that her character Brenda Johnson is a breath of fresh air.
Brenda is what made me tune in again, not the fairly standard crimes.Another great plus is the excellent supporting cast, especially GW Bailey as Lt Provenza, who I hated for the first half of the season!
Kyra Sedgwick's Southern accent is so bad that I'm totally distracted from the plot, the action, and the other characters.
I'll tell 'ya, I enjoyed this show much better than I have the second season of The 4400 so far, and plan on scheduling the DVR for the whole series.It might be worth your time to check out a so-called southern *itch showing the LA crowd "how it's done".
Network: TNT; Genre: Crime/Mystery; Content Rating: TV-14 (adult content, language, some violence and gore); Available: DVD; Perspective: Contemporary (1 - 4); Seasons Reviewed: 2 seasons Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) transfers to L.A. from Atlanta and becomes the new head of the Priority Homicide Division, much to the chagrin of her new team and male superiors.
Her vices of choice are Hostess brownies and a one-time indiscretion with a particular married man who now happens to be her boss (G.W. Bailey).I'm sorry, people, but I'm not buying "The Closer" at all.Kyra Sedgwick does a reasonably good job as one of TVs few flawed female heroines.
If all that wasn't contrived enough, creator James Duff fills out these cardboard peripheral characters with a cast that is strictly designed to appeal to everybody - well, everybody who just watches entertainment to see people who look like themselves.
Like all god cop shows the police work is largely nothing more than a reason to have some interesting characters hang out together; The way by which they catch the criminals is just the icing on the cake - In fact you might just as well compare it to Friends or Cheers as to Columbo - Don't get me wrong I'm a big Columbo fan but Columbo is such a loner that the references to the ever unseen Mrs Columbo are almost an in joke.
The closest cop show for me would probably be "NYPD Blue" - another great cast of characters but a bit more gritty.If proof were needed, I just watched the season 2 "big finale" where she has to deal with the CIA and a nuclear terrorist threat - It just left me wondering why the writers came up with such an improbable story line when I suspect that most fans would be just as happy watching the team track down a shoplifter provided only that we got some good lines and a warm feeling at the end.Looking forward to season 3 - The writers had better be careful with their character balancing because Provenza and Flyn are starting to steal the show!.
It's interesting to see the twists and turns as they try to zoom in on the underlying truth of the matter.For the episode that I just watched, concerning a boy that died during an emergency operation, I'm not sure I fully agreed with (deputy chief) Brenda's take on what happened, but I could understand where she was coming from.It's very well written, plotted, and acted.I wasn't a Kyra Sedgewick fan before, but I am now..
I just watched the last episode of the season 1 and Brenda proved that she is the best because her team was willing to stand by her.
(Ask any detective or forensic investigator and they'll tell you solving crimes is much more difficult since CSI first aired).On The Closer, the main character, Brenda Leigh Johnson, is supposed to have specialized interview training, but her most notable talent is the condescending tone of her voice when interviewing suspects.
But in heading it, Simmons reaches out of the department all the way to Atlanta for Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson as beautifully played by Kyra Sedgwick.The fact the two of them were once romantically involved is of secondary importance.
In several weeks I watched all 7 Seasons and let me tell you this, although a few episodes are boring the whole Series is great.
Actually, the cast is padded out from other cop shows, like J.K. Simmons from Law & Order's many incarnations, and G.W. Bailey from the Police Academy movies!Oh, and people that worked on the show or who work for TNT really ought to recuse themselves from voting on the usefulness of user comments about this show (or is it the herd mentality at work?).
The story lines, actors/actresses, characters, and locations are fantastic.Kyra Sedgwick is not the actress I would have picked for "Brenda Lee", and I would like Chief Pope to leave the show permanently, but I enjoy the heck out of Flynn, Provenza, Sanchez, Daniels, and "Brenda's right-hand man" (whose name escapes me at the moment).I would love to see "Brenda's lover" have a more complete role in the future, as I just love "Fritzi".
Watching her eat her ding dong in episode 1 = the same in season 1's finale, and in conjunction with her character showing what I consider some dynamic acting ability in becoming Brenda the flake who may border on genius in her job lacks in the personal relations department tremendously.After 3 seasons though I think it is a good show that I'm assuming will grow since it ran for as many seasons as it did.
It is frustrating to see the people who seem to feel a new show, in particular it's pilot, should be able to stand up the the 4 and 5 year old shows that have had their opportunity to develop during their first season and then become among the top ten programs of the week.We have read comments about the character Kyra is portraying, and set aside the fact that we(at least I don't) don't need another character such as we see each week in Law & Order, CSI, etc.
But I know in one episode, he wanted to confess so he could go to jail, because he knew he was going to be killed by the Russian mafia if he showed his face again, but Brenda wouldn't let him, and the next day, he was found dead.Overall, this is a truly great show, and you shouldn't miss it..
I have not enjoyed a show more!Alas...I really hope TV guide never see's this comment-because each time I LOVE a show...they remove it from their line up.Please keep The Closer!It shows that women can use brains and sly woman-isms to beguile a bad guy/girl,into admitting a truth,She is ruthless in her attempt to find the real truth-and the last show of this past season was awesome.Ms. K puts women in a lead role.Without over powering male counter parts.Her attitude is real.Her acting wonderful.Her accent adorable.Horrah for Ms. K.I cannot say enough about this great show.If I were to pick the Emmys.This would be the one show that would win,"hands down"..
In "The Closer", Sedgwick is Brenda Johnson, a Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief who goes out among 'em and solves crimes in the kinda-sorta mean streets of L.A. more or less single handedly while her cadre of male detectives look on with chagrin.
The first few episodes of season one appear to be dedicated to fleshing out the very southern Brenda character - who is way below Sedgwick's abilities - while leaving plenty of hooks for future story lines should the series survive...which I doubt it will.
I really feel silly that I don't know these answers because I watch the show ALL the time!I love Kyra Sedgwick and all the men in her department.
In any case, her accent is so good that when I first saw the show, I remember thinking "I didn't know Kyra Sedgwick was southern!".
After being in the shadows of her much more popular husband Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick became a household name in this TV show as former CIA agent and Atlanta Ga transplant, Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson from the LAPD as she is a no nonsense and tough gal interrogation.Her name of the title is due to the fact she closes cases and that she also makes people confess in order to get a conviction and that she at first, made everybody's lives at the LAPD a living you know what. |
tt0110428 | The Madness of King George | The film depicts the ordeal of King George III whose bout of madness in 1788 touched off the Regency Crisis, triggering a power struggle between factions of parliament under the conservative William Pitt the Younger and the reform-minded Charles James Fox.
At first, the King's habits appear mildly eccentric, and are purposely ignored for reasons of state. The King is seen as being highly concerned with the wellbeing and productivity of England, and continually exhibits an encyclopedic knowledge of the families of even the most obscure royal appointments. In fact, the King is growing more unsettled, largely over the loss of America. George, his oldest son, aggravates the situation, knowing that he would be named regent in the event the King was found incapacitated. George chafes under his father's repeated criticism, but also hopes for regency to allow him greater freedom to marry his Catholic mistress. George also knows that he has the moral support of Charles Fox, who is eager to put across an agenda unlikely to pass under the current administration, including abolition of the slave trade and friendlier relations with America. Knowing that the King’s behavior is exacerbated in public, the Prince arranges for a concert playing the music of Handel. The King reacts as expected, interrupting the musicians, acting inappropriately towards Lady Pembroke, attendant to the Queen, and finally assaulting his son.
The King's madness is treated using the relatively primitive medical practices of the time, which include blistering and purges, led on particularly by the Prince of Wales' personal physician, Dr. Warren. Eventually, Lady Pembroke recommends Dr Willis, an ex-minister who attempts to cure the insane through new procedures, and who begins his restoration of the King's mental state by enforcing a strict regime of strapping the King into a waistcoat and restraining him whenever he shows signs of his insanity or otherwise resists recovery.
Meanwhile, the opposition led by Charles James Fox, confronts Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger's increasingly unpopular government with a bill that would give the Prince powers of regency. Meanwhile, Baron Thurlow, the Chancellor, discovers that the Prince was secretly and illegally married to his Catholic mistress. Thurlow pays the minister to keep his mouth shut, and himself tears out a record of the marriage from church rolls.
The King soon shows signs of recovery, becoming less eccentric and arrives in Parliament in time to thwart passage of the Regency bill. Restored, the King asserts control over his family, forcing the Prince to “put away” his mistress. With the crisis averted, those who had been closest to the king are summarily dismissed from service, including Dr Willis. During conversations with Pitt, the King appears more at ease and in control of himself. He is less antagonized by America, but also shows signs that his insanity remains. | insanity, historical, entertaining | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0790816 | Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud | The film begins with two men on their motorcycles driving away from Pumpkinhead. One of the men hits a tree branch in their path, falling from his motorcycle and allowing Pumpkinhead to catch up to him. As the man is being killed, the film cuts to a man in a log cabin who seems to share the pain inflicted by Pumpkinhead on the fallen man. The surviving man, named Dallas, rides to the log cabin, and the man who conjured Pumpkinhead, begging him to call the demon off. Pumpkinhead smashes through the window and Dallas attempts to fend him off by shooting him with a small pistol with little effect, and is clawed in the chest by the demon. When Dallas realizes that his bullets have no effect on Pumpkinhead, he swears to take the summoner with him, shooting the man and killing him, causing Pumpkinhead to vanish. Ed Harley then appears telling Dallas that Pumpkinhead will return and there will be no place to hide.
Five years later we are shown the family of the Hatfields' and McCoys' ongoing feud started because of a car in the 1930s. The Hatfields then trash the McCoy wedding. Jody Hatfield sneaks out to see her true love, Ricky McCoy. Ricky brings his sister, Sarah, to look out for him and Jody. The two then start to make out.
Jody's brothers find and kill Sarah by accident and try to kill Ricky. Ricky then finds his sister's body and goes to Haggis for help. Haggis tells him of the price it costs to summon Pumpkinhead and Haggis is shown talking to Ed Harley's spirit. Haggis states that her choice does not matter in the end; only the summoner may make the decision to kill Pumpkinhead. The two invoke Pumpkinhead to kill the Hatfields.
At the end of the film most of the Hatfields are killed, as well as some of the McCoy family. Ricky realizes what he has done and takes Pumpkinhead with him to fall down a well. This is the first film in the franchise that does not imply that Pumpkinhead is still alive. | revenge, romantic | train | wikipedia | As in previous sequels, there's nothing here to really connect the films except for the monster, the witch and Ed Harley (Lance Henriksen).
Part of the film is a Romeo And Juliet romance as a young McCoy boy and his Hatfield lover decide to run away to be together.
In spite of the long feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys because of a car accident, Jodie Hatfield (Amy Manson) and her boyfriend Ricky McCoy (Bradley Taylor) love each other and are planning to leave their families and move to another place.
During the night, after the Hatfields having trashed a McCoy wedding, Jodie sneaks out from her house to meet Ricky, while his young sister Sara (Maria Roman) looks out for them.
Ricky seeks revenge, going to the house of the witch of the woods Haggis (Lynne Verrall) that summons Pumpkinhead to kill all the Hatfields except Jodie.
When his vengeance is set in motion, the Hatfields are attacked by the demon in a bloodshed night."Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud" uses the forbidden romance between a young couple of two families in permanent feud and a tragic love story like in Romeo and Juliet to bring back the powerful demon Pumpkinhead in another bloodshed.
This television movie is not as bad as indicated in many reviews; actually I liked the enjoyable story and I found it underrated with the 4.5 IMDb Rating.
Meh. The appeal of the original "Pumpkinhead" (1988) was its creepy atmosphere, serious vibe, malevolent monster and the always reliable Lance Henriksen, but other than these factors it wasn't anything noteworthy.
As far as overall entertainment goes, practically every Friday the 13th sequel was/is superior."Pumpkinhead 4: Blood Feud" (2007) is the third sequel and -- although it was shot in Romania rather than California -- it stays true to the original concept by having a similar revenge plot and features the three main characters of the original: Ed Harley (Henriksen), albeit now a ghost; the ugly, old witch; and, of course, Pumpkinhead itself.
Speaking of which, some complain about the appearance of Pumpkinhead, but he (it) looks great to me; I know it's probably done via CGI, unlike the original, but it works and I couldn't discern any strings, so to speak.The unique thing here is that the story involves a modern-day take on the Hatfield/McCoy feud crossed with Romeo & Juliet, which I found interesting.The creature is featured prominently throughout, as are Henriksen and the witch, and there's loads of gore, but I didn't find the story or the characters all that compelling.
unfortunately the film makers have deemed it irrelevant to try and do any other than this, for the films fourth outing, deeming it far more suitable to add some lame romeo and Juliet sub plot, involving an idiotic family feud (over a car!!!!) and surprise surprise some gory pumpkin head slayings, so far so formulaic, but it doesn't stop there the acting talent in this flick is dire...oh so bad half of them can't even keep up a southern accent without slipping into their native and often posher accents.
Lance henrikssen is on board so surely he would bring some gravitas to the movies proceedings...but no lance merely ambles on screen lets the words fall out mouth with absolutely no emotion or seemingly direction, and walks off again, i honestly think he just turned up for the money, then went off to his trailer to drunk and reminisce about aliens.this film is utter cack there is no redeeming feature other than it ending credits which signal its all over.despite the failings of ph:bf...if you want a no brainer that'll make you laugh for all the wrong reasons watch it.if you want something with abit more meat and originality avoid..
I nearly didn't even bother to rent Pumpkinhead-blood feud since I hated the one before it called Pumpkinhead-ashes ton ashes,and they were made back to back.The only thing I liked about ashes to ashes was Lance Henriksen & returning from the original.I mean even pumpkinhead 2 was better and that one was a flop.
The very first pumpkinhead movie back in 1988 was the best one and deserves a proper DVD special feature release.At the very least a cleaned up digital copy in widescreen!
But the newest one "blood feud" is a good sequel.I could actually sit through it and enjoy it.The plot was good and it had again disastrous results for the poor bastards that summoned the demon and again ignored Ed Harley's(Henriksen) warning.This one was probably the goriest one in the series so far.The acting was a lot better then I thought it would be after the b-rated ashes to ashes.And even Pumpkinhead looked better and more ferocious then in the other one..
This fourth entry in the "Pumpkinhead"-saga (damn, that's kind of a depressing thing to write) finally goes for the element we've all been waiting for in this series: a Romeo and Juliet storyline.
This movie provides us with an important lesson: if there's one thing that can truly express how much you really love a girl, it's by summoning a demon and instructing it to kill her entire family.
Overall "Blood Feud" is a decent sequel, nothing less nothing more..
It was a bit surprising to note that this fourth movie from the Pumpkinhead franchise was the best of the sequels to watch.
Not that that means that it was a great movie though but it featured a decent enough story, that stays true to the Pumpkinhead-franchise but is not as predictable and clichéd as its predecessors.
The characters are all better and the movie also features a decent enough amount of gore to pleasure the genre-fans.The movie has the same look and feels as the third movie "Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes" and also seems to be shot at the same locations.
It got shot in Romania, which is of course nothing like the South of the USA, which made the first Pumpkinhead movie such an atmospheric one.The movie features some pretty good effects, which also provides the movie with some nice gory moments.
It also uses the monster at the right moments and it doesn't make the mistake of featuring it as prominently as any of the other earlier sequels.Yet again the movie features Lance Henriksen, who had played the main character almost 20 years prior to this movie, in the first Pumpkinhead movie from 1988, directed by Stan Winston.
It still gives the movie a certain bit of more overall professionality over it, despite its overall obvious low-budget look and feel.A decent enough movie and certainly the best out of the so far three sequels made.5/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
Writer/Director Michael Hurst's Sci-Fi Channel sequel to Stan Winston's classic horror tale of revenge gone awry has its moments and some decent gore, but ultimately falls short in comparison to the original.I'm pretty sure the filmmakers weren't trying to make a comedy, but I caught myself laughing throughout.
Just when they thought it was safe to hate each other and live happily ever after, Jodie Hatfield (Amy Manson) and Ricky McCoy (Bradley Taylor) decided to fall in love causing the fit to hit the shan.
One night the two lovebirds decide to head out into the woods for some quality time while Ricky's sister plays lookout, but it just so happens that on that very night some of the Hatfields accidentally kill Ricky's sister and catch him and Jodie together.
Which really put a kink in the story because Harley is supposed to have called on Pumpkinhead years before this story takes place, but the setting and characters look like dirty Pilgrims that somehow traveled through time in order to bring the pickup truck back to Plymouth.
Then there's the Sheriff (Rob Freeman) who has his own ties to the demon and looks like he belongs in a 70's revenge movie instead of a made-for-cable horror flick.Some of the gore and special effects were cool, but instead of sticking to the man-in-a-suit way of thinking Hurst used some terrible looking 3D shots for certain scenes.
The acting was pretty decent also, with the exception of a few poorly executed accents.Family feuds never end well, especially when the families involved in the feud have to deal with Pumpkinhead.
I didn't enjoy every minute of this flick, but it was much better than most of the movies the Sci-Fi Channel spits out.
The McCoys and Hatfield's family feud resulted in the death Ricky McCoy's young sister.
I enjoyed the original Pumpkinhead, but the three sequels are not as good.
After their blood-feud prevents their love, a man raises the demon Pinhead to kill off his rival's family to save her for himself which drags the rest of his family into the struggle to prevent the creature from finishing it's work.This here was perhaps the best sequel in the franchise and had a ton to love about it.
What really gives this one a lot to love is the strong story-line here, with the obvious ploy here about the long-standing blood feud between the two families which gives this one plenty to work with here.
The beginning impact of the feud, from the opening introduction of the wedding that degenerates into a full-scale barroom brawl between the family's in grand Western-style tradition, kicks it off nicely while the different incidents between them throughout history that are piled on adds to the whole story that is continually added on into the farther sections of the film that simply fuels the revenge part of the story-line.
The opening chase through the forest chasing after the bikers is really fun generating a few enjoyable scenes, and once it starts in on the vengeance against the family there's a lot more to like here as it features a strong series of shorter ambush attacks on the family.
The first sequence of it attacking the two at the moonshine farm that results in some brutal deaths, the absolutely fantastic scenes of it taking out the posse in the woods which feature insanely brutal kills on top of the fun the fun of the psychic connection coming along at the most inopportune places that allows this one plenty to like.
With the creature delivering full-on justice to the two family's in grand fashion with tons of utterly brutal gore-drenched kills, some fun encounters and plenty of tense stalking that shows the creature coming along and generating some fun here doling out not just justice to the other family but finishing off the other other side-plots featured here.
Along with the brutal and gory kills here, the film's other big positive here is the absolutely amazing looking main creature here as the design is creepy, the suit is superb with lots of details and it never really looks bad here for an overall spectacular-looking creature.
The film is yet another variation on the same them now and really doesn't do anything new, not only with the return character here spelling out the franchise rules without doing anything else, just running through the same story-line without much deviation.
If you like low budget horror films then watch the first Pumpkinhead.
Rinse and repeat.It's a pity this film is so bad because Pumpkinhead himself still looks pretty cool.
It's like the film-makers spent so much money on a decent-looking monster that they forgot to employ a competent writer.
Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud (2007) No were near as good as last 3 movies, even bit better then Blood wings So this movie is long Feud going on with two family however Teens have fallen in love with each and secretly meet.
But this movie is very predicable form start as you know how it going to end but I could help but like some of nice bloody gory death in scenes in this movie.
Seemingly overnight, there came new entries in popular 80's horror franchises like "Sleepaway Camp", "Return of the Living Dead" and "Pumpkinhead".
Nearly twenty years after the original, there are two new installments entitled "Ashes to Ashes" and this "Blood Feud".
Jodie Hatfield and Ricky McCoy are two hopelessly-in-love teenagers, but their love is forbidden because of an ancient family feud.
When a couple of Jodie's hillbilly brothers kill Ricky's younger sister, he takes her dead body to the local witch Haggis and demands the resurrection of Pumpkinhead.
Apart from the horribly clichéd and implausible family feud story, this is actually a rather enjoyable horror movie.
As always: I really enjoy watching Pumpkinhead, I love seeing Haggis the Witch, and like watching Harley's ghost in action.
GoreMongral's Review: Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud.
Pumpkinhead, the name alone sends fond memories of the late 80's early 90's when there was still a few good horror movies coming out.
The original Pumpkinhad though not a great film still managed to put one of the wildest monsters ever created on the silver screen and though the movie was marginal the monster alone saved it from mediocrity.In comes this the 4th installment to the Pumpkinhead series, Blood Feud.
At its onset we start with some killing and Pumpkinhead which is always a good thing if you ask me, then we get to the opening portions of the "story".
We begin with a wedding celebration that gets ruined by a feuding family, sounds like the Hatfields and McCoys right well the cheesy thing is IT IS!!!!
Well after an accidental death and someone calling up Pumpkinhead for revenge we get back to some killing which does happen frequently especially toward the end.
It is this reason that I can say that saves Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud and makes for one of the more entertaining Sci-Fi Channel movies I have seen.One thing that Sci-Fi for the most part has been liberal with is the gore and they did a nice job here, from bear trap head crushing to Human head stomping there are some nice gruel being thrown around here, not to mention Lance Henriksen reprising his roll of Ed Harley, as a tortured spirit who tried to warn others of the true cost of summoning the demon.
Also the last 20 minutes we get a final stand of sorts that has a nice body count by the time it ends.Though P:BF will not earn points for originality and that crappy decision to name the families Hatfield and Mc Coy I was entertained by this one.
Old school monster fans will like that this one for about 90% of the time is all man in suit style effects which again saves it from another damaging mark I have against Sci-Fi Channel movies, Crappy CGI.In the end if you want a monster film with a better than average body count and you can forgive the movie for its shortcomings I would say give this one a shot.
I give Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud: 5/10: a middle of the road example of monster action which is better than I was expecting.
For example, is Lance Henriksen that strapped for cash that he has to keep playing supporting roles in these god-awful "Pumpkinhead" sequels?
When are the hick characters in these movies going to realize that handguns and rifles don't hurt the "Pumpkinhead?" Why don't they try jamming another stick up this thing's a** instead?
And, lastly, are the writers of this movie so creatively challenged that they couldn't come up with names for the two feuding families more original than the Hatfields and the McCoys?
Pumpkinhead:Blood Feud.
When Ricky McCoy's sister is killed while running from Tommy and Bob Joe Hatfield, he'll conjure the Pumpkinhead demon to seek revenge.
In true Romeo and Juliet fashion, Ricky McCoy(Bradley Taylor) loves Jodie Hatfield(Amy Manson) and such a forbidden courtship leads to inevitable consequences as does the summoning of Pumpkinhead.
As the Pumpkinhead demon dispatches McCoys, Ricky's soul is slowly "eaten away".
Meanwhile, the damned spirit of Ed Harley(Lance Henriksen, with a more substantial role in this film than the previous entry in the series)tries to talk the witch out of allowing Ricky to summon the Pumpkinhead, and, when that isn't successful, attempts to warn Jodie of the acts set in motion and what she must do to rectify the unfortunate state of affairs which will take away all those she loves.
Everything just escalates; tensions intensify as those Hatfields which remain seek to get vengeance for their fallen brethren.The Pumpkinhead series perhaps comes to an end as Ed Harley is able to contribute mightily in ending the demon's reign of terror by convincing Jodie to make a devastating choice under strenuous circumstances.
Like the other films in the series, the Pumpkinhead demon will not stop until all that are marked are killed so the source will have to be taken care of before it can be vanquished.
This could've been called THE PUMPKINHEAD MASSACRE as the demon monster has plenty of victims to rip apart and destroy.
The Pumpkinhead series is a nice throwback to the rubbersuited creature features of yore, but I'm not sure why this particular film has such poor hick characters living in Depression era conditions.
By all rights, this is set in a modern setting years after Ed Harley conjured the Pumpkinhead, but, for some reason, the film takes place in a western-like town, with surrounding wilderness.
It was nice to see Henriksen given more than just a five minute part, his role, Ed Harley condemned to live "between two worlds never to ever see his son for the calling of the Pumpkinhead", extended past "paycheck status".
I think the oft-used "family feud" plot is played out and tired, but such a premise does seem sensible for the classic Pumpkinhead tragedy, always a factor in every film in the series, where innocents are sacrificed due to a hunger for revenge.
We know that once a death takes place, the Pumpkinhead will be called by someone in a moment of blinded rage, and it will not end well for the person who summoned the demon from hell or those marked. |
tt0314979 | Battlestar Galactica | In a distant star system, the Twelve Colonies Of Mankind were reaching the end of a thousand year war with the Cylons, warrior robots created by a reptilian race which expired long ago, presumably destroyed by their own creations. Humanity was ultimately defeated in a sneak attack on their homeworlds by the Cylons, carried out with the help of a human traitor, Count Baltar (John Colicos). Protected by the last surviving capital warship, a "battlestar" (from "battle starship"), named Galactica, the survivors fled in any available ships. The Commander of the Galactica, Adama (Lorne Greene), led this "rag-tag fugitive fleet" of 220 ships in search of a new home. They began a quest to find the long lost thirteenth tribe of humanity that had settled on a legendary planet called Earth. However, the Cylons continued to pursue them relentlessly across the galaxy.
The era in which this exodus took place is never clearly stated in the series itself. At the start of the series, it is mentioned as being "the seventh millennium of time", although it is unknown when this is in relation to Earth's history. The implication of the final aired episode, "The Hand of God", was that the original series took place after the Apollo 11 moon landing in July 1969 (as the Galactica receives a television transmission from Earth showing the landing). The later Galactica 1980 series is expressly set in the year 1980 after a 30 year voyage to Earth.
Larson, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, incorporated many themes from Mormon theology into the shows. | thought-provoking, violence, dramatic, good versus evil, tragedy, romantic | train | wikipedia | I read a lot of people saying "the new one doesn't have the humour of the original" or "it takes itself so seriously, the characters are too serious," or things to that effect.
Adama's ship is being turned into a museum, effectively ending a major chapter in his military career (which is his life), Apollo's having to face his father, whom he blames for his brother's death, Teague is a drunk (they're not often the cheeriest people), Lauren's just been diagnosed with terminal cancer...
well, it only shows that you either can't do what the writers would like you to do-- and imagine yourself as a part of this world-- or that you can, but you're a suicidal sociopath.I thought the miniseries was excellent; the re-worked premise made for a more textured story, the characters actually had some depth this time around, and were well-played by actors who obviously tried to 'get' some of the nuances of their characters and could take a serious situation (however imaginary) seriously.
And I loved the special effects, too.So with all due respect, the puritans who prefer the shallow, campy 70's series with its recycled fx footage, its 2-dimensional characters and it's plot that provides little context or background, can stick their complaints in their old pipes and smoke 'em..
The stories are generally well-written, well-acted and consistently cruel to the characters we want so dearly to like.Be forewarned: This new BattleStar Galactica requires thought and some attention to detail.
And I was not disappointed.Since ENTERPRISE seems to be killing the Trek franchise -- and I admit, I enjoy ENTERPRISE a lot of the time, but a lot of people don't, and I can see why -- I am in high hopes a series based on BSG2003 can revitalize hope for on-going TV science fiction.
They also make do with what they have, there isn't a piece of technology that is presented to the characters at the beginning that will vanquish the enemy that will be introduced in ten minutes.All in all if you are looking for something different to watch than the new Battlestar Galactica is one to see.
The shots alternate between a hand-held documentary feel and a more standard dramatic presentation.I was never a big fan of the original Battlestar Galactica TV show, and I have only seen a few SciFi originals which did not embarrass me on behalf of the entire genre of science fiction (Farscape and both Dune Mini-series being the exceptions).
For a show based on the genocide of 12 planets, the original Battlestar Galactica never really got to grips with the futility, fear and condition of a race on the edge of extinction.The new show makes up for that in abundance.
Granted, all of the visual aspects far surpass anything the original series ever could have attained and are quite impressive to watch, but that is about all the new Battlestar has going for it.
The first hour of the series is absolutely pointless and wastes valuable time that could have been spent telling the story, not attempting to fit the original show into the situation by having Battlestar Galactica be some sort of a tourist destination...that was just lame.
The way he was portrayed in this new mini-series was terrible.For instance he would never make Commander Ty vent the hull that ejected 85 people, Adama would have taken personal responsibility as the leader and (later) Admiral of the Galatica, not given that order to a sub-ordinate.And where was the humor?
It has potential, if they address a few issues in any resulting serialisation, but I wonder how much mileage there is in a series where each week the cast and crew run away from searching Cylons, whilst doing little other than argue who's in commmand or who's fault it was Apollo's brother got killed, or perhaps punching out a superior officer to add excitement.
Of course, he had the new Adama as a father who shows almost as much emotion as the original Cylon centurians.The new Battlestar looks like it was another afterthought and someone had to build a model overnight to make a deadline.
It was sad that many of the other ships in the fleet were remarkably similar to the original series, including the Gemeni Movers freighter and the triple-saucer ship, but the star of the show, the Galactica, was so lacking in detail and a sense of scale.The new centurians did look great, and I was saddened again that they only appeared for a few seconds at the beginning and the end of the show.
Hell, the original Cylon model in the museum brought much more excitement to the show, and it just stood there.Ok, now on to the non-comparatives: After one & a half hours of what felt like a Best Of Jerry Springer bitch-fest, we finally got close to the actual story.
Well, i voted 4 points, because i was very disappointed.I haven't expected a "remake", but a new series with new characters and the old known background Humanity vs Cylons.But the series was awful boring.
There was too much time trying to develop the characters, and not enough "Original" story, or actual "SCIENCE FICTION", to keep me entertained.
Voila- instant Cylon detector.The totally unnecessary sex scenes that had very little to do with the story seemed to placed there just to copy the 7-of-9 effect to get the 14 year old boys to watch.If the cloud storm around the planet visibly affected the Cylon at the dump, why not the Cylons on the Galactica?
If this is representative of the "new" science-fiction television series, I want nothing to do with sci-fi anymore.I went in to my viewing of the _Battlestar Galactica_ miniseries with a large amount of trepidation.
Having the Cylons created by humans, changing the sex of much-loved characters and the handful of other "tweaks" made in the name of updating, modernizing and improving left me worried about the integrity of the core story I fell in love with years ago.As it turned out, those things that had me most worried were far from the worst blemishes on the miniseries.In fact, the story pace, cinematography, soundtrack and plot caused more than enough problems on their own, making my initial concerns pale in comparison.The last time I watched anything that moved quite as slowly and flowed as poorly as this new _Battlestar_ was when I caught _Queen of the Damned_ on cable months ago.
I even read a lot of great stuff about the Galactica trailer Richard Hatch (original Apollo) had made a few years ago and was showing at sci-fi cons, so I was hoping something would be made from that.
Plus, reading that one of the actors (I forget which) actually said NOT to watch this new series because it sucked, and to go out and buy the new DVD set of the original Galactica, wasn't too encouraging.Well, the show came, and I watched it.
The characters were interesting, and the special effects, for it's time, was state of the art.The 2003 "re-imaging" of the series is as bad as the 2001 "re-imagining" of the Planet of the Apes.
Not to mention that Colonel Tigh, who was an african american character that I respected, is this time portrayed as a thoughtless drunk often in conflict with Starbuck, and by the second episode, I didn't care whether the Galactica was destroyed or not.The sound and special effects are also sub par, and they make the Babylon 5 series of the 1990's look state of the art.
(The viper's lasers also sounded like machine gun fire, a BAD mistake!)If you truly want to experience Galactica again, I suggest checking out the 2003 video game, with the voices of Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict, currently available for PS2 and Xbox, that captures the true essence of the classic t.v. show.I truly hope that this "re-imagining" was a brief miniseries, and hopefully a TRUE remake of this t.v. classic, (away from these miserable characters) that stays true to the spirit of the original characters and show can be made by the SCI-FI channel sometime in the near future..
Oh, and let's pull out yet another soap opera cliche by making Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh) a drunk!Having the Cylons originally created by humans was also pretty idiotic and one of the most played-out sci-fi cliches in the book.
I see very clearly influences like Das Boot, Babylon 5, the Alien series of movies, Space Above and Beyond and the Terminator movies (the origin and actions of the cylons themselves) and maybe the Manchurian Candidate.
What a laugh this has turned out to be!I just KNOW original BG fans will vehemently hate this 2003 "reinvention" of BG!They're not wrong!I couldn't stand it either, and I don't even *like* the original BG!Just because the special effects have been brought up to 2003 standards does not mean this TV show is suddenly above and beyond all other sci-fi TV shows, including (most definitely!) the one that spawned it.
Star Gate SG1 has better effects, better stories and better characters, for example.Can't writers come up with good ideas for sci-fi TV shows anymore?
Well, according to him, the vital 2003 requirements for "reinvented" sci-fi TV shows must be:1) Re hash a so-so 70's or early 80's TV show (hopefully one that nobody will remember therefore making it an easy target to rip off - or in this case - rip to shreds) 2) Completely change the story so the "reinvention" becomes nothing like the original 3) Bring it up to today's "sub-standards", i.e remove any cheesy, kid-friendly attributes and replace them with offensive language, excessive or extreme violence, and enough sex scenes to shame any blue movie
I think the story is incredibly well written, relatively believable (for a sci-fi series), there's great acting in it and it gives me a hell of a good time.Hats off (So say we all!).
This was a painful presentation to watch, not due to overly bad acting or cheesy special effects (both were adequate), but because the pacing was dreadfully slow, the characters poorly developed (especially the Cylons), and most of all, there was positively no joy.When you can't feel an emotion watching the human race getting wiped out, something is seriously wrong with the direction..
Terrible, awful, slow, boring and just plain bad.Let's face it, if the Sci-Fi Channel had changed the names, and the look of the ships this would be another one of those original sci-fi channel movies thatwould have flopped and quickly shunned off to the "direct to video" release rack.It has no character, no adventure and hopefuly no future series to suffer through.By the way, can anyone hum the music theme to this?
If this is the way sci-fi series are headed, this genre is soon to be dead.The beloved characters from the original are nothing at all like their modern day counterparts, the only thing similar are the names.
Well-orchestrated excuses, designed to belittle fans and push a damaged product.Further proving that they just DO - NOT - GET IT, Ronny's merry little band got Richard Hatch (who's intro blurb highlighted his failed attempts to bring back BSG and not the fact that he is responsible for the entire revival), and other members of the sci-fi classic, to talk about giving Ronny and his boy's a chance.Executive producers talked about how many remakes of Romeo and Juliet have been made, and how their version of Battlestar Galactica was no different.
What about ATHENA, SERINA, and SHEBA - the strong and determined female fighter pilots from the original Battlestar Galactica series, who are COMPLETELY and TOTALLY absent?The whole excuse put forward by Ronnie Moore and the dips over on the BSG-Mini, is that woman should have a role in a space, in combat, and that woman can be fighter pilots.
This - once again - hints to the fact that none of these guys ever watched the original series.All true Galactica fans know that Battlestar Galactica was the FIRST television series EVER to portray woman as fighter pilots.
It was the FIRST series in which main cast members like Athena, Serina, and fan favorite Sheba, often slipped into the cockpit of a Viper to deal death against the Cylons.Athena, Serina, and Sheba were all fighter pilot and officers who broke new ground and Sheba was depicted as being a better pilot than her male counterparts.The positive female quotient aboard Battlestar Galactica was always there and Battlestar Galactica broke new ground in it's portrayal of strong, independent and determined female leads in a Science Fiction program, and did so without sacrificing femininity or cheapening the portrayal of the male characters.What is real galling is the fact that, in the BSG Lowdown being used to advertise the new Galactica series, the executives making the BSG-Mini are sitting there, accusing fans like us of being boorish and sexist because we fans have been very, VERY vocal about our abject dislike for their decision to transform Starbuck and Boomer from men, into woman, and IGNORE the original female pilots from Galactica all together.Athena, Serina and Sheba do not exist in the mini universe!I think the fact that fans enjoyed the original series because it did break new ground and did portray woman in a far superior light, capable of doing a Man's job without sacrificing their womanhood is further evidence that Ronald D.
They completely discounted some of the greatest female role models ever to grace a science fiction television show!And how did they compensate for their complete and total ignorance of the original Galactica series and the groundbreaking portrayal of woman portrayed in Galactica?Gimmicks and the completely unjustified sex changes for Starbuck and Boomer, effectively castrating the heroes of the young boys who grew-up watching Galactica, and snubbing the heroes of the young girls who also grew up watching Galactica by saying that Athena, Serina, and Sheba don't even exist.And what about Boomer?
What was the real point behind giving so many of our Galactican heroes sex changes and why - all of a sudden - is a Black man not good enough to be a fighter jock in Ronnie's `re-imagined' universe?The mini producers highlighted the fact that their special effects will be better, how wonderful every one of THEM thinks the story is, and talked-up all the sex that will be going on between #6 (a clone of Star Trek's Seven of Nine) and Baltar.It all wrapped up with some departing comments from the producers, trash talking about how horrible fans are and their outrage that some people would decide NOT to watch this pant-load, given all the changes they've made and their p***-poor treatment of the fans who worked for so long and pulled together so hard to convince SFC to actually try this.
are you all as thrilled to watch the new Battlestar Galactica series as I am?Are all of you, just enthralled with the idea of giving our business to a group of people who hold us, the fans, in complete and total contempt?Yeah...
Oh my god, why do people feel the need to destroy fabulous pieces of film making by 'remaking' (allegedly) them?This is a case in point, the original series was innovative, the effects were, for the time, superb and the characters likeable.The 2003 remake on the other hand has a wooden cast, a completely new plot and the Baltar story is so pathetic it is laughable.If you liked the original even a little bit do yourself a favour and do not watch this, it'll ruin your memories.If you haven't seen the original - don't bother anyway, it isn't worth it..
I don't care about realism give me eye candy please.I don't know, it kept me interested somewhat because I like the original series but I cannot follow along these so called "modern" versions of movies and the tweaking of major characters (Starbuck) and villains (Cylons).2 Stars.
The new series is simply the best sci-fi series in ages, with great characters, engaging story and production values that are mind blowing.
It's called "Battlestar Galactica" and keeps the same basic plot and characters but has little else in common with the old series.
I look forward eagerly to the new series, as there has been a lot set up in the mini series that has me hanging to see how things will pan out and by the end I was just starting to get involved enough with the characters to really care about their fates.I give "Battlestar Galactica" 9/10.
In the Original series, the Cylons were not made by humans, but by a race of lizard like life forms.
In the original series, the characters CARED about each other, and were working together, instead of always arguing with each other all the time.
Watch the original series and maybe, Galactica 1980, on the Sci- Fi Channel..
The homage to 9/11 with the corridors lined with the photos of loved ones dead and/or missing could have been seen to be a bit callous, but was played out to great effect, without being insensitive.In my opinion if you want a drama series that will keep you hooked and have you caring about the characters, that looks good and is written for those of us with an IQ higher that of our shoe size - you cannot go far wrong with Battlestar Galactica..
The grittier-feel, the hand-held shots and the 'more-realistic' combat all add-up to making this one of the best science-fiction dramas that I have seen on television in a long while.There are a few fanboy reviews here that are overly critical of this new version and all I have to say to them is to 'get with it'.I mean, I liked old series, but to remake BG, with it's hammy 70's sensibilities intact, just doesn't cut it in the year 2004..
If anything this is the real story where the original series is how events were fictionalized by historians.Anyway, I went in expecting not to like it and ended up wanting to see the next installment immediately. |
tt0006780 | Hell's Hinges | Hell's Hinges tells the story of a weak-willed minister, Rev. Bob Henley (played by Standing), who comes to a wild and debauched frontier town with his sister, Faith (played by Williams). The owner of the saloon, Silk Miller (played by Hollingsworth), and his accomplices sense trouble and encourage the local rowdies to disrupt the attempts to evangelize the community. Hard-bitten gunman Blaze Tracy (played by Hart), the most dangerous man around, is, however, won over by the sincerity of Faith. He intervenes to expel the rowdies from the newly built church.
Silk adopts a new approach. He encourages the dance-hall girl, Dolly (played by Glaum), to seduce Rev. Henley. She gets him drunk, and he spends the night in her room. The following morning the whole town learns of his fall from grace. Blaze rides out to find a doctor for the now near-demented minister.
The disgraced minister, having rapidly descended into alcoholism, is goaded into helping the rowdy element to burn down the church. The church-goers try to defend the church, and a gunfight erupts in which the minister is killed and the church set ablaze. Blaze returns too late to stop the destruction. In revenge, Blaze kills Silk and burns down the whole town, beginning with the saloon. He and Faith leave to start a new life. | revenge, murder | train | wikipedia | Hart, who had considerable experience as a stage actor, including the performance of a good deal of Shakespeare, clearly understood that in the movies, acting and personal presence were inseparable.
Once he is won over by the message of the church, he never cracks a smile, barely moves his face at all unless he's really angry.The entire film is as straightforward and unvarnished as Hart himself.
The atmosphere is effective, and along with the story, it is interesting in its contrast with the usual expectations of the genre.Hart is well-cast as the stoical gunslinger who becomes fascinated by the purity of a preacher's sister.
The character's transformation might be a little too abrupt, and it might have been an even better movie if 'Blaze' had changed more reluctantly, but Hart himself is quite effective in the role.
Jack Standing also does a good job as the weak-willed preacher whose folly leads to so much havoc.The story is quite moralistic in its way, but it is nevertheless pretty interesting.
Things are built up carefully into a harrowing finale that is filmed with a lot of detail.Features like this show why Hart rose to such popularity.
Gardner Sullivan wrote the story and the screenplay.Mr. Sullivan produced some of the most poetic intertitles in all of silent Hollywood, and went on to write some talkie screenplays, too.His prose coupled with the drama of the story and the acting of William S.
Hart and a talented large cast and with the excellent directing of Charles Swickard as well as Mr. Hart and Clifford Smith make "Hell's Hinges" one of the most gripping of silent westerns.It is, in fact, so classic and so iconic that the great Jon Tuska included it in his PBS series, "They Went Thataway."That TV show was probably my introduction to William S.
Hart, and when I moved to Los Angeles, one of my first missions was to find the (now defunct) Silent Movie Theatre, run by the lamented John Hampton and his wife, and beg for William S.
(It's also available at YouTube and I urge you to see it.)I have been a Hart fan really since Jon Tuska's introduction, and my admiration has only grown with each Hart movie viewing."Hell's Hinges" is almost 100 years old at this writing, 21 August 2015, and it holds up extremely well, although I do recommend the "A cinema history" print at YouTube rather than another, which plays some Beethoven piano reductions as the music score, which is, of course, beautiful but really not appropriate.Also, the print by "A cinema history" is clear and crisp.Hart looked young and even chubby-faced, especially as compared to his craggier later looks, as in, for example, "Tumbleweeds." A trained stage actor, he was always able to portray his needed emotion or thought or action beautifully for the camera, and one can just look at him and realize why an entire town would be cowed.When you watch this, do remember the context: It was produced in 1916, and styles of acting and writing were different.
Not worse, in fact in lots of ways better, but decidedly different, so remember context.Frankly, I LOVED "Hell's Hinges," and am so grateful to YouTube and "A cinema history" for posting this excellent movie and allowing me to watch it, and watch it again in the future..
Hell's Hinges is an early silent William S.
He stars as Blaze Tracy, a gun-slinger who falls for a pastor's sister (Clara Williams) when she and her inadequate brother arrive in Hell's Hinges to preach the gospel.
"Shoot first and do your disputin afterwards" Although a touch too heavy on the religious moral retribution angle, where the good-badman has his epiphany and the town of Hell's Hinges becomes a battle of the church against, well, this devil's den of iniquity, Hell's Hinges flies by.
Acted superbly by Hart, a one time stage performer who was a hugely popular silent star of the time, film is full of action, often violent and closes down with a memorable bang.
Jack Standing is suitably shifty as the hopeless parson (by parental pressure) easily led astray, and Williams provides some much needed emotional thrust when the film veers to being over preachy.
Hell's Hinges (1916) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Historic Western has William S.
Hart playing "Blaze" Tracy, a notorious gunfighter who is evil pure through until he meets a young woman (Clara Williams) arriving in town with her Reverend brother (Jack Standing).
Blaze is immediately attracted to the woman and soon he begins to have thoughts about changing his ways but the bad folks in town are trying to turn the Reverend into one of them.
With that said, the film contains some very memorable shots including the first look at the town known as Hell's Hinges.
I love the high shot overlooking the town where we get a good look at all the evils going on within this short take.
Hart is terrific in his role and he does very good job at showing off the evils of his character but the actor also makes us believe his changing.
I think the change happens too fast but there's no question Hart owns this role and really makes it a memorable character.
Williams and Standing are also very good as is Alfred Hollingsworth in his role.
The movie contains some memorable characters, some terrific shots and a rather rousing ending and all of this makes it a must see..
The burdens of a western/silent/religious film.
The silent film too has to exaggerate the experience, not only in the mannerisms of the actors, but in the setting and props as well.
But we can still admire how free of convention the film is in its structure and methods, something Hart would pursue in his more worthwhile works.3 out of 5 - Some strong elements.
There is a strong Christian content to the movie that most future westerns would not bring up (at least not like this).
The main character, Blaze Tracy, goes from being the toughest, meanest guy in town to a defender of the Christian faith, although in a very individual way, i.e. no church affiliation.
Fascinating silent western about a gunslinger who is reformed by the love of a woman newly arrived in the lawless and Godless town of Hell's Hinges with her weak-willed brother, the town's new preacher.
Hart directs and stars as the gunslinger, Blaze Tracy.
An appropriate name for his character given the fiery climax of the film, which is a little reminiscent of the western High Plains Drifter made many decades later.
Hart (as "Blaze" Tracy) is off-screen, in the appropriately named town of "Hell's Hinges".
Mr. Hart is a "man-killer whose philosophy of life is summer up in the creed 'Shoot first and do your disputin' afterward'!" He believes neither law nor religion will ever come to the wretched town he loves.
Jack Standing (as Rev. Robert Henley) is on his way to town; he is, as you'll witness, a recently ordained minister with an eye for something other than ladies' souls.
Accompanying the bad reverend is his good sister Clara Williams (as Faith Henley).
Ms. Williams combines "the strength of character her brother so woefully lacks" and leads Hart to God (the Jesus Christ version).
But, is Hart a faithful servant of God, or just another Hell-raising western rogue?
Williams was a noted actress; but, she doesn't play innocent and alluring; mainly, she looks admiringly at Hart (and her brother).
It's difficult to understand the Williams/Hart attraction, which worked in other films.
Thankfully, Louise Glaum (as Dolly) is around to play guiltily alluring; presumably, Hart has had his fill of such women by the time Williams arrives.
******** Hell's Hinges (3/5/16) Charles Swickard ~ William S.
Hart, Clara Williams, Jack Standing, Louise Glaum.
Though a silent picture, this movie had a huge influence on Westerns after it.
It reveals several characters which exist in almost any good Western: the hooker with the heart of gold, the tough cowboy, the religious, weak dude, the petticoat brigade, and the redemptive woman.
This is an unusual Western which uses the freedom which existed before the Hays Code to cast as a villain a faithless Reverend who gets drunk in the local saloon, spends the night with one of the saloon girls and takes part in the arson of his own church.
Opposite him we find the Reverend's saintly sister, adequately called Faith, and the big gun Blaze who was determined to get rid of the parson but falls in love with Faith and because of that start believing in God, protects the justs and destroys the villains.
The sudden transformation of Blaze from bad to good is a bit too sudden to be credible.The cinematography is quite innovative for the time with the use notably of a very wide shot with extended panning to follow a stage coach traveling in the hills.
Most of the action is filmed outdoor with the reconstitution of a Wild West settlement which is entirely burned down at the end.
This movie is indeed one of the finest silent westerns ever made..
Set in the fictional Wild West town of Hell's Hinges, a good minded, woman named Faith Henley (Clara Williams), tries hard to reform local tough outlaw, Blaze Tracy (William S.
However, her weak-willed minister brother, Rev. Bob Henley (Jack Standing) & a local saloon owner, Silk Miller (Alfred Hollingsworth), think otherwise, causing trouble and encourage the local rowdies to disrupt the attempts to evangelize the community.
Still, this moral retribution film, does have good things about the dark mood.
Not only that, the film does make a good use of the close-up, long shot, panning, and continuity editing.
They really did burn down most of the Wild West set, toward the end of the film.
Yes, maybe the character's transformation of Blaze Tracy came too abrupt in the beginning, Hart himself is quite effective in the role, despite that his character wasn't so reluctantly.
He live the Wild West lifestyle, for years, before entering the film industry in 1914 where, he played supporting roles.
Hart was particularly interested in making realistic western films.
His films are noted for their authentic costumes and props, as well as Hart's acting ability, honed on Shakespearean theater stages in the United States and England.
Because of this, I'm glad to see that this movie still existed for this long, when a total of 70% of American silent feature films are believed to be completely lost.
Since, most silent film actors emphasized body language and facial expression so that the audience could better understand what an actor was feeling and portraying on screen.
It resulted, with the film, falling into public domain, meaning that virtually anyone could duplicate and sell a VHS/DVD copy of 'Hells Hinges'.
Overall: Despite that, Hell's Hinges is preserved in the archives of the National Film Registry as culturally significant.
It's a must-watch for anybody who is a western fan and anybody who like silent era films.
Hart westerns.
The saloon owner and a gunslinger (Hart) resolve to undercut any effort to bring the gospel to the town of Hell's Hinges.
He is killed when the saloon owner torches the church, but in revenge the gunslinger burns the saloon.The whole corrupt city goes up in flames, a cleansing akin to the Biblical flood from which only Noah's ark survived, as the gunslinger and the minister's sister ride off to a new life together.
However, Hell's Hinges went even farther; as the critic for Photoplay Magazine declared, "In making the hot settlement's only clergyman a negative villain, author and producer did a bold thing; but in making the town's combined destroyer-saviour an out-and-out bad man, they were bolder still." The vivid film, directed by Hart and Charles Swickard in five reels, cost $32,676.43 and was shot from early September to late October 1915..
Hart's best Westerns, and it's available today in better condition than most of his others, including some nice tinting.
Its religious story, the instantaneous first look at a pure woman transforming bad guy Hart into the good guy are basic to the formula of his Westerns.
A town inhabited by evildoers and fittingly called "Hell's Hinges" ends in an inferno.
Hart gives one of his better performances stalking beside fiery blazes, looking to gun down the bad guys.
The other part is about Hart taking revenge on an evil little town by burning it down and killing a lot of scumbags in the process--and is very reminiscent of Clint Eastwood's HIGH PLANES DRIFTER.
As a result, the strong religious message will turn off many and the violence and almost demonic reaction of Hart when he takes retribution will most likely turn off Evangelical Christians.
Preachers in Hollywood movies are invariably sturdily pretentious, like the self-ordained church-builder in Hart's own The Silent Man. The preacher villain, the preacher cad, the preacher down-and-out, the preacher who'd sell his soul, betray his trust, desert his flock, indulge himself in sex and booze is a definite Hollywood no-no.
"Hell's Hinges" is one of William S.
"Hell's Hinges" is one of William S.
Hart's better known westerns.
The town of Hell's Hinges looks like those depicted in old 19th century photographs and the costumes match the scenario as well.A newly ordained minister Reverend Bob Henley (Jack Standing), who is less than committed to his job, is assigned to a town in the west, with the hope that he will strengthen his faith among the people there.
His young diminutive sister Faith (Clara Williams) decides to accompany him.
In order to rid the town of the parson, Miller brings in gun man Blaze Tracy (Hart) to run him out of town.Tracy at first, relishes his assignment but relents when he meets the virginal Faith.
Over the next few weeks, the congregation builds a new church.Miller, sensing that the parson is less than committed to his job decides to employ different tactics.
They find him in a back room of the saloon drunk and in the arms of Dolly.Miller rallies his supporters, including the parson, to march on the church and set it ablaze.
Blaze in turn becomes enraged and..............................Hart was in his fifties when this film was made but could still hold the audience's interest with his cold and serious personality.
His sudden change from a two gun evil doer to good Samaritan is a little hard to believe, though you are still with him.In the unbilled cast are John Gilbert in his first film as one of Miller's rowdies.
Hart came to Hollywood when he was a mature 49 year-old man.
Hart and Tom Mix were the greatest heroes of the silent screen westerns.
"Hell's Hinges" is a western movie with a religious message: moral retribution.
The church elder parsons, aware of Henley's misgivings, arrange to send him to a parish in a western prairie ("where the people live simply and close to God") to free him from the temptations of a large eastern city.
Henley arrives at the dusty western hamlet of Placers Center (Hell's Hinges) with his strong-willed sister Faith (Clara Williams).
Hell's Hinges is lawless; the title card describes it as "a gun-fighting, man- killing, devil's den of iniquity." Saloon owner "Silk" Miller (Alfred Hollingsworth) and gunfighter "Blaze" Tracey (Hart) are quite different in character but have one thing in common: law and religion do not exist for them.
For instance the burning town represents the inferno (hell), Silk is obviously evil, the saloon crowd is the fallen, Blaze is redemption, and Faith is goodness.
A weak-willed parson and his pious sister are sent to the town of Placer Center, known far and wide as Hell's Hinges for its immorality.
There, Blaze Tracy a local gunfighter (William S Hart) is won over to belief by the sister's sincerity.
Hart and Clifford Smith.HELL'S HINGES is a more mature, serious brand of Western than many may expect.
Standouts: William S Hart was one of the biggest stars of his time, and he shows why here.
Clara Williams is completely believable in her turn as Faith, the reverent sister of the wayward parson.
Jack Standing is also fine as Bob Henley, a young man who was goaded into the ministry by his mother even though he doesn't have the right character for it.
HELL'S HINGES is a memorable, powerful film from the early days of cinema, and merits viewing today.
The town bad girl ready to seduce the weakling for a price, the pious parson in reality easily led and the tough Blaze Tracey, redeemed by the faith and purity of the minister's sister - it's all there in "Hell's Hinges" one of William S.
He originated "the good bad man" character and he came to films from the stage, determined to put poetry and vision back into the Western genre he loved so much.
Hart grew up loving the West but was appalled at the low standard of movie westerns at that time.
Apparently he once complained to a cinema owner who replied that that particular film was one of the best he had screened.More full driven drama than straight forward Western, it tells of the arrival in town of a weak willed young minister, Rev. Robert Henley - a man who has no belief in his calling, only becoming one to keep his mother happy and his sister, Faith (Clara Williams) who hopes that the new town will make a man of him.
In reality, the town, "Hell's Hinges" is one of the worst towns in the West and oily "Silk" Miller has already secured the services of Blaze Tracy (Hart), a tough gun man, to run the minister out of town before religion can take over.Blaze is instantly won over by Faith who has a "different type of smile".
He warns the bad element of the town to keep away from the siblings but listening to the parson's sermon he remains unmoved and realises that all the power and conviction lies in Faith. |
tt0102598 | Only the Lonely | Danny Muldoon (John Candy), a 38-year-old Chicago policeman, still lives with his overbearing Irish mother, Rose Muldoon (Maureen O'Hara). A lonely bachelor, Danny falls in love with Theresa Luna (Ally Sheedy), an introverted, lonely girl who works in her father's funeral home as a cosmetician. On their first date, he takes her to Comiskey Park and has a picnic on the field. Their courtship eventually becomes very difficult because Rose begins to feel threatened that Theresa is trying to steal her son away; the fact that Theresa is not Irish (she is Sicilian and Polish) only exacerbates the situation.
Danny's brother Patrick (Kevin Dunn) tries to convince Danny to remain unmarried so that Danny and Rose can move down to Florida, where Danny can take care of her; Salvatore "Sal" Buonarte (James Belushi), one of Danny's married friends and fellow police officers, tries to tell Danny that he can do better and not to settle down just yet, as he did. Because of this, Danny begins to feel guilty about his relationship with Theresa, especially towards his mother. This leads to his interrupting dates with Theresa to check on his mother.
When Theresa is finally introduced to Rose at a fancy dinner, Rose immediately begins to put her down. Theresa stands up to Rose, and complains to Danny as to why he didn't stand up for her. After Theresa leaves, Danny scolds his mother for being so cruel to Theresa, saying that her way of "telling it like it is" is really her attempt to hurt people. He then reminds her that she lost a $450,000 account for his late father's company by making racist remarks. Danny then tells Rose that he will propose to Theresa, whether she approves or not.
That night, Danny apologizes to Theresa and proposes to her from the bucket of a Chicago fire truck. She says yes and the two are set to be married. However, even though Rose finally does approve of Theresa, on the night before the wedding, Danny calls to check on his mother in front of Theresa. Angered at the fact that they might never be alone, Theresa walks off. At the wedding, both Danny and Theresa fail to show up, thus, the two don't marry. A few weeks later, Danny's friends question what happened to make them not get married, but Danny avoids an answer. Then, when a friend of the family, Doyle (Milo O'Shea) passes away, alone with no wife or children, Danny realizes that he doesn't want to end up that way, and realizes that he can't let Theresa go.
Finally, the day Danny and Rose are scheduled to move to Florida, Danny tells Rose that he can't let Theresa go and by leaving her behind, he'd be leaving behind the best thing that ever happened to him. Reluctant at first, Rose finally agrees to Danny's plan and goes to Florida without him, instructing her son to get married, have a family and be happy. Danny then goes to Luna's Funeral Home to look for Theresa. However, her father tells him that she left for New York City by train. Danny contacts the railroad station manager, who agrees to stop the train at a suburban station outside the city. There, Danny apologizes to Theresa and proclaims his love for her. He tells her that he will move to New York with her and join the New York City Police Department. Having no more guilt about his mother, the two re-board the train for New York to live the rest of their lives together.
Throughout the film, the Muldoons' Greek neighbor, Nick Acropolis (Anthony Quinn), who encourages Danny to pursue Theresa, attempts to woo Rose. Rose is salty towards him in the beginning, but as she gradually softens her stance regarding Danny's relationship with Theresa, she ultimately warms to Nick. | romantic | train | wikipedia | A wonderfully light RomCom that stands as one of the best tributes to John Candy (alongside Uncle Buck).Though, this is a comedy, it still allows Candy to show his true acting skills, and many of the choicest comedy moments go to Maureen O'Hara as Candy's mother, who almost steals the film.It is a sad trait in Hollywood theory which appears to dictate that comediens can't do serious acting and so should never be given serious roles, yet many have proved this to be wrong.
I loved seeing the late, great John Candy in a romantic comedy lead role.
Casting was superb with Ally Sheedy as his shy love interest, and Maureen O'Hara as his domineering Irish battleaxe mother.Watch for Jim Belushi as Danny's (John's) cop partner and Macaulay & Kieran Culkin as John's nephews.Anthony Quinn turns in a charming performance as Nick Acropolis, the Greek neighbour who fancies Rose (Maureen O'Hara).
I felt sorry for Danny (Candy) at times because he loved Theresa (Sheedy) so much but yet his mother didn't want him to be with her because of her religion.
In this film he plays "Danny Muldoon." Ally Sheedy's character, "Theresa Luna," is sweet in the beginning but then becomes unfairly-demanding and annoying by the end.
Maureen O'Hara did a fine job playing "Danny's" domineering mother, "Rose." She came out of retirement to do this film and did herself proud.
This film will always put a smile on my face as being a HUGE Maureen O'Hara fan, and having just seen the Quiet Man in 1991 for about the 3rd time that week, I thought to myself "Wouldn't it be great if Maureen O'Hara came out of retirement to make another movie." I no more made that wish whilst watching "Uncle Buck" on TV when it cut to commercial and the advertisement for "Only the Lonely' came on.
But seeing her again in "Only the Lonely, Irish and feisty with fellow veteran Anthony Quinn romancing her once more, and playing John Candy's mother in what is easily his best film makes this one stand out a little more than the others.A charming and bittersweet romantic comedy that is a pleasure to watch each and every time you see it..
I know it takes place in Chicago, but because of Maureen O'Hara, Ireland's all-time best female actress, this movie has to be Irish.
The interaction between her and John Candy, who plays an Irish-American cop, whose mother is from the old country, and has a hard time controlling her mouth or her actions."It pays to be a cop," is a favourite saying of Candy, who uses his position to great advantage.
The mean part comes when Maureen tries to break up John and his new girlfriend, because, as most Irish mothers do, she thinks the woman is not good enough for him.Why do I think this way?
it's actually a kind of sweet, sentimental story (somewhat influenced by the classic film/play "Marty" starring Ernest Borgnine) about an aging bachelor cop (Candy), his overbearing mother (Maureen O'Hara, just as sassy on screen as in her heyday) and the plain, young mortician with whom he falls in love (Ally Sheedy).
ONLY THE LONELY gives such rich roles to JOHN CANDY and MAUREEN O'HARA as an Irish mother and son enduring a love/hate relationship while his outspoken mother "tells it like it is" to anyone who stands between her and her son.
JOHN CANDY creates a really sympathetic character as the man hopelessly in love with the quiet girl his mother despises.
ANTHONY QUINN gives a gentle, finely shaded performance of the man next door who loves Maureen from afar and JOHN BELUSHI is excellent as Candy's worker friend.It's a good mixture of comedy and drama that never becomes too mawkish or sentimental and exposes some of the hypocrisies of human nature that are not often shown on screen.Well worth watching for the performances alone..
Only the Lonely is a fine tribute to the talents of John Candy and Maureen O'Hara late in their careers.
Her son, John Candy-another performer who's been missed since he passed away only a few years after this movie-is a cop who lives with her and has been quite lonely as a result.
Written and directed by Chris Columbus, he does a nice mixing of drama and comedy when the sequences call for it and also makes good use of the Chicago locations (a city I was born in and lived as a child for about 6 years as well as one I visited quite a bit during the '80s).
Only the Lonely is a funny little gem that also features the great acting of Maureen O'Hara, Jim Belushi & Ally Sheedy.The story is simple a lonely Chicago cop in his late 30's finds romance with the daughter of a funeral parlour owner he must also deal with his mother who disapproves of the relationship.
Maureen O'Hara portrayed the role of Rose Muldoon to perfection, she comes across as a tight fisted iron willed Irish woman who tells it like it is without any regard of who gets hurt.Danny Muldoon (Candy) is a 38 year old police officer who still lives with with his mother in Chicago he is always worried about her to the point of having nightmares in which something bad happens.
The funniest scene is when they are on the date and he tells an amusing story about his brother Patrick's (Dunn) bachelor party.Another plot of the film sees Nick Acropolis (Quinn) Danny's neighbour trying to win the affections of his mother he's been asking her out for years she keeps turning him down.
However by the end of the film after accepting her son's choice to be with the love of his life she warms up to Nick's charms.Funny & filled with many dramatic moments Only The Lonely is a good gem of a movie for anyone out there.
Throughout the film we are shown how this relationship between Candy's and Sheedy's character progresses and how hard the mother tries to get in the way and stop her son from marrying an Italian girl instead of a nice Irish girl.
'Only the Lonely' Synopsis: A Chicago cop must balance loyalty to his overbearing mother and a relationship with a shy funeral home worker.Besides Candy's likable performance, 'Only the Lonely' also manages to get in some cute/funny moments.
Anthony Quinn & James Belushi appear in brief roles.On the whole, 'Only the Lonely' is a yet another example of how great an actor John Candy was..
It was a grand and inspired move from writer-director Chris Columbus to bring Maureen O'Hara back to the screen in a modern-day romantic comedy, playing the feisty, hen-pecking mother of an unmarried Chicago cop--but that's where Columbus' good ideas run aground.
No other performance I ever saw him in makes the case that he could have been a comic-actor treasure better than his Danny Muldoon character in "Only the Lonely." This should have been the movie that made him a true top A-list star.
And then pairing him with a number of other strong casting choices, none more so than an epic return to the screen from Maureen O'Hara as his caustic Irish mother, really gave this movie emotional power and range.
With "Only the Lonely" coming after the wildly successful "Home Alone," it could be said that some decisions made by the creative team of John Hughes and Chris Columbus drew too easily from the framework of clichés they had already established with audiences from their previous Chicago films.
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?" Through Candy's terrific performance (by far, the best of his all-too-short career), we find out that Danny is actually a very good guy - a hard worker who himself sacrificed so his younger brother could go to law school, a dutiful son who, even 25 years later, still feels regrets over his father's inabilities to make it big in business.
Later, we learn a little more about her dreams and aspirations and of course we realize she and Danny are perfect for each other, if only they can figure it out and find their way around Rose.The story is pleasant and worth your money, Candy & O'Hara work well together (who would have thought she would outlive him!) but the real power of the film is her interaction with Anthony Quinn.
Danny Muldoon (John Candy) is a good natured Chicago cop living with his racist mother Rose (Maureen O'Hara).
In one of his less know roles as Danny Muldoon in Only the Lonely, Candy plays a cop who discovers love in an unassuming funeral home make up artist in Theresa Luna (Ally Sheedy).
John Candy stars as a Chicago cop who lives with his mother (Maureen O'Hara) in "Only the Lonely," also starring Ally Sheedy, Jim Belushi, Anthony Quinn and Milo O'Shea.
The late John Candy does a beautiful job as Danny, a man struggling with the tremendous responsibility he's had since childhood, his true love and desire to live his own life.
Ally Sheedy, as Theresa, is lovely as a woman discovering who she is and what she wants for the first time.The star, of course, is Maureen O'Hara, who is complete perfection as Danny's mother - feisty, tart-tongued, made of steel - who most of the time doesn't realize the hurt she's causing by "telling it like it is." She called one relative's German bride a Nazi and insinuated that she slept with Hitler.
Maureen O Hara one of the great beauties of the American screen was lured out of retirement by Chris Columbus for the role of the matriarch in John Candy's hilarious and poignant Only The Lonely.
Ms. O Hara takes the role and runs with it and scores a great hit, and one wonders why the great Star was not nominated for her brilliant performance of a tough loving Mom. The film uses wonderful Chicago-land settings and the late great Mr. Candy is touching as a man who finally finds love.
The lyrics themselves spell out the characters of John Candy and Ally Sheedy two people looking like they're not fated to find mates.
Danny Muldoon (John Candy), is a happy-go-lucky, overweight police officer who has never really had a girlfriend, mostly because his mother Rose (Maureen O'Hara) doesn't want him to.His younger brother Patrick (Kevin Dunn) is married with three children something which Danny (on some level) has always wanted but has never admitted that he wants.And so, he lives his life out in the company of his mother (who won't admit she's going blind even as she's pouring orange juice into her coffee), his partner Salvatore Bounarte (James Belushi), whom his mother tolerates but doesn't approve of, and his two old pub friends Doyle (Milo O'Shea) and Spats (Bert Remsen), both lifelong bachelors who have nothing left but each other.Shy, and diffident with women, Danny has resigned himself to his ordinary existence.The only excitement in his life being the advances Nick Acropolis (Anthony Quinn) makes on his mother, which she stubbornly resists.Then he meets Teresa Luna (Ally Sheedy), a lonely mortitian's daughter who spends her days applying makeup on corpses, and a heartwarming romance ensues.
Fancy schmantzy."It's not long before Danny (fighting his hysterical bouts of guilt), alienates Theresa by being too attached to Rose.Rose, of course, does nothing to improve the situation but instead makes it worse, so that finally, Theresa leaves altogether, and Danny is force to make a choice.This is a great little movie.Hysterical, true to life, and exceptionally well done.John Candy was always one of my favorite actors, and this was definitely one of his best movies.Maureen O'Hara is great, and the subplot with Anthony Quinn really adds a lot to the story.The rest of the supporting cast is excellent, and the theme song by Roy Orbison really caps it.Originally, Review #35Posted On:
As the tagline perfectly states, Only the Lonely is "a comedy for anyone who's ever had a mother." In this very charming romantic comedy, John Candy is a bachelor who lives with his overbearing Irish mother, Maureen O'Hara.
Catholic and parental guilt prevents him from moving forward with his life, even when he finally meets a girl, Ally Sheedy, he thinks might be "the one".What I love about Only the Lonely is that it's so much more than a comedy.
When other characters in the film tell him they think he can do better, I can't help but agree with them.What I absolutely love about Only the Lonely is the sunset romance between Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn.
John Candy turns in a wonderful performance as Chicago police officer Danny Muldoon, in his late-30s and still living with his mother.
John Candy gave the most tender performance of his career in this lovely film from Chris Columbus.
Here, he finds the gentle side to gruff Maureen O'Hara (who makes a smashing return to film) and the cuddly side to John Candy.
Thoroughly entertaining, endearing romantic comedy with John Candy opposite Ally Sheedy and Maureen O'Hara, especially lured out of retirement.
It's a lively cast, with unsuspecting action-oriented scenes (stunts) for screen siren Maureen O'Hara, coming out of retirement for this endearing 'rom-com'.Watching John Candy playing the romantic leading man, Danny, is absolute fun - catch those phrasing and selective wording he delivers with such ease.
Danny Muldoon(Candy),is a Chicago cop.When he falls in love with Theresa(Sheedy),a local morgue cosmetician,he finds that he must break some "rules";Classic actress Maureen O'Hara(Rose)plays Momma, a headstrong Irish with her own views.She does not like her son's new belle,and has her biased opinion on Love and Marriage.We meet Nick(Quinn),the amorous neighbor;He tries to win Rose's heart over,but Rose doesn't take kindly to his romantic wooing.In Rose's overprotection,she tries to make her son guilty and sorry.
ONLY THE LONELY (1991) *** John Candy, Ally Sheedy, Maureen O' Hara, Anthony Quinn, Jim Belushi, Kevin Dunn, Macaulay Culkin.
Tenderhearted romantic comedy with lovable lug Candy as a mama's boy Chicago cop who falls in love for a younger woman (winsome Sheedy) much to the chagrin of his meddling proudly Irish mother O' Hara.
But it's an excellent comedy-drama of a single late 30s police officer (John Candy), still living with his widowed mother (Maureen O'Hara), who meets a shy mortician (Ally Sheedy).
The best thing: they got Hollywood legend Maureen O'Hara to come out of retirement for her first screen appearance in over 20 years, to portray Candy's mother.
The story is about 38-year old Chicago cop Candy who still lives with his mother, a set-in-her-ways Irish woman.
Candy meets Ally Sheedy (in a role fairly similar to the one she played in "The Breakfast Club") who works in her father's funeral home as a cosmetologist, making up dead bodies.
This is a pleasant romantic comedy-drama that has a lot of really good character development, and the relationship between Candy and Sheedy is sweet and touching at the same time.
A Chicago cop (John Candy) must balance loyalty to his overbearing mother (Maureen O'Hara) and a relationship with a shy funeral home worker (Ally Sheedy).When it comes to "John Hughes movies", this one is rarely mentioned.
Despite being helmed by Chris Columbus, starring John Candy and Ally Sheedy, and having a strong supporting cast...
As one of the many innocuous comedies starring John Candy, "Only the Lonely" may not seem like much.
Candy plays a Chicago cop who still lives with his Irish immigrant mother (Maureen O'Hara).
Largely a modern retelling of MARTY, this funny and tender film is easily one of the best John Candy vehicles and also marks the glorious return of the silver screen's Maureen O'Hara, back for an encore after she decided to retire from movies.
His best was Planes Trains and Automobiles, but one more of John Candy's more memorable performances was in this 1991 romantic comedy, 'Only the Lonely' Candy plays a cop who falls for a girl.
We can expect what would happen in a film like this, seeing it's pretty predictable, but the directing style of Chris Columbus and the great cast (that also includes Jim Belushi as Candy's cop partner) that the film boasts, who couldn't love this film but only the lonely?3.5/5 starsJOHN ULMER.
While larking through Wal-Mart, I saw this movie--"Only the Lonely." It was a bargain video, only about $7, so I was all over it.The plot has been discussed at length--John Candy (Danny) falls in love with Ally Sheedy, only mom Maureen doesn't think it's an appropriate match.
The Halloween conversation between John Candy and Maureen O'Hara is, I think, the best in the movie.
John Candy's character, Danny, has a tendency to imagine his mother stuck in fatal situations (can ya blame him?), and his overactive imagination causes the friction in his relationship with Ally Sheedy.
Danny (John Candy) is a Chicago police officer who, at 38, still lives with his strong-willed, Irish mother, Rose (Maureen O'Hara).
This one, stars John Candy, Maureen O'Hara, and Ally Sheedy.
This is one of John Candy's best films, and with the beautiful Ally Sheedy playing his romantic interest, we have a story that is more about romance than comedy.
Or will he continue to fall prey to her manipulation, move to Florida with her and deny himself the true love he has been searching for over many years.The wonderful Anthony Quinn has a great romantic supporting role as their Greek neighbor who is very much attracted to O'Hara but can't seem to make a dent with her.
John Candy, Maureen O'Hara, Ally Sheedy, James Belushi and Anthony Quinn star in Chris Columbus' 1991 romantic comedy-drama.
Danny (Candy) is an Irish Chicago cop who lives with his widow mother, Rose (O'Hara) and is always worried about her.
When I first started seeing this excellent 1991 film, I was reminded of Ernest Borgnine's "Marty," of 1955 fame.John Candy plays an over-sized Chicago police officer who is really dominated by an excellent Maureen O'Hara.
Basically shy cop Danny Muldoon (the lovable John Candy) meets and falls in love with equally bashful mortician Theresa Luna (The Breakfast Club's Ally Sheedy). |
tt1206543 | Out of the Furnace | After getting off work at a North Braddock, Pennsylvania, steel mill, Russell Baze catches his brother Rodney at a horse racing simulcast, where Rodney had just bet on a losing horse. Rodney reveals John Petty loaned the money to him. Petty owns a bar and runs several illegal games. Russell visits Petty, pays off some of Rodney's debt, and promises to pay Petty the rest with his next paycheck if Rodney has not yet paid it off. Driving home intoxicated, Russell hits another car, killing its occupants, including a little boy. He is incarcerated for vehicular manslaughter. While in prison he is informed that his ailing father has died and his girlfriend Lena has left him for the small town police chief, Wesley Barnes. Upon his release from prison, Russell returns home and resumes his job at the mill.
The same day, Rodney participates in an illegal bare-knuckle prizefight. Rodney was supposed to take a "dive" for Petty as a way to repay some of the gambling debt he owes Petty, but during the fight, Rodney becomes enraged against his opponent and wins the fight. The next morning, Russell finds Rodney's bloodied knuckle tapes in the trash and confronts him about it. Russell wants him to work in the mill, but Rodney, a four-tour Iraq war veteran, is too mentally scarred to take a regular job.
Rodney tells Petty that these "nickel and dime" fights will never earn him enough money to pay Petty back. Rodney then insists that Petty call and organize a more lucrative fight. Petty reluctantly arranges a fight with Harlan DeGroat, a sociopathic drug dealer from rural New Jersey to whom Petty owes a lot of money. Russell wants Lena back, but she is pregnant with Wesley's baby. Russell unsuccessfully feigns happiness to Lena, saying she will be a great mom, but both know that her pregnancy makes their getting back together an impossibility.
Rodney is told he must purposely lose the fight in New Jersey. When DeGroat seeks assurances Rodney will lose, Petty promises he will. Rodney briefly knocks out his opponent, but when hearing Petty pleading with him, Rodney helps the fighter get up, takes a dive, and lets the man pummel his face into a bloody mess. After the fight, DeGroat asks for the rest of his money, but Petty reminds DeGroat they had agreed in advance that this fight made them even, and DeGroat drops the subject. While driving back home, DeGroat and his men ambush Petty and Rodney. DeGroat first shoots and kills Petty, has Rodney dragged into the woods, and kills him, too. Unknown to anyone, Petty had accidentally dialed his cell phone, which fell onto the car seat and connected to his bartender Dan's voicemail while recording DeGroat as clear evidence of his murdering Petty.
That night, Russell finds a letter from Rodney, stating this will be his last fight and he wants to work with Russell at the mill. Wesley informs Russell about Rodney's disappearance, and Russell and his uncle "Red" set off to find him. In DeGroat's town, Russell and Red are stopped by the sheriff, who informs them that DeGroat's men would kill them if they knew why the two were in town, and, as a favor to Sheriff Wesley, he will escort them to the state line rather than searching and arresting them for illegally carrying concealed weapons.
Upon returning to the mill, Wesley visits Russell and confirms Rodney's death. Russell goes to Petty's office, finds a phone number for DeGroat, and calls him without identifying himself, enticing him to come collect Petty's debt. At the bar, Russell sabotages DeGroat's van to prevent his escape and confronts him. DeGroat escapes to a nearby, shutdown mill, where Russell shoots him in the thigh. Russell then follows DeGroat to a field outside the mill as he hobbles off and shoots him in the back. Russell informs DeGroat that he is Rodney's brother, as Wesley approaches the field in a squad car. Wesley pleads for Russell to put down his gun, but Russell proceeds to carefully aim his hunting rifle and shoots DeGroat in the head. The film cuts to Russell sitting at home at the dining table and fades to black. | neo noir, murder, violence, flashback, melodrama, revenge | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0091767 | Playing for Keeps | George Dryer (Gerard Butler) is a former professional Scottish soccer player who played for Celtic, Liverpool, D.C. United and the Scotland national team, and is largely seen as a "has been". His attempts to raise money by selling his former game memorabilia and become a sports announcer are largely met with ambivalence. George's relationship with his son Lewis (Noah Lomax) is equally unsuccessful due to his only seeing Lewis sporadically. When he discovers that his ex-wife Stacie (Jessica Biel) is getting married to her boyfriend Matt (James Tupper), George grows despondent.
After dropping off an audition tape of him practicing his sports announcements, George goes to help his son's soccer team practice. The team isn't very good, with the coach giving little attention to his players. The team's parents quickly pressure Stacie to ask George to become the new coach, which he reluctantly agrees to. Once coach, George attracts the attentions of various mothers and receives a bribe from Carl King (Dennis Quaid), who wants him to give his children preferential treatment. He specifically draws attention from the divorced Barb (Judy Greer), ex-sportscaster Denise (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and Carl's wife Patti (Uma Thurman). Denise appears to be particularly forward with George, sending him an e-mail telling him that she's thinking of him.
At practice the next day George is invited to a dinner party at Carl's house, is approached by Barb, and is also told by Denise that she has been given a copy of his audition tape to watch and pass along. At Carl's party George learns that Carl has been having affairs and that his wife is aware of his infidelities, unbeknownst to Carl. Carl then lends George a Ferrari under the implication that he "takes care of his friends", which George uses to drive to see Stacie. The two discuss what could have developed between the two of them, to which Stacie says that she doesn't wonder about the past anymore.
When he gets home, he discovers Barb waiting for him. She confesses that she's very lonely and has set up a dating profile in order to find a match. After asking him if he finds her attractive, the two sleep together. The following day George is called by Carl, who asks him to pick up some money from Patti in order to bail him out of jail, as he got into a fight at the party. Doing so makes him late to pick up his son, but he manages to entertain Lewis by letting him ride in his lap and drive the Ferrari. During this time George discovers that Lewis is sad that his mother is marrying Matt and that he won't call Matt "dad". George is then called by Denise, who informs him that ESPN is looking for a new soccer sportscaster and that he must come to the studio to record a tape. This enrages Stacie and Lewis due to his being late to pick up Lewis again, weakening his relationship with the both of them.
Arriving home, George is berated by his landlord Param (Iqbal Theba) for not paying his rent while driving a Ferrari and receives a call from Patti, telling him that she's in his bed. He soon finds that she's in the landlord's bed and George manages to distract the landlord by paying him with Carl's bribe money. Despite this, Patti continues to approach George sexually, who rebuffs her while saying that she should leave Carl rather than having an affair. His relationship with Lewis worsens when Denise kisses George the next day, leading Lewis to realize why his father was late. This spurs Lewis into having a fight during a game later on, prompting Lewis to tell his mother that he wants to quit playing soccer. George manages to later coax Lewis into playing soccer in the rain, which both of them finds fun. Meanwhile Stacie and George begin to reconnect romantically, which causes small rifts in her relationship with Matt.
George manages to earn the job with ESPN, but this necessitates his moving across the country to Connecticut. He asks Stacie to come with him. She initially refuses, but then he meets her at her car and she kisses him. At the game later that same day, George finds that Barb has begun to date his landlord and that Carl has discovered pictures of Patti in George's house from the time she came on to him. The two men begin to fight, which Stacie witnesses. Stacie sees the pictures, which upsets her despite George's claiming that it wasn't what it looked like. During the fight, Lewis's team wins the game.
After the game George leaves for his new job. In the end George chooses to stay with Lewis rather than moving to Connecticut. He also renews his relationship with Stacie, who has broken off her engagement with Matt, and becomes a local sportscaster in Virginia with his friend Chip. | prank | train | wikipedia | I loved PLAYING FOR KEEPS when it was released in '86; I went to see it three times, and bought the soundtrack at least twice on cassette (I kept wearing it out).
It was, at the very least, my introduction to Pete Townshend and, eventually, The Who. Last year I found the CD for a dollar in a cutout bin, and I'm shamelessly wallowing in it right now.
(I'm in full-tilt cheesy '80s soundtrack mode - I've already run through BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, and I've got HIDING OUT ready to go.)Speaking of $1 finds, I recently came across a beat-up VHS tape of PLAYING FOR KEEPS, and since a DVD release seems unlikely ever to happen, is there any other way to revisit something I enjoyed in seventh grade?After watching the tape, I wondered how I could have found such an inane, simpleminded movie so appealing.
The best part is right at the top - the opening credits, with Townshend's spirited "Life to Life" starting things off.
Or, at least the beginning was joyful in another time; the credits are interspersed with images of New York City, including a tinted, fractured photo-negative of the World Trade Center.
The movie now, at least to me, starts off on a melancholy note, but the montage is fairly brief, and unrelated to the main story.Most of the movie is set in some generic, podunk New England burg, where it's Conservative Establishment vs.
I guess it goes without saying that this hotel turns out to be supremely gaudy and not the least bit cool; the production reeks of early MTV - it's replete with garish neon, acid wash denim, musical montages, and "Thriller"-era choreography, including break dancing.The credits are really the only part of PLAYING FOR KEEPS that doesn't make me gag now.
The movie itself is unrelentingly shoddy and drowning in clichés, occasionally surfacing for inept acting and astonishingly lamebrained dialogue.
(And the obligatory invocation of the movie's title couldn't have possibly been delivered with more agonizing ham-handedness.) No wonder that the cast, with one notable exception, continues to toil in obscurity.That exception is, of course, Marisa Tomei.
I doubt even her biggest fans are aware of this movie, for which she must be grateful.
PLAYING FOR KEEPS also the answer to a fine trivia question; how many people would know that this is the only directorial effort by Bob Weinstein?
I'd love to hear what co-writers & directors Bob and Harvey Weinstein have to say about this skeleton, and surely most of the cast could take some time off from their oh-so-busy schedules to record a separate cast track.Now that I've come clean about PLAYING FOR KEEPS, I should go ahead and disown other cinematic indiscretions from my youth.
I better start rumaging through the bargain bins for used VHS tapes of RAD and MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERY to expunge any lingering fondness for those equally banal movies..
My brief review of the film.
The very first film from Miramax studios, it is directed by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the studio's two founding executives, and one can easily see the ambitions of young directors in the film.
It is rather stylishly made, experimenting with some different camera angels here and there, and it is accompanied by quite a fitting soundtrack of music that its directors were probably into.
The film also features Marisa Tomei in her first big role, and although she is not able to conjure up the charm that won her an Oscar seven years later, having her in the film is still somewhat of a delight.
The acting in general is actually sub-par, and the plot is awfully silly overall, but it is good-natured fun and often amusing to watch, plus it is interesting to see where Harvey Weinstein and Marisa Tomei began..
OK folks, if you LOVE 80's cheese, then this is the movie for you.
I love this movie primarily because my dad played Cromwell(the villain)in it, but beyond that, I just really enjoyed the silliness of it all and the fact that the film transports me to a different time in my life.
I was 14 years old when the movie was released, so I was really into all of that early MTV cheesiness.
The soundtrack was great and was truly one of the best things about the film (other than Dad, of course), but there were also scenes in the film that were very clever and funny.
I think that the direction could have been a lot better (sorry Miramax), as the young actors had the tendency to "chew the scenery" at times and needed their overacting to be reigned in a bit.
The bottom line is that the film is just good fun.
Forget about the improbable plot, the bad acting, and the terrible direction and just let the movie transport you to a different time in your life.
I've seen it hundreds of times over the years with friends who have wanted to see some films my dad has done.
Before I let anyone watch it, I always give the disclaimer that it is a super-cheesy 80's film and believe it or not, my dad is a Shakesperean-trained actor (he played Horatio in Richard Burton's Hamlet, among other roles), but everyone always ends up loving the movie because it's truly a piece of 80's nostalgia.
My dad will be the fist person to tell you that it's a horrible movie, so he always chuckles when someone tells him how much they loved it.
In my opinion, if you want to relive 1986, then this movie is a must-see.
Um, I do remember when this movie came out....
...in September 1986 when I was 13 and caught it on opening weekend - the only weekend it appeared at a theater - because it sucked so bad no one saw it besides me and some others that barely helped it crack that weekend's top 10 grossing film.
Just glancing at this IMDb page reminded me that it remains one of the WORST movies I've ever seen.
The trailer with the exploding toilet received heavy exposure on MTV, where I suppose the Weinstein brothers got a favor thrown their way for advertising this bomb of bombs, or the horrible acting and non-existent script.
Find "Fast Times At Ridgemont High," "The Breakfast Club," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Say Anything," "Heathers" or "The River's Edge" - just don't go near "Playing For Keeps.".
I rented this movie last week because I love 80's teen movies (License To Drive, Can't Buy Me Love, Don't Tell Her It's Me, etc.) I read the reviews (which were pretty negative), but decided to give "Playing For Keeps" a chance anyway.
This movie is LOUSY!
I tried so hard to like it, but I couldn't.
Small Town Cheese, Corny But Kinda Fun. Well, I grew up and still live near in the town where this was filmed.
I saw part of this film on TV first.
It was pretty unnerving to flip the channel and see familiar streets and buildings being broadcast; like being in the Twilight Zone.The only reason I purchased this movie was because of where it was filmed.
The town has undergone some changes since the movie was made, so it's a nice nostalgic scrapbook of sorts.
The movie itself is cheesy, corny, and rather poorly done like most teen oriented films of the 80's, though it had a LOT of potential...
I must say, I'm quite surprised to see it out on DVD - wish I had known that before going to eBay and buying it on VHS!If you like cheese, small-town people made to look like dumb hicks, and teen power, then this is a must see.
Otherwise, if you're not from the area it was filmed, it's almost a waste of time.
Almost...it *is* pretty funny as long as you're not taking the movie seriously and considering it a drama like the little sticker on the box says.....
Not filmed in New England!.
After it had been closed for awhile it was used by the studio to make this movie.
The Honesdale High School senior class were in the movie in the graduation scene.
I've never seen it but would love to so I am trying to find a copy.
Sounds like a DVD version I will never see but luckily I still have a VHS player!
I was only 11 when it was filmed but remember the movie being filmed when I lived in Honesdale.
Never knew the stars in it or that it was Miramax's first film.
I'll have to let the rest of my friends know that..
The kids are beginning to fix up an old hotel.
Then the two guys sawing logs start to feel the music and get looks on their faces like "Oh yeah, I can dig that!" And then, and then, it happens....SPONTANEOUS CHOREOGRAPHED DANCING.
And to top it all off, the token old guy who is helping them tilts his body back and gives shrieks of ecstasy right in sync with the music!
And that is the movie as far as I'm concerned..
Better than average 80's Teen Movie....
When I first looked at the LaserDisc jacket, I thought this movie was going to be a bomb, but was instead pleasantly surprised.
Better than below average 80's Teen Adventures (like Kevin Bacon's often cheezy Quicksilver '86), this fun movie included a very young Marisa Tomei and super cute Mary B.
Hey, you guys are pretty harsh on my first movie!.
As a senior at a college in northeastern Pennsylvania, I accepted the opportunity to be an "extra" in a movie being shot in Honesdale, PA.
Well, guess which movie it was - you got it - "Playing for Keeps"!
I don't think I've told anyone I was ever in it (except my wife) as I'm sure I don't want them seeing it!
We spent the day there - mostly outside in the cold, and shot 1 scene - the final scene where the guy comes back from jail - for the night.
(And the lunch that was promised!) Was a fun experience - haven't seen it in years - guess I've gotta get a copy!
Actually don't remember seeing Marisa, but do remember hanging around with some of the other cast members during the unbelievably long down-time.
This movie could only be interesting to someone who is conducting an anthropological study of 1980s pop culture.
Bad hair, bad soundtrack, bad lipstick, gratuitous shots of women's legs, bad over-acting, ludicrously tight pants, bad plot.
but you gotta love that great song by Sister Sledge, "Here To Stay" as the plucky teens fix up the house.
I bought the soundtrack for that one song.I remember all the MTV spotlights on this movie, all the cheesy videos put out in an effort to promote it, along with "Fire With Fire" and "American Anthem." Great nostalgia for an 80s fan, but man does it stink..
This film absolutely rocked my world when i first saw it when i was about 6 years old in 1989!!
Yeah it is cheesy and some of the acting is a bit....trashy but the feel good factor is the key!!
I have forced loads of my friends to watch it and despite initial hesitations....they ALL felt the love for Danny, Spike and Silk!!
Can't remember it first coming out, i never even knew it was that big (was it??) but...god damn its a funky party!!
Yeah make a wish....and then make it come true!!!
I think its time for a re-make of the great film...it would be damn hot...how can you question that storyline...timeless!!
Give it a watch if you are capable of thinking that all good films have to be Matrix styley and I bet you will 'feel the heat'!!!.
Let me get this straight, we got the Weinstein brothers themselves, they are the writers and directors of this damnation of a film.
Well, I'd like to share that with you, if they had ANYTHING to bring to the table.
Can I say, this movie sucks.
If you're new to the world, not all 80's teen comedies sucked like this one.
Shame on these boys for not coming up with something better.
A girl goes topless, because of some bizarre problem that she says she has, and it just sounds to me like it's an excuse to get a girl topless in a movie to me.
You guys need to quit, you are giving my gender a bad name.
And speaking of bad name, I can't figure out why the heck this movie is called Playing For Keeps.
Sorry, I'm not giving this movie any more then 3 stars..
This movie is very similar to the 1980 film Xanadu.
A lot of IMDB users may not like that film either, but at least Xanadu had the beautiful Olivia Newton-John and a great soundtrack.
This film has about 10 minutes of the cute Marisa Tomei and 1 decent soundtrack song (Say the Word by Arcadia).
I wanted this movie to end so badly, yet it was like watching a car accident.
This movie is no `Xanadu`..
This movie is no `Xanadu`..
excellent movie.
i cant believe all the negative reviews about this movie this movie is the bomb i first discovered this movie back in 1995 on the encore channel and since then i been a fan how can you not like it the acting is kind of silly but its great i love the songs and it teaches you how to succeed not fell and Marisa tomei is not the main character Daniel jordano is the star Marisa is just a supporting actor and i heard that this is the first very first film from the Weinstein's good job so if people want to see where Marisa tomei started its right here its a sad movie to me anyways i wonder how the other casts are doing the soundtrack is awesome i like the part when the inspector come by and gets hit by the latter i don't care how many bad remarks this movie gets its my favorite..
Come on its great 80s fun.
Teens dressing up as boy-scouts to earn money, convincing friends to help with a dream.
The smartest little sister on the screen I just cant help but Love the game they play.
Try it if your in the mood for something silly and fun.
Hey,Its a Weinstein (think Scream, Emma, Addicted to Love and Kate and Leopold) film one of the firsts.
You get to see young actors trying to make their way (Marisa Tomei is in it way before she got famous or won an award.) and some older ones (Harold Gould) helping them out.
Now I certainly hope that is enough of a reason to try this film.
Hey if nothing else, you get watch Eighties Hair and listen to some good eighties music..
I'm surprised to see so many negative reactions to this film.
As a regular junkie for obscure 80s comedies, I kind of liked it.
I mean, the underdog story was quite far-fetched and there were several elements to make it laughable (the music video-like sequences scattered through the more motivational sequences in the film), but it is it really deserving of such poor ratings?
Actually, this is the kind of film that an obscure 80s comedy/drama fan might only appreciate (it is probably destined for cult status anyways, even if the following for such is extremely small) because you have to expect (and forgive) a lot of campy cheesiness.
Afterall, that's the natural byproduct of the underdog genre.This is the story of an optimistic, and idealistic, teen from NYC.
Among the three friends who are primarily the main protagonists of this film (along with Harold Gould as Rockerfella and Marisa Tomei as one of the girlfriends), he is the dreamer with plenty of ideas for greatness.
Opportunity comes a-knockin' this time in the form of a deed to an upstate hotel inherited from an Aunt, along with eight thousand dollars worth of debt.
Despite urgings from his mother not to bother with it, he and his friends plan to fix it up and turn it into a youth hotel, The Hotel Majestic.This, of course, is much to the chagrin of the small town's high profile investor, who, in cahoots with another sleazy businessman, intend to get their hands on that hotel any way they can.
And when the teens refuse to sell it to him, he turns the whole town of middle-age and senior ogres against them.
Being the underdog genre, you have to know that these kids (and their friend, Rockerfella) aren't going down without a fight.
Like I said, you have to expect quite a bit of cheesiness.
But the film has it moments of sly city humor (I particularly like Jimmy Biao's character, Stienberg) and other elements that may make it worth watching.
I actually started watching it with the impression that it was going to be terrible (I had bought it at a video store where I usually have zip luck with the selections).
Certainly, fans of obscure 80s films ought to give it a try..
finding obscure movies in the bargain bin is a continuing habit of mine.
i had no expectations of liking this as i put it in my DVD player.was i surprised.this deserves more than obscurity, for sure.
it has all the great elements of 80's cheese.
three friends that are so different you wonder how they'd ever hang out together in the first place.
the main characters little sister delivers dialogue as if she's wise beyond her years.
obligatory 80's topless scene(sorry, it's not marisa tomei).and they win in the end (big surprise for a teen underdog flick,eh?).add on the above-par 80's pop soundtrack and VOILA!
watch this as a double feature with FOOTLOOSE or BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE and let your brain rest for a few hours.oh yeah, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS!!! |
tt0416853 | Inhyeongsa | 60 years ago, a doll-maker and a woman in a red kimono (Jeong Yu-mi) fell in love in the Korean countryside, and the doll-maker made a doll in her image. Later, when the red kimono woman was found murdered, the blame was put on the doll-maker. He was arrested and killed by vigilantes in the woods. Not content to be without her maker, the doll sat by his grave for all eternity.
In present day, Hae-mi (Kim Yoo-mi), a sculptor, Tae-seong (Shim Hyung-tak), a model looking for work, Young-ha (Ok Ji-young), a woman who talks to her doll like it's alive, Jung-ki (Im Hyung-joon), a photographer, and Sun-young (Lee Ka-yeong), a ditzy high school student, arrive at an isolated doll museum after receiving an invitation that dolls will be made in their image. They are greeted by siblings Choi Jin-wan (Chun Ho-jin), the museum’s curator, and Im Jae-won (Kim Do-young), the paraplegic doll-maker.
Then, odd events begin to occur. Hae-mi catches sight of a mysterious young girl in a red dress who shows up repeatedly on the museum grounds. Tae-seong has an encounter with a doll that touches him, and it is revealed that the curator is keeping a man chained underground. Hae-mi finally meets the red-dress girl, learning that her real name is Mi-na (Lim Eun-kyung). Things take a nasty turn when someone destroys Young-ha's doll; Young-ha is found hanged. Panic arises in the group. Hae-mi is alarmed to find a crying Mi-na with bloody hands. Mi-na asks Hae-mi why she doesn't recognize or remember her, before fleeing in tears. Inside the house, Sun-young and Jung-ki are both murdered.
Hae-mi finally remembers that when she was younger, she had a doll that she loved so much that it gained a soul, resulting in Mi-na. Tae-seong reveals himself to be a police officer who had come to investigate a recent murder at the musem, and handcuffs Hae-mi in suspicion. However, Im reveals that she is possessed by the red kimono doll, who wants to avenge its maker; all the guests Im invited are the descendants of the doll-maker's vigilante killers. Angry at being rejected by Hae-mi, Mi-na admits to murdering the other guests and kills Tae-seong before going after Hae-mi. She stops her murder attempt when she sees Hae-mi's scar, remembering the childhood incident where Hae-mi protected her. However, Im destroys Mi-na's soul before attempting to finish off Hae-mi, who kills Im in defense.
The chained man, revealed to be Im's husband, escapes prison and kills the curator. He finds his dying wife, saying he regrets bringing the red kimono doll from the woods after all the trouble it caused. In the end, Hae-mi and Im's husband burn the dolls and the remaining corpses. | romantic, cruelty, murder, haunting | train | wikipedia | She decided she wanted to watch Closer, which seemed like such a repellant idea that I had to rent another film for once she'd gone to bed.
Just based on the cover sleeve (A woman with a doll-like face crying tears of blood) I thought this would be interesting enough to rent.As for the film itself, watching it in an almost empty house, with all the lights turned off it was pretty scary.
I must admit I've always had a bit of a phobia of dolls since I was a kid (and watched an awful film called Asylum, one of the stories in it involved a mental patient creating a doll which killed people.
The creepy foreboding atmosphere really set the scene well, and without moving the dolls seemed genuinely threatening.
But unfortunately as soon as they did start to move it all got a bit cheesy, I was a bit disappointed when moments that could have been genuinely frightening made me laugh because of the way they were filmed.As for the characters, it's a horror film, you're not really expecting anything memorable.
I found I remembered names and faces better than most Asian horror films I've seen, which suggests there must have been some hidden character development that I didn't consciously notice.
The typical stereotypes are out in force in this movie each one having some kind of character quirk that sets them apart from the others, from shy and quiet Yeong-ha and her doll Damien, to the outgoing bimbo Seon-yeong.The plot itself was fairly cool, even though the ending, which bought together many of the loose strands of plot, seemed a bit confused and didn't really do anything for me, although it did have a couple of really cool plot-twists that I won't ruin here.
The basic plot is a bunch of kids are invited to be modelled as dolls by a famous reclusive old doll maker, they have to stay in the creepy house (adorned with scary dolls, some big some small) and things start to happen as our heroine Hae-mi starts to explore areas of the house and things start happening to the other inhabitants.Overall, I would definitely recommend the film, not to watch with too many people as some of the moments would probably make you laugh if surrounded by friends, but as something too watch on your own in the dark, with the windows and doors open just a bit, just in case any dolls feel like watching with you.
Me and my friend went to see it during the Stockholm film festival and this was actually one of my favorite movies during the festival.
Dolls being used in horror movies aren't something new but I haven't seen that many movies were it has been as well carried out as it is in this movie.
Now if you expect this film to be another Grudge or Ring then you probably won't like it.
Even though it's pretty predictable and at some times laughable I still recommend this to anyone who likes horror flicks.
A passable South Korean horror with lotsa spooky dolls..
A cute sculptor Hae-mi and four other people are invited to a gallery of dolls.They are excited to pose to be a doll model.Superintendent Mr. Choi and Jae-won a doll-maker are the hosts who invite them to this gallery.After just being in the house a short while strange things start to happen to each one of the newly arrived guests and there are also other strange things going on there,like a man being chained in the basement and some weird acting girl in a red dress showing up every now and then.I must admit that the dolls in "The Doll Master" are spooky as hell.However the climax is disappointing and the pace is slow.Still "The Doll Master" is decent enough to watch it once.6 out of 10..
"The Doll Master" creates a sense of dread and suspense rarely seen in movies outside of Asia.Think of a mixture of "Manga" and "Ringu" rolled into one and this is what its all about.First rate acting, first rate direction, first rate sets and effects.This is right up there with the best of Asian horror cinema; Ringu, Dark Water and A Tale of Two Sisters.An absolute must.
I have recently watched many j-horror movies and now i find this South Korean horror masterpiece and it really shows that South Koreans can also make good horror movies.
I give this movie so high rate because i found it really distressing because of these frightening doll's.
Normally i would rate this 8 but i give 1 plus point because this is so underrated.South Korea shows what's horror all about.
The gore level is reasonably high, the photography and set design and production values are first rate, the acting isn't all that bad, and the scares are definitely there.
Pretty good horror movie.
The doll comes to revenge the descendants of those who killed the doll maker in modern day Korea.The movie is well made.
Plot is pretty exciting, but acting by some of the actors are spotty that takes away from the near perfect production of this film.
I think this movie is better produced than some of the venerable Japanese horror movies.
But as mentioned earlier, in this particular movie, acting could have been better on few of the scenes.Good horror film from Korea, and is worth a watch if you're an Asian horror movie fan..
Yong-ki Jeong's "Puppet Master only with scary parts" was the most recent Korean Horror flick I had the pleasure of watching.
With the title of "Inhyeongsa" in Asia, this movie struck me immediately when I saw it reviewed online, with images that made me think of Puppet Master, Childs Play and other toy/doll based horror flicks in the past.
Toysome horror done well almost.The movie starts slowly, but I like that, so it was fine.
I wont give much away, but the story was strong in this one, and I would highly recommend it to any fan of Asian HORROR.
Here we have the perfect example of a novice writer and director (Yong-ki Jeong) who, bereft of original ideas, draws on every genre film of note in the mistaken notion that all the classic aspects of old favourites bundled into one movie will add up to a kind of genre mega-movie.
So we have a creepy wheelchair-bound woman in black, an old-style lift with security shutters, a maze-like cellar filled with spooky passages, a dungeon in which is chained an Oldboy lookalike, a bunch of young kids ripe for slaughtering, a creepy little girl, a monster with long black hair covering much of her face, murderous dolls and a vampire in a flowing black cloak
Well, OK, I made that last bit up, but you get the idea
The central theme of the story which someone elsewhere has pointed out is curiously close to the concept behind the Toy Story flicks is a good one, and a degree of poignancy is occasionally attained on the rare occasions that writer/director Jeong can tear himself away from providing repeated LOUD NOISES and jump cuts in his unwavering desire to cram as many cheap scares as he can into the mercifully modest running time.
The only positive points I can make about this mess is that the life-size dolls look pretty cool, and the heroine has the cutest smile
Do yourself a favour if you want to watch a film about rampaging dolls rent a Chucky movie; they're trash too but at least they are up front about it.
Well, I just saw this movie and I started thinking that may be I have seen too much Asian horror because I just had one good jump of fear while watching this film.
Even when I have to say that this is the most "frightening" scary-dolls movie I have seen, I have to say as well that, as an Asian film I was expecting more tension and good psychological horror.
It has more gore than I expected and that I'm used to (regarding to Asian's movies).
On the other hand the acting was really good, the atmosphere was well studied, because,I mean, the dolls were amazingly creepy and well located.
The plot is not bad, it's well justified, but I realized that this is an Asian movie with a north American horror style and that's what I didn't like of it.
Horror movies from East Asia countries tend to have original concept, but it is seldom to see one that able to execute it perfectly.
Unfortunately, Inhyeongsa or The Doll Master, suffers the mediocre execution.This movie revolves around a group from different backgrounds that invited to a remote doll museum by a curator to be the models for a puppet maker, but something evil awaits to avenge them.Although it's on different nature, I remember the same theme (puppetry) was used in a 1987 horror film titled The Doll.
Lots and lots horror movies around the existence of a doll exist (Yall know Chucky), but probably this is the only one who incorporate melodramatic sequences too much.Inhyeongsa actually starts promising with a legend that a puppet maker was wrongly accused for a murder of his wife.
This movie seems in between a cartoon/anime inspired flick and your serious horror act.
I think they intend to make a twist, but the twist is obvious and really not connected to the whole premise.The only good point that offered by this movie is the consistency of its dull nature which you will always find in a B-horror Asian movies.
For those who want to watch a mediocre horror movie, just for fun and nothing else, it's something you can pick, although there are many movies exist out there with more original premise ...
The Doll Master is the directorial debut of South Korean director Yong- ki Jeong.
It is a story in the House on Haunted Hill (1959) format whereby a wealthy eccentric invites a group of unwitting outsides to their manor for twisted reasons that they're less than upfront about.In this case the eccentric rich person is some sort of doll maker who adorns her house with creepy, life-sized dolls.
Of course, it isn't long before people start dying and you can guess the rest.This film was not entirely thrilling as it was a hackneyed, cliché premise and the acting and filming weren't entirely impressive either.
Seems like The Doll Master tries very hard to be a very scary horror film, but it fails.
But the story seems a nothing, the brilliant camera shots and the brilliance of acting was taken away cause of the plot.Don' watch this if you are expecting great shocks..
Bought this quite cheap at a video-store and since I've always been fascinated by dolls I simply had to buy it!The film starts out a bit slow, but here you really get to know the characters and their personalities.
Then when it starts to speed up you'll be introduced to the horror and how scary dolls really can be.
The tension is extreme throughout the movie and it constantly changes your perception of the horrors that the characters encounter.
What I mean by this is that once you think you've figured out how the horrors can take place, the movie throws something different at you to make you think different.It's a little reminiscent of The Grudge, and adds a new twist to the "evil doll-genre".
The plot throws something different at you every 10 minutes or so, never leaving you bored or making you take your eyes off the screen.Only watch this if you want to enjoy a rich story, get freaked out, scared out of your mind and love dolls!10/10.
Have to say, the film has a lot of potential to be something really spooky but unfortunately resorts to the almost Hollywood like style sense of horror with the predictable deaths of its characters which makes this look more like a slasher film.It doesn't help that all the characters feel like card board cut outs - the annoying college girl, the annoying male, the uptight and serious guy, the awkward weirdo girl who can't be removed from her doll and our heroine who is sort of in the middle of everyone.
They are all invited to a house so the owner can model dolls from their features and find well....there is more going on in this house than meets the eye - like you couldn't work that out for yourself.The film doesn't build up the suspense which would have been perfect considering there are so many creepy dolls in this house - but relies more on the cheap scare tactics which doesn't work at all here.
And it is a pity considering the production design and the look of the film has so much to work with.If the director had seen A Tale of Two Sisters and tried to make that approach by slowly revealing things while still maintaining a sense of mystery instead of throwing it down your throat, this would have been a much better film but unfortunately, is on the same level as a teenager slasher film.
Disappointing - has its nice moments but overall just as hollow as normal doll - all looks but nothing inside..
There aren't many horror movies that I can think of that used dolls that looked so realistic.
Another flaw is that the director deviates from the basic premise which is scary enough and brings up new elements that never get explained and aren't even relevant to the "Doll Master mystery".
If you want to see a good horror movie involving dolls go see "Dead Silence"!.
Have to disagree with people saying that this is a lousy horror film with good acting and camera-work - I'd say it's an okay horror flick RUINED by shockingly abysmal acting and poor camera-work - watch 'Ju-on : The Grudge instead of wasting your time with this garbage.
The principal idea behind the film is rather an original one, considering the abundance of killer-doll-based scare-fests which have been foist upon us over the years; unfortunately, the story is handled with all the subtlety of the latest Michael Bay actioner, with a cast of characters which are uniformly unlikable and played with precision-perfect dreadfulness by actors presumably sifted from daytime Korean soap operas.
It isn't scary and only succeeds in dampening your expectations of the next Korean horror movie to come-a-calling.
Dolls come to vengeful life in this rather predictable little horror tale from South Korea.
Despite the Asian influence, in feel and format this is very much a Hollywood-lite production, with a group of rather bland characters brought together in a creepy old house before being bumped off one by one by the porcelain menaces.It's mildly entertaining, featuring some nicely inventive death sequences and a focused pacing, but it's also all so predictable.
It's entertaining enough by itself, but in the scheme of things, THE DOLL MASTER is a bit of a dud..
Being a fan of horror movies in particular and also being a big fan of Asian cinema, I bought this movie from Amazon and was sort of excited to watch it because it had gotten fairly good reviews, and the cover of the DVD looked appealing.
A welcome addition to the genre of Asian horror." - So with those words and the movie's first impression, I popped it into the DVD player.The story was easy enough to follow, it just didn't really make any particular sense.
Yeah, alright, not really much of a solid plot right there.As far as "The Doll Master" goes for scares, then there was none for me.
But I am sure Asian people sitting down with the movie will be in for the odd shock here and there, because of the thing they have with the hair covering the face, lots of that trick being used in the movie.
That never was scary to me though.The acting in the movie was adequate enough, though the main actress did put me off.
It was like watching a female Asian version of Nicholas Cage here - one facial expression for every scene no matter if it was a sad scene, scary scene, funny scene, etc.
Don't get me wrong, her acting was fine enough, it was just her lack of facial expressions aside from the one that was glued on there.One of the best things about "The Doll Master" was the attention to detail.
There was a lot of really nice touches to the house and the dolls in particular, in this movie.
I will not spoil anything here and give away anything, just watch it.If you enjoy Asian horror movies, and have nothing better to do, you can give "The Doll Master" a go, though you will not be in for anything extraordinary or spectacular.
And there are far better Asian horror movies available out there, both new and old movies.
I wasn't impressed with this movie one bit, though I did sit through it from start till end..
Great atmosphere , great K-horror movie.
I really liked "The Doll Master".
The atmosphere is unique,as the story is set in an old house,in the forest, which is a doll museum.
I enjoyed the way the first scene set in the past was connected to the last scenes: we can actually understand the motivations of some characters and the why they act in a certain way.One of the best k-horrors!.
I have seen few K-horror movies, so I respect the users who have been disappointed but I am shocked that the movie gets such a low rating (5.8 at this time) as it is much better than that.
As always where possible I watched the movie in the original format with English subtitles - to me that is essential to getting the full atmosphere as intended by the director..
A disappointing Asian horror flop.
i don't recommend it to fans of Korean/Asian horror films. |
tt0376080 | Platform | The film starts in 1979 in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. A theatre troupe of young adults in Fenyang performs state-approved material. The troupe includes Cui Minliang and his friends, Yin Ruijuan, Zhang Jun, and Zhong Ping. Zhang and Zhong are together. Cui asks Yin if she is his girlfriend, but she replies that she is not. The troupe leaves their hometown and travels throughout the country for several years during the 1980s. Yin stays behind in Fenyang and becomes a tax collector. The authorities find out about the illegal sexual relationship between Zhang and Zhong, and Zhong then leaves the group, never to return. As China undergoes massive social changes, the troupe alters their performances and starts to play rock music. They eventually return to Fenyang. Cui, jaded by his years on the road, reunites with Yin. | murder | train | wikipedia | One of Ajay's turkeys from 1993. Ajay Devgan debuted with superhit Phool Aur Kaante(1991) and continued his success with hit action film Jigar(1992). However, this two hit streak lost as all of Ajay Devgan's releases from 1993 were flops. From these list of flops, the only decent one had to be Divya Shakti(1993) in which Ajay delivered a powerful performance as the "aam aadmi".Platform(1993) was Ajay's second release after the flop Divya Shakti(which deserved to be a hit). The film was promoted as the next big thing as it had Ajay perform several hardcore stunts and the song Duniya Di Tha Ta was a big hit. Platform was pinned with expectations but sadly, it was a below average film which flopped. What caused such a grand film with a good first impressions to tank at the box office? Well there are several problems with the film.First and foremost, such typical films need to be well handled in order to stand out. However, Platform only manages that properly in parts. Another major problem is the age old cliché of a brother vs. brother which is overdone in this film. When Raju is angry on his brother and continues to be bitter towards him, why doesn't Vikram tell him the truth right away? When Vikram tells him the truth, why do the makers extend the film by showing a devastated Raju who gets more angry? Why does Paresh Rawal make a fool of himself as the South Indian astrologer? It just wasn't funny, those silly comedy scenes just failed to stand out, all they did was extend the film. Another problem is the character of Hariya. He is shown as a drug addict but when Raju grows up, he is shown as a normal guy? The characterization is completely wrong. Even as a drug addict, they make Hariya look like some kind of psychopath. Another major problem is the climax, Raju gets shot several times but he still manages to jump and kick using his wounded feet? At the very end, Raju is brutally stabbed and as soon as Hariya starts teasing the locket his mother gave him, he becomes strong and beats the living daylights out of Hariya? These elements are extremely hard to digest. As a result, the film is extremely flawed.Ajay Devgan does an decent job as Hariya's right hand man, Raju. He excels in stunts and does pull the serious scenes off well. However, his acting is weak in the emotional department. He fails to emote and like Sunil Shetty and Akshay Kumar, his emotional acting is weak. However, he does a good job in the drunken scenes making it look natural. Prithvi does a good job as Vikram but his role lacks the meat when compared to Ajay Devgan's role. However, his characterization of the honest and innocent Vikram is good. Mohnish Behl does a good job but his character isn't characterized properly. However, his acting is terrific for a drug addict. As the cunning villain, he repeats his act. However, the drug addict scenes were brilliant acted by him. Paresh Rawal is wasted as the stupid astrologer(used to provide comic relief) and he repeats his typical act as the villain(he did it much better in Anth). The heroines Priya and Nandini Singh are nothing great, any other heroine like Raveena Tandon or Shilpa Shetty can do better as these heroines compared to them. Arun Bakshi is unintentionally hilarious as the Russian henchman and it's so stupid how he only speaks Hindi after Ajay Devgan beats him during the pre-climax. Anjana Mumtaz repeats her typical mother act but she has a very short role in this movie. Mushtaq Khan is nothing great as one of the sidekicks of the villain. The rest provide decent support.On the whole, Platform is a below average action movie and it is one of Ajay's 8 films which flopped from the year 1993. If such badly handled films were made today, they would be completely rejected. Even for it's time, the movie fails.The Final Word: Platform has Ajay Devgan and his stunts and the superhit song Duniya Di Tha Ta as a pulling factor. However, too many flaws and the typically overdone plot makes the film unwatchable. Watch this film only if you are an Ajay Devgan fan and you want to complete his filmography. |
tt0038787 | Notorious | In April 1946, Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the American daughter of a convicted Nazi spy, is recruited by government agent T. R. Devlin (Cary Grant) to infiltrate an organization of Nazis who have moved to Brazil after World War II. When Alicia refuses to help the police, Devlin plays recordings of her fighting with her father and insisting that she loves America.
While awaiting the details of her assignment in Rio de Janeiro, Alicia and Devlin fall in love, though his feelings are complicated by his knowledge of her promiscuous past. When Devlin gets instructions to persuade her to seduce Alex Sebastian (Claude Rains), one of her father's friends and a leading member of the group, Devlin fails to convince his superiors that Alicia is not fit for the job. Devlin is also informed that Sebastian once was in love with Alicia. Devlin puts up a stoic front when he informs Alicia about the mission. Alicia concludes that he was merely pretending to love her as part of his job.
Devlin contrives to have Alicia meet Sebastian at a horse riding club. He recognizes her and invites her to dinner where he says that he always knew they would be reunited. Sebastian quickly invites Alicia to dinner the following night at his home, where he will host a few business acquaintances. Devlin and Captain Paul Prescott of the US Secret Service (Louis Calhern) tell Alicia to memorize the names and nationalities of everyone there. At dinner, Alicia notices that a guest becomes agitated at the sight of certain wine bottles, and is ushered quickly from the room. When the gentlemen are alone at the end of the dinner, this guest apologizes and tries to go home, but another of the Nazi group insists on driving him (to his death).
Soon Alicia reports to Devlin, "You can add Sebastian's name to my list of playmates." When Sebastian proposes, Alicia informs Devlin; he coldly tells her to do whatever she wants. Deeply disappointed, she marries Sebastian.
After she returns from her honeymoon, Alicia is able to tell Devlin that the key ring her husband gave her lacks the key to the wine cellar. That, and the bottle episode at the dinner, lead Devlin to urge Alicia to hold a grand party so he can investigate. Alicia secretly steals the key from Sebastian's ring, and Devlin and Alicia search the cellar. Devlin accidentally breaks a bottle; inside is black sand (later proven to be uranium ore). Devlin takes a sample, cleans up, and locks the door as Sebastian comes down for more champagne. Alicia and Devlin kiss to cover their tracks. Devlin makes an exit. Sebastian realizes that the cellar key is missing – yet overnight it is returned to his key ring. When he returns to the cellar, he finds the glass and sand from the broken bottle.
Now Sebastian has a problem: he must silence Alicia, but cannot expose her without revealing his own blunder to his fellow Nazis, who he knows would kill him for it. Sebastian discusses the situation with his mother (Leopoldine Konstantin) and she suggests that Alicia "die slowly" by poisoning. They poison her coffee and she quickly falls ill. During a visit from Sebastian's friend Dr. Anderson, Alicia realizes both where the uranium has been mined and what is causing her sickness (Sebastian and his mother prevent Dr. Anderson from drinking from Alicia's cup). Alicia collapses and is taken to her room, where the telephone has been removed and she is too weak to leave.
Devlin is alarmed when she fails to appear at their next rendezvous, and attempts to make a social visit. He sneaks into Alicia's quarters, where she tells him that Sebastian and his mother poisoned her. After confessing his love for her, Devlin carries her out of the mansion in full view of Sebastian's Nazi cabal. Sebastian goes along with Devlin's story that Alicia must go to the hospital. Outside, Sebastian begs to go with them, knowing that the Nazis suspect the truth, but Devlin and Alicia drive away, leaving Sebastian to face his erstwhile friends. | romantic, murder | train | wikipedia | Notorious has everything...inimitable Hitchcock moments, mystery, suspense, personal drama, high romance, passion, great character development, international espionage, nuanced acting, a visually stunning foreign locale, post-war period mystique, patriotism, fine supporting cast, a charmingly evil Claude Rains, a most sinister Mme. Konstantin, Grant at his most enigmatic and romantic, and Bergman her most alluring and luminous.
Then their orders do arrive, and Alicia is assigned to infiltrate the house and the bedroom of the Nazi leader, Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains).This movie delivers a very different kind of suspense from Hitchcock's more famous NORTH BY NORTHWEST.
Who but Hitchcock could imbue the innocent sentence, "I wish to talk to you," with such chilling power?This is one of Ingrid Bergman's best performances; Alicia is hardly perfect, but brave and lovely.
When a superior disparages Alicia for the lack of "character" she has shown by following the orders he himself has given her, Devlin sarcastically lashes out: "She may be risking her life, but when it comes to being a *lady,* she doesn't hold a candle to your wife, sir, sitting in Washington playing bridge with three other ladies of great honor and virtue." Yet Devlin himself is often unsympathetic and harsh in his treatment of Alicia, and the unfairness of that treatment is sharply highlighted in a manner very sympathetic to her.Not to be overlooked is Rains' magnificent rendition of Alexander Sebastian, a villainous but human and rather weak man who genuinely loves Alicia.
Also superb is Leopoldine Konstantin as Sebastian's domineering, scheming mother.NOTORIOUS is intense and meticulously crafted, and benefits from the best acting in any Hitchcock movie.
In Alfred Hitchcock's 1946 film, `Notorious', Cary Grant plays T.R. Devlin, an American agent who employs the assistance of Alicia Huberman, (Ingrid Bergman) a German expatriate whose father has just been convicted as a German spy.
Rarely is a viewer treated to so much talent in all areas of film creation: Hitch directing, Gregg Toland photographing, Ben Hecht writing, Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains acting.
Nominally, the film is about the OSS (the pre-natal version of the CIA) using a compromised young daughter of a condemned, unrepentant Nazi to infiltrate a cell of German expatriates in Rio de Janeiro just after the close of the Second World War. The plot hinges on some nonsense involving "uranium ore" stuffed in wine bottles in the cellar of Claude Rains' mansion.
Cary Grant proves to be a true soldier, spending much of his screen-time either expressionless or with his back turned to the camera (!), unselfishly giving the film to Bergman, even though his part is actually the more interesting one.
One of Hitchcock's most thrilling examinations of psychosexual ambiguity, with the Grant-Bergman relationship veering from an initial meet-cute to genuine (beautifully conveyed) mutual delight to sadistic manipulation - he makes a whore of her and forces the fact again and again into her face, seldom giving an inch until the very end, where his change of heart has a largely tacked on feeling.
The main plot can hardly match the complexity of the central relationship, even though it's an excellently constructed yarn, with the fine set pieces of the party and the ultimate escape, which is essentially a battle between Rains and Grant for possession of the weakened Bergman - a finale which emphasizes how she's always been a prisoner, of her father's myth, of the male system, of her own emotions..
But I believe that the primary reason Notorious excels is because of the abiding friendship, professional respect and unrequited love that existed between Alfred Hitchcock and Ingrid Bergman as they stepped up to make the film.
Yet when Dev - ever the mercenary genius of improvisation - makes full use of Rains' approach and, pulling Alicia to him as they stand outside the wine cellar, orders her to kiss him, Bergman actually surpasses her own track record.Suddenly in the arms of the man she really loves she is overcome with emotion; and for one second, maybe two, she separates her mouth from his, and in an attempt to give voice to the indescribable and to forge, experience and register a moment of pure intimacy, she utters one word, his name, 'Dev!' and all hell breaks loose.
So much emotion conveyed with so little and in such a brief period of time.It is because of moments like these that Notorious is timeless - the film gets under your skin and into your psyche - and given the history of the film and her beautiful performance at the center of it, it is fitting that it should be Bergman.
Another very effective trick used in the party sequence is to cut between close-ups of Bergman to point-of-view shots that show off the vastness of the rooms, which make us feel her disconcertedness.The slow and deliberate pace of the main part of Notorious also allows for the effective staging of several suspense set-pieces.
You can also see when looking at scenes like the business with the key or the wine bottle why Hitchcock disliked last-minute twists – the suspense wouldn't work if the audience weren't aware of the actions and knowledge of all the characters.We have here one of the most stellar casts Hitchcock had ever bagged, with both Grant and Bergman at the height of their popularity.
Claude Rains too has a complex part, as a man who has to come to terms with his own gargantuan mistake, and it was his steady, deep performance that got the Oscar nomination.In the end though, it is Hitchcock's utter devotion to suspense over substance that is the Achilles heel of Notorious.
This is Exhibit A for that.Cast-wise, it's difficult to imagine not liking a film with Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains and Louis Calhern....but this story is just agonizing in its slowness and incredibly stupid in its romance angle.
This tale about the conflict among the love and the duty is set Rio Janeiro, Brazil, post-WWII;it concerns about an enticing spy(daughter of a Nazi convicted traitor)named Alice(Ingrid Bergman).She's sent by Chief(a cynical Louis Calhern)US government to marry an old spy called Sebastian(Claude Rains)adored by his mother(Konstantin) and Agent Devlin is assigned to survey her.It's a tense psychological drama with espionage and packs various set pieces with usual Hitchcock touches as the exciting love scene,the McGuffin-uranium,the final climax downstairs.The film is a tense thriller blending passionate romance,complex intrigue maintained throughout and a twisted and chillingly suspenseful ending.Here the ¨McGuffin is the uranium,for Hitch the McGuffin is a gimmick and isn't important in the writings,its origin is a Scottish name.Hitchcoch says in the famous interview with Truffaut(said to be his best film) that he along with the screenwriter(Ben Hetch) went to speak with famed nuclear scientific and later were pursued for FBI during months.
The actors give a magnificent performances all around.Ingrid Bergman(Under Capricorn,Spellbound) as distinguished and brilliant spy is marvellous.Gary Grant(Suspicion,North by Northwest,to catch a thief) as embittered and lovesick agent is sensational.The mommy's boy,Claude Rains(1889-1956) is top-notch,he was nominated to Oscar for his sensible interpretation.Besides Louis Calhern(1895-1956)(I confess) as cynic and elegant spy and excellent Madame Konstantine as possessive mommy.Wonderful black and white cinematography by Ted Tetzlaff(also director).The film is considered one of the finest Hitchcock romantic thrillers.It's remade for television in the 80s by Colin Bucksey with John Shea and Jean Pierre Cassel..
How can you get any better than The Master, Alfred Hitchcock, and arguably two of the greatest actors of all time, Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman?
He has collaborated with Hitchcock before in eight films, of which this is probably the best.It's a love story, no matter what the setting, and who better to star in a love story than Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman.
Hitchcock's able to get so much out of so little tension-wise, yet doesn't seem to ever lack giving the film as much a romantic vibe as even Casablanca, if not with a good shot of his usual wicked fun in doing a spy movie.
Notorious is one movie that do justice in every aspect .this movie grippes you from the start to the end .its a typical love story coated with extravagant specialty of Hitchcock's suspense and mystery but its for sure a mile high from Hitchcock's other triumphs , the script is magnificently written by Ben Hecht and the stardom cast really makes this movie something beyond legacy .
The slow, fluid, subtle, constant interplay between Cary Grant and Claude Rains (as Devlin the lover and Alex the husband) and Ingrid Bergman (as Alicia, the object of both men's desires) is breathtaking in its complex simplicity yet terrifying in its blunt attitudes.
"Simple story" made into "a gem" (Ted Prigge) with "the maximum effect from the minimum of elements" (Francois Truffaut) that absorbs its audience through the attention paid to single details to visuals and haunting camera-work that gets its climax with the close-ups of the objects, the 'non human' characters of the movie.A BOTTLE of champagne (with its prelude of explosion), a KEY (with its hold of entry into the hidden secret) and a GLASS (with the relief from reality or senses in jeopardy) constitute wonderful tools for the MacGuffin, Hitchcock's plot device which is not only mysteriously uncovered by both the characters and the viewers but also powerfully evokes the repression and hypocrisy of the super-villains of the time, the Nazis.
Within a variety of blonde beauties that Hitchcock selected for his thrilling stories, it is not the first time Ms Bergman was cast in the Hitchcock film (she had been cast one year before in SPELLBOUND), yet, her role in NOTORIOUS is rightly placed along the world acclaimed masterpiece CASABLANCA.
Peter Viertel who met Cary Grant while NOTORIOUS was being filmed observes that Hitchcock saw something more in the actor, something more in his face, something far more than a leading man.
If art cinema thrives on emphasising the ordinary or seemingly unnecessary and making it come across as quite broad and epic then Notorious succeeds at exactly this at certain times, specifically when champagne and champagne bottles are involved as tension and foreboding is racked up.Made during America's 'Golden Age'; the classical Hollywood era, Notorious delivers an interesting story second to an equally intriguing character focus revolving around T.R. Devlin (Grant) and Alicia Huberman (Bergman), one an agent and one wrapped into helping said agent and his organisation in tracking down some Nazis whom have escaped to South America.
I must say that this is probably due to the Hitchcock touch, that provides the movie with lots of style and flair as well as some incredibly well build up and executed sequences.The movie has some real classic thriller moments, such as a sequences involving champagne bottles (not going to spoil any more of it) and a great memorable ending.Like basically all '40's and older movies, the movie starts of rather slow and formulaic but once things really start to take off (from the moment on they land in Rio) the movie just grabs you by the throat with its story, characters, atmosphere and thriller moments.It's one fine looking movie with some real great camera-work.
The story is somewhat slow, and at times is even uncomfortable, but it is held together by the director's masterful planning, along with some good writing and a high-profile cast.The plot concerns an espionage assignment, but the thrust of the movie is really much more about the persons involved, and about how they are affected by the job, than it is about the spy scenario itself.
His daughter Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), who is notorious for her affairs and drinking problem but loyal to her country, is contacted by the cynical government agent T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) for an assignment in Rio de Janeiro spying a network of Nazi's friends of her father.
Nevertheless Alexander discovers that she is a spy and together with his mother, they slowly poison her to avoid raising suspect in the other Nazis."Notorious" is a good movie of Alfred Hitchcock and nostalgic for those like me that were born in Rio de Janeiro.
"Notorious" is often hailed as one of Alfred Hitchcock's finest productions, and with a cast that includes Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains, why shouldn't it be?
Dull and boring: the cardinal sins of filmmaking, sins that Hitchcock had previously committed with "Rebecca," and would commit again with "The Paradine Case," "Stage Fright," and "Under Capricorn." The "master of suspense" did not earn that title through those films, and there is little suspense to be found in this supposed "espionage thriller" that is, in fact, a romance.Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman smooch up a storm while resident villain Claude Rains steals the acting honors as a Nazi spy.
I personally do not see the great appeal of Cary Grant and I feel like another male actor, one with a more emotional side, would have played Devlin better..
The story centers around Alicia (played by Ingrid Bergman) and Devlin (Cary Grant).
What follows in the storyline revolves around the question, how far will both Alicia and Devlin go in order for the mission to be a success?Despite the fact that Notorious' writer, Ben Hecht, was nominated for a 1947 Academy Award for best original screenplay, I feel that majority of the story is told through the movement and placement of the camera.
Claude Rains, who made a wonderful co-star with Bergman in CASABLANCA a few years before, makes a nice Nazi, though the true villain is undoubtedly the mother played by Leopoldine Kanstantin.Check out Hitchcock's genius in the 360 degrees shot of Cary Grant.
Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman carrying on long conversations throughout the film is not my idea of a great movie.
The plot is set up effectively in the first half an hour, presenting our two heroes Devlin (Grant) and Alicia (Bergman) as people who while come from very different backgrounds but share an impenetrable bond from when they first meet till the end of the film.
This relationship these two characters share is the finest thing about 'Notorious', the chemistry between Grant and Bergman and the story of unrequited love they tell through it is a mastery of subtlety and gesture, particularly towards the end of the film.
Sometimes using this technique for the final of a film works well, but if feels like the story and characters need more explanation sometimes it can do substantial damage to a picture and I believe this is the case with Notorious.
With Cary Grant at the helm as the distant secret service agent, Bergman as the loving tormented female figure, and Hitchcock behind the cameras, this film delivers.There is lots of adventure, suspense scenes well put together and effective, acting and dialog solid...But amidst all the action there is at the center, at the core of the events a love story, contorted and complicated but which really makes the whole film.
It stars Cary Grant as Devlin, an FBI agent, and Ingrid Bergman as Alicia Huberman.
Alfred Hitchcock directed this suspenseful WWII romantic thriller that stars Ingrid Bergman as Alicia Hubermann, who has taken to a reckless lifestyle after her father was revealed to be an enemy agent.
For Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant's second Alfred Hitchcock film.
There is much to admire in this restrained and unsentimental story of a patriotic American woman named Alicia Huberman who agrees to spy on her traitorous father's NAZI associates.Cary Grant is excellent as her hard-edged agent-handler Devlin, who fights his feelings of love for Alicia.Claude Rains gives his usual superb performance as the NAZI who completes the eternal triangle.The Ben Hecht/Cliford Odets script, Alfred Hitchkock's direction, and the Ted Tetzlaff/Gregg Toland cinematography are all first rate.But it is Ingrid Bergman's mesmerizingly erotic performance that sets this movie apart.
The characters are complex, due to a note perfect script by the great Ben Hecht, one of the great film writers, surprisingly naturalistic and intense performances from film icons Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains, and of course, Hitchcock's visual mastery.
One of the very best works of the American period of the great Alfred Hitchcock with both fist-class names in Hollywood, Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman .
Golden moments of thriller, which managed to be written as one of the greatest masterpiece of Hollywood Golden Era. Hitchcock rocks in that film, Ingrid Bergman gives her best performance ever, Cary Grant suits perfect his role and Claude Rains gives his best performance.
I love both Ingrid and Cary Grant in everything they have performed.Furthermore, Notorious is a finely crafted, sumptuously produced romantic thriller that has the distinction of featuring director Hitchcock, and stars Grant and Bergman at their collective best.
What makes this movie so amazing is that Claude Rains, the Nazi, is nicer to Ingrid Berman than Cary Grant is.
There are three things about this film that make it especially noteworthy, and they are (in no particular order): Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant and Suspense.
Of course, Bergman and Grant fall in love, and this is the real point of the film.Hitchcock uses many of his regular techniques: rapid editing to evoke suspense, long pull-in shots to direct the audience's attention, and his "mother figure" motif.
This is the movie that made me fall in love with Ingrid Bergman and Hitchcock.
About the interpretations I have to say that I really liked the interpretation of Cary Grant who played as Devlin and the interpretation of Ingrid Bergman who played as Alicia Huberman.Finally I believe that "Notorious" is a good movie to watch and spend your time on it but do not expect much from it because you are going to be let down.
As a thriller, it's right up there with Hitchcock's best films; as a romance it's one step up from mediocre (well, maybe a step and a half, but only because we're talking about Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant here). |
tt0037576 | Captain Kidd | In 1699, pirate William Kidd (Charles Laughton) loots and destroys the London galleon The Twelve Apostles. He and three confederates bury the stolen treasure on a remote island. He then presents himself at the court of King William III (Henry Daniell) as an honest shipmaster seeking a royal commission as a privateer after striking his colors to a pirate. The king is persuaded by Kidd that the captain of The Twelves Apostles was that very pirate who has now disappeared with its treasure and grants the commission. Kidd recruits a crew from condemned pirates in Newgate and Marshalsea prisons, promising them a royal pardon at the end of their voyage. Among them is the quarrelsome though cultured Adam Mercy (Randolph Scott), whom Kidd makes his new master gunner because of his claimed prior service with pirate Captain Avery.
The King sends Kidd and his ship the Adventure Galley to the waters near Madagascar (where The Twelve Apostles met its fate) to rendezvous with the ship Quedagh Merchant and provide an escort back to England. The Quedagh Merchant carries Lord Fallsworth (an uncredited Lumsden Hare), the King's ambassador to the Grand Mughal, his daughter Lady Anne Dunstan (Barbara Britton), and a chest of treasure - a present from the Indian potentate to King William.
Kidd's murderous plan quickly unfolds. His story about a pirate he fought recently in the waters nearby persuades Lord Fallsworth to switch ships with his daughter and the precious cargo. Meanwhile, Kidd's navigator Jose Lorenzo (Gilbert Roland) lights a candle in the ship's magazine. Just as the transfer takes place, the Quedagh Merchant blows up. Kidd also arranges a fatal "accident" for Lord Fallsworth, leaving only a frightened Lady Anne. She turns to the only man she thinks she can trust, Shadwell (Reginald Owen), Kidd's servant. When she mentions in passing the recent battle with pirates, the honest Shadwell tells her it never happened. He advises the woman to put her faith in Adam Mercy.
On the voyage home, Kidd schemes to rid himself of his three close associates (to avoid sharing the booty) and Mercy, whom he rightly suspects. Mercy is really the vengeance-seeking son of Admiral Lord Blayne, the slandered captain of The Twelve Apostles. When a smitten Lorenzo tries to force himself on Lady Anne, Kidd is delighted when Mercy engages him in a sword fight. Lorenzo is driven overboard to drown. However, during the fight, Mercy's medallion is torn from his neck. Kidd finds it and recognizes the Blayne family crest.
Kidd drops anchor at a lagoon. He, Orange Povey (John Carradine), his only surviving confederate (who had the foresight to prepare an incriminating letter to be sent if he should die), and Mercy go ashore and dig up the loot from The Twelve Apostles. When Mercy sees the Blayne crest, a fight breaks out. Outnumbered, Mercy is knocked unconscious, falls into the water, and does not resurface. However, he is not dead. He swims secretly back to the ship. Mercy and a loyal crewman (John Qualen) row Lady Anne away in the ship's jolly boat, but are spotted. Despite Shadwell's heroic, if fatal, attempt to interfere, the boat is blown up.
Believing himself safe, Kidd appears before King William with his treasure and claims his reward (Lord Blayne's aristocratic title and estate). However, Mercy and Lady Anne have survived and preceded him to court. The King's men have found the booty looted from The Twelve Apostles after searching Kidd's cabin. Kidd is tried, condemned, and hanged.
The film contains much historically incorrect material, including a London scene showing Tower Bridge - two hundred years before it was built. Kidd's London prisoner crew was removed before it sailed from England and Kidd was forced to find a new crew in New York City. Kidd returned to New York, not to London.
In his memories, Nikita Khrushchev noted that this was one of Joseph Stalin's favorite films, who identified with the mischievous captain. | cult, action, murder, romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0103262 | Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken | Sonora Webster is living with her emotionally abusive aunt during the Great Depression. Sonora learns that because of the family's financial difficulties, her treasured horse Lightning will be sold and she will be placed in an orphanage. Instead, Sonora slips out of the house during the night.
Sonora ends up at a county fair and sees a performance by Marie, a diving girl, as she jumps onto a horse as it runs up a steep platform just before it leaps off into a pool of water. Sonora then informs Doc Carver, Marie's employer, that she is his new diving girl, and Doc tells her she is too young.
Doc sees Sonora's talent with horses and give her a job as a stable hand, and she begins traveling with them. Doc's son Al wins a wild horse in a card game, and believes his father will give her a chance to train as a diving girl if she can tame it. She surprises Doc one day by riding up on it and he promises she can train to be a diving girl if she can mount it while it's moving. After multiple attempts, she finally succeeds and Doc keeps his promise, much to the chagrin of Marie.
One day, Marie falls and dislocates her shoulder, leaving her unable to perform, and Sonora has to step in. Although she has never dived with Lightning, Sonora is successful at her first jump. Marie is so jealous that she makes unreasonable demands of Doc to ensure her stardom status, and after he refuses them, she quits the show rather than share billing with Sonora.
Al and his father have always had a difficult relationship, which isn't helped by his burgeoning romance with Sonora, and one day he leaves after having a particularly bad fight with him. He and Sonora are close and he promises to write her. He does write but Doc hides his letters. Doc and the new stable hand Clifford leave the farm in search of work, and that night Lightning falls ill. Sonora spends the night with Lighning and is awakened by Al, who has returned. It seems Lightning ate some moldy hay and has developed colic. Al and Sonora work together to heal Lightning. Doc returns with the news there is no more work to be had and announce that the show is over.
Al asks Sonora why she never wrote him, and she tells him that she never received any letters from him. Both are confused over the missing letters. Al announces he has arranged a six-month contract with the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey to perform. The good news seems to patch up old differences between Doc and Al. Doc passes away en route to Atlantic City, apparently from a heart attack. Al assumes his father's role as show presenter. On his first day, he is extremely nervous, so Sonora finds Doc's famous fringed jacket to give Al confidence. In it she also finds one of Al's old letters, confessing his love for her. She lets him know she feels the same.
Al and Sonora perform at Atlantic City in front of their largest audience. As she is climbing the ladder, he proposes to her. She accepts and gets ready to do the jump. The horse, a jittery stallion who is not her usual partner Lightning, is anxious because of all the noise from the band and the crowd, and just before the jump a cymbal crashes loudly, which causes him to falter and trip. Sonora keeps her eyes open as they fall into the water. Both of them make it, but her vision is impaired, yet she hides this from Al. The next day when she wakes up, Sonora discovers she can't see. A doctor diagnoses detached retinas in both eyes and tells her she is permanently blind. In order to avoid a breach of contract lawsuit, Al must find another diving girl within a week, and calls Marie, who returns.
Clifford has been working on his "new" motorcycle and gets it back in working condition. He demonstrates his new act for a small crowd - it is an enormous metal ball in which he rides around inside on the motorcycle, doing loop after loop. The crowd is amazed and he is pleased with his new "death-defying" act.
Meanwhile, Sonora misses diving terribly, and feels utterly helpless and like a burden. She tells him of her desires to dive again, and indicates her unique bond with Lightning. She and Al work together to try to train her to mount him again, much the same way she and Doc once worked together earlier to train her to do so in motion. She is stubborn and refuses to give up, but Al forces her to accept the fact that it is impossible. She spends some quiet time with Lightning that night.
The next day, with the help of Clifford, Marie is locked in her dressing room. Sonora climbs the platform as Clifford releases Lightning and the horse trots up to Sonora. Al is scared for her and shouts at her to come back down, but she continues and the jump is successful. Her voice-over tells us that she continued diving for eleven more years with the audience never learning of her blindness, and about her happy marriage to Al. | romantic, depressing | train | wikipedia | My absolute favorite movie of all time.
Getting back to the movie, I feel so connected to the characters every time I watch it.
While some people like it because of the horses, or because of the moral of the story, I just like the movie itself!
I admire every aspect of it: the casting, filming, the set, and the true romance that is illustrated between Al and Sonora.
I also greatly enjoyed the songs on the soundtrack, which are pretty much impossible to find anywhere else.Although it's a twelve-year old movie, (that in itself makes me sad) it lives on through the heads and hearts of the people who continue to watch it again and again, like myself.
I watched this movie as a teen and would not hesitate to show it to my family.
This is a sweet movie about overcoming adversity and realizing your dreams, and does not pander to the juvenile tastes that prevail in many family movies today.Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken has intelligent, thoughtful dialogue, and addresses some of our deeper fears, i.e. losing family, not being wanted, and other problems that Sonora encounters throughout the movie.
Sonora also has a romantic interest that is played out in a very family-oriented way, not full of the bawdy humor that current moviemakers feel is necessary, even in children's movies.On the negative side, most of the time you are rooting for Sonora, and at other times her abrasive "I can do it myself" attitude can be somewhat annoying, but I guess that's what made her a star!.
Great Movie--a favorite.
It is a sweet story and Michael Schoeffling (playing Al Carver) is one of my favorite actors.
I love horses and watching them dive is pretty phenomenal.
I don't know how close it is to the true story, but it'sfascinating to watch Sonora (played by Gabrielle Anwar) overcome suchtremendous obstacles.
It is a safe movie to show any child and most girls will like it if only because of the horses.
Based on a true story, this film is not only entertaining, but as inspirational as they come; a paean to the indomitability of the human spirit in the face of the kind of adversity that would make most of us simply roll over and quit.
It's a film that should be required viewing for anyone who has ever cried out that the world owes them a living, because the message of `Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken,' directed by Steve Miner, is that `Life' isn't fair, but when the worst happens you have to pick yourself up by the bootstraps and get on with it; nobody's going to do it for you.
There's a very definite lesson to be learned from this story; a lesson of which many living in the world today would be well advised to take note.In 1932, the Great Depression is on, but times are even more trying for teenager Sonora Webster (Gabrielle Anwar), who after losing her parents is taken in by her aunt, only to be told that because of financial difficulties besetting her own family, Sonora must be given over to the state.
She packs a bag and runs off to answer an ad placed in the newspaper by a certain Doctor Carver (Cliff Robertson), a showman looking for able young ladies to train as `diving girls' for his show.
As part of a traveling circus, Doctor Carver currently has only one diving girl, Marie (Kathleen York); the act entails diving a horse off a forty foot tower into a pool of water.
What he doesn't know is that he's just hired a girl who refuses to give up on something once she's set her mind to it, and when Sonora takes the job, it puts a hay fork in her hand, but her determined eye is on a horse, as well as that forty foot tower looming above that pool of water, beckoning to her, even as a dream borne on the wings of desire.
Up on the top of the world.Working from a screenplay by Matt Williams and Oley Sassone, Miner delivers a poignant film that works at the heart strings, but at the same time circumvents any undo sentimentality.
But to be known as a victim would have been the last thing in the world the real Sonora Webster would have wanted; indeed, she took the lemons life handed her and made the proverbial lemonade, refusing to be a `victim' in any sense of the word.
They have taken some license as far as certain dates and specific lengths of time involved, and certain elements are compacted in order to move the story along; but the important thing is, the essential elements of Sonora's life and her incredible achievements are portrayed accurately.Young Gabrielle Anwar gives a performance in which she perfectly captures Sonora's spirit and the stubbornness that refused to allow her to give in to any and all of the obstacles life put in her path.
Through Anwar's portrayal, we see a girl who overcomes the most heartbreaking situations by always looking forward; a true individual who always sees the glass as half full rather than half empty, and it's Anwar who makes that vital connection with the audience happen.
Most importantly, Robertson is convincing, and it makes the flamboyant Doctor Carver very real.The one weakness of the film is in the performance of Michael Schoeffling as Al, Doctor Carver's son.
I didn't think this was as good as hyped at the time of its release, but it was still a nice, old-fashioned film and Gabrielle Anwar as "Sonora Webster" was a pleasure to watch.
I'm sorry she never developed into a major star, although she's stayed busy in her acting career.This is a based-on-a true story and if a woman really performed diving horse acts while blind, well, that is incredible.
As i watch Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken i felt deeply touched by it's plot and fell in love with the movie.
All people compliment each other great, and i find something different about each one every time i watch it.
This movie has gotten me through some hard time by just realizing that if you are given a bad situation, it's up to you to decide how you are going to handle it..
Gabrielle Anwar is the best person for the part, the horses are great and whoever said that Michael Schoeffling can't act is CRAZY!!!!
I saw this movie when I was in third grade or so, and it was a favorite for a long time.
You get gripped quickly by Sonora's stubbornness and determination to become a diving girl.
The increasing drama of the latter part of the film would probably be too much to take for anyone past 14 or so, but before that age it's a great movie..
I do not know how many times I watched this movie.
Gabrielle Anwar who plays Sonora a runaway is desperately to make her dreams true as a driving girl.
This movie is the reason I love horses!
I would never have loved horses if it weren't for this movie.
If you only see one movie in your entire life please let it be Wild Hearts Can't be Broken!
One of my favorite movies of all time, as a child and adult.
Heartwarming, heartbreaking, great acting, emotional, and this movie has it all.
Good, clean movies are hard to come by these days.
It was quite an adventurous story, about a daredevil woman who rides horses off of high dives.
However, an accident involving one of the horse falling off a very high platform changes her life forever.It was a somewhat entertaining, dramatic and adventurous movie from what I remember, with some good acting and a good story-line with achieving one's goals.It's also quite a nostalgic film that reminds you of the old days (as it is set during the Great Depression).
Sonora Webster (Gabrielle Anwar) is a head-strong orphan in Waycross, Georgia living with her younger sister under her aunt.
She runs away to ride the diving horse for Dr Carver (Cliff Robertson) in his carnival act.
Al helps Sonora to tame a new wild horse.This movie has the feel of a well-made TV movie.
This didn't, however, impact one jot my enjoyment of this rousing tale of a spirited small town girl who breaks free from her humdrum life to live out her dream as someone who jumps off a diving board on horseback into a pool of water(!) Yes, I know it sounds daft, but we're talking about the 30's here...
It's one of the more polished Disney live-action films I've seen, and is well worth your time...
This movie touched my heart when I saw it and I can't wait to watch it again after reading the review that talked of its complexities.
When I learned Disney was going to make this film, I was excited because I heard there were once diving horses.
After watching this film for about the 20th time (by myself, or with my kids) it was then only after reading the credits that I learned that the gray horse was played by two different horses and myself and my good eyes for horses could not pick that out.
This is the best equine continuity job I've ever seen in a film (where more than one horse was used for the same horse).
1st watched 9/23/2010 -- 3 out of 10 (Dir-Steve Miner): Mediocre story with bad direction from Steve Miner makes what could have been interesting --- pretty dull.
This true story is about a young girl from the depression era who is kicked out of her aunt's house, runs away, and dreams of eventually getting to Atlantic City and being a diver of horses(really, I'm not making this up).
She has a love of horses and sees an ad for this position and has no idea what it is or what it takes to be this, but because of her current position she would rather be anywhere else and welcomes what looks like an adventure.
Gabrielle Anwar, who plays the girl, is cute but there has to be more in a movie than just looking at a pretty girl.
She does get to Atlantic City with the show and dives but then suffers an accident that blinds her(this occurs late in the movie).
She then has to work back into doing what she loves best while carrying her affliction(which makes the movie kind of Rockyesque).
The story just doesn't have enough heart to carry it through, and the filmmaking is not good enough to make it watchable.
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken is a wonderful movie that deserves to be watched.
It always feels fresh and new, like I'm discovering it all over again every time I watch it.I love the cinematography in this movie.
The actors play each scene deliberately and with purpose, giving you a real sense of what it must've been to live in the Depression era.This movie is perfect for all ages.
Amazing Girl and her horse story!.
This movie is a typical Girl and her Horse tale (no pun intended), but it's one that has more heart and realism than any movie of it's kind.
It's a perfect family movie, something you should feel good about showing your kids and can enjoy yourself...
(You'll understand when you see it) also, it doesn't completely focus on the horses, they remain in the backdrop while the entire movie focuses on this girl and her love story with a really attractive young man.
My dad rented this movie for me when I was little because it had horses in it, so he knew I would love it (which is true).
I will admit, it is kind of sappy at some points, but all-in-all it is such a great movie about overcoming almost impossible odds by being totally stubborn.
As I've grown older, I grown to really connect with this movie because, like Sonora, I am incredibly stubborn.
When I was a little girl, this was one movie that got played over and over.
To me, this film portrays an unconditional love, the kind girls wish they could all find, but seldom do.
This movie was added to my favorites list at the age of 8 because it showed someone who wasn't afraid to dream and had the courage to make that dream come true.
This shows a girl who gets the chance in life to do something many of us can't, live her dream.
The acting was overthetop great acting with stand outs (of course the lead) Gabrielle Anwar, whom I have to say made the perfect Senora, and Michael Schoeffling, whom I would like to see some more of in the future (and not just because i enjoy watching him, he's so fine, for a guy who played a senior in high school the year I was born) not only does the guy look good, but he can't act.
The Perfect Movie For ANYONE Who's Ever Had A Dream!.
If you've ever had a dream this is the movie for you!It's perfectly cast with Oscar worthy performances.Gabrielle Anwar gives the best performance of them all.Gabrielle Anwar is Sonora Webster, an orphan in the depression who lives with her aunt and younger sister.
Sonora has a dream of making it to Atlantic City and knows that if she gets turned over to the state her dream will never come true.
She gets a job with the man who runs the diving girl act as a stable hand.
Can she continue living out her dream even though she is blind?This is one of my all time top favorites!
Drama, Comedy, Romance, Suspense, and perfect for the whole family and is based on a true story!You will not regret seeing this movie!
This is not a bad film and for what I think of as a TV movie this is no where near as bad as some of the dross I have endured.
Yes this is family fair but for me if you want a good movie for all the family there are hundred of better options than this.
The premise of the movie is the story of lead character 'Sonora' who runs away to join the travelling carnival and eventually becomes part of a horse diving act (it is frightening that this stuff actually was classed as entertainment), and how she overcomes the many obstacles and tragedies in her path.
Absolute schmaltz, this movie is the core of many girl-nights and sleepovers from my youth.
I think Gabrielle Anwar is talented in her subtlety, even though this movie is so Disney, so superficial and sugary.
Red-headed carnival boy (plays role of "Clifford") is pretty good too.It's nice, it's family-friendly...take it to entertain some young girls while babysitting or something.I cannot believe they make us write these things to ten lines.
Absolute schmaltz, this movie is the core of many girl-nights and
"Clifford") is pretty good too.It's nice, it's family-friendly...take it to entertain some young girls
For those who may wonder, you're getting into a movie where the best acting comes from the horses, where the writing is about TV-movie quality if not a little worse, where the good characters are flawless and the bad ones are irredeemable...
Based on a true story, this movie can't help but lift your spirits and make you believe in life.It's worth owning in your video library.Goes on my top 10 favorites movies.
Her aunt decides she doesn't want Sonora any more, so Sonora runs away and attempts to join a horse diving show.
I see this as a family movie, with only minimal violence (of the type to be expected with tough characters living in hard times), and nothing really that would bother parents.
I thought it would ruin the movie for me when Sonora went blind after an accident.
This is one of the best feel good, and tenderly romantic movies I've seen.
One thing led to another, including the passing away of the owner of the show Doc Carver, played by Cliff Robertson, while they were on their way to Atlantic City to do a show.It was in Atlantic City where tragedy, as well as what some might call a miracle took place, as also did the wedding of Sonora, and Al Carver, the son of the deceased owner of the show You'll have to watch the movie to find out more, I told you more than I should have already..
I loved horses as a young girl (and still do) but they are only part of the story.
The determination of the orphan Sonora Webster, to achieve her dream, is inspiring and extremely entertaining.
The actors, costumes, scenery, music were all excellent, and the sweet love story between Sonora and Al Carver is subtly and gently captured on film, without relying on melodrama.
Kathleen York as the snobby, high-society diving girl Marie, provides tremendous comic relief, along with Gabrielle Anwar and Cliff Robertson as the crusty Dr. Carver.
It is a great family film and should be shared with everyone.
This film starting Gabrielle Anwar , one of the most beautiful women the world is definitely a must see.Anwar as the late Sinora Webster gave a great performance shows in fact that "Wild Hearts can't be broken".
She was a woman who took challenges head on, with great courage she battle all of the obstacles thrown against her, and in spite of her eventual blindness she continued her performance against the odds.She Webster(as played by Anwar) gave the performance of a lifetime, and proved that the determination of the spirit can overcome a handicap.
The lovely Gabrielle Anwar plays Sonora Webster the typical girl whose lost her parents and has discipline problems.
Anyway this movie is fast paced, but it gets a decent story across about a young girl who overcomes odds, at a time the odds are death threatening and makes her dreams come true. |
tt0106527 | Casualties of Love: The Long Island Lolita Story | Set on Long Island, the film opens with Joey Buttafuoco (Jack Scalia) playing drums, driving under influence of cocaine, fleeing from the cops and visiting his mother's grave. At home, his wife Mary Jo (Phyllis Lyons) awaits his return, disappointed in his drug back lapse. After she threatens to leave him if he does not quit using drugs, Joey decides to enter rehab. Six weeks later, he is a renewed man, promising his wife he is now the person again she fell in love with. Three years later, in the summer of 1991, he works in an auto repair shop, and meets 17-year-old Amy Fisher (Alyssa Milano), who begs Joey to repair her car without telling her parents. Joey agrees, even though he is a close acquaintance of her father Elliot (Jack Kehler). Amy frequently crashes her car, prompting her to make multiple visits to Joey. It does not take long before she starts coming on to him, making hints of her promiscuous past despite her young age. Even though he does not respond to her affection, Joey does not especially push her away and constantly pays her special attention.
One day at the carnival with her friend Lizzy (Georgia Emelin), Amy notices Joey and surprises him with a kiss. Joey is startled and immediately leaves. After he is gone, Amy claims to Lizzy that she has been dating him for a while now. The next day, Joey finds out that Elliot has filed a complaint with the police after Amy has claimed that Joey gave her herpes. Joey sets out to the Fisher residence to set things straight, and Amy eventually admits that she lied about the situation. Joey is outraged, though does not inform his wife, fearing that it will affect their marriage. Later, at a cafe, Joey assures Amy that he has no interest in leaving his wife and children, and ignores her when she shows to him that she is wearing his car repair shop t-shirt. By now, Amy is madly in love with Joey and thinks that the only thing holding them apart is Mary Jo. She hires a contract killer to kill Mary Jo - paying him $600 and allowing him to sleep with her - though the young man eventually chickens out.
Six months later, she shows up at the Buttafuoco residence once again and claims to Mary Jo that Joey is having an affair with her "16-year-old sister", showing him Joey's car repair shop t-shirt to "prove" her claim. When Mary Jo refuses to believe her, Amy takes out her gun and shoots Mary Jo in the head. Later at the hospital, Joey is informed that his wife's situation is critical and that she might be paralyzed for the rest of her life, if she does not die. Amy, meanwhile, sets out to her boyfriend Paul (Michael Bowen), who is in a relationship with another woman, for comfort. Back in the hospital, a severely injured Mary Jo informs Joey and the detectives that her attacker owned his repair shop t-shirt. Joey then realizes Amy shot Mary Jo. Following her arrest, Amy claims that she and Joey both conspired to kill Mary Jo, enabling them to spend their life together. Joey denies any of Amy's claims, and swears to the cops that he was never involved with her. In the media, Joey is frequently mentioned as an adulterer and conspirer, causing even Mary Jo to question her husband.
Even though he is advised to not set out to the media, Joey decides to make an official report after the media releases a sex tape of Amy and an older man. It is claimed that Joey forced her into a life of prostitution, and that the older man of the tape was one of her clients. In prison, Amy continues to make love claims to Joey, now through letters. During the court case, Amy's bail is set at $2 million, the highest in New York state history, and Joey is tarnished by reporters. He tries to stand by his wife, but Mary Jo is confused by all the "evidence" that's coming up in court, "proving" Joey is guilty. She blames him for not being able to protect her, though she does not leave him.
By August 1992, bail for Amy is made by a TV network working to adapt her story. Joey's life falls more apart when he is informed that the entire Buttafuoco family will lose the auto repair shop if it is proven that he had an affair with Amy (the pressure causes his father to have a heart attack). The Buttafuocos want to allow Amy to have a plea bargain, or else her attorney will destroy the family company. Even though Mary Jo objects to the situation, reminding her family that she is the victim here, Amy is allowed a deal in court: she will receive 5 to 15 years for "reckless assault". Pleas of "attempted murder" among others are dropped, so the D.A. can come after Joey Buttafuoco for statutory rape. Soon after, a video tape is released in which Amy brags about her plea, and asks Paul to marry her. The tape allows the Buttafuocos to clear their name, while Amy receives the maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. | tragedy, murder, melodrama | train | wikipedia | A True American Tragedy.
The story about an event that shook up a quiet Long Island community back in 1992 and became front page and headline news in all the tabloid newspapers and TV shows not just in the USA but all over the world as well.
The movie "Casualties of Love" tries to portray Joey "Butterfingers" Buttafuoco in a good light, in this sordid and sleazily episode of suburban life on the Island, but fails miserably in light of what has transpired since the movie's release back in 1993.
Early in the film we see Joey, Jack Scalia, recovering from a serious coke-drug addiction habit and getting back to a normal life working for his father old man Buttafuoco, Lawrence Tierney, as a auto-mechanic in his car body repair shop and meets one fateful afternoon a very attractive but emotional disturbed and unstable young Amy Fisher, Alyssa Milano, and the rest is history.Amy getting her sights on the good-natured and overly friendly Joey and becoming infatuated with him gets her car smashed up a number of times just to have an excuse to be around and close to Joey and even going so far as trying to get poor and innocent Joey alone in his office and induce him to have sex with her can't seem to budge, the rock hard and straight as an arrow happily married family man, in having Joey commit an act of adultery.
With Joey chivalrously turning down all of her sexual advances a frustrated and mad as hell Amy then plans to have the one person standing in the way between her and Joey his wife Mary Jo, Phyllis Lyon, put out of the picture permanently.After unsuccessfully trying to get some of her friends in school to assassinate Mary Jo by giving them money and "free sex" Amy goes to the Buttafuoco's residence and tries to do the job herself by shooting Mary Jo in the head and leaving her paralyzed for life.The movie tries very hard to make Joey look innocent by reason of being too naive and, well let's just say, stupid in not realizing what Amy's intentions really were and how far she would go to take him away from Mary Jo and his two children thus in some way trying to make Joey look not responsible for what happened to Mary Jo.The movie also goes to great lengths to show the audience that Joey didn't have an affair with the underage Amy but it's not very convincing since the release of the movie Joey pleaded guilty to having sex with the 17 year-old Amy Fisher which in New York state is considered statutory rape that landed him in jail for six months and since then Joey was arrested a number of times for soliciting prostitutes for sex which makes the Joey Buttafuoco in the movie look both phony and ridicules.
Amy since her release from prison became a writer for a local Long Island newspaper, The New Island Ear, and seems to have put her life back together but Joey, besides his arrests for soliciting prostitutes, was just indited in California for insurance fraud.
The Buttafuoco/Fisher affair destroyed both of the Buttafuoco and Fisher families with Joey's father losing his business that he built up and worked at for almost fifty years and almost cost Joey's wife, Mary Jo, her life and ultimately ended their marriage.
It also destroyed Amy's parents marriage as well has having her put behind bars for almost ten years and being brutalized, and reportedly raped by a male prison guard, while she was in prison.
This story, the Buttafuoco/Fisher affair, turned out to be a true modern day American Tragedy..
Narcissists.
A depressing tale of a middle-aged man and teen-aged girl who have an affair, presumably, after which the girl shoots the guy's wife in the head, so that the girl and the guy can get married, or at least live together, happily ever after.
It's based on the real events surrounding Aimee Fisher and Joey Buttafuco.
She's played my Alyssa Milano, in probably her most demanding role, and the car mechanic is Jack Scalia.
What a tawdry tale.
A narcissistic pedophile and a spoiled pretty nymphomaniac.
Lots of sex, intrigue, conflict, some violence, all rather disgusting, which is probably why three independent TV made-for movies about the case hit the TV screens at the same time.
This one is definitely from Butaffuco's point of view.
The poor guy loves his wife and children (sob) and never touches this succulent nymphet.
Fisher is plumply overdeveloped, more than simply enticing, bursting her seams, and she's the aggressor and the liar in the tale.
Buttafuco is the innocent victim.
Right.
No ex coke addicted, pumped up, self-admiring Italian philanderer would dream of laying a paw on this fawning young creature.
Man, is he put upon.
Our eyes water at the narrative.
Aimee lies to her family and tells them that Joey gave her herpes.
Then tries to murder his wife.
And all this time he's nothing more than a cheerful, loving, family man and upright citizen, aghast at all the terrible things he's accused of.
Did he fund this movie?
The other two made-fors took quite different points of view, depending on who was backing the production and which particular participant in this disgusting tale was doing the endoresements.
Utterly revolting garbage, which the public ate up.
Alyssa Milano is a beautiful young woman.
Anyone who wants to see her en deshabille should rent "Kiss of the Vampire" or whatever it was, far sexier, and less repugnant simply because it is more mindless.
This movie actually has a point of view.
It could have skipped the sleazy plot and just shown us Joey pumping iron in a gym and Aimee coupling in some stranger's back seat.
An insult to the public viewer, who gobbled it down with relish..
A ludicrous travesty.
Turned-on set to this just as it was beginning on "Lifetime," and had intended to go to another channel.
But it was one of those instances where you watched for a minute or two, then another, then another..., etc.I could see at the outset that it presented Buttafuoco differently from the clownish lout I remembered from this whole well-publicized course of events.As I watched, I looked at the prior comments here, which quickly confirmed this.
The actor portraying him was handsome, especially not having the real guys' homely, thin-lipped, weak mouth, and a facial look which cries out for the description "smarmy."One wouldn't have thought it possible to present the Amy Fisher character, on-screen, as being a worse person than she actually was in real life -- but this flick managed to accomplish that almost seemingly-impossible task.As I watched, I still expected that there might be some indication towards the very end of his duplicity, and at least a modicum of responsibility on his shoulders for her entering his home and shooting his wife point-blank in her face.
But there was not even at least some oblique reference on this point.The scenes between Buttafuoco and the local pair of policemen even made it appear that they should show more feeling for him and have greater understanding than was displayed.
And his watching television with wife, father and son, as a tape displayed by a lover of hers was exposing her slutty side, could have been the Cleavers, say, watching a broadcast, exonerating Wally or Beaver from some local minor mischief which might have been suspected.,Hard to feel any sympathy whatever for these folks, except the lady shot point-blank, and Pop, with his lifelong business placed in jeopardy.The two or three times I've seen the real Joey on the tube, even a long time following these events, completely confirmed: this guy is a homely, cocky, smarmy asshole, the opposite of the portrayal by the actor in this flick, on all counts..
Awesome and Horrible at the same time..
Wow, this is wicked awesome.
I was sitting around this Saturday afternoon, looking for something to watch and Lo and Behold "Long Island Lolita Story" appears on the TV.
On the Lifetime network - of course!
This is the same channel I've seen such classics as "No One Would Tell" starring Kevin Arnold and DJ Tanner and "Unwed Father" starring David Silver from the original 90210.Anyway, its clear Joey Buttafuoco was totally 100% innocent.
I mean sure...he actually pled guilty to statutory rape, and in the ensuing years he's been arrested for fraud and solicitation of hookers, so you see, he's just a real nice guy that just was hit on by a slutty long island Lolita, he never slept with her or did anything wrong!
Watch this movie any chance you get!.
Ridiculous.....
This movie should have never even been created let alone shown on TV.
As a hundred percent of the comments say this was telling it from Joey's side which was not the truth.
This movie was not based on facts at all!
Absolute TRASH!.
Rushed tale from Joey's perspective.
I live on Long Island and at the time the next town over from Amy Fisher.
THis is what was going around after this came down.
First is the only reason this case became so popular even before the trial or anything was know about the characters involved it because the press was at the scene as son as it happened.
Not the usual amount of press but big time press WHy?
Because the Buttafucoes lived on the same block of a Mafia associate and they thought the shooting happened at his resident..thus all the press coverage.
Secondly I remember Mary Joe being in big time denial about her husband.
Her mother even said she wished she had married a man as good as Joey.
She actually lost a lot of sympathy because of that.
People saw Joey and Amy together all of the time.
He made no secret of the affair.
He even took his kids with them on a few outings.
Whatever the case the man was to old to be dealing with a confused teenager.
there was no doubt where I lived he was sleeping with her and leading her on.
His family's auto body place was on the corner of Grand Ave. and Merrick rd A major street in Baldwin.
I passed it a million times but never paid attention to it until the shooting.
After that people would drive to that corner just to get a glance of Joey.
He actually became a minor celeb on Long Island.
This did not help his case,because he was real cocky people thought he should of gotten locked up because he had to have something to do with the shooting.
We knew Amy was fast but the guys were always men who were too old for her.
She had a lot of family problems.
I always felt very bad for her mother.
She seemed to have gone through a lot.
People would go to the motels they went to and try to stay in the rooms they stayed in.
It was a joke.
In any case Amy shot his wife and she was wrong but he should of went to jail too.
Now on to the movie.
Jack Scalia is a very good looking slim Joey.
believe me the real life Joey was not a looker.
He plays him as a man who was stalked by this teenager, and never touched her.
Well we all know that was not true because motel clerks/receipts attested to the opposite.
he should of known better.
Allyssa Milano plays a very good looking Amy. Amy by no means was a Fox is portrayed as a predatory sex fiend.
She was fast but not without Joeys help.
The woman who plays Mary Jo is the truest role on the movie, she sounds and looks just like Mary Jo. THe location of the movie is not Long Island and it doesn't come close.
One scene Joey is at a carnival and asks Amy why came so far.
Well Massapequa is only around 15 minutes away from Merrick.
THese are all south shore towns and Sunrise Hwy goes right through them all.
And Merick is only 4 towns away.
So the dialog couldn't even get the locations right.
I figure at least get the area correct.
Amy went to jail and she should of.
Joey and Mary Jo moved to California he actually thought he could get into the movie business.
The auto body shop which had been there for years closed down...very sad.
Amy is out of jail now and she has a newspaper column which is very good.
the Buttofucco's are divorced.
Mary Jo seems to reconciled to the fact her hubby was not all innocent.
But what is more interesting is that she has forgiven AMy which I thought would never happened.
I really think Mary Jo is a strong woman now.
What they should do is make a movie about the incident now, it is a true American Tragedy, but in the end things seem to turn out OK.
This movie was rushed just like the other Amy Fisher movies and it shows.
I liked that Lawrence Tierney plays the dd another very sympathetic person in this whole mess.
Like Amy's mother he seemed like the whole world was on his shoulder and his auto body shop closed down..
This film is not very good.
That is the best thing I can say about this shocking piece of work.
Very bad acting.
Hilarious at times.
Did anyone pay money to see this?
It is wrong on so many levels.
It reminded me of a soft porn in parts.
I watched this with my cat and he even thought it so crap he got up and left the room.
I think that maybe this film had potential if the script was ripped up and urinated on it.
Amy Fisher is dangerous.
That is a fact.
"Serial killers don't get 2million bail", so true.
A 17 year old kid.
That is the story.
I checked out the credits for the directors name and surprised to find out that he made good few film after this one.
10/10 for my patience to see this film all the way through.
It was a test in the finest art of torture.
Classic hair cut on that bloke.He's 37?
Good one.
Look more like 52.
The wife is probably the worst actor ever.
But it hard to say who is the worst ever, because so many of the worst actors ever to be on my TV screen were all piled into one when they made this.
The best part was when the wife sets off the metal detector with the bullet in her head..
This Movie is a Cartoon!.
This movie is nothing but a cheesy waste of time garbage cartoon.
It had nothing noteworthy in it.
Bad acting, bad costumes, bad directing, nonsense script, cheap production, and too much of a lie.This movie tells a ton of lies about what happened.
This movie is a total fictional lie about this case.
Amy's version is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
The Buttafuoco's except for Mary Jo all lie, lie, lie.
I give this movie no stars at all.
What a waste of time and money.
Sorry mom.Next time I'm gonna choose a better movie.
In the end all I can say to the director is, make better quality films if you want people to watch them.
I think it's time to make a movie out of Amy's book If I Knew Then. |
tt0447166 | The Gamers: Dorkness Rising | The film opens with a trio of Dungeons & Dragons characters facing the final villain. However, they are quickly killed and after blaming each other, the players (Cass, Leo, and Gary) blame the game master, Lodge, claiming he did not follow the rules and plotted against them. While Leo and Gary wish to play a different game the following week, Cass demands to play the same campaign again, even though they just played it and lost for the second time, to preserve his reputation that there is no game he cannot win. Lodge wishes to publish his campaign as an official Dungeons & Dragons game module, but he is having trouble writing it: he knows how he wants it to end, but his players never actually finish the module. Gary suggests that for the next game they bring in two more players, in order to have a more well-rounded party. Cass is able to recruit his ex-girlfriend Joanna, and quickly reveals why they split: Cass is overbearing and condescending, belittling Joanna's character design strategy (she chose several abilities that normally wouldn't be useful to her character). The group has otherwise acquired an unfavorable reputation, and Lodge is unable to find anyone else, despite asking fifteen regular gamers.
The campaign begins when the characters Luster (Gary), Flynn the Fine (Leo), and Daphne (Joanna) are summoned before King Erasmus the Randomly Biased. The evil necromancer Mort Kemnon has discovered an artifact known as the Mask of Death and wishes to use this to overthrow the kingdom. As they go on their way, where Luster kills a random NPC while Daphne attempts to roleplay, they are summoned before the Hierophant of the Grand Illuminated Holy Order of Therin who sends two members of his order to accompany the party, Brother Silence (Cass) and Sir Osric (Lodge) -- the latter of whom the other players (with the exception of Joanna) take an instant dislike to, as Lodge created Osric just to keep the story on track. On their way, the group runs into a large party of goblins. The group (and Cass in particular) are surprised and embarrassed when Joanna's allegedly 'poorly designed' character single-handedly defeats the entire goblin party; Leo's bard is killed three times, however, which becomes a running joke throughout the remainder of the film.
Resting at an inn near Westhaven, the group faces and defeats Mort Agrippa. They head out for Westhaven and decide to stop playing for the night. Lodge explains to Joanna the reasons why he keeps the other players on such a short leash: if he does not, they will kill, plunder, and impregnate the fantasy world. The following week, the players continue the campaign by facing Drazuul in the town of Westhaven. Due to his character's weak traits, Leo goes through multiple copies of the character until the players are able to cleverly defeat Drazuul by hiding behind "the mound of dead bards". Torturing Drazuul with holy water, they learn of Mort Kemnon's location.
Making their way through an abandoned mineshaft, they find a henchman from the previous campaign and recover their previous party's equipment. The battle goes poorly for the players, until Lodge's cat messes up the floor-tiles and Cass distracts Lodge while they place their characters in more preferable positions. After a lengthy battle with Kemnon (with Silence using a lightsaber, shotgun, chainsaw, and dynamite which he claimed to have "found" in the trunk), Kemnon is defeated and cryptically implies there is another enemy. It is revealed to be the Hierophant, who intends to use the Mask to rekindle the Light of Therin. The group then realizes that the "Heart of Therin", the church's most sacred relic, is actually a prison housing the deity. During a battle with the Hierophant, Leo finally proves to be of use as he awakens Therin from her prison, allowing Daphne to release her (though Osric is killed in the encounter).
Afterwards, Daphne is offered an unlimited wish by Therin. After the other players recommend she wishes herself immortal, she uses it to resurrect Osric, much to the extreme disapproval of Cass, who insults her and storms out. The other three continue playing, and Therin provides rewards for each: Flynn becomes a herald, Luster is stripped of her powers and becomes a cleric, and Osric becomes Lord High Marshal of the Paladins. The campaign ends, and with positive comments from Gary and Leo, Lodge is inspired enough to write his module and has it published. Sometime later, Cass apologizes for his behavior and the group begins another adventure. Lodge wants to send his group through the adventure module that another group was playing in the first Gamers film, but upon mentioning 'The Shadow', Mark - the lone survivor of that campaign — screams in fear and runs from the gaming store. As the new campaign begins with the Mask of Death having been stolen, the film ends showing the henchman still alone in the mine. | fantasy | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0080731 | The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu | The opening titles announce it is set "possibly around 1933." The story concerns the 168-year-old Fu Manchu, who must duplicate the ingredients to the elixir vitae (which gives him extended life) after the original is accidentally destroyed by one of Fu's minions.
When the diamond "The Star of Leningrad" is stolen by a clockwork spider from a Soviet exhibition in Washington D.C., the F.B.I. sends a pair of special agents to seek the assistance of Scotland Yard as a card from Fu Manchu's organisation the Si-Fan has been left at the crime. Sir Roger Avery of the Yard feels this is a job for Fu's nemesis, Sir Denis Nayland-Smith, now retired.
Nayland-Smith correctly surmises that Fu Manchu will steal the identical twin to the missing diamond that is held in the Tower of London. Nayland-Smith also predicts that Fu will be thwarted by the tight security (several aged Beefeaters) at the Tower, then will kidnap Queen Mary to gain the jewel. He recruits a woman police constable to impersonate the Queen and fool Fu's gang. One of the officers, an obese Chinese cuisine loving glutton who has been ordered by the doctor to walk around for five miles a day on stilts, is promised access to Fu's outdoor restaurant of Chinese food and helps them steal the diamond. In the finale to the film, Nayland and his fellow officers visit Manchu's mountain base in his flying country house, "The Pride of Wiltshire", taking the real diamond with him which Manchu later uses to make himself young and vibrant again. Before taking the elixir, Manchu warns Smith that his latest fiendish plot will wipe out his enemies. Smith rejoins his fellow officers in time to see a rejuvenated Fu Manchu sporting an Elvis Presley type jumpsuit, rise from the floor and, with his cohorts now forming a rock and roll band, sing the song "Rockin Fu Music". | sci-fi | train | wikipedia | null |
tt2828996 | A Haunted House 2 | Malcolm Johnson and his cousin Ray-Ray are driving Malcolm's possessed girlfriend Kisha to the hospital after he beat her senseless for trying to attack him. Kisha starts making a fuss and fights Malcolm, then breathes into Ray's face. He passes out at the wheel and collides with a truck. Somehow, everybody is okay, but Malcolm and Ray leave an unconscious Kisha in the backseat and run away. A year later, Malcolm moves in with his girlfriend Megan, an insecure woman with two kids, her bratty and promiscuous teenage daughter Becky and effeminate son Wyatt, who has a stereotypically black imaginary friend named Tony. The family moves into a new home with their dog, Shiloh Jr. After the movers hang a safe next to the lawn, an invisible force unties the rope tied to a support beam, causing the safe to fall on the dog and crush him. Malcolm hysterically cries all the way to when they bury the dog.
Megan then puts a creepy looking doll named Abigail on a chair by their bed. Malcolm messes around with it until he starts having sex with it. Malcolm carries his camera around to record everything he sees. He meets the neighbor, Miguel, who jumps at every chance he gets to call Malcolm racist whenever he comments on something related to a Mexican stereotype, though all of it is in jest. Weird things start happening again. Malcolm records himself having sex with Megan and notices the Abigail doll turning its head. He also finds old videotapes with a demonic being in it trying to kill a family of three by hanging them from a tree. He fails when the rope breaks and he never actually gets to hang them.
Additionally, Becky finds an old box and develops an attachment to it, and Wyatt continues to hang out with his imaginary friend. Malcolm seeks help from a paranormal psychologist named Professor Wilde. He deduces that Malcolm must have had a previous encounter with a demonic force. Malcolm thinks it has to do with Kisha. Wilde then proceeds to cook meth with some prostitutes. Malcolm finds himself being terrorized and taunted by Abigail, as he is getting sent crude photos from her to his phone. She also ends up burning his clothes. Later, Malcolm sees a box moving in the dark and begins to attack it in every possible way. Megan and the kids run downstairs and tell Malcolm that what was in the box was supposed to be a surprise for him to make up for Shiloh Jr. And so Malcolm pulls out a horribly mangled dog. He blows its head off to put it out of its misery.
Among other weird scenarios that plague the family is Becky opening her box and having a whole swarm of moths fly out. Malcolm fixes this by installing lights to attract bugs to their doom. He also notices the demon, which Professor Wilde says is named Aghoul, taunting him in the videos. Although he tries to explain the weirdness to Megan and the kids, they don't believe him. To make matters worse, Malcolm comes home the next day to discover Kisha talking to Megan, looking very much not possessed. She has told Megan that Malcolm left her in a ditch to die, and she leaves after flashing him some scary black demon eyes. Later, Malcolm sees Abigail wrote "Miss me?" in red crayon all over the walls. He tries getting rid of her by burying her, but she comes back. He sends her back to Taiwan she still comes back. He chops her up and barbecues her, but again she still comes back.
Malcolm resorts to seeking help from the insane Father Doug Williams. He finds the crazy priest in a church, shanking another priest for absurd reasons. When Malcolm asks for his help, Doug only makes weird comments about the Kardashians coming after him and other men. Malcolm leaves when he thinks he sees demons surrounding a church, but they're really just church women who make comments about Malcolm being with a white woman. Miguel comes over and offers a chicken to be used as a blood sacrifice. Malcolm ends up wrestling the chicken all across the kitchen, ending with him throwing the chicken up into the ceiling fan where it is decapitated. He and Miguel fry the remains and eat it with waffles.
As a last resort, Malcolm goes to find Ned and Noreen Swanson, a sort of racist and sexually frustrated paranormal investigative husband and wife duo. He brings them to his house, where they determine that the demonic presence has attracted the family to it, explaining Becky's need for the box, Wyatt's imaginary friend, and Malcolm's sexual attraction to Abigail. They take hits from a bong mask and go downstairs to find Becky fully possessed. She flails around and gets thrown everywhere. Malcolm calls upon Doug to come by, but he has a mental breakdown and ends up shooting himself in the head. Becky runs upstairs and Malcolm chases after her. After some reluctance, he gets the demon to transfer itself to himself by having Becky regurgitate red goo. Everybody runs upstairs to find Malcolm possessed. He too pukes up the goo back into Becky's box. The Swansons take the possessed items, including Abigail so Ned can have sex with her. Everything seems okay until the night when Malcolm and Megan are watching TV and Kisha shows up behind them. She twists Megan's neck around, sending Malcolm running away.
Ray and his boys come to Malcolm's house to find Megan dead, along with Becky upstairs, impaled in her bed, and Wyatt is missing. They find Malcolm lying on the floor in the basement, still alive. After a bit of panicked rambling, Kisha comes downstairs, leaving all the men to scream in fear. | paranormal, flashback, humor, home movie | train | wikipedia | I have not seen the first "A Haunted House" film, but after sitting through this dreadful sequel I don't think I would like to.
A Haunted House 2 is an American 'comedy' 'horror' film directed by Michael Tiddes and starring Marlon Wayans.
If you however have seen this movie i hope you ask for a refund or entrance to a better film i can only hope that the film creators go back to the drawing board and look at classic comedy like the naked gun trilogy and get some tips from their creators as the people who made this film have been drinking or taking drugs during the making of the so called film AVOIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!.
The kind of movie where you spoil everything, really everything and it turns out to be really hilarious!You can't go to the cinema and watch this film and expect nice little laughs like other typical Hollywood comedies.
Contains plenty of swearing, racial words, very direct interracial swearing, some nudity, violence.Mixed up parody of several movies together, all bundles into having a good time laughing.
Best Marlon Wayans movie yet had me Laughing for Days later Every Time I would think of it.
In face the only Scary Movie I liked was the "Grab my Little Hand" one and the one with the Spoof genius Charley Sheen who dominated Hot Shots and Part Deux in a way that would make Monty Python or Mel Brooks proud.
It may be that the humor just wasn't for me but some of the jokes went on way to long and they weren't funny to start with (the sex scene with the doll for example).
I didn't really like the Scary Movie series so I was pleasantly surprised by the similar (but funnier) A Haunted House.
I recalled my experience of the original Haunted House film at the beginning of the year by saying in my review, "When I sit through an eighty-one minute parody, given nothing but extended fart gags, annoying characters, ridiculously crass sex scenes, and a minute and a half sequence of a grown man having sex with a teddy bear, I don't laugh, I wince and later recall the experience sourly." Despite most of my review of the original film applying to the film's sequel, A Haunted House 2, I specifically cherrypicked this quote because it was a list of the glaring annoyances in the original film.
Indeed, we must endure a horribly long, crass, and desperately unfunny scene of Marlon Wayans having explicit and lewd sex with a doll before his wife comes in.
The film basically follows the blueprint of its predecessor, which is just to be just as repetitive as the Paranormal Activity films we've been greeted with this year in a haphazardly-handled manner.The irony of A Haunted House and its sequel is that if Marlon and company wanted to prove they were funnier or somewhat superior (which is kind of what the idea of a parody film is, poking fun at the clichés in a manner that provides the illusion of a higher-power of wit and creativity) that they'd create a film that was more bent on satire rather than catering to the lowest common denominator of American audiences.
Despite all efforts to infuse jokes and references into the film's structure, writers Wayans and Rick Alvarez, along with director Michael Tiddes, make the crucial and crippling mistake of acknowledging the franchise or name they want to parody and assume we should laugh based on recognition, which is a fatal misstep for this genre of films, pioneered by the equally-lazy and contemptible likes of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (the men behind the "Movie" franchise of parody movies, like Date Movie and Epic Movie).The only true reason to endure the dreadfully unfunny spectacle of tastelessness that is A Haunted House 2 is to see the comedic energy of Wayans himself who, while making a very bad film, still manages to be spirited and zippy about the whole affair, along with Gabriel Iglesias, whose brief scenes in the film provide for some necessary comic relief.
Even if such scenes are predicated off of tiresome stereotypes and misrepresented exchanges of racism, at least it beats overlong scenes of filthy, unnecessary sex inside a film that's already nearly unwatchable without them.Starring: Marlon Wayans, Jaime Pressly, Gabriel Iglesias, Affion Crockett, Essence Atkins, and Cedric the Entertainer.
The comedy here is the type that will brighten up your mood and put a smile on your face.Similar to the first movie, an entity is haunting Malcolm and making his life a living hell, especially when no one believes him as things escalate out of control.I enjoy these spoof movies and always have, and this one is one of the better ones, especially because it is making fun of the ghost and horror genres of movies.Like the first movie, I am rating "A Haunted House 2" a 6 out of 10 stars..
The movie is the sequel of the last year's well known horror film parody by Marlon Wayans.
So occasionally we can laugh on some scenes at the beginning, but after a short time that smile starts to get faded away, even though the scene continues which was intended to be funny.The casting crew has changed a little bit.
I was infatuated with listening to his non-sense spiels, and I've just loved him creating more and more amusing sentences within fractions of a second.Otherwise the funny scenes of the movie were very similar to what we could experience in its predecessor, so if you liked the first one you'd probably like this one about the same.
Greetings from Lithuania.Strange or not, i really enjoyed the first "A Haunted House" movie, it was a really funny stuff.
They couldn't even make fun out of one of my favorite horror movies in years "Sinister" - everything in "A Haunted House 2" is lame, unfunny (except for one Mexican stereotype joke), horribly acted and simply stupid beyond recognition and fun.Overall, even if you are hardcore parodies fan, you can safely skip this one, it's a bad one..
If you loved Scary Movie 1 & 2, A Haunted House, and any other movie with the Marlon you will laugh so hard your cheeks and side will hurt.If you do not have a dirty and or open mind.
I've read some long winded reviews on here about some movies...like your the only "film critic" on the planet and you must get your point across to the dumb asses who might be about to watch it.
I didn't think that this movie could be that bad, since I know Wayans can do good jokes.
This movie was not even funny I had to even pretend to laugh at certain moments of this film.
This movie was supposed to be a spoof to the paranormal activity films just like the first haunted house but this is the first sequel I here they could possibly be making another sequel.
There's no words to describe this kind of terrible and hateful movies, but really, I don't know what to say, it's incredibly bad and stupid, the only little thing is that, I laughed for 2m.
A haunted house 2 was one of the funniest movies I have had the pleasure of seeing, Marlon Wayans is really bringing us what Hollywood sometimes forget all about, and that's comedy.I really do not see as to why some people are trying to give this funny comedy movie a bad rep, but are praising stupid comedy films such as 21 Jump Street, and 22 Jump Street, come on 22 Jump Street?
Movie-goers need to start realizing that if you stop supporting comedy for the art of comedy, and only support it because of a certain star (Channing Tatum in this case), then great comedies like a haunted house 2 will soon fade away, and we will all be left with movies like The Five-Year Engagement.In all honesty, who wants to keep watching remakes of the same old cliché films each and every year, it's literally like living in the twilight zone.It's good to see movies like HH2 going the distance, thinking outside of the box, and not playing always playing it safe, and stepping out of a comfort zone that everyone is so used to.I voted this film 10 out of 10 because 1) it's more than deserving of it, 2) it completed its mission, and that was to make me laugh, and I did.
3) If this movie (HH2) can deliver laughs like this not even half of the Hollywood budget, I can only imagine what HH3 will be like if an even bigger budget was involved.There is never a dull moment in this movie, HH2 keeps the momentum going by keeping viewers laughing, and on the edge of their seats, literally at all times.I of course have attended both HH1 and HH2 theater screenings, and I have also purchased HH1 and HH2 on DVD, so that's saying a lot about just how great this sequel, and the first release are.So in closing, I will say this folks, if you are into comedy because you love yourself some comedy, then this is the movie for you, but if you are the type of person that is a fan junkie, and you only watch movies because your favorite stars are in them, then don't be surprised when the film that star is in isn't at all funny, just pick yourself back up and search for a haunted house, and a haunted house 2 on Amazon.com, download or have it shipped to you, and laugh your butt off..
'Little Man' was only funny for half of the movie and the 'Scary Movie' films are quite good, but the 'Haunted House' movies are the best.I laughed so hard, even with this sequel.
It is supposed to be dumb, so go with the flow.A Haunted House 2 though, is not a stinker, it's a pretty funny, very entertaining spoof movie.
But don't expect really clever, intelligent jokes, it is rather dumb of course, but it is done right.I have seen most of the spoof-movies of "this generation", and this is definitely one of the better ones.
There are some scenes that go on forever, like the sex scene with the doll and Marlon Wayans really goes far to make the jokes funny, in a far fetched type of way.
Anyway, at the end of the day, we all know what to expect from these films so if you want to watch a silly film with silly jokes then this is the movie for you.Budget: $4million Worldwide Gross: $24millionI recommend this movie to people who are into their silly comedies about a family who move into a haunted house.
A Haunted House 2 (2014), the sequel to the movie A Haunted House (2013):To start the film presents quite sexual and crazy humor, but to parody certain horror films of recent years do not does anything wrong, the pace of the film is well run, that if in some cases(not unfamiliar - to see people from slum mood - If you like of refined humor will not be to your liking).Some new parodies were disappointed as the deplorable Scary Movie 5, Disaster Movie, Vampire Sucks, including the only thing Worn do is repeat jokesThis film certain scenes could really surprise you, has good scenes, finally a very funny movie, a great time one while watching with friend and sisterThe best thing about this movie is that the comedian Marlon Wayans ago anything to try to make it to your liking.
whether A Haunted House 1 and 2 like more that Scary Movie 2 and 5greetings and thanks..
The first haunted house was enjoyable and something different from the scary movie franchise, this second outing I found funnier than the first film and the spoof of a handful of latest horror films was well done and filmed in the correct way a spoof should be shot.
The humor and jokes from 'A haunted house' were repeated and overdone a number of times in the second installment but that was a positive thing for me as I didn't want the movie to be too different from the first.
A Haunted House 2 The best way to protect your new home from becoming a haven for supernatural entities is to convert into a sage grow-op.Mind you, the homeowner in this comedy would likely grow something greener.After his girlfriend (Essence Atkins) is killed, Malcolm (Marlon Wayans) meets and moves in with Megan (Jaime Pressly) and her daughter (Ashley Rickards).Shortly after moving in Malcolm again feels the presence of evil.
I never once laughed, most of the time I was cringing at all the awful one liners and "jokes", or shaking my head with agony and I think I checked my phone watch over 20 times.I still cant believe that this is the guy who helped create Scary Movie 1 and 2, two of the best parody movies ever, and now he has stooped to levels so low, they rival movies like Grown Ups 2 and Jack and Jill, and honestly id rather go back and watch Jack and Jill cause at least I got a kick out of Al Pacino.This "movie" is nothing but a classless, soulless, cash grab that should be seen by absolutely no one, it is a complete waste of time, thought and effort....wait no none of those things were even put in to this garbage, the only thing A Haunted House 2 does, is waste a theater slot for a month if that.
I've been a fan of Marlon Wayans and his works since the first "Scary Movie" came out, and this is the first time I really disliked one of his films.
So that's it: if you want to see something really funny in Wayans' recent works, "A Haunted House" is a much better choice than this one..
A Haunted House 2 is a pretty good movie.
Now it does go a little to far with the sex scenes ( unfortunately with the doll) but at the end of it all it was a pretty good movie.and plus if you didn't really like the first movie don't always expect the second one to be completely better.because you know what they say about movies.
The second one may not be the best one.so I give A Haunted House 2 an 8/10 pretty good minus the weird sex scene..
Malcolm views home movies also left behind with the hanging people in the back yard and a guy who "looks as ugly as Steve Tyler." The daughter carries around a large found wooden box, which plays no other part than to be a source for crude box jokes.The film is similar in style and humor to the original, i.e. if you loved that one, you should love this one.
Principally, "A Haunted House" (2013) qualified as a crude but clever carbon copy parody of the found footage chiller "Paranormal Activity." This time, however, director Michael Tiddes and leading man Marlon Wayans told the tale entirely from an African-American perspective.
On the other hand, if fart jokes, bowel humor, juvenile pranks, profanity, sight-gags, and simulated sex keep you in stitches, this comedy will make you laugh so hard that your bladder may burst before you can make it to the restroom.The R-rated, spooky, slapstick that sophomore scenarist Rick Alvarez and Wayans have concocted for "A Haunted House 2" raises the bar considerably above its no-holds barred predecessor.
I saw "A Haunted House 2", starring Marlon Wayans-The Heat, Norbit; Jaime Pressly-My Name is Earl_t.v., Joe Dirt; Gabriel Iglesias-Magic Mike, The Emperor's New School_t.v. and Cedric the Entertainer-The Soul Man_t.v., Larry Crowne.This is a sequel to the 2013 Haunted House-Yep, they did not wait too long to make this one-which is a spoof of horror movies.
And we are back one year later with a sequel to Marlon Wayans' 'A Haunted House 2', which is the funniest film of the year so far.
Like the first movie, Wayans and crew parody the 'Paranormal Activity' films along with some of the horror flicks that were released last year including 'Sinister', 'The Conjuring', and 'Insidious 2'.
If they were to give Oscars for comedy, Marlon Wayans would win them all.Some time has passed since the first film where we now see Malcolm (Wayans) and his girlfriend Megan (Jaime Pressly) and her two kids in a new house where things start to go wrong and get very funny.
If Wayans can keep this trend up, I welcome many more sequels to come in this outrageously funny 'Haunted House' franchise.
The movie also repeats a lot of material that wasn't all that funny in the first movie: a dog gets killed (again), Cedric the Entertainer shows up for no reason (again), characters ramble on about nonsense (again), Wayans simulates endless sex acts on an inanimate object (again)
..
The absence of music, an effort trying to mimic the movie being spoofed, just doesn't help create the right mood.The funny yet ironic thing is that, being a horror comedy, the funny jokes are the ones where there are no scares around, like the chicken joke.For me, I'll choose other works of the Wayans over this one.
There are many times where a doll (Anabelle) he ends up sleeping with and shows very dumb sex scenes that are actually pretty funny.
This is a funny film, but it has a few flaws, and the most common part was the part when the doll part, it was more like a porn shoot and some parts drag on, the racism is pretty ridiculous, but I would recommend to watch this if you got a good sense of humor and at least it's sort of a film that that carry's on from the last one.
I liked the first Haunted House film because it at least tried to do something more different then any parody movie. |
tt0099506 | Enid Is Sleeping | Kate and Henry are a happy couple. Henry proposed to Kate and they are about to be married, but on the day of their wedding, Kate is accidentally killed by an ice sculpture angel, because of the actions of an ice sculptor (Stephen Root). Unaware that she has died and her soul left her body, Kate awakens in Purgatory, and wastes precious time arguing with an angel who finally leaves before she can explain to Kate what she must do to move on.
A year later, Henry's sister Chloe (Lindsay Sloane) hopes that he will find closure by consulting Ashley (Lake Bell), a psychic who also runs a catering business with her gay best friend Dan (Jason Biggs). After an unsuccessful first meeting, Chloe gives Kate's diary to Ashley so that she can pretend to communicate with Kate and convince Henry to move on with his life. In the process, Henry and Ashley fall for each other... much to the consternation of Kate, who has been watching over Henry. When Kate voices her displeasure, Ashley hears her, unaware of what it means.
Angry over Ashley's deception and uncertain of what she's supposed to do, Kate later encounters the ice sculptor, and discovers that he is also a ghost (a result of a drunk driving accident). He explains to her that they must deal with their unfinished business. Believing that her job is to protect Henry, Kate proceeds to harass Ashley (who is the only one who can see or hear Kate). Using her ghostly abilities of intangibility, levitation, and auditory hallucination, Kate hopes to force Ashley to break up with Henry. Ashley persists, but then Henry discovers the fraud with the diary and breaks off the relationship. Despondent over the break-up, Ashley turns to Dan for solace, but is further distraught when Dan reveals that he's not gay and has secretly been in love with her for years. Over time, Ashley and Dan eventually reconcile.
After several months of watching Henry fall back into a depressed funk, Kate encounters the sculptor once more, who points out that if she had resolved her unfinished business, she would have moved on to Heaven by now. When the sculptor asks her what she really wants, Kate reluctantly admits that she only wants Henry to be happy... and realizes that he could be happy with Ashley. Then the sculptor reveals that Kate was his unfinished business and he had to get her to do the right thing before moving on, which he does. Kate first attempts to convince Ashley to get back together with Henry but Ashley doesn't believe her change of heart, and is preparing to fly to Las Vegas with Dan. In desperation, Kate finds she is able to talk to Henry through his pet parrot and gets him to meet Ashley at the airport. Realizing that Henry has forgiven her and that she has Kate's blessing, Ashley joyfully embraces with Henry. At their wedding, Ashley delays her walk down the aisle to sit briefly in the back pew, to promise Kate that she will strive to make Henry happy. Also at the wedding, Dan makes a new connection with Chloe. Now ready to move on, Kate arrives once more in Purgatory, congratulated for her efforts by the angel and requests the "orb of true light" collected from Kate's loved ones. The angel leaves once again, leaving Kate in Purgatory. | cult, comedy | train | wikipedia | Great Cast + Great Script = Great Comedy!.
Let me first say that I am not by any means a lover of dark comedies.
In fact, I have the tendency to hate that sub-genre more than almost any other (there are exceptions).
I rented this rare movie, which I was surprised to even find, because of the cast.
I kept my eyes off of any information about the movie before I saw it so I could keep my mind open, and I was very pleased with the result.
I found myself laughing and chuckling frequently, something I was not expecting.The plot focuses on two central characters: Jane (Elizabeth Perkins) and Harry (Judge Reinhold).
Harry is one of his small desert city's few police officers.
He is married to Enid (Maureen Mueller), a really nasty woman that abuses Harry.
He's been having an affair with Enid's ditsy sister Jane.
Enid catches them in the act one morning, which leads to a hilarious fight that results with Jane smashing a statue over Enid's head and killing her.
Harry and Jane do some quick decision making and choose to not report the true story, but instead devise a way of making Enid's death look like an accident.
But since Harry's partner (Jeffrey Jones) is outside the house, honking the car horn for Harry to come out, Jane must dispose of the body herself.
Harry tells her what to do and leaves, but when Jane tries to accomplish it, she fails.
So she calls up Harry to get her out of the jam.
This happens over and over again, and each instance is pretty humorous.
Many people seem to compare this to the `Weekend at Bernie's' movies.
I can sort of see where the comparison is coming from by listening to the premise, but I didn't notice any comparison while I watched it.
There is a limp body, but Maureen Mueller isn't required to do the outrageous stuff that Terry Kiser was in his pair of films.
Admittedly the `Bernie's' movies are better than `Over Her Dead Body' thanks to Kiser, but this one shouldn't be overlooked.
What makes it funny in addition to the situations are the quirky characters.
Both Reinhold and Perkins are funny, but there are other people that make this stand out.
Jeffrey Jones makes the whole movie twice as fun.
He steals every scene he is in.
Also funny is Brion James, as a consistently drunk truck driver that this on the dead body.
I laughed pretty hard during the scene where he is clawing on the hood of a car while Perkins drives it, trying to shake him off.
All in all, I suppose this could have been funnier, but it is still good for laughs and has a script that works well, tying up all subplots.
And I found the final scene to be hilarious.
Leaving me laughing is a good way to end a good movie.
Zantara's score: 8 out of 10..
A Must Watch Again if rated Less Than a 7-10.
This is one of my All Time Favorites!
Elizabeth Perkins is at top of her comedic game and Rita Perlman was great fit on dispatcher.
The older sister completed the circle of laughter and is always guaranteed to make one laugh out loud!!
Anyone rating this flick less than a 7-10 may reflect stress (excessive) and distraction in your life?!
By all means, one would need to relax & watch after exercising, running, or of course, a glass of wine or your favorite relaxation aid and enjoy the film ...
for the first time (again!)!!
Judge Reinhold is hilarious as his character comes to life without having to (or appearing to; smile) act out the character.
Reinhold's over-zealous action seeking sidekick and partner on the force, is non other than the principal from Ferris Beulers Day Off fame.
I've bought the DVD & also have it on the Laser Disc.
It's a movie worth watching (& re-rating) as if the first attempt didn't yield a 7+ rating the 2nd time will!
The comic genius of the characters, background music and perfect type-cast of Perkins and Reinhold makes this film, well, a Comedic Gem in which the Good, The Bad, and The Ugly accidents in life ...and the decisions to fix or clean them up don't always go according to plan!.
Weekend at Bernadette's.
This is sort of a distaff "Weekend at Bernie's", only it's set in small-town New Mexico and there are cops instead of crooks.
It ends up being darker and drier.
"Bernie's" may be wackier, but this film is funnier in the long run, I think.Elizabeth Perkins is a platinum blonde this time out, and looks even cuter than she usually does.
She's a winning comedienne and is well teamed with Judge Reinhold and Jeffrey Jones.
They could have been Lamour, Hope and Crosby starring in "The Road to Roswell" but thankfully that's a bit of New Mexico we don't get to see for a change.Once upon a time, the inconvenience of a dead body was considered a topic worthy of the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, in one of his rare comedies, "The Trouble With Harry" ("Is He's Dead"), and more recently it has been a lesser plot point for the National Lampoon in the original and still riotous "Vacation".Live comics stiff all the time, but dead ones are always good for a laugh..
Don't Miss This Dark Comedy!.
Apparently, it is impossible to buy a copy of this superb dark comedy, which is available for rent from some video stores under the title "Over Her Dead Body." This is a shame, because I am a devotee of dark comedies, and this is my all-time favorite, bar none.
The hi-jinks mix with pathos in a most rib-tickling way in this film.
Truly, if you don't laugh at loud at least a few times during this movie, you'd better check to see whether you, yourself, may be saddled with a dead body (your own)!.
Black comedy.
This is a very funny black comedy.
Elizabeth Perkins is a delight.
While the film panders to its audience--car crashes, rotten language, a bit of simulated sex--it is nonetheless original and humorous.
It's a solid three out of four stars..
Over her dead body!.
Dark comedy with a too-familiar premise: woman catches her husband in bed with her sister and, after a scuffle, thinks she's killed her.
She and her cheating husband attempt to dispose the body but come up against many screwball obstacles.
Despite good leads Elizabeth Perkins and Judge Reinhold, the picture falls flat.
It tries hard, but flails about.
The script had possibilities, despite the overall feel of been-here-done-this, and the director can't work up much originality with such a slim budget.
Disappointing and lackluster unreleased theatrical film was mentioned in the trades for a few years (always with a different title) and finally made it to video in 1990.
A tiresome bore..
Do you like films with plastic caricatures instead of characters, doing stupid things in order to advance an one-note plot that has worn out its welcome within the first ten minutes, and mumbling to themselves for the duration?
If your answer is "Yes", this tiresome and unfunny comedy is right up your alley.
If it is "No", SKIP IT!
An amusingly offbeat and deadpan black comedy treat.
Nasty shrew Enid (marvelously essayed with lip-smacking venomous aplomb by Maureen Mueller) catches her long-suffering police officer husband Harry (a sound performance by the always engaging Judge Reinhold) doing just what you think with her sweet, ditsy sister June (a terrific portrayal by Elizabeth Perkins).
June accidentally kills Enid in the ensuing fight.
Harry and June try to cover up the murder and dispose of Enid's body, which proves to be easier said than done.
Director/co-writer Maurice Phillips concocts a deliciously dry'n'deadpan black comedy riot that unfolds at a steady pace, offers a wealth of sidesplitting moments (June's loopy conversations with Enid's corpse are very funny and inspired), and boasts a handful of memorably eccentric secondary characters to keep things lively and enjoyable throughout.
The excellent cast has a ball with the wacky material: Reinhold sweats and frets with exquisite eye-rolling panache, Perkins is a screwball treat as she endures one dreadful mishap after another and barely manages to keep hysteria at bay, Jeffrey Jones almost steals the whole show as Harry's eager beaver partner Floyd, Brion James has an uproariously raucous field day as a loutish and disgusting drunken truck driver, plus there are nifty bits by Rhea Perlman as snippy dispatcher Mavis, Michael J.
Pollard as a flaky late-night motel manager, Charles Tyner as an ornery old coot, and Henry Jones as a doddery elderly gas station attendant.
The New Mexico setting adds extra regional flavor to the infectiously kooky proceedings.
Craig Safan's jaunty, twangy score likewise further enhances the quirkily macabre merriment.
Alfonso Beato's crisp cinematography gives the picture an attractive bright look.
A real hoot. |
tt0053740 | The Criminal | After witnessing the unfortunate death of a woman, who was unable to afford hospital treatment, Dr. Ajay Kumar (Akkineni Nagarjuna) cancels his U.S. immigration and instead sets out to work a plan to open a hospital that will be accessible to people who cannot afford treatment in regular hospitals, called "Amma Hospital". This draws quite an attention, and he becomes popular, especially with two young women, Swetha (Manisha Koirala) and Sub-Inspector Ramya (Ramya Krishna). He falls in love with Swetha and both get married, breaking Ramya's heart in the process. Shortly thereafter much to their delight, Swetha becomes pregnant.
When Swetha discovers a frightening organ-smuggling operation in her hospital while going through a friend's diagnostic report, she calls Ramya. Ramya calls the police for help as Swetha is being attacked, and names the attacker as "Ajay". Swetha eventually succumbs to the attack. The police arrive to find her dead body and arrest Ajay for murder. It seems that Ajay's motive for killing Swetha was money, as Swetha was a wealthy heiress. Ajay is convicted and sentenced to death. While being transported to prison, the police van meets with an accident and Ajay escapes. The police launch a manhunt for him but are unable to catch him. Ajay secretly meets with Ramya and tells her that he did not kill Swetha, and he wants her help to catch the real killer. The film ends with Ajay catching the real killer and finding out that he was hired by Ajay's friend Dr. Pratap (Sarath Babu), the man responsible for the organ smuggling operation. | neo noir | train | wikipedia | The Criminal (AKA: The Concrete Jungle) is directed by Joseph Losey and written by Alun Owen.
It stars Stanley Baker, Sam Wanamaker, Margrit Saad, Patrick Magee, Grégoire Aslan, Rupert Davies and Laurence Naismith.
Music is by John Dankworth and cinematography by Robert Krasker.Johnny Bannion (Baker) is an ex-con who's taken part in the robbery of a racetrack but is caught and sent back to prison; but not before he has time to bury the cash from the gig.
Back in prison Johnny is keeping the cards close to his chest but finds there are big crime forces wanting a piece of his action.
With plans afoot to "twist" his arm, and his girlfriend kidnapped, Johnny knows something is going to have to give...All my sadness and all my joy, comes from loving a thieving boy.Once tagged as being "The toughest picture ever made in Britain", The Criminal obviously seems tame by today's increasingly over the top standards.
Yet it still packs quite a punch and shows the very best of Messrs Losey, Baker and Krasker.In some ways it's a strange film, the pace is purposely slow and the narrative is bolstered by bouts of hang wringing tension, where periods of calm come laced with a grim oppressive atmosphere, but there's often electricity bristling in the air when Bannion (Baker is magnetic and brilliant as he apparently models the character on Albert Dimes) is holding court.
Even when on the outside and feeling the love of a good woman, Bannion exudes a loner like danger, he's tough but being a hard bastard can't break him free from the shackles of his life.
Losey and Krasker ensure the prison sequences are stifling, the walls close in, the bars and netting are unsettling and close ups of the odd ball assortment of crims and warders strike an incarcerated chord, visually it's an impressive piece of noirish film.
Musically the pic begins and ends with the soulful warbling of Cleo Laine, the tune is a Prison Ballad (Thieving Boy), and it's tonally perfect, while Dankworth and his orchestra provide jazz shards that thrust in and out of the story like knowing accomplices to fate unfolding.
Set design is superb, especially for the recreation of a Victorian prison which is impressive and makes it easy to not lament an actual prison location used, while the supporting actors are very strong, particularly Magee (Zulu) who excels doing sneaky menace as Warder Barrows.Flaws?
Stanley Baker spent a career delivering some of the most haunting criminal characterizations of all time, and this is one of his all-time best.
Stanley Baker is convincing as a brutal villain, but it looked to me that he could easily have been nobbled by several of his prison inmates.
A neglected gem from Joseph Losey starring the excellent Stanley Baker.
Stanley Baker's dodgy Irish accent strikes the only false note in Joseph Losey's hard-nosed crime drama.
The intrigue here lies not in the heist itself but in the web of betrayals that follow, as Losey and screenwriter Alun Owen build an authentic portrait of the criminal underworld on both sides of the prison wall.
Robert Krasker's photography lends a stark beauty to the pollarded trees in the prison courtyard and Johnny Dankworth's score, punctuated by a mournful Cleo Laine ballad, is superb.
With its harsh, sweaty depiction of prison violence, this is a million miles from the upper-class shenanigans depicted in the director's later films like The Servant and The Go-Between..
When I was in Hollywood late last year, I managed to watch Losey's classic sci-fi THESE ARE THE DAMNED (1963) - surely Hammer Films' strangest release; at the time, while I had been sufficiently impressed with the film (despite the poor quality of the print I came across but, at least, it was the full-length version!), I had also found the experience somewhat overwhelming.I couldn't quite explain why I felt this way but, having now watched this contemporaneous title (which, in comparison to the fanciful apocalyptic narrative of THESE ARE THE DAMNED, is a relatively straightforward crime drama of the prison/caper variety), I realized that it was due to the essential stylization of Losey's mise-en-scene which, apart from giving a heightened sense of reality to the already intense proceedings, also rendered the film guilty of a certain pretentiousness (marking virtually every scene) not found in similar genre efforts, certainly British-made - demonstrating a definite change of attitude in cinema towards a greater sense of artistry but also more lenient censorship (the sex and violence in this particular film, while not especially graphic by the standards of even a few years later, are clearly more pronounced than in the previous decade)!
Still, to be honest, all of this actually serves to make the film doubly arresting - particularly during this gritty phase of Losey's career (his statelier later work grew increasingly more opaque).What a cast!
Stanley Baker was never better than as the almost legendary con whose individuality makes him an outcast even among his own kind, and he's surrounded by some very fine actors - most notably Sam Wanamaker (as his contact on the outside but who harbors ambitions of taking over the gang), Patrick Magee (his first impressive role as a corrupt and menacing prison warden), Gregoire Aslan (as the ageing mobster who rules the underworld even from inside the penitentiary and to whom everyone - Baker included - must acquiesce) and Nigel Green (as Baker's double-crossing associate).
Warren (THE CREEPING FLESH [1973]) and Patrick Wymark (THE BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW [1971]).Speaking of which, Hammer Films stalwart Jimmy Sangster reportedly contributed to the excellent screenplay (actually credited to A HARD DAY'S NIGHT [1964] scribe Alun Owen!).
Another big plus is Johnny Dankworth's jazzy score, featuring a recurring ballad sung by Cleo Laine.While essentially character-driven, the film's seedy milieu and sadistic streak allows for a number of vivid sequences (though the race-track robbery itself is rather thrown away!) including the wild party held at Baker's flat on being released from prison (highlighting sexy Margit Saad who subsequently replaces Jill Bennett as Baker's moll), the equally chaotic prison riot, Baker's escape from the penitentiary (having been betrayed after the robbery and recaptured) and the inevitable showdown with the ruthless Wanamaker.Unfortunately, apart from the theatrical trailer and admittedly extensive talent bios for both Losey and Baker, the Anchor Bay DVD is a bare-bones affair; pity neither of them is around anymore (Baker died far too young in 1976 at age 49 and Losey, already in his 50s when the film was made, followed him in 1984) to have been involved in this otherwise sparkling edition!
Having watched THE CRIMINAL and, more recently, Losey's SECRET CEREMONY (1968), I've rekindled my interest in this important director's work: I have four of his films as yet unwatched on VHS - THE BIG NIGHT (1951), THE ROMANTIC ENGLISHWOMAN (1975), DON GIOVANNI (1979) and LA TRUITE (1982) - and still need to pick up several of them on DVD - EVE (1962; unwatched...if I can find a copy of the Kino disc which includes two different cuts of the film, neither of them the complete 155-minute version!), THE SERVANT (1963), KING AND COUNTRY (1964; unwatched), MODESTY BLAISE (1966), ACCIDENT (1967), the upcoming THE ASSASSINATION OF TROTSKY (1972; unwatched) and GALILEO (1975; unwatched)..
A Thieving Boy. The blacklisted Joseph Losey whose loss to the American cinema was the United Kingdom's gain took his knowledge of American prison films to fashion this gem.
Starring in Concrete Jungle is the premier British tough guy Stanley Baker in a role that in America, Humphrey Bogart might have been given first crack at.Whoever said there was no honor among thieves must have run with Baker's mob.
When we meet him, he's a day away from his release from one jail sentence, but not until some prison justice is meted out to a newly arriving Patrick Magee with whom Baker has a grudge over a previous job.
But not before he's buried the loot and doesn't tell anyone, the same thing he was mad at Magee for.It's a scurvy lot Baker has for friends, I haven't seen this many bad people hold a viewer's interest without there being any redeeming good people in a film since I first saw Goodfellas.
Naismith admits as much, he's just got a well developed system of stool pigeons which any cop worth his badge has.Baker really dominates the film, the United Kingdom hasn't produced an actor like him since.
Concrete Jungle is a classic example of his tough guy appeal and a great introduction to him.And you'll love Cleo Laine's singing of A Thieving Boy at the beginning and end of the film..
A haunting and unique depiction of prison and criminal life in Britain in the early 1960s.
Before the Great Train Robbery and the prison riots of more recent times the violence and tension portrayed in the work seem to strike a very deep chord which anticipates these later events..
In my little book, he's the main reason for catching up with this British crime drama, which otherwise is a disappointment considering that noir-master Joe Losey is in charge.Admittedly, I lost some of the British dialogue because of my American ears.
But, whatever the reason, both the crime and the aftermath are dealt with in unimaginative fashion.Losey does keep things moving in fast-paced style, while Wanamaker's slippery gangster represents an interesting character.
Stanley Baker's superb interpretation of a criminal.
Director Joseph Losey's aim was to portray the ups and downs of a criminal life.
First of all there's a much more unusual story, with three films for the price of one: a robbery, a portrayal of prison life, and a gangster romance.
As many outdated acting mannerisms of that time, like the demonstrative walking back after a blow, can be a let down for some.But the film is actually pretty exciting, and most of the credits go to Stanley Baker, who plays Johnny Bannion with an intense style that would become more common in the seventies.
Bannion probably would have lead a Colombian cocaine mafia empire just fine if he had been born a little later.The Criminal is not everyone's cup of tea because of its script, but is definitely a great watch if you like realistic, vicious atmospheres in movies.
Joseph Losey's film has acquired something of a reputation since it's release way back when, though it's hard to see why.
The incarcerated are stock characters so beloved of British films of this period and they perform true to type (ie terribly).
A strange film.On the one hand it is a realistically drawn Melvillean study of criminals who fall out and destroy one another; on the other it is a non-naturalistic Behanesque portrayal of prison life, its hierarchies and the relationships among and between warders and prisoners.
At a guess, the crime story dominated in the original script and Alun Owen emphasised the prison scenes and introduced the element of ensemble work in the later version.
Thus the comic Northerner who wants to hire the gang's getaway taxi after the robbery, the piano-tuner in Bannion's flat (what does Bannion want a piano for anyway?- it's isn't consistent with his character.) when they are talking plans for the robbery, many of the prisoners- effectively portrayed as helplessly institutionalised, Magee's talismanic and enigmatic head warder, the prison doctor, the cynical prison governor- all distract from the film's plot, but aren't given enough time for their own story, which might be more interesting- the mixture of antagonism and co-operation between prison staff and prisoners- "Come on" says a screw, "I always treat you straight; you do the same for me." an effective tactic- is well-portrayed and rouses our interest without satisfying it.
Equally, important parts of the crime story are thrown away- we never see the robbery and Bannion goes back to prison remarkably quickly- six weeks, we are told- we never even learn how long he will spend back in prison.
There are strengths too- effective and sometimes beautiful camera-work, especially in the prison scenes, all of the actors are good in their parts, a very fine score by John Dankworth.
Joseph Losey's C.V. was nothing if not eclectic.Once considered by some critics as a major force in British Cinema,he can,with hindsight ,be seen to have been following trends rather than creating them for most of his career.Nonetheless,his films were,as a rule,recognisably the work of a considerable artist,albeit one working within the limits imposed by the studios,and within clearly defined genres.
He could take a straightforward prison movie like "The Criminal" - destined to be a pot-boiler in the hands of many an English hack director - and turn it into a rather remarkable work.
The British cannot do crime films.I know we think we can,and we certainly make enough of them,but the results give lie to the proverb that practise makes perfect.It's not enough to fill the screen with snarling professional Cockneys with tattooed fingers like bunches of sausages spouting rhyming - slang never heard outside of a script writer's study in Islington.Watch Britpop gangster films like"Lock,stock etc" or "Essex Boys" and you can scarcely hear the dialogue for laughter and the more ludicrously violent the film gets the more the audience laughs."The Criminal" is not noticeably risible.
There is real menace.Mr Stanley Baker and Mr Sam Wanamaker are hard men.
Mr Stanley Baker is very convincing as a major criminal,hardly surprising when you consider he had been known to move in the same social circles as some of London's biggest villains.He makes no unnecessary gestures,remains aloof from his fellow prisoners,truly a man apart.You just know he won't be taking up those courses in basket weaving.
Released at a time when British films were just about to enjoy a short - lived renaissance,"The Criminal" ended up being trampled under the feet of critics lavishing excessive praise on a succession of flat cap and whippet sagas that eventually disappeared up their own outdoor privy.
Shrewd, fearsome underworld kingpin Johnny Bannion (a superbly steely and convincing performance by Stanley Baker) gets sprung from the joint so he can mastermind a bold racetrack heist for his slick, shifty hoodlum buddy Mike Carter (a splendidly smarmy Sam Wanamaker).
Director Joseph Losey, working from a sharp, precise script written by Alun Owen and Jimmy Sangster, offers a fascinatingly vivid and flavorsome depiction of the seedy criminal milieu, relates the arresting story at a steady pace, and maintains a fierce, unrelenting intensity that never lets up to the literal bitter end.
This film further benefits from top-notch acting by a stellar cast, with especially stand-out turns from Baker, Wanamaker, Gregoire Aslan as cunning Italian mop capo Frank Saffron, Margit Saad as Johnny's brash, enticing new girlfriend Suzanne, Jill Bennett as neurotic spurned moll Maggie, Patrick Magee as rugged, no-nonsense prison guard captain Barrows, Laurence Naismith as meddlesome detective Mr. Town, and Kenneth J.
Robert Krasker's crisp, fluid black and white cinematography, the colorful characters, John Dankworth's rousing jazzy score, the uncompromisingly grim'n'gritty tone, the haunting bluesy theme song that's gorgeously sung by Cleo Laine, a potent central message about how greed and money lust destroy the human soul, and the powerful downbeat ending add immensely to the considerable jolting impact of this bang-up little winner..
As other reviewers have noted, this film does contain a mish-mash of themes (being both prison drama and crime thriller) and moments of self-consciously arty direction (the punishment beating of a prisoner in jumpy close-ups, an extreme close-up monologue against a darkened background, and tricksy shot compositions).
It is still an interesting study of a man and a system.At first, Johnny Bannion seems to be top dog among the prisoners.
When he gets out he has already planned the mythical 'big score' that will put him in Easy Street for a good, long while.Unfortunately, the criminal system is as skewed as the capitalist one when it comes to exploitation.
They are in on the game, too, and play their own part in keeping things jogging along as long as there isn't too much rough stuff (even the liberal New Statesman-reading prison governor seems wearily aware there can be no rehabilitation or true justice in the world).By the end of the film Bannion has been bought and sold half-a-dozen times by those he felt he could trust.
There are also tantalising hints at a more sensitive side to Bannion (love of music with the piano and record covers in his apartment, the stifled crossing of himself when he hears of a death) which are never explored.This is a tough film and very worth watching.
Downbeat mix of prison drama and crime thriller.
THE CRIMINAL is another star vehicle for the continually underrated Stanley Baker, an actor who enlivened every film in which he appeared.
This one's a low key prison drama for the most part, in which Baker plays a robber who hides some loot in a field but soon finds himself pursued by his fellow gang members desperate to get their hands on the stolen goods.
The film is divided into two parts, with the realistic depiction of the mundanity and brutality of prison life contrasting with more familiar criminal behaviour on the outside.
It's not the most exciting film in existence, only really picking up in the last twenty minutes or so, but a finely-judged cast of character actors see it through.
"The Criminal" was a collaboration between Stanley Baker and American director Joseph Losey.
Working with Losey was a considerable feather in Baker's cap.
I like the Irish accent that Stanley Baker uses.
After buying an 8 disc box set of Losey's films, because I wanted to watch Mr Klein, having heard good things about it, I've now watched another 4 of the discs.
Moreover, although this turgid film includes what amounts to a near-comprehensive roll-call of English character actors, I simply do not respond to the thespian qualities of Losey's frequently employed leads, such as Baker and Bogarde. |
tt0381503 | Power Rangers: Ninja Storm | Shane, Tori and Dustin are three students at the Wind Ninja Academy. Their less than stellar performance and tardiness gets them the occasional lecture from their Sensei, Kanoi Watanabe. One day, the academy is attacked by Lothor, a banished ninja master who has returned to capture all ninja students. Shane, Tori and Dustin are the only three remaining students, and along with Sensei, who has been transformed into a guinea pig by Lothor, and his son Cam, retreat into the underground Ninja Ops. There, the three are given wind morphers, which allow them to transform into Wind Power Rangers and protect the city of Blue Bay Harbor from Lothor's forces.
When Lothor demonstrates his ability to make his monsters grow into giants, the Rangers unleash the Ninja Zords, which could combine into the Storm Megazord and destroy monsters with its arsenal of Power Spheres, activated by special ninja power disks. Lothor again raises the stakes by sending his new allies to battle the Wind Rangers - the Thunder Rangers, Blake and Hunter, who had their own Thunder Zords. The Thunder Rangers are on a mission to destroy the Wind Rangers' Sensei, who they believed to be responsible for their parent's death, but a visit from the afterlife from Blake and Hunter's parents show them the truth - that it was Lothor who killed them, not Sensei. The Thunder Rangers see the error of their ways and join the Wind Rangers in the battle against Lothor, bringing the Thunder and Ninja Zords together to form the Thunderstorm Megazord.
When the Rangers lose their powers, Cam uses the Scroll of Time to travel into the past and retrieve the Samurai Amulet, a family heirloom in the possession of his late mother, where he discovers how Lothor rose to power. Cam returns to the present and uses the amulet to become the Green Samurai Ranger, armed with the Samurai Star Megazord, which later combines with the Rangers' zords to form the Hurricane Megazord. A lost scroll would later reveal to Cam the Lightning Riff Blaster, which could summon the Mighty Mammoth Zord.
In a last-ditch effort to take over the world, Lothor attempts to open the Abyss of Evil and release its evil into the world. In a final battle, he steals the Samurai Amulet and uses it to take away all of the Rangers' powers. However the wind rangers combine their inner ninja powers to overpower Lothor and throw him into the abyss. After the battle, the powerless Rangers become ninja teachers at the Wind Ninja Academy. | violence | train | wikipedia | hey;. I think everyone that power rangers ninja storm was awful is wrong there series was really good I use to watch every episode and it was always interesting all of the power rangers were great they always had me interested in the next episode; I wish we could still see re runs on TV tho because the power rangers can't even compare to how good the whole series was:) so everyone just stop saying its awful you don't know what your talking about I know for a fact that kids today would love to watch the episodes these days. I think the best part was when the ninja storm rangers teamed up with the all the rangers from the past it was so good. I would love to watch it again. Thank you so much for making the ninja storm rangers. I hope to see re runs soon!. Idiotic.. This show is pretty awful. It was by complete chance that I stumbled upon it- and I couldn't believe my eyes. The effects are risible, the scripting terrible and the acting leaves to a lot to be desired- but those aren't the worst of it. The only thing you should watch this show for is the Power Ranger's leader- a guinea pig in robes, called Sensei Guinea Pig. Yes, I am serious. They take orders from a pretty awfully computerized guinea pig in robes. That is about the only thing you should watch this show for- apart from the sledge-hammer subtle, blatant morality. Not only that, but the way they defeat their foes is inane. My favorite way that they've used is creating a giant ball of metal and squashing this giant robot with it. The only thing you might enjoy are the overly elaborate fight scenes- but then again, you might agree with me and think that they are way too cartoony, childish and confusing. And the bad guys really need to improve their evil plans- I mean, trying to take over the world by making a giant food-fight?!!!!????!!!! Come on!!!! The worst thing is, this isn't so bad it's funny, like the original Power Rangers. It is just plain agonizing to watch. |
tt0082727 | Meantime | The film unfolds in brief episodes, detailing the travails of the working-class Pollock family, who live in a shabby flat in a tower block in London's East End. They are struggling to stay afloat during the recession under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's premiership. Only the nagging, put-upon mother Mavis (Pam Ferris) is working; the bitter, feckless father Frank (Jeff Robert) and the couple's two sons Colin (Tim Roth), an extremely shy young man, and Mark (Phil Daniels), his outspoken, headstrong older brother, are on the dole. Their aimless, querulous existence is contrasted with Mavis's sister Barbara (Marion Bailey) and her husband John (Alfred Molina), whose financial and social loftiness in suburban Chigwell serves as a comfortable facade for their lacklustre marriage.
The boys spend their time at home, on the street, at friends' flats, in the unemployment office, and at the local pub. Mark is continually scrounging for cash and cadging drinks from his friends, among them Coxy (Gary Oldman in his screen debut), a crude, impulsive skinhead. Colin has a crush on a sweet-natured girl named Hayley (Tilly Vosburgh), but he can't bring himself to act upon it. Mark mocks his father, teases Colin by calling him "Kermit" and "Muppet," and makes insinuations about Barbara's troubled relationship with her husband. Barbara offers Colin a job helping her redecorate her home, but when Mark shows up, Colin withdraws, refuses to do any work, and finally leaves. When he returns home, he's had his head shaved. There is no resolution to the film, simply a succession of days that present commonplace problems, amusements, conversations, and arguments. | realism | train | wikipedia | This is Mike Leigh's finest film.It's a shame, but inevitable given the climate of the film world, that he has become celebrated for lesser works such as "Secrets And Lies" and the odious "Vera Drake" which I found almost unwatchably patronising.
But the acting in "Meantime" is in many ways even more impressive, as the actors have less material - less BUSINESS - to work with.
Tim Roth tends to get the plaudits for his unforgettable portrayal of the mentally retarded little brother Colin, but Phil Daniels steals the film for me: his eyes are astonishing in the range of emotional depth they command, and his jerky, uncomfortable movements vividly describe a frustrated intellect driven to despair at the hopelessness surrounding him and the terrible fear that this hopelessness is creeping inside of him.
But it is in the way that Daniels's character Mark expresses his love for his helpless and hapless idiot brother that finally secures the film's greatness.
But it is real love, true and unconditional, and the way Roth's character Colin responds to it is immediate and instinctive.
The crane shot of Daniels aimlessly wandering around Piccadilly Circus, the long shot of Daniels and Oldman disappearing down the canal tow-path, the unexpected close-ups, the sheer range of the camera-work is breathtaking in such a cheaply made film.If Mike Leigh ever makes a better film, or Phil Daniels ever gives a better performance, it will be a miracle.
The fact that the film has gone from almost complete obscurity when it was made (1983) to enjoy a steadily growing cult status is indication that, gradually, more and more people are realising that, far from being a dated curio, this is a very special and precious piece of cinematic art indeed..
I'm a big fan of Mike Leigh's gritty films, and 'Meantime' fits well into his admirable canon.
Here, his microscope (forget the lens) is on a NON-working class (perhaps proletarian without the peasant's earth) family in 'estate' housing in the wretched suburbs of London.
Once again, as in all his films, Leigh, using his well-known improvisational rehearsal-and-execution technique, receives razor-sharp performances from his cast.
At the centre of this work are two simply superb performances: Phil Daniels as Mark and Tim Roth as his mentally 'slow' younger brother Colin.
I listened to fragments of this dialogue and it became an exercise in linguistic irony: these characters live in the country where the English language was BORN.Doesn't matter; it's still a great and very moving film..
This is Mike Leigh's finest film.
But of course as with all Mike Leigh's films it's all about the performances of the actors and they're all pitch perfect.
I feel a bit sorry for Tim Roth, his first film role and without a doubt his greatest, how could he ever equal it, it was all downhill from here.
Leigh, as he has done with every decade provides an accurate social comment of the time, the sheer boredom of a disaffected youth, the pointlessness of life without a job and the struggle to fill the days, with something to do.
Personally I think it ranks up there with Leigh finest work, helped by an outstanding performance by Tim Roth and wonderful cameos by Gary Oldman, Phil Daniels and Marion Bailey.
A typical early Mike Leigh comedy-drama about the working class..
It sounds (and looks) depressing, but turns out to be more entertaining than one would imagine; after all, this isn't a Ken Loach film.
The reasons why it's good are the usual ones in a Mike Leigh film; interesting characters, excellent acting from the entire cast, and well thought-out dialog.
Leigh doesn't reduce his characters to caricature (a complaint often levelled against him) - Thatcherism does, by removing all those things - hope, work, dreams etc.
Notable for debut performances by Tim Roth and Gary Oldman, they along with the rest of the cast portray their characters with amazing believability.
This movie is a portrayal of the poor working class, on the Dole and their frustration with Thatcherism.
Auntie Barbara represents a working class girl, gone to college, married up and now lives a miserable existence with a cheating husband.
Over 30 years later it has an amazing cast of British actors before they well known Leigh has always had a reputation of spotting potential raw talent and of the cast Phil Daniels was by the far best known cast member of this production .
Roth plays a retarded social outcast trying to find his way in life while Oldman plays a fascist National Front skinhead The downside is that MEANTIME is a very mundane , low concept film where very little happens .
This film is beautifully shot, acted and directed and you can't help identifying with at leat one of the characters.
Tim Roth as Colin is especially fantastic with Phil Daniels close behind.
Tim Roth stars as Colin, a slow and possibly intellectually disabled man living with his parents and brother in a housing project.
He and his sarcastic manipulative brother still behave like teenagers, living with their parents, harassing each other.According to the critic Michael Coveney, "The sapping, debilitating and demeaning state of unemployment, the futile sense of waste, has not been more poignantly, or poetically, expressed in any other film of the period." Now, I don't know about all that.
What makes it even worth viewing at all is the debut performance of Gary Oldman, as well as an early appearance by Tim Roth doing his "slow person" routine (a strange acting tic he does)..
Once more these people are like real poeple not acters which is something I admire most about his films.The family in this film are all unemployed and are getting on each others nerves.
I live in London and am very much working class.I watched this film while shaking my head and wondering who watches this sort of dire stereotypical tripe.Then it suddenly became clear during the scene where the nice, decent, middle class man from the council popped round to fix the windows.
This man, in all his smug glory, put the world to rights before retreating so the main characters (all of whom were paper thin parodies of real life), could continue arguing, slamming doors, smoking, and generally being all working class for another hour or so before the film finished.Dire.
And then I read several reviews on IMDb stating this is a post modern masterpiece, etc etc.If you want to know about working class life in the 80's try the brilliant Made In Britain (also with Tim Roth), or the equally excellent TV series Boys From The Black Stuff.
If you want to watch nearly two hours of patronising faux intellectualism passed off as cutting edge social commentary, Meantime is probably the film for you..
Roth and Phil Daniels are brilliant as brothers, displaying the right amount of bitter hatred and genuine love and concern.
Colin (Tim Roth) is unemployed and a little slow.
His brother Mark (Phil Daniels) and skin head friend Coxy (Gary Oldman) drink their days away.
Barbara gives Colin a job at her house which only turns the family relationships toxic.This is early Mike Leigh and it is straight into his favorite subject, the English underclass.
Like most Mike Leigh movies, this is very much a character study.
Typically bleak Mike Leigh film set this time in London in the early 80's.
The story, such as there is, circles around the relationship between Mike, played by Phil Daniels, and his brother Colin (Tim Roth).
Interesting to see how Tim Roth and Gary Oldman started out.
Watching that film made me feel good, it showed that through mean times there is still something good left in people, poverty creates also solidarity.
Tim Roth steals the show as the inimitably brilliant Colin Pollock (even the name conjures up an image of backwardness) - and if you ever need proof of the raw talents of a great British actor, watch this film back-to-back with Made in Britain.
The writing is sharper than a knife and in no way is this a gloomy film, and a number of characters introduced for comic effect, the council housing officer.
"Meantime" is a rough and gritty portrait of a dysfunctional council estate family with very little hope for the future, yet the film refuses to wear down the viewer simply by being very funny.Overall rating: 7 out of 10..
He and his slow brother, Roth, who's just great to watch act here, like their Mother and Father are, all on the dole.
But luck is looking up, when the Aunt offers, Colin (Roth) a job opportunity, which brings jealousy from Daniel's, who tries to sway him away from the job on his first day, where he actually goes to his place of employment, which is actually the Aunt's place, to paint her walls.
Baldie/punk Oldman is like Daniel's sidekick, an over the top character, who makes a meal of his role, and in one scene where he crashes a girl's place with Roth, we're witness to some real scary type behavior where too it's just great acting.
It's these actors that carry this movie, although we have great support too from everyone that carries their weight, including the versatile Molina as the much better off Aunt's, successful and snooty husband, where compared to the other family, they're living in paradise.
There's so many interesting scenes in this film, though I can't imagine ever watching this without Daniels.
Director Leigh too is interesting, with the filming of some of his shots, e.g. a hallway scene where afar, the mother is trying to get the washing dryer to work.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy the film but the amazing characters and acting pulls you in.
Director Mike Leigh who also created the classic flick, Naked 1993 has created another gem in Meantime.Starring Tim Roth who has also been in other classic flicks, Gridlock'd 1997, No Way Home 1996, Little Odessa 1994, Pulp Fiction 1994, Reservoir Dogs 1992, The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover 1989 and Made in Britain 1982.Also starring Marion Bailey.Also starring Phil Daniels who was also in the classic flick, Scum 1979.Also starring Gary Oldman who has also been in the classic flicks, Air Force One 1997, Leon: The Professional 1994, True Romance 1993, Dracula 1992, JFK 1991, State of Grace 1990, The Dark Knight 2008 and Sid and Nancy 1986.Also starring Alfred Molina who has also been in the classic flicks, Spider-Man 2 2004, Identity 2003, Boogie Nights 1997, Dead Man 1995 and Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981.I enjoyed the working class settings.If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic family flicks, The Children 2008, Crooklyn 1994, Evil Angels 1988, The Ex 1997, Fear 1996, The Fourth Man 1983, Happiness 1998, Ladybird Ladybird 1994, Nowhere to Hide 1987, Once Were Warriors 1994, The Orphan 2009, Simple Men 1992, Spanking the Monkey 1994, Visitor Q 2001, Derailed 2005, Suburban Mayhem 2006, Bullies 1986, Quite Cool 1986, The Afflicted 2010, Flirting with Disaster 1996, Juno 2007, Knocked Up 2007, The Guest 2014, Not Suitable for Children 2012, Run All Night 2015, This is 40 2012, Short Cuts 1993, Macabre 2009 and Welcome to the Dollhouse 1995..
We are with them for about an hour and a half and thats more than enough as you will feel suffocated by theiroppression - I was trying to find an excuse to get out of my bed and dosomething but I lost the will when this film swallowed me up and made me feel that there was nothing to get up for as it was so depressing.The boys in this family aren't really boys, they are old enough to be classed as 'men' but because of lack of money because of lack of work, they are still in the role of children, sharing a bedroom and living with mum and dad and they never leave the estate.
Nothing goes on in this film,the characters have a really boring existence.
Anybody who downvotes this film and says 'yeah i'm from London' (but grew up in a middle class household) knows absolutely nothing about this era...i'm a Stoke lad (so yeah i grew up in a Kes era up north) but i was also forced to live in london during the 80's/90's...This film captures all that Thatcherism did to the UK..
I've lived this life, and Mike Leigh does a terrific job at portraying it...Also Phil Daniels needs some recognition on a great turn...so before you go mouthing off over nothing you know about...consider the past reality.
I saw Mike Leigh's film "Meantime" when it came out in 1983.
If anyone would like to know what it was like to live in the U.K. when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, then watching Mike Leigh's film "Meantime" will give them some idea of how bad it was.
They barely scrape by, living in a small, cramped flat in a tower block in London's East End. The Wife, Mavis (Pam Ferris) her husband, Frank (Jeffrey Robert) and their two sons: Colin (Tim Roth) and Mark (Phil Daniels) are all on the dole.
To relieve the boredom, Colin makes friends with an obnoxious skinhead named Coxy (Gary Oldman's first starring role).
Note: "Meantime" was made at a time when the British Film Industry was under threat from funding cuts by the Thatcher government.
This is a languidly paced slice-of-life film where Mike Leigh leaves no stone unturned to give us a raw representation of financial hopelessness and social disenchantment in Margaret Thatcher's England.
The film mostly follows the members of the Pollocks, a working class London family who live in a state of perennial stagnation.
The members of the family namely Frank, Mavia and the brothers Mark & Colin do very little apart from sitting on the sofas of their cramped apartment and watching television.
Leigh takes his time to capture the disillusionment, the constant sense of internal humiliation and jealousy that exists in this household.
There is a clear indication of clash between classes in the very opening scene where the viewer can feel the tension caused by the jealousy of Frank and Mavia for having to spend time in the suburban home of John and Barbara who at times inadvertently make Frank and Mavia conscious of the financial contrasts between the two families.
Tim Roth deserves special mention for expertly portraying the character of the 'slow' Colin.
One of Mike Leigh's Very Best Films!.
The raw, hard-hitting 'Meantime' (1983), exploring strong social and political issues of the day (mainly the high unemployment level), evokes the deep working-class despair of "Thatcher's Britain" in the early 1980's.
This, of course, is also largely due to the impressive, stellar cast line-up, boasting the outstanding talents of the dynamic Phil Daniels, Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, Pam Ferris, Marion Bailey, Alfred Molina and Jeff Robert, who each possess the skill and talent of being able to improvise their scenes, proving to be highly effective in this case.
The cast are all perfect in their naturalistic style of acting and carefully prepared, astutely observed and expertly structured characterisations.'Meantime' follows the working-class Pollack family, headed by Mavis (Pam Ferris) and Frank (Jeff Robert) who seemingly have little time for their sons, the mentally-challenged Colin (Tim Roth) and ever-sarcastic and troublesome Mark (Phil Daniels).
The Pollack family live on a bleak, run-down council tower block on a rough estate, having to survive on unemployment benefits.
Tim Roth is totally superb as Colin.
Colin hadn't had much of a chance or the best start in life, having had little encouragement given to him other than by his loving Aunty Barbara.
It must be said that the genuine humanity of the family becomes patently clear near the ending - they all love one another, just all the long , hard years of struggling and living in the grim block of flats had obviously taken its toll, grinding all of them down.Colin practically follows his older brother Mark (Phil Daniels) around like a loyal puppy, looking up to him and desperately wanting his friendship, love, respect and acceptance.
Mark, though, sees Colin as a "muppet", makes fun out of him at every opportunity and orders him around, belittling him, yet loves and protects him at the same time.
Eventually Colin befriends one of Marks mates Coxy (Gary Oldman), an even more mentally-challenged lad living on the same estate, who is a skinhead, racist and thug.
Somehow, as the film progresses, you begin to warm to the character, not least down to Phil's excellent performance.
You do feel hints of Marks frustration of him being unemployed and its like there's something in him that indeed does want to better himself in some way and find a way out of the dead end lifestyle he'd been living, but sadly not really knowing quite how.Gary Oldman is also superb as the mentally-challenged and seemingly deranged skinhead Coxy, who Colin mistakenly looks up to.
His character has little time or affection for his increasingly frustrated and suppressed wife Barbara.
The most touching (and my favourite) scenes are at the end of the film where Colin returns home to the flat after running out of Barbara's, wearing his parka jacket with the hood up; his parents shout at him and Mavis goes to clout him round the ear but Mark intervenes and protects him.
The next morning Mark discovers Colin's skinhead (hence why he slept all night in his parka jacket with the hood up) and jokingly nicknames him Kojak - but this time, and unlike before, he's laughing with him not at him.'Meantime' is a true British classic and an interesting social document of its time.
A film like this works or doesn't work depending on the acting.
No ideas, only experiences.I came to this after hearing solid praise for Mike Leigh's work.. |
tt1410051 | Retreat | London architect Martin Kennedy (Cillian Murphy) and his journalist wife Kate (Thandie Newton) often visit a small, remote, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland called Blackholme Island, for their holiday retreats. The only dwelling on the island, Fairweather Cottage, is seasonally operated by the owner Doug from the mainland and only reachable by ferry. After previously suffering a miscarriage, Kate's relationship with Martin has become tense, and in an effort to rekindle their marriage they decide on a return visit to the island. A few nights into their stay, the generator in the cottage explodes, injuring Martin's arm and leaving them without electricity. They use the CB radio, their only source of communication to the mainland, to call Doug who agrees to ferry out to help them.
Kate spends the next day waiting at the jetty for Doug to arrive, but to no avail. Later a mysterious man in green combat fatigues washes up on the island, bloodied and half-conscious. When he comes round, he identifies himself as a soldier, Private Jack Coleman (Jamie Bell). He tells Martin and Kate that there has been an outbreak of an airborne disease, Argromoto Flu, codenamed R1N16, which started in South America and has spread over the entire world in the timespan of a few weeks. The virus is incurable and highly contagious, attacking the respiratory system and causing the victims to choke on blood with a 100% fatality rate. Jack says that the military has lost control, and is now advising civilians to seal themselves up in their homes and not allow anybody access. With only static now coming from the CB radio, Martin decides to play it safe and help Jack, who aggressively takes command, board up the door and the windows.
Over the next few days, Jack becomes increasingly strange and erratic, and his intimidating behaviour begins to disturb the couple even further. They even suspect that the virus might not be real and Jack is insane. When Kate asks him if he is married, he tells her his wife died of R1N16 and he becomes aggressive and threatening. Martin and Kate decide to leave the cottage and take their chances outside, but Jack refuses to let them, forcing them into the bedroom at gunpoint and locking them in. Martin sneaks outside through a skylight, finding the bodies of Doug and his wife at the pier, killed by gunshot wounds. Using Doug's hunting shotgun, Martin returns to the cottage and gets the upper hand on Jack. However, just as Kate begins to tie Jack's hands behind his back, Martin suddenly begins coughing up blood; it appears the Argromoto Flu is very real and he is infected. Kate is forced to shoot her husband dead with the shotgun, to spare him a slow and agonising death.
Jack reveals to Kate that he was experimented upon at a secure military compound, from where he was released without realizing he was a carrier of R1N16. Jack infected his wife, killing her, and he fled to Blackholme Island to quarantine himself. Jack reveals the CB radio worked all along, and he just changed the settings so Kate and Martin would not be able to reach anyone. Jack fixes the CB radio and the military broadcast on it claims the soldiers have a vaccine to the virus. He tells her that the military are lying, there is no vaccine, and that the military will not allow them to leave the island alive. Kate does not believe him, and angered by the possibility that Martin could have been saved she shoots Jack dead. As she attempts to leave the island in the boat with Martin's body, a military helicopter flies over and she is killed by a sniper who shoots her in the head. | murder | train | wikipedia | The acting was good and it keeps you guessing to the very end.Worth your time to watch.
"Retreat" is a three-hander, starring Thandie Newton, Cillian Murphy and Jamie Bell (although there is one other character with a brief speaking part).
The journalist Kate (Thandie Newton) and her estranged husband, the architect Martin (Cillian Murphy), rent an isolated house in Fairweather Cottage in the Blackholme Island expecting to rekindle their love and save their marriage after a miscarriage of Kate.
Is he telling the truth?"Retreat" is a boring and annoying psychological thriller, with a terrible story and unlikable characters.
It is a psychological thriller,the acting is very good (Cillian Murphy is a remarkably good actor,but also Jamie Bell and Thandie Newton are a pleasure to watch)and the story kept me guessing until the end.
Retreat slightly reminded me of 28 Days Later,but it is a totally different story and captivating in it's own way.I liked the pace and the atmosphere of the film,and I would recommend it to everyone interested in this genre.
The chemistry between Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton was good, and as always they both acted their parts excellently (Jamie Bell, also, played his role brilliantly, although he will always be Billy Elliot to me!) The film itself is brilliantly written.
The dialogue is believable, and there is just the right amount of confusion and suspense building up to the twist ending.Speaking of the ending, I genuinely did not see it coming at all, and for me it just made the film that little bit better.In summary, it's a brilliantly acted film, it's a new twist on the whole "pandemic" concept that has come about during the last few years, and I think it definitely deserves a watch.
I'm not sure how much I can write with this film because writing much would be risking large spoilers.Essentially, a couple with personal problems are alone at their private island home and before long, the unreliable generator breaks down, leaving the house without much power.
However without power, how will they discover the truth?That's basically where the suspense comes from - not knowing what the stranger might do, or how this couple might respond to their situation or try to escape.In the final act, many pieces of information are revealed, turning the audience's perspective on its head..
I'm a big fan of both Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy.and...B. I like thrillers in general, and it's been a while since I've seen a good one.And does it live up to those expectations?
Is the threat really the world outside, or the man in their home?There's a twist or turn near the end that keeps Retreat from being strictly as predictable as my description might have lead you to believe, but whether that makes the story any better is up for debate.
Thandie Newton is as always a good bet and of course Cillian Murphy makes it a hat trick.People have pointed out plot errors and there are a few but I feel that watching a film always involves leaving reality at the door to a certain extent so think this is nitpicking.Enjoy this film for what it is.
The characters question morality with their paradoxical natures, Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy both being vulnerable yet assertive in their own way, with Jamie Bell being selfish but also selfless.
As a debut writer/director, Carl Tibbetts' "Retreat" is a well made psychological thriller with steady increase in pacing that generates an atmosphere going from brooding to disturbing.
Claiming the outbreak to be extremely lethal, Jack proceeds to board-up the cottage from the inside, even as it dawns on Kate and Martin that their strange guest is becoming increasingly hostile.Although widely comparable to the Nicole Kidman-Sam Neill thriller "Dead Calm", Tibbetts' work here is mostly captivating, relying heavily on portrayals from Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy as the couple, and Jamie Bell as the antagonistic intruder.
This is evident that although there is a growing wedge in their relationship, previous problems diminish in size when faced with what they must now do to protect each other and their marriage.With a good part of the plot carried out within the confines of the cottage, Tibbetts succeeds in holding on to the viewer's attention despite the fact that single locale films can become boring.
Personally, I was hoping for a satisfying ending, but as it seems, Tibbetts may have had other things in mind like connecting the viewer with his characters and then brutally severing that connection; its like saying hope is as useful as a missed opportunity.All things considered, this movie is a decent attempt for a film maker writing and directing his first movie.
There really isn't anything to recommend this movie for, not even Cillian, unless you're the kind of person who just likes to watch a whole film about people being tense and whiney with each other while one of them messes with the other two people's heads..
I was riveted for the first hour and twenty minutes and then sat agape in frustration for the last ten minutes.Martin (Cillian Murphy) and Kate (Thandie Newton) are a married couple seeking an isolated retreat.
As I said, we're pretty sure he's crazy, and this is just the type of thing that crazy people say.The fascinating parts of this film involve the soldier convincing Martin and Kate that the threats are real, Martin seeming to believe him, Kate getting angry, and then Martin just wanting to take care of his wife and save their marriage.
Let the mind games begin as each character tries to figure out what they want, how to get it, how to do it alone or with somebody else.When we approached the end, I was playing along with their game, trying to predict each twist and turn that would take us to the satisfying conclusion.
The basic premise is an excellent and unique one and the film features a stunning cast of Cillian Murphy, Thandie Newton and Jamie Bell.
In "Retreat", a couple (Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton) decides to solve all their marital problems by staying on a peaceful island somewhere.
This is the last thing they'll know after the appearance of an injured man named Jack (Jamie Bell), a soldier who at first says his boat sank after a military exercise, but later this guy's gonna prevent the couple to get out of the house by telling that a dangerous virus was spread around the world.
What's best for the couple, to stay with him or to try to run away from the island?The suspense is well built even with already known formulas used in better thrillers like "Dead Calm" or "Death and the Maiden", three characters involved in situations of high tension, almost a play.
If not for its clichés at least go see it for the actors involved specially Murphy and Bell, the latter finally playing a villain and a good one (I don't know why people are complaining about how come this short guy can be that tough.
The wife played by Newton is just one more for his curriculum of whining characters (her behavior changes towards the ending, quite a blow) and it's kind of hard to feel sympathy for her.I can recommend "Retreat" for those who enjoy thrilling flicks but just lay low a little your expectations and have fun.
The story is very interesting.But I'll tell you right now: you can have the best actors, the most interesting 'idea', and some great interaction between characters, however if you have a plot hole as big as the one's you see in this movie (yes, there were many), then it ruins the entire movie.You know those moments while you say to yourself, "Seriously?
Jamie Bell has come a long way since he played that annoying little kid in Billy Elliot and so far from what i have seen of him as an adult actor he has shown a lot of promise.
Cillian Murphy's credentials go without saying but the big let down in this film is Thandie Newton.When a character is up against a dangerous enemy and the odds are stacked against them ( as they are with Martin and Kate ) it helps if you want them to come out on top if you are going to enjoy the film.
The Thandie Newton character ( Kate) in Retreat is such a misery you just cant help but hope the sinister stranger does her in so we don't have to put up with her miserable face.I partially put this down to Newton , who seems to skulk her way through roles every time i see her and it's not helped by a confusing sub plot going on which is about her having an abortion and the couple not getting on.Retreat is entertaining in parts but for most of the time it's predictable disappointing and doubt the likes of Bell and Murphy are particulate proud of the final cut considering their pedigree..
That is not what this movie was intended to be, but it does its job really well!This is, once over and done with, a heart-rending psychological thriller that will make you think you have it figured out, and then something slightly different in the characters' behavior makes you think maybe you were wrong--right up until the end.
Finding out the reasons behind their behavior provides an interesting window into the psychology many of us share, where our guilt over something causes us to project blame onto someone else, or to put forth anger or any number of redirected emotions.If you simply don't like slow-building thrillers (NO, this is NOT a gory horror movie), don't watch it.
Its along the lines of Dead Calm (replace boat with remote cabin) and admittedly kinda slow to get going but I did like the atmosphere and Scottish location.It follows Kate (Thandie Newton) and Martin (Cillian Murphy) as they try to repair their strained relationship by revisiting a remote island cottage where they were once happy.
Films like this are completely reliant on the cast and most times simply don't work, but for some reason, I was really into Retreat and had to know if it was going to end the way I thought it would.
Martin, Kate, Jack - Retreat doesn't need many more characters to play with the audience's emotions.
Jamie Bell, Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton are all excellent actors and all put in good performances.
This movie is been one of the best in its genre, I don't want to spoil anything to you, so all I'll say, it's that if you enjoy the movies that let you with your mouth open but without wondering what the hell happened, this is a perfect movie for you, I mean, you won't know what the hell until the very end, but you will know, it's not like those movies that let you that sensation like you didn't catch half of the plot, if you pay attention to all the details you will get all the answers at the end, the acting was terrific, I'm a huge fan of Cillian Murphy and he didn't let me down, was good to watch him as a normal nice guy for a change, and Thandie Newton and Jamie Bell were outstanding also, I think that what it makes this movie so enjoyable it's the fact that the main characters were normal human beings reacting as regular people would react in such situation, there were no Rambos who knew how to handle SMGs, and fight and build bombs, anyway
to me it's totally worth it and I recommend it 100%..
Anything else I write about it can give away important pieces of the story, so I will stay away from that.What I can say is that even thou it has a short cast, and it's not a very long movie, the script is pretty solid and the acting is really really good.
The scenery is also great, the dialogues aren't over done and the pace in which the events happen, keep you wondering the whole movie.Other than 1 or 2 dragging moments, this movie kept my attention the whole time and I think most people, fans of the genre or not, will also be satisfied.This movie was really entertaining and I recommend it 100%, especially if you're looking for some sort of "end of the world/psychological thriller" movie to watch..
I watched Retreat to the bitter end because I love Thandie Newton (and so the ending didn't please me one bit!) With a couple of exceptions, Cillian Murphy's character, Martin, was pretty lame.
This movie is as much a story of a pandemic allegedly touching various parts of the globe as a tale of a marriage in crisis and the savagery involved in giving someone (a stranger or loved one) the benefit of the doubt and realizing far too late that the road to hell IS paved with good intentions!The married couple here are played by Murphy (as Martin, a somewhat timid husband character who has a quiet dignity, but is poised to explore his dormant aggressive side) and Thandie Newton (in an at times volcanic, but always emotionally involving performance as Kate).
Retreat is a disappointing movie about a couple and a wounded soldier they found and take to their cottage on a remote, forsaken island.
Three incredible actors in Cillian Murphy, Thandie Newton and Jamie Bell are completely wasted in this tripe.
As soon as Jamie Bell arrives in the film and starts barricading up the house without so much as any protest from Murphy's and Newton's characters I knew the film was going to be dreadful.
If you watch the trailer of Retreat, you watch 75% of the movie.The movie spends the first twenty minutes telling the story of a young couple Martin (Murphy) and Kate (Newton).
They are experiencing some marital problems, so they retreat to this isolated island in hope to save their marriage.Then Jamie Bell's character Jack - a unconscious stranger covered with blood - finally appears, just as you see in the trailer.
However, I feel Jamie Bell might be the one who enjoyed filming this movie most.
Unsure whether the man in their house is telling the truth, or a maniac with ulterior motives, the couple find themselves locked in an increasingly tense psychological battle where the one place they should feel most safe becomes the tightest little corner in the world.It's interesting, and certainly very sad, how a lot of promising ideas for great films seem to find themselves skipping theatres and going straight to DVD in these tough economic times, which would appear to be the case with Retreat, which couldn't quite be described as a 'great' film, but certainly quite an impressive and well made one, that quite rightly has an impressive cast list to back up it's neat idea.
(This was all in the trailer so you can still read this without spoiling the movie:) A couple on an isolated island retreat takes in a wounded man who tells them there has been an outbreak.
'Retreat' has great performances, very good directing along with a nice film score.
The husband and wife characters don't know whether they can trust him / whether this guy is paranoid and crazy or whether he's telling them the truth, the viewers are made to relate to these husband and wife characters due to the movie doing a very good job of keeping the audience in the dark as well.'Retreat' is a very tense thriller with a minimal cast, there should be more movies like this with a great plot and with literally only a few characters, films like this are proof that a movie doesn't need to have a big number cast to make a film great.The only thing that is wrong with this flick is a couple of comments of sexism coming from the bad guy "Jack", example - when he tells the husband that they can't allow the woman to make all the decisions, and the scene where he puts food out and tells her to make him breakfast, when he can easily make it himself (but then again that particular scene was a means to an end for that moment, it was set up to simply build a tense outcome, but still they could have done that outcome in a different way without the sexism).'Retreat' has quite a few plot-twists and the very end scene is shocking and unexpected.If you like thrillers, i recommend renting this film on Amazon Prime Video..
The film plays out like a standard stranger-danger movie where troubled couple Martin and Kate go for a break on a deserted island only to have their home invaded by a stranger who essentially holds them captive.
It reminded me a bit of one of my all-time favorites, Death and the Maiden, whereas it screamed theatre production and 90% of the movie was just three characters.Martin and Kate decide to return to a desolate island cottage retreat following the still-born of their child.
So, naturally, this newly founded threesome isn't going to have a smooth vacation.It's suspenseful and wonderfully acted by both Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton, both I have liked a lot in the past and it's a wonder this movie hasn't gotten the attention it deserves.
The story sees unhappily married couple Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy holed up in a cottage retreat off the coast of Scotland, only to have their home invaded by a psychotic soldier, as played by an against-type Jamie Bell, warning of a plague epidemic on the mainland.This is a story of ambiguity and supposition, with the viewer unsure of what's really happening.
The story and direction are very effective in building tension and suspense and the plot twists are interesting and don't sound absurd.However, the movie has some pace problems during the second act, where barely anything happens.
Jamie Bell is the one that does the best job among the main cast while Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton are on autopilot in this film. |
tt0053290 | Solomon and Sheba | The film's theme differs substantially from Biblical sources and is highly fictionalized, most notably in representing the Queen of Sheba as an ally of ancient Egypt in opposition to King Solomon of Israel, and in her having a love affair with Solomon.
Under the rule of King David, Israel is united and prosperous, although surrounded by enemies, including Egypt and its allies. The ageing King favours Solomon to succeed him, but his elder brother Adonijah (George Sanders), a warrior, declares himself King. When David learns of this, he publicly announces Solomon to be his successor. Adonijah and Joab, his general, withdraw in rage, but Solomon later offers his brother the command of the army, knowing that it may be used against him.
Israel continues to prosper under Solomon's rule. The Queen of Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida) conspires with the Egyptian Pharaoh to undermine Solomon's rule by seducing him and introducing Sheban pagan worship into Jerusalem. Solomon is indeed bewitched by her, and the two begin living together under the pretense of forming an alliance between their two kingdoms. The king's reputation is damaged, but at the same time Sheba begins to truly fall in love with him and regret her plotting. Things come to a head when Solomon recklessly allows a Sheban 'love festival' (in fact an orgy in celebration of a pagan god) to be held within Israel. In an act of divine retribution, lightning from heaven destroys the Sheban altar and damages the newly built Temple in Jerusalem, and the land is beset with a deadly famine. Solomon is publicly rebuked by the people; the High Priest and Nathan the Prophet disown him.
Meanwhile, Adonijah, banished by his brother after an assassination attempt, goes and strikes a bargain with Pharaoh; given an army, he will conquer Israel for Egypt, in exchange for being placed on the throne as a kind of viceroy. The tiny army mustered by Solomon (who has been abandoned by his allied states) is quickly routed, and Adonijah presses on to Jerusalem and makes himself king. Meanwhile, Sheba, now a believer in the power of the God of Israel, prays for Solomon to be redeemed and restored to power as Nathan.
Pursued by the Egyptians, who were sent to finish him off, Solomon thereafter devises a plan. He lines up the remnants of his army on a hill, prompting the enemy to charge. The Israelites, who have arranged themselves to face east, then use their highly polished shields to reflect the light of the rising sun into the Egyptians' eyes. Blinded, the Egyptians are prevented from seeing the chasm in front of which the Israelites have positioned themselves, and the entire army rushes headlong over the edge and falls to its death.
Meanwhile, Adonijah, met with a tepid reaction to his coup, tries to stir up Jerusalem's population by ordering the stoning of Sheba. Midway through this hideous display, Solomon makes a triumphant return to the city. Adonijah attacks his brother, refusing to be deprived again of his throne, but is himself struck down. Joab, in retaliation, attempts to attack Solomon, but was struck down by Solomon's faithful retainers Josiah and Ahab. At Solomon's prayer Sheba is miraculously healed of her wounds; as he resumes his power, she returns to her homeland, now pregnant by Solomon. | violence, murder | train | wikipedia | It is very Biblically inaccurate (there was NOTHING between Solomon and the queen of Sheba, just a conversation!), but a lot of fun!Yul Brynner is one of my favorite actors to watch on screen; he is sexy, charismatic, over the top, and has that whacked out ambiguous accent.
She and Brynner look very good together, and their love scenes are some of the HOTTEST I've seen in a 50's movie (especially the incredible steamy one at the pagan orgy-WOW!)!
Justly before his death in ancient Israel King David (Finlay Currie) has a vision from God saying him that his younger son Solomon (Yul Brynner) should succeed him as king .
Meanwhile the Egyptian Pharoah agrees to give up a Red Sea port to the Queen of Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida) if she can encounter a manner to overthrow Solomon .
In fact, the Queen is in covenant with the Pharaoh of Egypt (David Farrar) and her aim is to destroy the twelve tribes of Israel and he utilizes the ambitious Prince Adonijah in her schemes .An overblown all-star treatment of the stories in the Old Testament dealing with David , Salomon , Sheba and Adonijah .
Recipe for disaster right, not in this case as Yul Brynner, the "great bald one" as he was known , except with hair here makes a convincing Solomon and Vidor scores in his direction.
He inherited the Kingdom of Israel from his father as chosen by God to replace his older brother, the warrior played by the great supporting and sometimes leading man George Sanders in one his nefarious performances.
King Vidor, one of the most famous figures in movie history, the director of Tolstoy's classic on screen (WAR AND PEACE), was not known for making biblical epics.
Solomon...what can we say about him from the Bible?...a famous third king of Israel (after Saul and David), a man known for exceptional wisdom, a builder of the splendid first temple of Jerusalem...
However, what we find in the movie deals primarily with Solomon-Sheba relations: first a conspiracy, evil intentions, then weakness, desire, treason, finally sacrificial love and mercy.
And now we would have to ask ourselves "is it a historical movie or a fairy tale with some historically accurate background?" I think that in order to understand the director's intentions, we have to look deeper at the cinema of that time and King Vidor himself.
SOLOMON AND SHEBA with its title refers to a 1951 Henry King's movie, "David and Bathsheba." Making films at that time was much like this: the producers picked up some aspect from history or the Bible and created a movie out of this containing lavish costumes, great cast, campy spectacle but barely any historical accuracy - all for entertainment.
Besides, there is one more factor that helps get the idea of this film...the content of SOLOMON AND SHEBA was partly inspired by a long ago forgotten movie, one of the most gigantic spectacles of all time, still presumed lost, THE QUEEN OF SHEBA (1921) with Betty Blythe and Fritz Leiber.
Here, it seems necessary to mention the two consecutive moments: Solomon enters the temple of luxury devoted to the only God (he says his famous prayer) and the next moment in the Land of Sheba where its queen is surrounded by the luxurious sets, a dedicated servant and a parrot.
Yul Brynner is different than in his other films (primarily due to hair on his head) but does a nice job as Solomon.
The best scene played by Yul in this movie is, I think, when Solomon is tempted to take part at Ragon celebration.
It's not that great but, in its inaccuracy, it definitely cannot be compared to Bruce Beresford's movie (1985) since we do not expect the biblical story from SOLOMON AND SHEBA that much as we do from a movie entirely described as a biopic of king David.Not a bad film and worth seeing particularly for epic movie fans.
Solomon and Sheba has come down in Hollywood lore not for the quality of the film, but for the fact that Tyrone Power died while making it.
The actual story about the Queen of Sheba is that she went on a trade mission to the Kingdom of Israel, chatted Solomon up a bit, came back with a lot of trade goods and that was that.
If Sanders is not quite the jaded sophisticate he was in Samson and Delilah, he's still Sanders the biblical cad.When Power died Yul Brynner was brought in to play Solomon and given a wig so that existing footage of Power in long shot could be salvaged.
Brynner invests the dialog with the proper dignity, but I think he probably regretted doing the pinch hitting.Gina Lollobrigida is the Queen of Sheba and she is alluring as a biblical temptress in the Cecil B.
Given the limited range of acting she is asked to display in this role, Gina does a good job, though by the time the movie ends, she is completely converted into a demure remorseful lass and looks likes she might be playing in a biography of Mother Teresa.
One can compare Vidor's approach in this film with the many other Biblical spectacles before and after (such as "David and Bathsheba," "Ben Hur," even "Spartacus"), and this movie comes out very "clean" in the battle scenes and refusal to focus on the blood and gore of battle.
The clarity of the film's message is reinforced by the costumes, which are openly differentiated as to Egyptian or Israelite,making it easy to distinguish the sides in the battle scenes.Of five *****, three and a half, it's still worth watching as the swansong of one of Hollywood's great directors..
"Solomon and Sheba" was the kind of film that you just had to go and see back in the late 50's when I was a kid: a biblical epic spectacular with well known performers, unusual costumes, lots of extras and battle sequences.
George Sanders doesn't look interested in what he is doing, and Marisa Pavan (Pier Angeli's twin sister) doesn't add at all as a sort of Brynner's conscience.The final sword duel between Brynner and Sanders is just for the plot and lacks interest and intensity (it had to filmed, that's all).Not a good farewell for director King Vidor, Solomon and Sheba will probably be remembered as Ty Power's last unfinished picture..
The only thing that saves this film from God's wreath (and there is only one God, remember) is the unintentionally funny dialog, and a good battle scene which comes far too late in the movie.
The acting of Yul Brynner (Solomon) and Gina Lollobrigida (Sheba) is not the best in my opinion.
Brynner was often shown in the film looking seriously and saying nothing, while Lollobrigida acted as if she was delivering a poem each time mixed with some mad reactions when she was angry.
I do like epics and I wanted to see it for Yul Brynner, George Sanders, the master of suavity, smarmy menace and charisma and the fact that apparently this was the film where Tyrone Power died on set.
However, despite some obvious good things, Solomon and Sheba just didn't do anything for me, and I feel really apologetic for saying that because it was a film I genuinely wanted to like.I will start with the good things.
Yes, this is including the normally good Sanders, this is a role he should have been perfect for but mainly because the character is written in such a clichéd and uninterested fashion, all he becomes is seemingly a sad caricature of his former self.Solomon and Sheba feels much too long for me too especially in the battle sequences which are too long-winded for their own good.
The film is called " Solomon (Yul Brynner) and Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida) " Some say they succeeded, others, especially modern critics used to a more tolerant set of guidelines, snicker at their censored efforts.
This movie suffers of being over-the-top and high-brow while really nothing more than an extended drama about King Solomon and his love for the enemy the Queen of Sheba.
Deserts, palaces, crowd scenes, battles and other such gimmicks were the latest craze in the late 50's to draw people away from the new invention of television and bring them back to the movie palaces and theatres.Gina Lollabrigida, an Italian sex symbol of the 50's, stars as the Queen of Sheba.
It stars Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, Marisa Pavan, George Sanders, David Farrar, Harry Andrews, John Crawford and Laurence Naismith.
The cast are also in and out, Brynner is fine as Solomon (broody, brainy but troubled), as is the lovely Lollobrigida as Sheba (stoic, smart and sexy), but the support slots barely convince.
Sanders is badly miscast as Solomon's warrior brother Adonijah (he was 53 at the time), 10 years earlier in Samson and Delilah his villain turn worked, but not here.Sword fighting choreography is poor, as are the miracle effects work, but conversely the big battle that crowns the story is smart in writing and in execution, where not even the model work can dim the thrill of it all.
I saw SOLOMON AND SHEBA (1959) when I was 10 years-old and remember being quite impressed with King Vidor's last film.
No doubt King Vidor deserved to end his illustrious career with a better film, but SOLOMON AND SHEBA remains a valid effort, nothing he should be ashamed of.
King David of Israel dies.Before he dies he announces Solomon would be his successor.His older brother Adonijah had already declared himself the new king, and therefore becomes his brother's biggest enemy.Egyptian Pharaoh has given a mission to Queen of Sheba to destroy Solomon.She uses her own sexuality to seduce him and introduces Sheban pagan worship into Jerusalem.But she finds it hard to resist Solomon's charm and falls in love with him.Solomon and Sheba (1959) is the last picture directed by King Vidor.The actors do fairly good job, with Yul Brynner and Gina Lollobrigida taking the lead.And Gina does look pretty hot!
Tyrone Power would have been the original male star, but he died of a heart attack during the filming.George Sanders plays Solomon's brother Adonijah.Marisa Pavan plays Abishag, probably my favorite character in the movie.David Farrar plays Pharaoh.Finlay Currie portrays David.The movie has gotten a lot of bad criticism.However, it is not near as bad as has been said.That is my opinion, anyway.The love affair between Solomon and Sheba is portrayed very nicely.There's the orgy scene that works.Not showing as much, obviously, as would be shown if the movie was made today.The movie also portrays the Judgment of Solomon, which I actually played one time at school.So it's very nice to watch it in a movie.If you're a fan of biblical movies, you should take a look at this..
And yet the older generation, for whom movie making was purer, unpretentious and above all visually orientated, were still alive and, once in a while, kicking.Now, Solomon and Sheba is a dead-looking production if ever I saw one.
Yul Brynner, standing in for Tyrone Power (who was dead at the time) giving a reasonably understated performance, but doing little more than sitting around looking thoughtful.
Yul Brynner and Gina Lollabridgida are "Solomon and Sheba" in this 1959 Biblical epic directed by King Vidor.
Also starring are George Sanders, Marisa Pavan and Finlay Currie.The main problem with "Solomon and Sheba" is that a) it's bad; and b) no one infuses any energy into it, understandably.
This was his one film a year where he could make big bucks and then spend the rest of his time doing plays.One thing about Power that no one can ever take away from him - he could make the world's worst dialogue sound absolutely believable.
Brynner couldn't have known how it would have felt to be in that atmosphere ahead of time.There are spurts here and there - one of the battle scenes is very good, and Gina is gorgeous (Power referred to her as "Lolly" in his letters).
tyrone power died in spain when he was filmig "Solomon adn sheba ".He was replaced by Yul brynner .
Solomon and sheba is a very beauty film, with great scenes, romantic and epic .
Hear "God" Speak......Watch the Pagan Orgy......See the "Temple" Destroyed...or Not. Two Outstanding Set-Pieces, the "Orgy" Ritual and the Final Battle Highlight this Slow, Talky, sometimes Dull Display of Hebrews, Egyptians, and for Spice the "Queen of Sheba" around a Thousand Years B.C.Taken from a few Snippets in the "Old Testament" it tells the Extra-Biblical Story of Solomon (Yul Brynner) and the Queen of Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida).
There is much Prancing and Dancing.The Movie is Typical Cornball for the Genre that was about to End its Cycle a Year Later with "Ben-Hur" (1959) and although that Film Swept the Oscars the "Biblical Epic" and the Cheap Sword and Sandal Imitators were Designed for the Dustbin of Hollywood History after a Ten Year Run.This one is Worth a Watch with Low Expectations and for Eye-Candy Enthusiasts.Note...Tyrone Power died of a heart-attack during filming and was replaced by Brenner.
The Queen of Sheba, (who doesn't show up until King Solomon has been king for about 20 years or so, which by the way, is long after Adonijah & Joab had been dead) can be found in 1 Kings 10 & 2 Chronicles 9.
Considering that the only mention of this Queen of Sheba and Solomon is only in a few measly verses in the Old Testament, it's amazing the film just went on and on and on.
A film with a few big names, Yul Brynner, George Sanders, Harry Andrews, all three also very talented, and Gina Lollobrigida, which is not bad in the title role but not "the most beautiful woman in the world ever", how some called her.
When I first saw "Solomon and Sheba" as an 11-year old in 1959, I knew that every time Gina Lollobrigida's Sheba entered the scene, the action would slow down.
Now, six decades later, I think she is about the only reason to watch it.Set in Israel back in the BC, peace-loving Solomon (Yul Brynner) inherits the kingdom from his father King David (Finlay Currie).
There were a couple of surprises early in the movie: Yul Brynner with hair and George Sanders as a warrior.
In the battle that opens the movie, he handles his sword as though he was tossing a light summer salad.As the story progresses, Gina Lollobrigida's Queen of Sheba is in an alliance with the Pharaoh of Egypt and heads to Israel to use her ample charms to seduce Solomon into a false sense of security.
I just saw Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and I must express my total disagreement on how the story is told in the movie.
As biblical epics go this one is not at the top of the list.Even King Vidor's directing skills could not elevate the film.
Solomon and Sheba a truly great film.
This film was made in 1959 when Hollywood still knew how to make great biblical epics.
The scene where the Egyptian army is destroyed by the Israelites using their highly polished shields is sheer brilliance!Yul Brynner was brought in to replace Tyrone Power who died 3 day into filming, and here gives one of his best ever performances.
Gina Lollobrigida is beautiful and seductive as the Queen of Sheba.I give this film 9 out of 10..
The biblical account of the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon is a very brief one, but this film uses it as the basis for a particularly complicated plot.
In "Salome", for example, Rita Hayworth was able to get away with performing a provocative dance because in this version of the story (contrary to the Biblical one) Salome is a virtuous heroine who is trying to save John the Baptist's life."Solomon and Sheba" was made six years after "Salome" and goes a lot further than that film, or than anything made by DeMille, in its intermingling of sexiness and godliness.
The film was hit by tragedy when the original Solomon, Tyrone Power, died suddenly during filming; Yul Brynner was hastily drafted in to replace him and Power's scenes had to be re-shot.
The director, King Vidor, seems to have been unhappy with Brynner, who he thought was too calm and self-assured; he felt that Power would have been better at portraying the conflict in Solomon's nature between love and duty.
"Solomon and Sheba" was made on less than half the budget of the other film, and at times it shows.
Yul Brynner Looks Weak As King Solomon.
Solomon and Sheba is a biblical romantic epic that is based from the events chronicled the events of the ninth and tenth chapters of the First Book Of Kings and Second Chronicles respectively.It stars Yul Brynner as Solomon and Gina Lollobrigida as Sheba in the title roles together with George Sanders, Marisa Pavan and David Farrar.
The theme of the movie differs substantially from Biblical sources and is highly fictionalized story written by Crane Wilbur.In it,we have the the Queen of Sheba as an ally of ancient Egypt in opposition to King Solomon of Israel with whom she is having a love affair.Too bad that the movie somewhat failed to live into its expectation as Brynner looks weak in his portrayal as King Solomon.He fails to create a believable chemistry with Lollobrigida,who showcases a lot of wit and intelligence as Sheba.Added to that,it was slow in pacing despite having great spectacles such as the battle of the Egyptians and Israelites which would definitely entertain the viewer..
I marked "spoilers" but other reviewers have already mentioned the highlights."Solomon and Sheba" was made in 1959, the same year as "Ben Hur." Yul Brynner (with hair!!!) plays a Solomon so wise and serious he never smiles, not even when he's kissing the Queen of Sheba, portrayed by Italian sexpot Gina Lollobrigida. |
tt0059776 | Szegénylegények | Following the quelling of Lajos Kossuth's 1848 revolution against Habsburg rule in Hungary, prison camps were set up for people suspected of being Kossuth's supporters. Around 20 years later, some members of highwayman Sándor Rózsa's guerrilla band, believed to be some of Kossuth's last supporters, are known to be interned among the prisoners in a camp. The prison staff try to identify the rebels and find out if Sándor is among them using various means of mental and physical torture and trickery. When one of the guerrillas, János Gajdar, is identified as a murderer by an old woman, he starts aiding his captors by acting as an informant. Gajdar is told that if he can show his captors a man who has killed more people than himself, he will be spared. Fearing for his life, he turns in several people his captors had been looking for by name, but could not identify among the prisoners.
Eventually Gajdar becomes an outcast among the prisoners, and is murdered at night by some of his fellow inmates while in solitary confinement. The prison guards easily discover suspects, people whose cells had been left unlocked for the night, and start interrogating them with hope of finding Sándor himself. The suspects are tricked into revealing the remaining guerrillas when they are given a chance to form a new military unit out of former bandits and informed that Sándor, who was not among the prisoners, has been pardoned. However, the celebrating guerrillas are then told that those who previously fought under him, will still face execution. | psychedelic, avant garde | train | wikipedia | With these early films of Miklós Jancsó (people don't realise he's still making films, with one slated for 2009, and his technique is now totally different) where he shows dehumanised power systems, there's always a dual interest for me.
You get the kind of political comment, but you also get the love of nature as a counterpoint, I think one observer noted of the Red and the White, that the main character was the river Volga.
Perhaps he's proffering country walks as an alternative to power games, as wise a suggestion as any you'll see in a film.Anyway in the Round-up we have a whitewashed stockade out on the Hungarian plains.
It's reasonably clear that all the men rounded up aren't ignorant thieves, one for example has travelled extensively and speaks four languages.It's almost fetishistic the setting, you've got an achingly beautiful shimmering plain of grass that reminded me of when I was a child, strange sensations linked to nature and story-telling.
Jancso appears to have fetishistically had the sets reconstructed from drawings in historical documents, along with a gibbet that Pasolini would have been proud to display in Salo.We see for example a man being lead out of solitary confinement, a soldier asks him his name, and the man replies "You already know, Varjù, Bèla" the soldier replies almost lovingly, "Ah yes, Bèla Varjù, you've had many a beating from me haven't you?".
The Round-up is perhaps a protest about what went on in the past, an ode to the dead who died for a free Hungary.The important person in the film is Lajos Kossuth, although you'll never see him.
I think it's key to understand history in the movies of Jancsó, otherwise, in this case you might be led to believe that all the prisoners are simply bad people.Radey, I believe is only seen once in the film, but he stands against the spirit of Kossuth and behind the "apostolic emperor".This is not a nasty film in the sense that it doesn't stand up much to the level of horror you would see in a modern exposition on the same subject, or anything like the torture porn of current sensation.
I have made of this most notable of Hungarian films a personal holy grail ever since I laid eyes on an illustrated two-page spread found in an old British magazine of my father's entitled "The Movie" – and now, over 20 years later, I have finally managed to track the thing down and, thanks to the valiant R2 DVD label Second Run, add it to my ever-increasing eclectic home video collection.
For the record, despite knowing of its imminent release on DVD, I was seriously contemplating traveling to London for last week's big-screen showing of THE ROUND-UP at the Curzon Mayfair (with Jancso' in attendance, no less) – but, alas, it is just as well that I didn't go because of what occurred over here a couple of days prior to the event: a tragically unnecessary death in the family which, worse still, turned into a national tragedy (with long-term social and legal repercussions to boot).
But life, pitiless and unjust as it is, has to go on and, slowly but surely, I have now jumped back into my old routine of film watching and reviewing...
Although there have been other noteworthy Hungarian film-makers before (Paul Fejos) and since (Istvan Szabo), Miklos Jancso' is still perhaps the most important.
Ironically, while he was the first one I personally became aware of, my viewing of THE ROUND-UP has actually been my very first encounter with his work – although, now that the first step has been taken, it will be followed by three more in a few days' time.
Sometimes it can happen to a film buff that the actual experience of watching the movie, about which one has heard a lot and eagerly longed for, turns out to be underwhelming but, thankfully, this has not proved to be the case for me with THE ROUND-UP.
Indeed, the phrase "unlike anything you've ever seen before" is often freely banded about by unimaginative film reviewers – but this description is unquestionably apt when applied to Jancso''s masterpiece.In that enticing and insightful article I mentioned above written by Jancso''s first assistant director on the film itself (and which I immediately re-read upon the film's termination), it is stated that while THE ROUND-UP was based on factual events which had taken place in Hungary in 1869 and could have easily been shot on the actual locations of castles and fortresses, Jancso' sought a different visual approach altogether with regards to sets and costumes – "half-way between reality and abstraction", as he brilliantly puts it.
Since I found myself wholeheartedly agreeing with other observations he made on the film, I don't see why I can't quote him some more: "It has a coherent, easy-to-read story – comprehensible at a single viewing – and at the same time a deep, intellectual, almost abstract parable".The abstraction being alluded to is not restricted to visual (literally, black and white) terms alone – where the stark whiteness of the prison-fortress walls and the hooded Hungarian convicts memorably contrast with the black capes and uniforms of the Austrian oppressors – but also to its very narrative style: while it becomes clear early on that the subject of the relentless interrogations is the identification and capture of legendary rebel leader Sandor (who never actually appears in person but whose presence permeates the entire film), people appear and disappear with insistent frequency and, although there are definite characters which take precedence over others, there is no true main central figure one can clearly identify with and root for.Thematically, it is oppression and degradation which are the key elements: right from the animated prologue at the start displaying a succession of torture devices, we later watch men made to stand in the rain and a woman stripped naked and whipped to death with canes (the sight of which sends her despairing spouse leaping to his death).
But the oppressors' ultimate weapon of humiliation is treachery: through vain promises of instant freedom, prisoners – and, at one point, a grieving mother and, later still, father and son – are repeatedly induced to betray one another (via abrupt, silent motions) but, instead of liberty, they are rewarded with a bullet in the back, the retribution of their own people and, in the supremely ironic finale, cold-blooded mass extermination.
In this context, the character of Gajdor is especially poignant (and even amusing in a blackly comedic way) as he pathetically keeps reminding his captors that, even though he has already fingered several worse criminals than himself, he is a prisoner still.
Interestingly, this paradox can also be applied to the ingenious location of the prison-fortress (within which practically the whole film is set) – rebuilt specifically for this production in the middle of uninhabited plains that stretch as far and wide as the eye can see.Miklos Jancso' is renowned for his rigorous visual style and, even from this one sampling of his work – albeit that which is generally perceived as being his chef d'oeuvre – to say that I was rightfully impressed would be putting it mildly.
Miklos Jancso's The Round Up is not concerned with character development or a complex plot.
Perhaps this is because of emotional hopelessness most of the characters experience in the film.
Thundering hooves, veiled and wailing women, desolate landscapes with waving seas of grass and the occasional forbidding stone fortress or burned house, this movie appeals to nearly all of the five senses.
A friend who I watched it with commented that it's like Kafka without any humor.Black & white film suits The Round Up perfectly.
It sounded like one of those films, like Koyaanisqatsi, that, like Twain's classics, everyone wants to have watched and nobody much wants to watch; one which I would sit through with a lot of deep and meaningful thoughts in my mind, which would stay with me for years but be approximately as enjoyable as the last three fifths of all those long form essays on climate change, crypto currencies or the situation in the Ukraine I mean to get round to.
I have been watching films with Czech subtitles for a few years now and have few problems with that from a language point of view.
The viewer in these films begins to distrust the subtitles and scans the text quicker than is natural, taking little in even in those moments where the subtitles remain in place.
I don't know much about the technology of subtitles, but it looked as if the text was applied to the copy of the film in this instance, probably many years ago, and being essentially burned into the film itself, parts of the text disappeared for a number of frames.
I missed a number of exchanges because of this and would like to watch the film again with English subtitles for this reason.I'm in two minds, too, about the need to read up on the background of the film beforehand.
At least with a film, and certainly a film of this length, I can see it again more easily than I might find time to read a Victorian novel.Knowing as little as I did about the background, however, it is certainly true that was plenty to keep my interest, both on the human level (which in places I would have understood better had the subtitles been a touch better), and on the visual level.
János Gajdar's face is just one of those that fills the screen and though stoic, almost static much of the time, speaks of many years of rough breaks and a dangerous contained emotion.They don't make films like this anymore in part because they don't make men like that anymore..
He sculpts in air, most do in marble.He gets just the last note off here, so you leave this thinking of the ways you would do it - a good thing again.
It is the scene of betrayal of the whole rebel troop (until then in disguise), which he does in a rather awkward manner.But what powerful devices before that!The main setting is a forced labor camp in the middle of nowhere.
It is done so well, it deserves to be studied.The place as the totality of existence: there is no way out, people languish in mindless work and routine, having to please a higher moral authority that decides life and death.
It is a bleak view of life, very Hungarian, but you can work with it.
A second man who in order to be set free, has to convince he is not someone else and is betrayed by the first as that person.A father and son playing a game of storytelling chess with the prison warden.So much is handled in just the right way here, I had to hold my breath.
Whether or not the rebel leader was among the group.We are in the dark about pretty damn near everything - except that games have been played, with the losers removed from the cosmic round..
Fifteen years before this film, Hitchcock set down a marker with 'Rope' (and to a lesser extent 'Under Capricorn') that scenes, indeed whole films can be made without much in the way of editing, by simply organising the action and camera movement to reveal the same information in a more continuous way.
Well, it works in one way, and that is that it draws attention to the Hungarian plains in which it was shot and which, during the numerous long slow pans that we see, seem to stretch forever across the landscape.
The 'rounding-up' of prisoners that it portrays is an OK subject for a film, but I think we would have been much more emotionally involved with the characters if we had been treated to reaction shots and the like.
The setting was suitably stark; I loved the scenes around the old woman's house; so desolate and bleak.
The main character could have been a real influence on Lynch's Henry in Eraserhead; a victim and a loser.Having said that, the film didn't grip me but it did what it set out to do, I suppose..
Cinematography in Eastern Europe during the 40 years of the Communist regimes was subject to very close ideological and artistic supervision, as the rulers understood very well the power of cinema as a propaganda tool, either explicit in the newsreels or documentary films or implicit as mass entertainment.
Yet, talents of exception existed, cinema schools and exceptional directors and actors made memorable movies which fought censorship and bureaucratic intrusion to make films written in their own language - a language that was eluding direct critics of the oppressive systems but were yet establishing through image and visual metaphors the communication between the artists and their audiences.
Although lesser known than their Polish and Czech counterparts, the Hungarian school had also at least two top level directors - Miklós Jancsó and István Szabó, and was also continuing a school of film makers and cinematographers who had made it to Hollywood in the first half of the century.
'The Round-Up' (the original title is 'Szegénylegények' which would translate approximately as 'The Poor Lads') is one of the best if not the best film of Miklós Jancsó, considered also as one of the best Hungarian movies ever made.
I have seen it 52 years after its release, and all the reasons and the exceptional qualities are still here.In one of the few concessions that Jancsó may have made to the ideological kommissars the introductory part of the film places the story in a very specific historic moment - 1869, two decades after the revolutions that shook Europe in the middle of the 19th century and which led to the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian empire.
However everything in the tone, the style, the text indicates that Jancsó was aiming higher and was telling an universal story, one which is the same as the one told by many survivors of camps and prisons under authoritarian regimes at many times and in many places in the world.
But even if the allusions to the lost fight for freedom are to be read in the context of the Hungarian history, we should not forget that the film was made in a country that only ten years earlier was invaded and its revolution crushed by another neighboring empire - the Soviet Union.There are several reasons that make the watching of this film a cinematographic experience that is hard to forget.
'The Round-Up' is filmed in black-and-white and the perfect composition of each frame, the dynamic of the movements and the aesthetic expression remind the early films of Ingmar Bergman.
The setting is majestic with the horizon of the Hungarian plains visible almost all the time and building a permanent contrast with the concentrationary universe the characters are living in.
At the time of its release and more than half of century later 'The Round-Up' stands as a powerful and straggled shout for freedom..
Jancso, a Bolshevik film mentor and beneficiary of state interventionism in the arts in Hungary during the Iron Curtain period, literally followed the classic "September Protocol," i.e. the theoretical, Manichaeist dogma of the Stalinist Era laid out by Zhdanov and then adopted by the Communist Parties on a global scale.
In fact, all red cultural policies were born out of such distortions, namely: totalitarian Zhdanovism, engaged art, demented Gramscism, tenets of the Frankfurt School, Mao's destructive Cultural Revolution and so forth, not forgetting the message that every dictator used to state in the congresses of the communist militancy about the promotion of cultural production: "Comrades, anything for the sake of the Revolution, nothing outside the revolution!" But ¨the Round-up¨ is much more and much less than this, it is an unbearable parade of long shots where each image seems to reflect the hatred that this mediocre director always nurtured against the Austrian-Hungarian Empire..
Not for those who proclaim loudly, "I love movies!" but have never seen a film by Ingmar Bergman, Luis Bunuel, and Federico Fellini.
In fact, if you have never heard those three names, or if you have only heard those names but are not familiar with their work (and are not interested in their work), then you are not a lover of cinema and The Round Up is not the film for you!The Round Up is directed by Miklos Jancso (pronounced "Yahn-cho") who is considered to be one of the first stars of the Hungarian New Wave.
The style for which Jancso would become famous- a style of extended long takes sustained by rhythmic tracking movements of the camera and optical traveling through the zoom lens- was displayed to the world at Cannes in 1966.
Incidents of historical events from the Hungarian past are the focus of many Jancso films, and is the focus of The Round Up. It is a film about the political police of the Austro- Hungarian monarchy as they attempt to unmask Sandor Rozsa, the chief of a Rebel army group during the 1848 Revolution, which was led by Lajos Kossuth, who is now operating as a local bandit.
This is a film that is aesthetically stark and visually stunning.
This is another reason why I say this is a film only for cinema lovers.
What you get from this film is great visual style, not a manipulated emotional connection to the story.
Yes, it is horrific to see scenes of torture, but because you don't get to truly know and identify with one or a few characters emotions don't resonate.
This film is only to be watched to observe a director with great visual style.
The Round Up demonstrates that Jancso was a master of the Hungarian New Wave aesthetic whose cinematic structure was dependent upon widescreen composition, the long take, and the zoom lens.
To sum up, this is a work for those only interested in seeing great artistic visual style! |
tt0104040 | The Cutting Edge | Kate Moseley is a world-class figure skater representing the United States in the pairs event at the 1988 Winter Olympics. She has genuine talent, but years of being spoiled by her wealthy father Jack have made her all but impossible to work with.
Doug Dorsey is captain of the U.S. ice hockey team at the same Winter Olympics. Just minutes before a game, he and Kate literally run into each other at the arena. During the game Doug suffers a head injury which damages his peripheral vision, and he is forced to retire. Later in the Games, Kate's partner drops her during their program, costing them a chance at the gold medal.
In the next two years, while training for the 1992 Winter Olympics, Kate has driven away all potential skating partners with her attitude and perfectionism; her coach, Anton Pamchenko, needs to find another replacement, an outsider who doesn't know that Kate is spoiled and nearly impossible to work with. He proceeds to track down Doug, who is back home in Minnesota, working in a steel mill and a carpenter on the side, living with his brother and playing in a semi-professional hockey league or hockey bar league on the side. Desperate for another chance at Olympic glory, Doug agrees to work as Kate's partner, even though he has a macho contempt for figure skating.
However, Kate's snooty, prima donna behavior gets on his nerves immediately. Their first few practices do not go well. In time, though, their relationship grows warmer, and they learn to work together and become a pair to be reckoned with both on and off the ice. They advance to the U.S. Nationals, and despite strong performances in the short program and long program, they are on track to come in third-place, which does not advance them to the Olympics. However, when one of the leading pairs falls during the competition, they advance.
At the finals at the Albertville Olympics, they look to be one of the top pairs competing for the gold. Everything is going well until they realize that they have fallen in love with each other. | dramatic, romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0259046 | Tekken 2 | Two years after the events of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 1, the Mishima Zaibatsu, under the leadership of Kazuya Mishima, has become even more corrupt and powerful than ever before and involved in many illegal operations. These include kidnapping, extortion and smuggling endangered animal species for illegal experiments. Kazuya is backed by the Devil, which inhabits his body and is trying to take over his mind. Meanwhile, Kazuya is sentenced to being arrested by animal rights activist and operative Jun Kazama for his experiments.
Kazuya's father, Heihachi, whom Kazuya had defeated and thrown off a cliff after the previous tournament, has climbed back up and is training himself, plotting to overthrow Kazuya. In an attempt to rid himself of Heihachi and his enemies once and for all, Kazuya announces the King of Iron Fist Tournament 2, with a large cash prize of one trillion dollars, knowing that Heihachi would appear.
When Jun eventually came face to face with Kazuya, she tried to arrest him, but she found herself drawn to him. She later becomes pregnant with Jin Kazama, Kazuya having fathered her child. Meanwhile, Heihachi arrives at the tournament, winning against the opposing fighters and eventually reaching Kazuya.
In the final round, Heihachi confronts Kazuya and they battle once again. Devil takes over Kazuya's body, resulting in Kazuya becoming a Devil creature. Despite his advantages, Kazuya is defeated by Heihachi because of the internal conflict within him (between his evil side - represented by Devil - and his good side - represented by Angel - which was brought forth after his meeting with Jun Kazama). Heihachi then takes Kazuya's body to a volcano, and drops him into it to kill him. Heihachi then escapes on a helicopter as the volcano erupts behind him, having finally taken his revenge and regaining the Mishima Zaibatsu back, with Kazuya presumably dead. | violence | train | wikipedia | My favorite fighting-game is back!. You might think that it is not worth getting Tekken 2 of you already got the first game, since the sequel has only got 2 new characters, but Tekken 2 is a much better game than the original.The FMV`s(movie-sequences) is as always a trademark in the series and the FMV is much cooler and more detailed than earlier. The gameplay is much more smooth than ever before, the characters are more detailed and the music and atmosphere is much better.Tekken 2 has been surpassed by "Tekken 3" and probably by the forthcoming "Tekken Tag Tournament", but Tekken 2 is always worth another go. 10/10. The Angst About Jun Kazama (Do I need to go THIS far?). This is the first time I've ever rated a video/arcade game on the IMDb, but let me tell you, writing a review on "Stay Alive" with those two immortal words "Jun Kazama" led me here--and the same point system I used for that review. The maximum this can get is a 41. Points are awarded through four categories: visuals, sound, replay, and durability.VISUALS: (41/41) "PERFECT!" These are the best I've ever seen since I heard of this game late-December 1996 on a demo disc on the PlayStation. Unfortunately, in THAT version, you could only select two fighters. When I played the full version back in 1997, nine years ago, I was a little nervous, and then I improved. This game had atmosphere until Tekken 3, released in arcades in 1996, arrived. All 23 characters had new moves, and you could always experiment using these characters in the game's Practice mode to see which one suits your playing style.AUDIO: JUN KAZAMA & OTHER CHARACTERS (0/41), OTHER SOUNDS: (41/41) "PERFECT!"Jun Kazama loses ALL the points in the character audio category. Wanna know why? When you're fighting against her (look for a headband--she normally appears on stages 4, 5, or 6, but one time on stage 2 when I played in the arcade), and the computer's energy bar is gone, you'll hear the world's most ANNOYING silly death scream whilst the announcer declares a "K.O.", "PERFECT!" or "Great!". The other characters have their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to sampling voices. Because of that rather silly death scream, I've had dreams about that sound, first in 1998, then in 2000, 2004, and last year. However, if YOU'RE playing with Jun Kazama and YOU get KO'd, your game is over (bad) while committing poor play all at the same time. My advice: DO NOT LOSE A SINGLE STAGE using Jun Kazama. It'll come back and haunt you as you get older and remember this priceless gem.REPLAY: (41/41) "PERFECT!" What can I say? Multiple endings, a Time Attack mode, a Survival Mode, a VS Mode, and whatnot? Many of your friends will want to borrow this game, even have countless tournaments. It's quite funny that this game was seen in the 2004 Shaun of the Dead, but I'm not quite sure if Shaun or Pete was playing with Jun Kazama rather poorly in the arcade...or was that a reference?DURABILITY: (41/41) "PERFECT!" Wow. I'm speechless. This game surpassed my really hard review! When it comes to movies and games, I'm a really hard judge, but the rather silly death scream of the annoyingly loud Jun Kazama threw me off guard, forcing me to write this review, which is rather long. Oh well. I'm giving THIS 10 stars out of 10. |
tt3735246 | Bajirao Mastani | In the early 18th century, the court of Maratha King, Chhattrapati Shahu (Mahesh Manjrekar) needs a new Peshwa, the equivalent of a modern-day prime minister. In spite of Shripad Rao's (Aditya Pancholi) self-nomination as the Pant Pratinidhi, Ambaji Pant (Milind Soman) chooses to nominate a young Bajirao (Ranveer Singh). To test his spiritual wisdom and knowledge of weaponry, Shripad challenges Bajirao to split a peacock feather with an arrow. Bajirao succeeds and is given the title of Shrimant Peshwa. Ten years later, his wife Kashibai (Priyanka Chopra) is visited by her widowed friend Bhanu (Snehlata Girish Vasaikar), whose husband was accused of spying and hence was ordered to be executed by Bajirao. She bitterly forebodes that just like she longs for her husband, Kashi, too, will yearn for Bajirao.
While traveling to Sironja, an emissary from Bundelkhand infiltrates Bajirao's tent and demands his help in fighting invaders. She reveals herself to be Mastani (Deepika Padukone), the daughter of the Hindu Rajput King, Chhatrasal (Benjamin Gilani) and his Persian Muslim consort, 'Ruhani Bai'. Impressed by her skills as a warrior, Bajirao assists her with his army and defeats the invaders. Chhatrasal is overjoyed and insists that Bajirao spend Holi with them. Mastani and Bajirao develop feelings for each other and he gifts her his dagger, which is a symbol of marriage among the Bundelkhand Rajputs. He soon departs for Pune, where Kashi greets him with a tour of their newly-built Shaniwar Wada and shows him the Aaina Mahal (hall of mirrors) which allows her to see him from her room.
Determined to pursue her love, Mastani arrives in Pune but is treated harshly by Bajirao's mother Radhabai (Tanvi Azmi) and accommodated in the palace for courtesans. She tolerates this insult and appears to dance before Bajirao on the occasion of Parava. Radhabai scornfully offers her the occupation of a royal dancer, but refuses to accept her as a daughter-in-law. Mastani travels to the King and expresses her desire to be with Bajirao before leaving to wait for him at a ruin across the river. Bajirao crosses the river in the midst of a storm and chides her persistence, reminding her that he is already married and that his court will never respect her if she is with him. She agrees despite his warning and he declares her as his second wife.
Bajirao leaves to confront the Nizam of Deccan (Raza Murad) and although his odds of victory are slim, he returns successful. A pregnant Kashibai witnesses Bajirao embracing Mastani, who is also expecting, in the Aaina Mahal and leaves for her mother's home. She returns months later with her newborn son, who is named Raghunath in joyous celebration. Mastani also gives birth to a son, whom Mastani and Bajirao name Krishna Rao, but when Krishnaji Bhatt, the head Brahmin priest, refuses to conduct the naamkaran (Hindu christening ceremony) and he is deemed illegitimate, Bajirao names him Shamsher Bahadur. A few years later, Kashi and Bajirao's eldest son Balaji Baji Rao (alias Nana Saheb, played by Ayush Tandon) returns from Satara and expresses hatred towards Mastani for disrupting his mother's marriage.
Kashibai is informed of a treacherous plan to murder Mastani and her son during a festival by Shiva Bhatt, another Brahmin priest. Kashibai reluctantly relays this news to Bajirao, who rescues both of them from certain death. Following the murder of Shiva Bhatt by Krishnaji Bhatt, Bajirao is enraged. For Mastani's safety and to grant her a royal abode, Bajirao builds Mastani Mahal for her. Bajirao, however, is broken hearted due to the betrayal of Radhabai and Chiman Appa, when Pant informs him that he must defeat Nasir, the vengeful son of the Nizam. Bajirao proclaims that even if he loves Mastani, his life and allegiance is always to his cause, so he decides to enter the battlefield. Here, before leaving for the battlefield, Bajirao meets Kashi, as tradition held the wife sending off the husband into battle, who reveals to him that he has broken her heart and compares their love with that of Krishna and Rukmini. She, heart broken, orders him never to enter her chamber again; which Bajirao accepts teary eyed and leaves.
After Bajirao leaves for battle, Radhabai and Nana Saheb imprison Mastani and Shamsher Bahadur.
After Bajirao receives news of this treachery, he single-handedly defeats Nasir's army in his rage, but later collapses from his injuries. At his deathbed, Kashi pleads with Radhabai to release Mastani so that Bajirao can recover, but her attempt is futile as Balaji Baji Rao burns the letter and refuses to release Mastani. Bajirao, delirious due to his sickness, dies from the trauma of his hallucinations, just as Mastani passes away in captivity. The two fated lovers are shown to be united in death. | romantic | train | wikipedia | Its A Well-Made, Well-Acted Motion-Picture, that holds your attention at most times.'Bajirao Mastani' narrates the story of the Maratha warrior Peshwa Bajirao I of the Maratha Empire (Ranveer Singh) and his second wife Mastani (Deepika Padukone).
Priyanka acting was superb Bajirao Mastani a watch movie.
Ranveer acting was great direction and music was superb Deepika looking beautiful location screen great a must watch a movie for everyone in your life everything is great go watch...
The Story, Overview and Music: Sanjay Leela Bhansali is back with his 12 years old dream he nurtured like a baby titled as 'Bajirao Mastani', which is Bollywood's magnum opus and a reply to Tollywood's Bahubaali.
Deepika is marvelous, Priyanka is excellent and ranveer singh is extraordinary.The song Deewani Mastani itself is a paisa vasool for the quality moviegoers.The war scenes are of world class and may remind you of any good war movies.
An epic film that leaves you wanting for more.Realism as a word and theme remains obsolete in the exquisitely crafted world of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's fantasies.Visuals are elephantine.his characteristic style narrates his version of the story in a Mughal-e-azamesque scale of grandiosity, replete with breathtakingly beautiful sets (by Bhansali, Sujit Sriram and Saloni) elaborate and well thought of costumes and accessories (by Anju Modi) and dreamy cinematography.
Deepika Padukone,Ranveer Singh and PC are going to win a lot of awards this season.Bhansali's direction is crisp and boy ,those sets were awesome.Your eyes will be glued to the screen till the movie ends and you will wish that movie never ends.Such beauty!!!
This is a wondrous saga...very much needed to revive the image created by "Ram Leela" which to me was an epic fail for all; writer, director and actors.....While booking the tickets, I thought there is much similarity between the "Ram Leela" and "Bajirao Mastani"...the lead characters, the historical plots and even the names of movies...Ram-Bajirao-Ranveer and Leela-Mastani-Deepika....
and hence, I went with the outlook of this one being an epic fail as well...but it turned out to be completely opposite....Sanjay Leela Bansali has, i would say, re-earned his name by working with same actors to create a marvel.....an epic love story after Devdas..I would like to adorn Bajirao Mastani with all the adjectives possible...
perfect plot, perfect casting, impeccable direction, splendid screenplay with awesome dialogs awesomely delivered, super graphics and super duper acting by Ranveer, Deepika and Priyanka....Being a fan of romantic movies, I am left with another love story to savor...this is going to be on my favorite list from now on....And of course, I love you Deepika......
Belonging to such a strong and non-entertaining genre , it did entertained us and I will highly recommend you to watch this .Some may have rated it down (Fan wars or something) but believe me , it will show a spike and gradually may end up around 8 or something .Deserves your bucks and after watching it , you will for sure oblige Bhansali Sir to the magic he brought back that was missing from Bollywood for the past few years .Story 9/10 Songs 9/10 Dialogues 10/10 Acting 9/10 Direction 10/10Overall 9/10.
An excellent SLB signature movie with Ranveer, Deepika n Priyanka at their best.
What an amazing movie from SLB once again with beauuuuutiful sets, clothes, music and characters and an amazing story based on true facts, which current Indian cinema is lacking a lot.
Nice costumes, great cinematography and good music, lyrics and direction of the movie.
Ranveer Singh: A; Priyanka Chopra: A; Deepika Padukone: B+; Overall, a great movie to watch.
Another historical tale, a visually authentic one after 'Jodha Akbar'.Top class performances by all actors - Ranveer outclasses as Bajirao with his awesome acting, 10/10 marathi accent and accurate mannerisms.Priyanka is awesomely graceful and exhibits perfectly, insecurities and mixed emotions of Kashibai.Deepika aka Mastani looks breathtakingly beautiful in each frame and gives yet another class act after TamashaWar scenes have been shot well and look authenticCinematography is classic and matches the grandeur of a SLB filmMusic is more marathi folk style.
The film narrates the story of the Maratha warrior Peshwa (Prime Minister) Bajirao I of the Maratha Empire and his second wife Mastani..
Seriously, I was expecting more from Deepika Padukone in Bajirao Mastani since she is one of the eponymous character in this movie and she can be called this generation's female Bollywood superstar no doubt after her brilliant outing in Piku and Tamasha.
The acting of Ranveer Singh as Baji Rao, Deepika Padukone as Mastani and Priyanka Chopra as Kashibai, Bajirao's first wife were exceptional.
The music was melodious with at least three very good songs.What could have made the movie even better were that the war scenes could have been filmed better.
Bajirao Mastani is a good film with fantastic plot, good direction, great supporting cast and tightly edited.
Ranveer Singh has given his best , what i felt.Priyanka Chopra acting will make you think ,make you cry.Deepika Padukone is beautiful in the movie,not so great acted.But The dying scene of Ranveer Singh,you can imagine that how a humane being feel during death.The Deewani song is simply superb.The music is like the blood of the movie and flowing all around the nerves of the scenes.Themovie is bit boring in the first 20 minutes.It started showing charismatic after Deepika is meeting Ranveer.Each and every bit of movie is exceptional.The classical music will take you to a Darbar..
Bajirao Mastani is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and stars Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Priyanka Chopra.
The story follows Peshwa Bajirao (Singh), who is already married to Kashi (Chopra) but falls in love with Mastani (Padukone).
As I was watching, it felt a lot like Ram Leela, also directed by Bhansali and starring Singh and Padukone, but it is so much better.Singh, Padukone, and Chopra give such convincing performances throughout the movie.
what an amazing movie 10/10 for cinematography amazing poetry Amazing dialogues Amazing Acting by Ranveer - Mind Blowing Amazing Acting by Priyanka & deepika Amazing Dance Amazing Music Amazing Direction Amazing Everything - Plz go ahead & watch it Bajirao Ballal (Balaji) Bhat (Marathi: श्रीमंत बाजीराव बल्लाळ (बाळाजी) भट) (18 August 1700 – 28 April 1740), also known as Bajirao I, was a noted general who served as the Maratha Peshwa (Prime Minister) to the fifth Chhatrapati (Emperor) Chhatrapati Shahu Raje Bhosle of the Maratha Empire from 1720 until Bajirao's death.[3] He is also known as Thorale (Marathi for Elder) Bajirao.
Bajirao Mastani is an epic love saga of a warrior.It is opulent and can compete with Hollywood movies with it's grand sets and attention to detail.
The comparison to Hollywood films doesn't stop with the richness of the sets or the dresses but continues with the storytelling.SLB has done an amazing job as the captain of the ship.His movies usually tend to for the lack of a better word bore you in the middle however bajirao is an exception.There is never a dull moment.It is a beautiful poetry in motion which will captivate any cine lovers.SLB has been able to extract the best out of all the cast members.He struck gold with Ranveer.
Bajirao Mastani (2015) Review: Here comes Sanjay Leela Bhansali (a.k.a SLB shortly) with a historical romantic drama that is visually enchanting, musically outstanding and has art works that boasts grandeur, dialogues that speaks authenticity, artists who are competing each other in acting excellence what not frames that is etched or what to say hand crafted by SLB.
Historical drama movies can easily get connected with the viewers because of its pre known facts about the events and personalities, the excitement to watch those characters on screen rise the curiosity among the viewers, if any director planning to make a movie with much vibrant colors, extravagant sets and wonderful music, dance then obviously the storyline with historical touch would be the good selection, Sanjay Leela Bhansali well known for his colorful movie presentation and lavish sets is back again with his typical film making style, ''Bajirao Mastani'' is the mirror held to this 'art' director's work."Bajirao Mastani'' narrates the story of a Maratha warrior and covers his act of valor and bravery in a soon start and focuses much on Bajirao and Mastani's relationship and the remaining plot revolves around the further building situations, Ranveer Singh with his carrier defining performance bewitches the viewers and gave a try in getting into a new form from his typical image, but he never missed in enchanting his typical charm in even such historical role, Deepika looks amazing and gave her wonderful act as Mastani, she provides full justice to her role, whether it might be in showing off soft side and affectionate part of the role or getting into the rhythm of actions and fights, she has given her best, Priyanka seems much convincing as Kashibhai, as it was much challenging and quite tricky role, she is to be appreciated for her tremendous acting.Mr. Director Bhasali with his grandeur story narration bought another beautiful work on screen, every frame is a piece of art and a grand viewing treat to the audience, it might be the scene of showing Peshwa's glory in wars or presenting the emotions through dance and music he does it wonderfully, importance were given to each and every peculiar aspects in the frame, music are very good and syncs so perfectly with every frames, cinematography by Sudeep Chatterji is marvelous, dialogues and the character presentation on screen are honorable points of this colorful art..
Bajirao Mastani (2015)Bajirao Mastani Directed and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali stars in the lead Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra in the lead.The movie was a dream project by Bhansali and have been delayed for several years and with several reasons The story was made keeping in mind Salman & Aishwarya in the lead but got never implemented.This is one of the finest and the most ambitious movie by Bhansali.
The second half would be a little bored but you can suffice with great acting skills of Ranveer.Forget other bollywood clichéd movies and see a real piece of cinema where we can feel proud to our Industry and make them proud by praising it.
Amazing music, brilliant camera work, beautiful art direction and costumes are the main attractions.Everything gorgeous, dramatic heartfelt, poetic real...An epic film that leaves you wanting for more in second half...Large parts of the first half of Bajirao Mastani appear to serve only one purpose, setting the stage for a explosive second half.
All the music was awesome especially "Deewani Mastani" and "Mohe Rang Do Laal", and Priyanka nailed her role as Kashibai while Deepika as Mastani was satisfactory, although Deepika's dance was really good, made me remind of Devdas, which was also directed by Bhansali.
Well I chose this movie over Dilwale cause I found it sensible to watch a beautiful love story(Or so I thought) over senseless Rohit Shetty's hoopla(Which I am pretty sure of).But I was also a little pessimist as this was a Bhansali movie and my last hook up with Bhansali's Sawariya was a very bitter experience.So keeping that thought aside I went ahead to watch this movie.Well visually it is brilliant.No comments on it.But the emotion between Bajirao and Mastani was not bang on.I never felt they loved each other to the end of the world,and this was the biggest let down.Bhansali failed to get the basic essence right-LOVE.It never struck a chord.Priyanka on the other hand was much more effective and I could feel the emotions attached with her rather than Bajirao and Mastani.Well it is not a bad movie whatsoever, neither it is a good one.But surely I don't regret choosing it over Dilwalae.Well however the climax was really funny.I don't know what Bhansali was trying to portray,it was senseless by the way.Well I think at least it has reaffirmed my belief of not watching any Bhansali movie henceforth..
I had gone to watch the movie with high expectations as I am a fan of Sanjay Leela BhansalI and had loved all of his previous works, except Sawwariya.
I will give kudos for his trying to do his best but I really thing Hrithik Roshan would have been a much better casting for the role of Bajirao.The movie is a must watch on the big screen especially if you like period dramas and a fan of SLB's style of movies.
Mind blowing film by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, with alluring sets,locations, music, dialog's, acting, Screenplay, intense love , beautiful love story...all of it it is magnificent.
Every cast give 100%...specially #Ranveer's as warrior his body, actions attitude #Priyanka's expressions of love, jealousy...anger & #Deepika's beauty & chemistry between all three of them is amazing...all capture's heart of a viewer and their acting will we remembered until the end of their careers.The music is pure and quite amazing.
Complete gratification to the expectations.A perfect treat for classical-musical-epic-movie lovers from the Indian Shakespeare Sanjay Leela Bhansali.What impressed:Dialogues: Prakash Kapadia way to go!!
Very skilfully and beautifully she has shown the positives and negatives in one character.Anju Modi has loaded Ranveer Deepika and Priyanka with the most extraordinary costumes.Mr. Bhansali handles Bajirao's arrogance, Mastani's obsession for Bajirao and Kashi's dignity most sympathetically.
Deepika looks awesomely beautiful, Priyanka has shown that she deserves to be rated as the all time great actresses of Bollywood and Ranveer has won everyone's heart.
A film which deserves to be seen only on the big screen because of the spectacular sets, the breathtaking cinematography, beautiful colorful costumes, sheer grandeur exhibited and the fantastic performances from the lead actors.
To sum it all up- BM is a labor of love...everyone has put in their heart and soul in this film which is evident while you see it...Go and watch on the big screen and experience one of the best movies of this year!
Music, songs, costumes, background score and performances are just right with perfection at each step.At some points I found drama over-powering reality but that goes in the course of moving instances one after the other.Performance wise all are good Deepika, Ranveer, Priyanka and Tanvi but what caught my eyes was Priyanka's screen presence and power-packed acting in handful of scenes.She deeply depicted the plight of a loyal wife who suddenly needs to deal with her husband's infidelity in the name of adjustment to make it part and parcel of her life.Deepika was great as an ardent lover and a strong warrior women.Ranveer got the most to do with his one of the best performances portraying an honest army lead who is supposed to be strong at heart but still a person dealing with his love, responsibility and conventional religious beliefs of the time.At 2nd half movie looks to be stretched a bit and could be edited to maintain the pace .Overall, a must watch for all cinema lovers..
Take the premise of two women longing for love of their man (I agree this is a pretty common theme), the ethereal dialogues, the widowed mother who seems to be a thorn in B and M's love saga, the choreographed duet song-dance spectacle with Mastani and Kashibai, the eventual fall into intoxication of Bajirao (there's even a scene with him in water very much like Devdas towards the end), war strategy inspired by Jodhaa Akbar, the mirror hall song reminds me of maar dala and kaahe ched, etc.
Having watched the movie and then reading a quick blurb of the history of these star-crossed lovers it turns out that they were real people and Bajirao really did love Mastani and built a palace for her(like Shahjahan for Mumtaaz) and he really did come at loggerheads with the people of his own faith.
This film is absolutely brilliant - in terms of performances,cinematography,sets and depiction of story.Ranveer Singh has proved again that he is an intense actor in the way he walks the talk of being Bajirao!
I love this film and the reception of the film is open for debate but remember a beautiful gem is only found once and Sanjay Leela-Bhansali will only make a few films in his life and Bajirao Mastani is that silver lining, not only for him but for Bollywood.
I really wanted to like this movie since I liked Bhansali's other work, but the sets and Priyanka are the only good things about Bajirao Mastani.I couldn't help comparing Bajirao Mastani to Devdas which is also opulent, also features a love triangle, and also has a tragic ending.
Bajirao Mastani is must watch movie especially in theaters to have that feel of Bhansali's spectacular screenplay .
Also, they barely age even though the story takes place over 15 years or something?Nevertheless, Bajirao Mastani is a beautiful and touching movie, and I recommend people to watch it..
The music is amazing too.Efforts put in to this movie can be clearly seen.Hats off to Sanjay Leela Bhansali for creating this epic film.
Bajirao Mastani is a 2015 Indian epic historical romance film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who also composed the music of the film.Ranveer Singh as Bajirao was brilliant.He is a good actor and he should choose more roles like this.Deepika was good but I liked Priyanka's acting more.As expected from a Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie,Costumes, sets and cinematography were magnificent.
The DVD of Bajirao Mastani released last week and we watched it last night expecting to be in for a treat after all the awards this film has garnered.45 minutes into the movie and I was wondering what all the hype was about!The story is weak and picks up only after the interval.
Both Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh sizzled in Bhansali's Ram Leela but there was nothing exceptional about their acting in Bajirao Mastani.
Bajirao Mastani is the best ever movie in 2015.
Everything about this movie is Epic – the settings, visuals, screenplay, music, choreography, dialogs, acting, story and the direction! |
tt1183946 | The Stoneman Murders | The serial killer dubbed 'Stoneman' ,'pattharmaar' by the media has just claimed his fifth victim and the case is still of little interest to the Bombay police. But to suspended sub-inspector Sanjay Shelar (Kay Kay Menon) (for a custodial death of a gangster) this killer poses an opportunity to recover his job from suspension. Sanjay hopes to track the killer down and thus, possibly find an entry back into the police force. With the secret aid of his patronizing superior AIG Satam (Vikram Gokhale), Sanjay takes up the arduous process of tracking the murderer.He asks help from an aide and his friend Kamble (Virendra Saxena) who tells him that his wife has ran away. The official police investigator of the case, Kedar Phadke (Arbaaz Khan), clashes incessantly with Sanjay. They, separately, delve deeper into the case. Sanjay is determined to find the stone-man. He takes the help of his informer Ghanshu(Ashraful haque).The stoneman is shown to be killing poor people sleeping on streets(Beggars,workers,sweepers etc.). All the people on the streets think the killer is a midnight taxi driver Mohammed. His wife Manali (Rukhsar) is upset with him and thinks that he is having an affair. One night someone throws a stone into Sanjay's house through a window. Manali thinks it to be the mischief of boys of the locality; Sanjay feels it is the stone-man. Another night the stone-man tries to kill a beggar sleeping on the roadside but is saved by Kedar and some patrolling policemen. Sanjay and his car is spotted by Kedar. Sanjay finds that his investigation house has been visited by the stone-man as he sees vermilion spread everywhere in the room.
Sanjay contemplates a possible danger to his wife and asks her to leave for her village. He rushes to the station to get her rail ticket where he encounters the stone-man. Before he can catch him, Kedar shoots him in the thigh, thinking him to be the killer. Sanjay escapes and the incident brings him closer to his wife. He suspects the killer to be a policeman who is a tribal performing an impotency ritual and asks his trusted cop Kamble (Virendra Saxena) to tell this to AIG Satam along with evidence.In the climax it is shown that Mohammed was a man deployed by Kedar and Kamble turns out to be the killer stone-man when Sanjay asks tells him the stoneman wears shoes similar to police officers of crime unit and is a tribal.Kamble attacks Sanjay with a stone about to commit his ninth and last murder,but both are saved by the police(Kedar and associates). In a trap laid by the police in the hospital, when Kamble sneaks in to kill Sanjay, he is nabbed and the matter is closed. Satam does not want the case to be revealed to the public and the media and wants it to be hushed up since it involved a cop from his own team. Kamble is shot in an encounter dead and buried in the jungle by Sanjay on the order of Satam. In the end it is shown that in Kamble's village, a covered man with a voice similar to Satam is performing a ritual and asks a person to give him nine offerings of humans and this time to kill people in Calcutta.The story ends with showing killings in bombay and calcutta in 1983 and 1987 serial killing in credits. Sanjay is shown to be old in the present day settled with his wife and daughter. | suspenseful | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0104265 | Final Analysis | Isaac Barr (Richard Gere) is a top-notch, San Francisco-based Freudian psychiatrist, who has Diana Baylor (Uma Thurman) on the patient's couch. He is treating her for frightening and horrific childhood memories, which include images of her drunken father and his death in a fire for which she wasn't blamed.
One night, Heather Evans (Kim Basinger) enters Barr's office and says that she is Diana's sister. She asks Barr for information about her sister's case. It is implied, as part of the treatment, that Isaac speak to Heather to find out more about her sister's past experiences and determine if she might provide information that Diana has forgotten.
Not long after, Heather seduces Isaac, and a steamy affair follows. However, there is a problem—Heather is married to Jimmy Evans (Eric Roberts), a violent and wealthy Greek gangster. She also has a way of embarrassing Jimmy in public by taking a sip of wine and then flipping into an attack of "pathological intoxication", which can end with the restaurant in shambles.
It turns out that Heather is trying to involve unsuspecting Isaac in a plan to murder Jimmy and collect a $4 million double indemnity life insurance policy on him. She is also using Diana as bait and wants Isaac framed for the murder. | murder | train | wikipedia | Now this fella in all his psychotherapeutic wisdom acts like a 5 year old and takes this film literally and passes judgment on Gere's character's psychiatric practices.
And then you have the main trio, Richard Gere and Kim Basinger in their prime, and Uma Thurman in one of her budding roles.
She plays a very complex character here and there's not a single scene where she's not mesmerizing...An all too brief nod -for no other reason than brevity for this review- to Uma and the rest of the cast, I ll just say that the scenes with Uma on the couch have such a suspenseful and seductive mood, the way she phrases her dream and looks at the shrink, Uma another natural talent.I also really liked the directing here but the 1000 word limit calls.
It's a pity this film doesn't get a higher rating on IMDb. Richard Gere, Kim Basinger and Uma Thurman do a good job too.
The two leads, Gere and Basinger, do a solid but routine job in their roles; it's the secondary characters who give this film a life of its own: Eric Roberts (an outstanding performance) as the edgy husband, Uma Thurman as the patient (whose character is the only one who remains an enigma right to the end), the detective who keeps making insinuations, Gere's colleague who gets panicky when he has to testify, etc.
This film, if analyzed visually is quite interesting, and the addition of a distinguished Richard Gere and still- beautiful Kim Basinger doesn't hurt, either.The sets are reminiscent of Hitchcock's "Vertigo"; there is even a scene with violets, right out of Freudian analysis, which Gere translates for his unsuspecting patient.Uma Thurman is Basinger's younger sister, there is a murder accusation, Eric Roberts as the abusive husband, ends up being murdered.
For some reason Basinger is better in under-stated roles, and Richard Gere transcends the material, and is interesting to watch.
Gere looks a bit ill-at-ease, but Basinger and Uma Thurman are both very good.
This is a wonderful thriller about a psychiatrist (Richard Gere) that begins an affair with the sister (Kim Basinger) of one of his patients (Uma Thurman).
It might help to explain points of my review by giving some background information.I am a counseling psychologist and psychotherapist,with 20 years experience.Watching this film initially,in February 1992,almost contributed to a heart attack.Whoever did the screenplay to this atrocity hadn't the faintest idea of what constitutes appropriate clinical practice.Dr.Isaac Barr muffs the handling of this case from the onset.One wonders as to how he got through his psychiatric residency,let alone his training analysis,supervised cases,and what was going on in his personal analysis at this time?The pathological antics indulged in in this film would cause anybody else to get into serious trouble BIGTIME with the local psychoananlytic association,the American Psychoanalytic,the American Psychiatric,the AMA,and the State Board of Medicine.People have had licenses suspended for less.Where do we begin the critique?Let's start.A woman enters into Barr's office one night,claims to be a client's sister,and starts pumping Barr for information.He complies with her request.Now wait a darn minute-if I came into the office,claimed that I was the sister(I am 48 years old and have a full beard),would he give me the same courtesy?I seriously doubt it.You never release ANY information without having the client sign a specific release of information,with details as to who the data is going to.Barr could get sued out the wazoo for a stunt like this-and he'd deserve it.Then he and Heather go out to have coffee and discuss the case.You NEVER engage in professional activities outside of the work setting-your malpractice insurance won't cover it,and if something should go awry,won't assume any financial liabilities.Then,Barr and Heather end up making love-but it isn't love.This is not a relationship between equals,it's countertransference getting out of hand.She's extremely vulnerable emotionally(not really,but you're led to think that she is)and it is Barr's responsibility not to exploit a needy person.The onus is on the therapist to respect the boundaries.Barr is acting on his pathologically needy state,rather than reflecting as to what is going on.Dr. Lowenthal,upon being made aware of this situation,should have insisted that Barr re-enter therapy at once,and establish a supervisory relationship pronto.Noncompliance would involve informing the authorities.The Freudian psychoanalysts are very careful about not contaminating a therapeutic relationship,and this involve getting involved with family members of their patients.Barr should have refused to have anything to do with Heather AT ONCE.I wonder if the screenplay writers wanted to do a hatchet job on the psychiatric profession..
Richard Gere,(Isaac Barr)," Shall We Dance",'04, was a doctor who was treating sexy Uma Thurman,(Diane Baylor),"Chelsea Walls",'01, who was beginning to fall in love with Isaac until he meets Kim Basinger,(Heather Evans),"Cellular",'04.
Now, in conclusion, I highly recommend this excellent, sexy, edge-of-your seat romantic thriller to any Richard Gere or Kim Basinger fan who hasn't seen it.
Time and again, I was completely bowled over by the plot developments - and the climax is frankly better than any I can think of in any Hitchcock movie outside of The Man Who Knew Too Much.I just loved it.
I liked the development of this movie because it all starts very slowly but then you see how perfectly Kim Basinger has planed her murder.
Beside Eric Roberts, who is always good as bad guy, all other actors are just acting it through (Gere was awful, Basinger funny when she tried to be bad and Thurman had nothing to act).
I wondered what he meant by that - until I watched it.Hitchcockian in style and presentation, "Final Analysis" is the story of Dr. Isaac Barr (Richard Gere), a psychiatrist who ill-advisedly falls for the married sister, Heather (Kim Basinger), of one of his patients, Diane (Uma Thurman).
Isaac does everything within his power to exonerate her, but the more he learns behind her family's history and about her, the more he wishes he didn't - leading to the film's revealing climax.I felt this was one of the better psychological thrillers made back in the 90's with good performances, though some of it was over-the-top, but holds well even today.
Gere plays a psychiatrist, and he isn't bad, as is Basinger as the murderess, where I like Thurman's enigmatic and twisted performance more.
This film presents something of a dilemma, on the one hand it is an original, psychologically clever and rather twisted with a rather intriguing climax and on the other it is presented as a typical early 90s generic Hollywoodized Basinger/Gere cliché.
Uma Thurman equally did rather well although with a little more detachment but Richard Gere seemed remote and rather emotionless despite all the things that happened to him like he was in a trance the whole way through.Again, the plot, the actual idea is very clever.
Take away the clichés and some of the average made-for-TV male performances, and step back a bit and this is actually quite a good film, Basinger giving one of the performances of her life stepping out of her usual totally innocent and just eye-candy comfort zone and the which sister did what aspect you are left which is rather clever..
Enter the aforementioned patient's bombshell (but un-happily married) sister (Kim Basinger) along with her "Greek Orthodox gangster" husband (Eric Roberts), and let the thinly-veiled intrigue begin!!
right from its opening credits,final analysis takes u to the mystico-glamorous era of those amazing films noirs of the 50's..the breathtaking settings,the glamorous but twisted blonde,the haunting yet chilling score echoing Bernard Hermann's Hitchcock era.the movie has a classy feel to it.sparks fly when Kim basinger makes her appearance,in a red dress a la Grace kelly.uma Thurman is very good in her role,and keeps her enigmatic facade till the end.if u're familiar with Hitchcock's Vertigo,u will find its echoes,similar settings and landmarks of san Francisco serving as background to this solid thriller.i've seen many movies of this genre,i've seen vertigo,obsession,basic instinct,and many more.this movie is UNDERRATED.it's one of the best in its genre!.
Kim Basinger's character was entertaining (and creepy!) but not much to Uma Thurman's except at the very end, that gave me chills!
A deadpan Richard Gere, who plays a psychiatrist, gets involved with the sister(Kim Basinger)of one of his patients(Uma Thurman).
Totally unoriginal, although this is still watchable, thanks to good acting by Basinger, Thurman and Eric Roberts..
However, my wife likes that kind of thing, and for that reason the powers above have endowed some of us men with a dosis of patience, or at least with not having anything else to do at that precise moment; so you clasp her hand and wait earnestly for `The End' and all those credits which, today, most channels cut off, anyway.So there you have it: Gere, Basinger and Thurman, all together, having a bit of fun for their pay-cheques, and millions of obliging cinema-goers and TV-watchers obediently put on their intelligent masks of appreciation and understanding, and take another sip at their beer/Martini/Whisky/Cognac/Champagne/Daiquiri/Tequila/Coca-cola or whatever else there may be at their elbows.
Such cliched piddle, often sounding back to things like `Dallas' or `Falcon Crest', is fodder for the gaping masses, and as Richard Gere struggles with trying to assume feelings totally beyond him, one takes a rather more generous sip, lights another cigarette and stares at a crack in the wall above and to the left of the giant Samsung Tantus Flat Panel Plasma Screen three and a half metres away and which you swear was not there a few days ago the crack, I mean.And as it all flopped its way to a climax, or something like that, and I am still wondering why the over-18s logo, with accompanying orchestral scurries which might have been from Panic in the Tunnel (definitely no qv) or any other of the ilk seeking arbitrarily to increase potential feelings of excitement precisely because neither the story-line nor the acting would excite the imaginitive possibilities of a chimpanzee, I find that all the most minimum ideas in my head have frozen up solid.
San Francisco psychiatrist Dr. Isaac Barr, Richard Gere, gets a surprise visit one afternoon by Diana's older sister Heather Evens, who's such a knockout that it causes Issac to forget his client's, Diana , illness.Heather, very concerned about her kid sister, tells Issac a number of things that Diana kept from him which included the very disturbing fact that she was constantly raped by her father.
The movie then takes a sudden turn with Issac falling in love with Heather and, as if he completely forgot about her disturbed sister, stating to treat her for psychological problems as if she were his patient not his lover!It's during Issac' treatment, and affair, with Heather that he learns that she's married to a top San Francisco mobster named jimmy Evens, Eric Roberts.
Even more sinister Heather is using her sister Diana as bait to do it!Overly complicated psychological thriller that's saved from total ruin by the acting of it's top stars Richard Gere Uma Thruman and the very sexy, and hot as a steam engine, Kim Bassinger.
There's three great scenes in the movie "Final Analysis" that are more then worth the price of admission.****SPOILER**** The first being where Heather is being questioned, with Isaac present, in the mental institution that she's committed.
That scene in itself should have earned Kim Basinger an Academy Award nomination for best actress.There's an even better scene in the movie later on when Heather, changing places with Diana in prison, escapes and tries to get in touch with Det. Higgens, Keith David, in order to give him the murder weapon that she used to kill her husbands with Isaac's fingerprints on it.
Richard Gere is a totally unbelievable analyst, Kim Basinger is firmly ensconced in her paper bag, and only Eric Roberts delivers anything approaching a good performance.
Psychiatrist Dr. Isaac Barr (Richard Gere) is treating Diana Baylor (Uma Thurman).
Basinger, Thurman's sister, approaches Gere to try and shed some light on her sister's condition and the two of them start a relationship.That's just the beginning in a rather elaborate Hitchcockian plot that is for the most part very suspenseful but rather slow moving.
Stylish director Joanou keeps the film very interesting on a visual level, many wonderful eye candy moments.The story, written by Wesley Strick, has a few unexpected twists and turns but is somehow rather predictable, especially for a seasoned thriller and murder mystery fan.
The writers never let realism or credibility get in the way of another plot twist or suspense-wracked set-piece.Richard Gere is on autopilot here and rather bland with it: there's nothing much to like about his boring character, and he's played the same role (of a guy falling head over heels for a pretty girl) so many times that he seems bored.
It's also one of the most visually stunning neo-noirs ever made and in this context, the contributions of art director Dean Tavoularis and cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth are very significant and worthy of high praise.The opening credit sequence immediately makes it clear that "Final Analysis" is influenced both in its style and content by some of the great film noirs of the past (most notably "Vertigo" but also to a lesser extent "Double Indemnity" and "A Place In The Sun") and in common with these types of movies, it contains a typically gullible man, numerous double crosses and characters with unclear motives who may not be all that they seem.Dr Isaac Barr (Richard Gere) is an eminent psychiatrist who regularly acts as an expert defence witness in court cases where the accused pleads insanity in order to avoid a heavy sentence.
Barr is initially reluctant to take up Diana's suggestion but when he subsequently meets her sister, Heather Evans (Kim Basinger), the couple soon become involved in a passionate affair.Heather is unhappily married to a sadistic gangster called Jimmy Evans (Eric Roberts) and also suffers from a condition called "pathological intoxication" which makes her become crazy and violent when she consumes even a very small amount of alcohol.
Dr Barr goes off the rails spectacularly when he gets involved with Heather and breaches the rules of his profession without any apparent concern.Kim Basinger and Uma Thurman are both good as the treacherous and devious sisters and Eric Roberts is especially effective as the vicious and fiercely jealous victim.This glamorous thriller is well written with some very quotable lines and is extremely easy of the eye.
What might have been even more effective with a better script is this dark melodrama which seems to borrow heavily from past psychological melodramas--particularly those films of Hitchcock which rely on such settings as the final showdown between Gere and Basinger.
But Uma Thurman and Eric Roberts deliver what can only be described as "creepy" portraits that linger in the mind after the film ends.
She conveys soft, placid (if overly simple) beauty one minute and psychotic rage the next, rivaling Catherine Zeta-Jones' in "Traffic" in her ability to turn memorably driven, tough, and hard-hearted on a dime.Uma Thurman looks and acts her slight part adequately enough as Basinger's delicate, spaced-out sister, a patient of Richard Gere.
She uses psychiatric data to justify murdering her husband, and if things don't go her way, she can always blame her sister's psychiatrist, played by Gere, who gives a restrained but compelling performance..
It's a bit on the long and slow side, but it's methodically plotted and skillfully directed (the early scenes feel kind of cramped, but Phil Joanou makes good use of the San Francisco locations later on and stages a fairly exciting finale).
Well sadly it still fails to grab me with any urgency and still comes across as a poor mans Hitchcock movie, and one the big man probably would of discarded himself.The story works on a basic thriller level, and some decent sequences are worth the 5/10 rating that I give the film, but the film suffers for drawing out the characters far too long in the first hour, and then killing off the best character on show, I mean sure everyone loves a bad guy but here Eric Roberts villain turn is the shining light, and it leaves such a hole in the film when he departs it never manages to recover.
Deliberately lurid, overwrought, and sleazy, Phil Joanou's "Final Analysis" plays best if you pretend it's a black and white psycho-sexual noir from the 1950s; the kind of pulpy B movie routinely rendered classy by guys like Fritz Lang or Alfred Hitchcock ("Rebecca", "Vertigo", "Notorious" etc).Joanou's no Hitchcock, of course, but his compositions are brilliant in the way they emphasize clean lines and geometric shapes, and the film's cinematography, by the legendary Jordan Cronenweth (Blade Runner), is also very special."Final Analysis'" plot is standard of the genre - Richard Gere plays a poor schmuck who may or may not be at the mercy of two sisters (Uma Thurman and Kim Basinger) who may or may not be femme fatales – but the film is aiming for familiarity.
You would think that with all the people in Hollywood who have undergone psychoanalysis, they would be able to depict a more believable shrink than the one in this film - Isaac Barr, played by Richard Gere.
Another downside of the film is the dirty language, which just does not go with the Hitchcockian territory we're in; this criticism also applies to an unpleasant sex scene between Kim Basinger's Heather Evans and her husband played by Eric Roberts.
Personally, I am inclined to be less harsh about the acting performances of Gere, Basinger and Uma Thurman than some of the other comments posted on IMDb. In the absence of effective lines and scenes, few actors can create convincing characters.
In this film I felt like we oughta check her pulse to make sure she's still alive.Even Richard Gere here seems less than totally involved.
Gere decides to consult Thurman's sister -- Kim Basinger -- who is crazy as batshite. |
tt0040066 | A-Lad-in His Lamp | Bugs finds Aladdin's lamp while digging a rabbit hole; believing it was junk, he starts to clean it so he could use it for an ashtray, and a genie appears and tells him to make a wish. Calling him "Smokey", Bugs reluctantly starts to make multiple wishes, only to be interrupted by the genie each time; Bugs ultimately requests two carrots, which the genie produces. Smokey remarks that he wants to return to his home in Baghdad and Bugs, imagining how fabulous it must be, wishes he could go to Baghdad. Smokey then puts him in the lamp and fires him it like a cannon, as the two fly off to Baghdad, with Bugs flying like an airplane ("Hey, look fellas, I'm a 'hare-plane'!"). Before they arrive in Baghdad, the aerial view depicts two bodies of water named Veronica Lake and Turhan Bay; when in the city, the view includes places such as "The Brown Turban", the Temple Bell telephone company with a sign for Persian to Persian calls, and Mad Man Hassan's used magic carpet lot.
Bugs and the Genie in the lamp arrive in Baghdad, but Bugs' flying in the air sputters and conks out and Bugs and the lamp fall into the Royal Palace of Caliph Hassen Pfeffer (built on a GI Loan), first angering the Caliph, who then wants the lamp. When Bugs refuses ("Eh, correction, doc. Bugs Bunny's lamp!"), the Caliph threatens Bugs at swordpoint ("Just a minute, doc. Let's not start splitting hares!"); after Bugs escapes the sword, a chase starts. When Bugs hides behind a door and ladies shriek, forcing him out of that room, Bugs points out it is a harem ("Er, uh, a 'hare-um', I think."), which encourages Smokey to pop out and take a peek himself ("Oh, that was a harem, alright! I know a harem when I see one!")
Bugs' attempts to get the lazy genie's help fail: successive attempts find Smokey bathing ("Oh fiddledee-dee-dee! Don't I even get a chance to take a bath? Now, don't bother me!"), eating ("Oh, sweet spirits of camphor! Can't a man get any nourishment around here? Now, go away!"), and beating Bugs with a stick. Bugs quickly tries to escape from the Caliph by taking a magic carpet, rigged with an outboard motor. On the magic carpet, Bugs tries again but interrupts the genie, who is kissing a female genie; her disappearance prompts Smokey to leave, but only after threatening Bugs, "Now you've done it! You've made me simply furious! If you disturb me once more, I'll beat you to a pulp!".
At this moment, the magic carpet runs out of gas, making Bugs crash land back into the palace and the Caliph has the lamp now. When the Caliph tries to get the genie out of the lamp, in spite of Bugs warning him not to, having remembered Smokey's earlier threat if he's disturbed again, ("You'll be SORRY!"), Smokey erupts, larger and angrier than before and beats the Caliph to a pulp. Cheering Bugs on his victory, he grants Bugs a wish as a celebration. He whispers to Smokey, who produces a ball that ends up as a puff of smoke when dropped. The scene concludes showing Bugs as a Caliph himself, surrounded by a harem of female rabbits and wondering "what the poor rabbits are doing this season." | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | One of Bugs' Best.
Robert McKimson is an often overlooked Warner Brothers Cartoon director, but he created some of their funniest hits, such as "Ham in a Role", "A Fractured Leghorn" (easily the best of the Foghorn Leghorn series), "It's Hummer Time", and "Early to Bet".
McKimson's use of Bugs Bunny was sometimes disappointing ("Rabbit's Kin") but he more often used Bugs to good effect.
Instead of the too-clever Bugs who is smarter than anyone else in the room, McKimson's Bugs got into real jams.
"Hillbilly Hare" (where Bugs finds himself caught in the midst of a feud); "Hot Cross Bunny", where a doctor tries to change Bugs' brain with that of a chicken; and "Easter Yeggs", where Bugs is conned by his good heart to help out the Easter Bunny, are three of Bugs' greatest hits.
Another McKimson gem is "A-Lad-in-His-Lamp", where Bugs Bunny happens across the famous lamp of Aladdin and finds himself caught between a ruthless potentate who wants the lamp (an early Saddam) and an increasingly unhelpful genie.
Another plus to this nearly-perfect cartoon with non-stop action and laughs is Jim Backus doing an uncredited turn as the voice of the genie..
Mr. Howell years before he met Jeannie.
Before Jim Backus voiced Mr. Magoo or played Thurston Howell III, he provided his voice to Robert McKimson's Bugs Bunny cartoon "A-Lad-in His Lamp", in which Bugs finds Aladdin's lamp and releases the genie (Backus).
They both return to Baghdad, where evil Hassan Pfeffer - living in a palace built by GI loans - wants the lamp and will stop at nothing to get it.
And it turns out that the genie isn't so eager to help Bugs.Obviously, it's a little harder to laugh at this cartoon given everything that's happened in the real Baghdad (and the rest of Iraq) during the past few years.
But the cartoon itself is sure a hoot.
It just goes to show that, contrary to his detractors, Robert McKimson did in fact turn out some good work as a director.
I recommend it, and I wouldn't mind getting what Bugs gets at the end.Veronica Lake, Turhan Bay, and Persian-to-Persian.
PS: Jim Backus later guest-starred on an episode of "I Dream of Jeannie"..
Bugs Bunny in Baghdad.
Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.'A-Lad-in His Lamp' from personal opinion, and quite a few others it seems, is one of the best cartoons from Robert McKimson during a period where he had not just hit his stride but also was in his prime.
A director who isn't one of the greats in animation but was responsible for his fair share of good to classic cartoons (though he was not immune to average and less ones), meaning that he is deserving of more credit than he gets.
Bugs is true to his very likeable, witty and hilarious persona that he is most famous for, while being just as much at home in a serious dangerous situation that he is here.
The genie, wonderfully voiced by Jim Backus, is a riot, and while the villain is a less than subtle archetype he is great fun and a suitable threat.
Mel Blanc as always is stellar in the usual multiple roles, that he shows the masterly and unequalled ability to give individuality to each of them.Animation is excellent, it's fluid in movement, vibrant in colour and very meticulous in detail.
The story may be predictable, but it's beautifully paced with never a dull moment and strongly structured.
Carl Stalling's music is typically superb.
It is as always lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.It's a very funny, often hilarious actually, cartoon too, with well-engineered gags, a great premise made the most out of and done inventively, witty dialogue and non-stop liveliness.Overall, a McKimson and Bugs classic.
10/10 Bethany Cox. Smokey the genie.
Lackluster, I disagree.
Jim Backus' genie did steal the show from Bugs in this one.
It did have the required caricature of the Caliph and the Genie.
Remember the 40's, PC was not heard of then.Too bad joke are no longer seen as jokes.
As far as the portrayal of Iraqis, Iraq wasn't a country during this make believe era.
Smokey had the best lines, "3 cheers and a tiger for me".Bugs correcting the caliph with, "bugs bunny's lamp".
True wise guy Bugs Bunny.
Who can resist those lines, and the standard, 'be-whoop" sound of the Warner Bros.
I have them as .wav files for mail delivery and just fun.
Smokey bathing in the lamp and romancing the harem girls were great scenes and Bugs and Smokey played off each other rather well.
My all time favorite Bugs Bunny cartoon.
Beats the later 70's and 80's Bugs hands down.
Some of the great Mr. Backus' finest work.
I think this cartoon also stands the test of time.
I've tested it on my kids, all born in the 90's and they loved it and couldn't believe it's almost 60 years old..
Beware of Bunnies bearing puns.
This lackluster Bugs Bunny vehicle is most notable for being the first (uncredited) appearance of Jim Backus anywhere, a year before he became the voice of Mr. Magoo.
It certainly was not the first cartoon to have a pun on a-lad-in in it's title.
While building a home (digging a tunnel with a shuffle), Bugs stumbles upon Aladdin's lamp.
`Smoky' the Genie, who seems to have been a great inspiration to Johnny Carson, talks Bugs into visiting his estate in Baghdad and sends him off flying.
He failed to inform Bugs the estate is now owned by the violent Galiph Hassen Pheffer.Is this really the Bugs Bunny we know and love?
Instead of outsmarting everybody else, he spends this cartoon being duped by the genie and delivers some of the worst puns ever (hare-plane, hare-em).
The genie himself is too busy taking a bath or having diner to offer any help, so Bugs has to fend for himself trying to keep the lamp out of Galiph's hands.
The most original jokes are to be found during the establishing shots when we first get to Baghdad.
Apparently this cartoon has come under fire for the depiction of Iraqi, but then again is there any forties Warner effort left that has not offended anybody?4 out of 10.
terrific.
Bugs stumbles upon a magic lamp and finds a somewhat annoying genie, voiced by Jim Backus.
While the genie is able to grant wishes, he's also a bit snippy and after a while tells Bugs to leave him alone OR ELSE--even though through the genie's own ineptitude he's put Bugs into harms way with the dangerous Hasan, who is intent on killing Bugs.
Again and again Bugs tries to get help but the genie tells him to go away (he's taking a shower or on a hot date, etc.).
Finally, after receiving his last warning, Hasan inadvertently bothers the genie--who responds by pulverizing him!
A cute cartoon with very high production values and a lot of laughs..
"Just a minute, Doc, let's not go splitting hares .
Bugs Bunny says to scimitar-wielding Caliph Pheffer, in Warner Bros.' prophetic warning to Saddam Hussein not to mess with the Bushes (aka, shrubs) during this 1948 release from their Animated Shorts Seers division (aka, The Looney Tuners), A-LAD-IN HIS LAMP.
Robin Williams might have said G'Day to Vietnam, but 89% of Millennial Animation experts agree that his performance in Disney's over-rated feature cartoon ALADDIN is totally derived from Jim Backus' "Genii with the light brown hair" here, to the level of extreme (if second-rate) plagiarism.
Of course, the lame-brained folks forming the Pack of the Rat at Disney seldom if ever provide clairvoyant touches with their moving pictures, while Warner Bros.
often if not always can be counted upon to be Warning the World of its upcoming Calamities, Catastrophes, Cataclysms, and Apocalypti.
If a young Saddam Hussein had only seen A-LAD-IN HIS LAMP, surely he'd refrained from harassing the Bushes with a ten-foot pole (or even a Seven-Incher).
But no, he had to insult them at some backyard Texas BBQ in honor of the Bin Laden Family, suffering the penalty of being strung up and Lynched (not to mention getting more than ONE MILLION of his constituents killed, along with 5,000 U.S. troops, at a cost of THREE BILLION BUCKS to America, 10 billion plus to the world economy, and counting, of course)! |
tt2162707 | Rayman Origins | Bubble Dreamer, Rayman, his best friend Globox, and some Teensy friends are chilling out at the Bubble Dreamer's resting grounds, the Snoring Tree. However, their snoring disturbs an old granny from the Land of the Livid Dead, who retaliates by sending an evil army of horrendous creatures and the Darktoons across the world, capturing the Electoons that inhabit the world, imprisoning Betilla the Nymph and her sisters, and plunging the Glade into chaos. As a result, the ensuing disaster causes the Bubble Dreamer to go crazy and have nightmares. Although they are captured, Rayman and his friends are able to escape the Darktoons. They are then tasked by the Magician to gather enough Electoons to cure the Bubble Dreamer and restore the Glade of Dreams. Their efforts to locate the Electoons allow them to gain access to the various lands of the Glade, rescuing the Nymphs along the way.
Eventually, they make their way to a mysterious gate, which can only be opened by rescuing the Glade Kings, who have been turned into monsters as a result of Bubble Dreamer's nightmares. Upon freeing the Glade Kings, the Nymphs are able to open the stargate, granting Rayman access to a hideout in the land of Moody Clouds. There, they discover that their supposed friend, the Magician, is the one responsible for the Moody Clouds. He secretly admires Mr. Dark, the villain of the original Rayman, and has been using the Lums given to him by the heroes to power his diabolical machines. The heroes chase after the Magician and fight against him in his escape airship, sending it crashing into the power source of his hideout. The resulting chain of events causes the hideout to explode, while Rayman and friends free-fall back to the Snoring Tree, where they proceed to resume their relaxation.
If players manage to collect the ten ruby teeth throughout the game, they can gain access to the Land of the Livid Dead, where another monster, a feè de la morte the nymph accidentally transformed by Bubble Dreamer's nightmares, awaits. | psychedelic, fantasy | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0295319 | Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | In Chicago, Illinois, the McCallister family is preparing for a Christmas vacation in Miami. On the night before their departure, the entire family gathers at Peter and Kate's home, where their 10-year-old son Kevin sees Florida as contradictory to Christmas because he thinks there are no Christmas trees in Florida. During the school Christmas pageant, Kevin's older brother Buzz humiliates him during his solo, causing Kevin to retaliate. Refusing to apologize for his actions, Kevin goes up to the third floor of the house. During the night, Peter unknowingly causes the alarm clock to reset; consequently, the family once again oversleeps. In the confusion and rush to reach the airport on time, Kevin boards a flight bound for New York City while trying to replace the batteries for his tape recorder, carrying Peter's bag containing his wallet and a large amount of cash; upon arrival in Miami, Kate realizes that Kevin is missing again. In New York, Kevin tours the city and convinces the staff at the Plaza Hotel into renting him a room using his father's credit card. During a visit to Central Park, Kevin is frightened by the appearance of a homeless woman tending to pigeons.
On Christmas Eve, Kevin tours the city in a limousine and visits a toy store where he meets its philanthropic owner, Mr. Duncan. Kevin learns that the proceeds from the store's Christmas sales will be donated to a children's hospital. Duncan offers Kevin a pair of ceramic turtledoves as a gift, instructing him to give one to another person as a sign of eternal friendship. After encountering Harry and Marv, a pair of burglars who recently escaped from prison and are now called the "Sticky Bandits," Kevin retreats to the Plaza. The hotel's concierge Mr. Hector confronts Kevin about the credit card which has been reported stolen. Kevin flees after evading Mr. Hector, but is captured by Harry and Marv. The duo discuss plans for breaking into the toy store that night, before Kevin escapes.
Kevin's family travels to New York after tracking the whereabouts of the stolen credit card and Kate searches the city for Kevin. Meanwhile, Kevin goes to his uncle Rob's townhouse only to find the house vacant and undergoing renovations while Rob and his family are in Paris. In Central Park, he encounters and befriends the pigeon lady. At Carnegie Hall, the pair watch an orchestra perform "O Come, All ye Faithful." The pigeon lady explains how her life collapsed and how she dealt with it by taking care of the pigeons in the park. Kevin gives the pigeon lady some advice and promises that he will be her friend.
Kevin, after remembering what the bandits said, returns to the townhouse and rigs it with numerous booby traps. Kevin arrives at the toy store during Harry and Marv's robbery, throws a brick through the window, setting off the store's alarm. Kevin then lures the duo to the townhouse, where he springs the traps and Harry and Marv suffer various injuries. When the duo chase Kevin around the townhouse, he escapes and calls the police. Harry and Marv catch him take him down to Central Park to kill him, but the pigeon lady sneaks in and incapacitates the duo with her birdseed before they can do anything, and Kevin sets off fireworks he had bought earlier to signal the police. The police arrive and arrest Harry and Marv. At the toy store, Mr. Duncan finds a note from Kevin attached to the brick explaining his actions.
Kate remembers Kevin's fondness for Christmas trees. After observing Kevin making a wish at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Kate meets him there and they reconcile. On Christmas Day, a truckload of gifts arrive at the McCallisters' hotel room from the toy store. Kevin and Buzz reconcile and Buzz allows him to open up the first present. Kevin goes to Central Park to give the pigeon lady the second turtledove. At the Plaza, Buzz receives the bill for Kevin's stay from Cedric and shows it to Peter. Peter suddenly calls out, "Kevin, you spent $967 on room service?!" at which point Kevin runs off. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1464580 | Stake Land | When a pandemic of vampirism strikes, humans find themselves on the run from vicious, feral beasts. Large cities are left as tombs and survivors cling together in rural pockets, fearing nightfall. When his family is slaughtered, young Martin (Paolo) is taken under the wing of a grizzled, wayward vampire hunter, called Mister (Damici).
Mister takes Martin on a journey through the locked-down towns of America's heartland, searching for a better place in the famed 'New Eden', up north, while taking down any bloodsuckers that cross their path. Along the way, they are joined by fellow travellers, the first being a nun known only as Sister (McGillis), whom they rescue from two young rapists whom Mister kills without hesitation. They continue to move north, avoiding major thoroughfares that have been seized by The Brotherhood, a fundamentalist militia headed by such fanatics as Jebedia Loven (Michael Cerveris), who interprets the plague as the Lord's work.
The group is then captured by The Brotherhood and it is revealed that one of the rapists killed by Mister was Loven's son. As punishment, Mister is left at the mercy of a group of vampires, while Sister is taken as a sex slave and Martin will be kept as a forced convert to the Brotherhood. Martin promptly escapes the Brotherhood camp and discovers that Mister has survived the vampire attack and they drive off together, unable to help Sister.
Coming across a survivors' roadhouse, they pick up another traveler, the pregnant Belle (Harris), who hopes to make it to New Eden to have her child. Later, they also pick up Willie (Sean Nelson), a Marine, who is found hiding in a workmen's toilet having been abandoned as vampire bait by The Brotherhood. Willie informs the group that American forces were withdrawn from the Middle East to help contain the outbreak, and that there is no Middle East to fight over anymore. He goes on to say that The Brotherhood was partially responsible for the fall of America, ramming cars filled with vampires through blockades and crashing airplanes filled with vampires into cities. The four decide to go after Jebedia, whom they successfully ambush, then tie to a tree and leave for the vampires.
The group next encounters a survivors' settlement and discover that Sister also escaped. The same night, celebrations are interrupted when The Brotherhood, using helicopters, drops vampires into town, killing many residents. Though invited to stay and help rebuild the settlement, the group decides to move on towards the north again.
Midway, their car breaks down and they have to continue their journey on foot. They manage to avoid dangerous areas for some time but, while sleeping at an abandoned auto junk yard, they are attacked by 'berserkers', the oldest and strongest kind of vampire. They run into a corn field, and Sister diverts the chase away from the others, then shoots herself in the head when overrun.
After several days of walking through the wilderness, they take shelter in a broken-down school bus turned camper and notice in the morning that Willie is missing. The three search for him, first finding his blanket then finding Willie killed and strung up in a tree. Mister notes he has never encountered a thinking vampire before and warns the others to stay alert. Despite their best efforts, Belle is taken from their campsite during the night and Mister and Martin find her in an abandoned silo the following day, wrapped in barbed wire and bitten. Jebedia Loven, now a thinking vampire thanks to having given himself willingly to the vampires that attacked him, reveals himself and attacks Martin and then Mister. Martin manages to impale Jebedia, and an injured Mister is successful in finishing him off. Martin mercy kills the dying Belle, saving her from becoming a vampire.
The duo then heads north again, acquiring a pickup truck, and they meet Peggy, who lives alone in an abandoned restaurant and who picks off approaching vampires using a crossbow. Martin and Peggy have an instant connection, and Martin easily attacks and kills a vamp outside the restaurant that night, with Mister covertly looking on. The next day, Mister is gone and Martin finds his mentor's skull pendant hanging from the truck's mirror. He and Peggy head off by themselves, finally arriving at the border to Canada, or the New Eden for which they were searching. | horror, violence, action, atmospheric | train | wikipedia | If you enjoyed The Road you will love this as it makes you think, you find yourself putting yourself in the characters shoes and there are lots of subtle things in the movie where actions not words set the scene.
Synopsis: Orphaned Martin is taken under the wing of bad-ass Mister as they travel across vampire-ravaged America in search of the refuge known as 'New Eden'.Aside from the fairly frequent jumps, scares and gore, Stake Land feels surprisingly subdued for a recent horror film.
With fairly few jumps or scenes that are likely to scare a grizzled horror fan, Stake Land is easier to recommend for its realistic world-building, mournful soundtrack and interesting, well-drawn characters.Opening with Martin's voice-over as he introduces himself and his traveling companion, the enigmatic father figure and teacher, Mister, the film quickly flashes back to a vicious encounter between Martins family and the horrific vampires.
It's particularly nice to see Danielle Harris still working, even if she has lost some of the spunk of her early appearance as Bruce Willis' daughter way back in The Last Boy Scout.Jim Mickle should be applauded for his direction; the film works very well as a whole, with good performances from the cast, a bleak soundtrack and pacing that could have easily been spoiled by trying to appeal to a bigger audience.
The positioning of the cult of Christian crazies dropping 'bombs' on peaceful communities and their obsession with deliverance and the 'will of God' is the least subtle and most forceful of themes on display and does feel a little OTT in places but the journey of the characters and their encounters with ordinary folk ground the film and make up for its excesses in other areas.Stake Land is a very well made film and can be enjoyed as a simple horror film but also as an experience of a post-apocalyptic society and the highs and lows of living in a world with a drastically reduce population..
These cults are a welcome addition to the film, enhancing the aspect of danger and providing the basis for some of the film's more memorable moments in a standout scene where a supposedly safe town is assaulted from the air.The initially nameless main character - played brilliantly by Connor Paolo (the spitting image of a young Colin Farrel) - has his life turned upside down at the start of the movie, however, we do not get to see how the whole world initially turned upside down, and the cause of the vampire's origins is rarely touched upon.
Whilst the other characters we meet do not have enough time to develop fully, they all play an essential part in the story, and although some scenes could have been far more powerful if the audience were affected by their plight, the suspense was enough to keep me on my edge of the seat throughout.There are few scares to be found in Stakeland but the overall sense of foreboding doom and the generous helpings of violence and gore should please the majority of horror fans.
Anyone with even a passing interest in post-apocalyptic films will definitely take a lot from Stakeland and although it is not quite a genre classic, it will certainly become a cult favourite in a few years time.If you like this, you will love these:The Road, 28 Days Later, Near Dark, The Signal.
Although I will say that I am already a bit dismayed with the whole sub-genre of "Let's get to the last piece of unspoiled humanity by killing our way through zombies/vampires/what have you".I like to think the film is really more about the bond that holds humanity together rather than killing vampires to get to some fabled promised land.
But with that said, i respect there opinions about this movie.I enjoyed this movie, from start to finish i was well entertain, sure it's gloomy, the story is simple, the action was good, and so was the script, there might not have been many words spoken in the movie, but it fits in well to make you feel like immerse in there gloomy Vamp filled world.Everyone in the movie acted well yes, there is no big name actors, and i'm happy about that.
You don't need big name actors to make a good movie.Not sure what other people expected from Stake Land, but i got what i expected, survivors trying to survive, not just trying to survive against vamps, but also against human desperation and cruelness.Decent acting, decent script, great movie, 9 out of 10.
Martin is rescued by the stranger Mister (Nick Damici) and after killing the vampire, they head to the north expecting to reach the New Eden, former Canada.Along their journey through the destroyed country, they rescue and befriend other survivors and have to fight not only against the vampires, but also a dangerous brotherhood of fanatic religious members led by the insane Jebedia Loven (Michael Cerveris).The unknown and melancholic road-movie "Stake Land" is a little gem to be discovered, with a dramatic story of a vampire epidemic in USA.
It is Director Jim Mickle's Steady and Symphonic Hand Here that Makes this an Underrated and Overlooked Horror that has been Drowned in the Deluge of Vampires, Zombies, and Post Apocalyptic Movies.This is Simply...One that's Worth a Watch for Fans of the Genre and those that are Usually Not Willing to Take a Chance Among So Many of These Types that are Out There..
This is no typical genre film, though, as the real story unfolds slowly and deliberately with surprises at every turn.Nick Damici is "Mister," vampire hunter and mentor to orphaned teen Martin (Connor Paolo) as they fight "the vamps" on their trek to New Eden, a monster-free zone where humanity has staked a claim.
Like the best genre films, the soundtrack serves to telegraph only slightly the horrors to come without overpowering the narrative with heavy-handed cues.Most of all, though, Stake Land is a character-driven coming-of-age tale.
"Stake Land" is a film about Martin (played by Connor Paolo) and Mister (Nick Damici), who travel across the nation that has become over run by blood-thirsty vampires, in search of New Eden, a settlement in Canada that promises to be a safe-haven in an apocalyptic country.
Along the way, they meet up with other, equally-like-able characters such as Sister (Kelly McGillis), Belle (Danielle Harris), and Willie (Sean Nelson), as they struggle along as desperation and death surrounds them with false promises of hope and safety.This film was amazing on every level for a horror film, and I would say that the greatest thing going for the movie are the characters.
Instead I was left with a few, quick scenes of montages to try to make the adventure seem plausible and honestly when I saw them I couldn't help but think of, the montage and the song that went along with it in, the movie Team America, it made me chuckle, because it jokingly sums up the events.That brings me to problem two, I just didn't care about any of the characters, they all seemed like "meh" to me, no emotional feeling whatsoever, which is highly unusual to me for these types of post apocalyptic adventure movies.
Stake Land plays out a lot like Zombieland, only minus a sense of humour and with the world over-run by vampires rather than zombies—although come to think of it, with its vampires looking and behaving more like zombies (of the fast variety) than vampires (of the traditional variety), one could reasonably describe Stake Land as simply Zombieland without the comedy.Since it was the skillful fusion of horror and laughs that elevated Zombieland above similar fare and made it such a distinctive and enjoyable experience in the first place, it's not surprising to find that the po-faced Stakeland is something of a disappointment—an over-familiar, meandering and rather pointless post-apocalyptic vision that ticks off the usual clichés of the genre, but brings absolutely nothing new to the table.Director Jim Mickle creates a palpable sense of hopelessness, death and decay, and with the exception of Danielle Harris, who really should start acting her age, the majority of the cast acquit themselves well enough, but despite these positives, there's nothing to alter the fact that this is dry storytelling at its most predictable (now if I could only recall where I've seen that 'crying baby in the church' trap before...
STAKE LAND from Director Jim Mickle this vampire / zombie horror flick tells the story of an unstoppable vampire / zombie plague epidemic that spreads across America (and I presume the world?)
and our band of gallant survivors have to battle their way through the hoards of zombies through to "New Eden" (Canada) where the plague hasn't yet taken hold
hmmm ...
(28 Days Later, I am Legend, and numerous others)
Within the first two minutes, Martin's family is killed by zombies, and he himself only survives because of the intervention of a mysterious stranger "Mister", a self-styled vampire stalker / executioner
who comes to his aid.Mister and Martin realise that their chances are better together than apart
so they strike up an unlikely partnership
in their quest to get to New Eden.Their journey leads them through remote towns of America's heartland, to other fearful survivors that cling together in rural pockets, fearful of nightfall (when the vampires attack).Cautiously moving ever north, using back roads, avoiding populated areas they pick up rag-tag stragglers along the way, including a nun (Kelly McGillis) who they rescue as she is being attacked by rapists, Belle – a pregnant teenager, Willie – an ex-marine and Peggy the sole survivor of a family that was attacked by the vampires.Another danger they face is the Brethren, a fundamentalist militia headed by Jebedia Loven that interprets the plague as the Lord's work.
Jebedia and his followers consider Mister as a mortal enemy, as one of the rapists Mister killed was Jebedia's son.So much for the summary / pretext of the story, now to the REAL part of the review
this film (which is really being "bigged-up" by a huge advertising campaign is a bitter disappointment
it is a real pile of drivel
Whoever wrote the music score for this film needs shooting
it was totally inconsistent with what action was taking place
the direction, script, casting, acting, editing and photography were truly woeful
There really is nothing positive to recommend this movie The ONLY actor to any semblance of credibility was Michael Cerveris – who played the role of Jebedia Loven the twisted leader of the "Brethren" Everybody else should rapidly remove this movie from their CV's if they would like to work again
STAKE LAND adds nothing new
it's a very poor film, it is not even scary
it went down well in the US (Quelle surprise!)
but that probably says more about American tastes than the quality of the film I expect this film to "bomb" over here
word of mouth will not sell this film ...
no, not at all; pretty standard cinematography style; a couple of nice shots; no great action sequences, or extraordinary panoramic views, I mean it meets the professional level anyone expects from an A-category movie, but just that, nothing surprises you.Vampires are more like Zombies in this one, interesting approach, these ones are not like the invincible vamps from Twiligh-crap or True-Blood/Vampire-Diaries series.
I have just come back from a New York screening where I have had the pleasure to watch 'Stake Land', a movie I would definitely recommend to all those who appreciate movies like 'I am Legend' or even 'Daybreakers'.The movie shows in a very realistic and gritty way what would happen to the US if there was an outbreak of vampirism that turns people into bloodthirsty zombies.
The tale is told through the eyes of Martin (Paolo), a kid who travels north with Mister (Damici), a 'quiet, strong' vampire hunter, after his family has been killed by vampires.This coming of age journey, complete with many other subplots, is the excuse to tell the story of a country that seems to have lost its identity and its trying to mend the pieces of what it used to be.I had the feeling that the scenes were all meaningful and the story arcs (albeit sometimes just sketched or stereotypical) all ended satisfactorily.
One exception though is a girl who's just been turned vampire, that scene is pretty good.As a survivalist road trip movie, Stake Land is better though.
This Is one of the best Movies of It's genre I've ever seen and makes a refreshing difference from the 'usual' Zombie-based films,particularly as we don't have half of the film 'wasted' by showing us how It all began - the young lad(Martin) fills us In on the details In voice-overs as the story progresses.Nick Damici Is an actor who I'll certainly be looking out for In the future..
Beginning as an almost carbon copy of Zombieland minus the humour, the film introduces us to a post-apocalyptic world overrun by an assortment of undead bloodsuckers, and our two heroes: orphaned teen Martin (Connor Paolo) and tough as nails vampire hunter Mister (Nick Damici).
What unravels however is a surprisingly moving and unique road drama, scattered with some genuinely disturbing scenes, and ultimately one of the best horror movies these tired eyes have seen in quite some time.Tonally, Stake Land hits all the right notes, mostly due to the wonderfully sombre musical score.
It's so rare that a largely unknown horror film can surprise like this, and even for people who usually avoid the genre, Stake Land has a lot to offer.tinribs27.wordpress.com.
I don't normally like post-apocalyptic films but this was pretty good.It has scope - its surprising how much fits into ninety minutes when the movie isn't senselessly padded.There's things that add character to the post-apocalyptic world; we're told there's cannibalistic people who live somewhere (the protagonists don't visit, sensibly) and there's groups of civilisation here and there - once our heroes leave them, they thankfully aren't mentioned as having been killed - you know many films would've considered these groups loose ends and killed them, but here things are handled sensibly - the heroes don't have reason to be there longer, and once they leave its unimportant what happens to these people thus the film doesn't follow them.It was almost too action-packed to be scary although some scenes built pretty good atmosphere..
this film is defo a 7.5 however i gave it an 8 for effort after watching the making of, what they did on a very low budget was indeed impressive, lots of action, character development, and good practical effects,best bit was defo when the ending.
Released in early 2010 and directed by Jim Mickle from Nick Damici's script (co-written by Mickle), "Stake Land" is an adventure/horror movie about an orphaned boy, Martin (Connor Paolo), and a laconic, grizzled stranger called Mister (Damici) who teaches the kid how to be a vampire-killer as they team-up and journey through the post-apocalyptic landscape of Pennsylvania and New York on their way to a supposed haven in what used to be Canada.
From the director of Cold in July & We Are What We Are, Stake Land is Jim Mickle's sophomore effort and one of the most interesting post-apocalyptic horrors to come out in the recent years for it is expertly staged & brilliantly acted, and despite its low budget features an impressive production design, excellent make-up & practical effects.Stake Land presents a world that has been run over by vampires, leaving behind only a handful of survivors.
Cinematography adds an atmospheric tension to the plot while capturing every event in fine detail, Editing excellently paces its narrative from start to finish & Jeff Grace's score plays an important role in further elevating its tense mood.Coming to the performances, Stake Land features Nick Damici (who has co-written & acted in every Mickle film so far) in the starring role of Mister; a vampire hunter who along with Martin (Connor Paolo) is heading north to escape from the vampires.
For some reason the whole thing feels almost real and maybe that is because it combines the ruthlessness of vampires with the heinous sadism of some humans to create a melting pot of post apocalyptic waste land.But there are good people as well and even some creatures, such as children vampires, so called scamps, which do not seem all too hostile.So if you want to see the best vampire movie ever then forget all which you know about vampires and get immersed in a cruel, dark post apocalyptic world..
Just finished this movie so it is hard not to spoil it.I loved it.I am a fan of resident evils,underworlds,and loved 28days later too for example,but none of them could give what this movie did.This movie to me was by far the best ever rather zombie than vampire movie .It puts you straight into a very credible post apocalyptic world where the fight and struggle for survival and to find sense and faith is still on but enchanting the same time with its music and acting ,directing,..If you have seen 'the mist' and liked it ,if you like quality movies with credible script where you can actually find yourself "in the story"you will love this.
As Martin and Mister travel, they run into new people and communities both good and bad who each have their own unique ways of coping with the disaster.For a film with the title Stake Land you might think you know what you are letting yourself in for but the enemies are rather ambiguous and are what I would call the offspring of a vampire (only come out at night, need to be staked etc) and a zombie (brain dead drones, don't get bit or you will turn etc).
Not only the story is good, but the feel of the movie is perfect, the vampire effects are right on and people are acting quite well.
Stake Land is a horror/vampire movie.
Stake Land is just another scary vampire movie with good actors and a well developed plot. |
tt0163988 | Bringing Out the Dead | In Manhattan in the early 1990s, Frank Pierce is a burned-out paramedic who works the graveyard shift in a two-man ambulance team with various different partners. Usually exhausted and depressed, he has not saved any patients in months and begins to see the ghosts of those lost, especially a homeless adolescent girl named Rose whose face appears on the bodies of others. Frank and his first partner Larry respond to a call by the family of a man named Mr. Burke who has entered cardiac arrest. Frank befriends Mr. Burke's distraught daughter Mary, a former junkie. Frank discovers Mary was childhood friends with Noel, a brain-damaged drug addict and delinquent who is frequently sent to the hospital.
After a few minor calls (one involving Noel), Frank and Larry respond to a shooting and he tends to one of the surviving victims. Frank notices two vials of a drug named "Red Death", a new form of heroin that is plaguing the streets of New York City, roll out from the victim's sleeve which implies it was a shooting by a rival drug gang. While in the back of the ambulance with Frank and Noel the victim goes into denial and repents his drug dealing ways but dies before they can reach the hospital.
The next day Frank is paired with his second partner Marcus, an eccentric and religious man. They respond to the call of a man in a goth club who has suffered a heart attack. Frank diagnoses that he has in fact suffering from a heroin overdose caused by Red Death. As Frank injects the man with the antidote, Marcus starts a prayer circle with the baffled club-goers and just as his preaching climaxes the overdosed man becomes conscious again. On the way back to the hospital Frank swings by Mary's apartment building to tell her that her father's condition is improving. Frank and Marcus then respond to a call by a young Puerto Rican man whose girlfriend is giving birth to twins despite his claims they are both virgins, calling it a miracle. Frank rushes one baby to the hospital but it later dies. In a moment of desperation Frank starts drinking and Marcus soon joins in, crashing the ambulance into a parked car.
The following morning, Frank sees a stressed Mary leaving the hospital and follows her to an apartment block; she tells Frank that she's going to visit a friend and he escorts her to the room. After a while Frank goes to the room and barges his way in the door, only to discover it's in fact a crack house run by a friendly dealer named Cy Coates. Mary has turned back to drugs to cope with her father's fluctuating condition and Frank tries to get her to leave but he is dissuaded by Cy who offers Frank some pills. In another moment of desperation he swallows the drugs and begins to hallucinate, seeing more ghosts of patients and the moment when he tried to save Rose. Once over, he grabs Mary and carries her out of the building. While visiting a comatose Mr. Burke in the hospital Frank starts hearing Burke's voice in his head, telling Frank to let him die but he resuscitates Burke instead.
The next shift Frank is paired with his third partner Tom Wolls, an enthusiastic man with violent tendencies. At this point Frank is slowly beginning to lose his mind - while tending to a suicidal junkie Frank manages to scare the patient away. The pair are then called to Cy's drug den where another shooting has occurred, and find Cy impaled on a railing, having attempted to jump to safety. Frank holds on to Cy as the other emergency services cut the railing but Cy and Frank are nearly flung off the edge before being pulled back up. Cy then thanks Frank for saving his life - the first patient Frank has saved in months. Afterwards Frank agrees to help Tom beat up Noel, but Frank is distracted and Noel flees into an area beneath the houses. Tom and Frank chase after Noel but Frank starts to hallucinate again, snapping out of it just as he comes upon Tom beating Noel with his baseball bat. During his second visit to Mr. Burke, the voice again pleads to let him die, and this time Frank removes Burke's breathing apparatus causing him to enter cardiac arrest, ending his life. Frank then heads to Mary's apartment to inform her, and she seems to accept her father's death. Frank is invited in, falling asleep at Mary's side. | dramatic, violence, comedy, gothic, atmospheric | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0137386 | Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss | Billy Collier (Sean P. Hayes) is an aspiring photographer in Los Angeles who has had little artistic success and much romantic frustration. He comes up with the idea of recreating iconic screen kisses from Hollywood movies (such as Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr's in From Here to Eternity) using drag queens in the female roles. While out for coffee with his roommate Georgiana (Meredith Scott Lynn), he meets Gabriel (Brad Rowe), the server. That night at a party, Billy's friend Perry (Richard Ganoung) agrees to finance Billy's Screen Kiss project and Billy serendipitously runs into Gabriel. Billy recruits him to model and the two develop a friendship (although Gabriel says that he has a girlfriend in San Francisco).
Billy quickly becomes infatuated with Gabriel, but cannot figure out if Gabriel is really straight; Gabriel does little to help, continually sending ambiguous signals. At Perry's invitation, the two attend an exhibit by photographer Rex Webster, who tries to poach Gabriel as a model (and potential trick). Webster offers to take Gabriel to Catalina Island for an underwear ad shoot, sparking Billy's jealousy. Back at Gabriel's place, Billy and Gabriel seem to be getting closer but their rapport is interrupted by a phone call from Gabriel's girlfriend Natalie.
Billy shoots his first setup with Gabriel, the Lancaster-Kerr kiss. Following the shoot, Gabriel tells Billy that his relationship with Natalie is over. Billy mentions the Kinsey scale, on which Billy describes himself as a "perfect six," but Gabriel admits he does not know where on the scale he falls. Back at Billy's apartment, they continue to talk and drink and Gabriel asks if he can spend the night on the couch. Billy suggests that Gabriel sleep in his bed (ostensibly because of Gabriel's height), to which Gabriel eventually agrees. When the two are in bed, Billy makes tentative overtures, to which Gabriel seems to respond initially; however, Gabriel suddenly pulls away, after which Billy apologizes and gets up to sleep on the couch.
Gabriel gets the underwear modeling job and goes to Catalina. Billy follows after him to Catalina with Georgiana, who, on the rebound from her boyfriend, Andrew (Christopher Bradley), hooks up with drug-addled island resident "Gundy" (Carmine D. Giovinazzo). Billy crashes Rex Webster's (Paul Bartel) underwear shoot looking for Gabriel, but does not find him.
Billy eventually tracks Gabriel down at Rex's party later that night and the two talk on the beach. Billy relates to Gabriel how confused he was when he came out, saying, "I swore to myself that if I could ever be there for somebody, I would, so that that person wouldn't have to go through all the shit I went through. What I'm trying to say is, if you're having problems figuring out where you stand, even if you're not sure of what you're supposed to want-" Abruptly, however, before Billy can finish, one of Gabriel's fellow male models walks up to them. Billy instantly realizes that the two of them are in some kind of relationship with each other and Gabriel tells Billy straightforwardly, "Billy, I'm pretty sure what I'm supposed to want." Gabriel tries to soften the blow, but Billy rebuffs him. Billy feels hurt and humiliated and even wonders if Gabriel used him to get his modeling career off the ground. Later, Perry tries to console Billy, telling him that a few years earlier Perry had similarly fallen for someone who did not return his affections; Perry confesses that that man was Billy. The next morning, Georgiana has ditched Gundy. Billy and Georgiana then head back home.
The movie ends with the opening of Billy's "Hollywood Screen Kiss" series exhibition in Los Angeles, which includes his photos of Gabriel. The exhibit appears to be very successful and Billy receives many congratulations from various visitors. Perry shows Billy a magazine with an underwear ad featuring Gabriel and suggests that Billy give him a call. Billy demurs, saying he needs some time away. Toward the end of the night, after his friends have gone, Billy meets a handsome young man named Joshua (Robbie Cain) who enthusiastically admires Billy's photographic work. It is suggested that along with his newfound artistic success, Billy may at last find romantic fulfillment as well.
The film is punctuated with Billy's fantasy sequences of himself and Gabriel in pastiches of romantic film scenes, including the aforementioned From Here to Eternity and the films of Fred Astaire. Billy carries a Polaroid camera with him everywhere, and his reminiscences are illustrated with Polaroid photographs. The film in fact opens with such a monologue, with Billy relying on a series of Polaroids while relating how he grew up gay "in a small town in Indiana, where there's plenty of corn, fast cars, and straights. Lots and lots of straights. I mean, a lot." Billy's opening narrative demonstrates his awareness that he is in a film and breaking the fourth wall.
Several scenes in the movie are backed up by classic songs of bygone times sung by notable and lesser known divas; these are lip-synced by more or less the same troupe of drag queens, a running gag throughout the film. | romantic, storytelling | train | wikipedia | If you watch this movie expecting Sean Hayes to play a Jack McFarland ("Will & Grace") type character, you'll be disappointed.
He comes across a waiter/bass player (Brad Rowe as Gabriel, a character I'm not too crazy about) working in a coffee shop, who becomes his model & the object of his affection.
The sexual tension between these two can be cut with a knife (it's nerve wracking.) I especially like the scenes where Billy opens up to Gabriel about his life & experiences.
The story of this somewhat naive photographer trying to make it in Los Angeles, under another writer/director would have gone for the 'on your face' attitude, rather than give it the romantic tone Tommy O'Haver imparted on the movie.The performances are good.
Sean Hayes, who has gone to bigger and better things, is fine as Billy, the photographer.
Brad Rowe, as Gabriel, the object of Billy's love, is fine also.
Paul Bartel, Holly Woodlawn and the rest, do a fine job.Tommy O'Haver made a charming movie about people that are so normal they could be straight for all we know..
O'Haver must have summoned all his Indy Film clout to muster the likes of Paul Ganoung, Meredith Scott Lynn and the fabulous Paul Bartel to lend their talents both on and off the camera, but the coup of coups was casting Sean Hayes.
Hayes is superb as Billy, a struggling gay photographer yearning for love.
The rest of the film dances around the inevitable question and let's just say that things have a way of working out for the best, albeit differently from what we often expect.Actor, writer, director and absolute gay icon Paul Bartel, who unfortunately passed away a couple of years after Screen Kiss, is deliciously unctuous as a would be mentor.
The story about Billy who is often rejected by his love interests will give you a very different view of homosexuals, whom often portrayed as a group of people who have sex a lot and always change partners.
"Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)Sound format: Dolby StereoAn LA photographer (Sean Hayes) falls madly in lust with an aspiring model (Brad Rowe) who's been hired to pose in a series of pictures inspired by old-time Hollywood movies.
Spiced with dream sequences that recreate moments from Hollywood's 'golden age' (most impressively, an Astaire-Rogers dance routine between Hayes and Rowe to the strains of Petula Clark, with drag queens on backing vocals!), the film pays affectionate tribute to the movies of a bygone era, movies which inspire the leading character on his never-ending quest for perfect happiness.
Watch out for the magical scene in which Hayes and Rowe share a bed for purely platonic reasons, only to end up touching each other by 'accident'...Also starring Meredith Scott Lynn (STANDING ON FISHES), Richard Ganoung (PARTING GLANCES), Paul Bartel (EATING RAOUL), Carmine D.
At the end he finally get's his photos seen at a show and another friend introduces him to someone else that loves his work and you can see that he is probably headed for love again and you leave the movie feeling that he is going to live happily ever after with the new friend.I feel the movie is great because it takes a situation than we've all seen many times in movies about heterosexuals and switches it to the gay life.
The fact that this object of affection is another man throws an interesting twist that makes the audience realize that there is very little difference between gays and straights.
Very thoughtful, the wisecracking Billy spends the entire movie trying to figure out if Gabriel (His love from afar) is gay or straight.
Aptly described by its producer as a trifle, this is a cheerful little romantic comedy about a gay photographer (SEAN HAYES) who fantasizes about what it would be like to connect with a gay hunk (BRAD ROWE) who seems to be leading him on in a homo-erotic relationship that Rowe prefers to keep platonic.
Nothing really new has opened up food for thought.By turns, sad, wistful, funny, irreverent, with a cast full of what we call misfits (and rather shallow ones at that), it fails to do anything more than pass the time as the kind of interesting little gay trifle that gains sympathy for Sean Hayes' character.
Makes its point by having strains from Max Steiner's "Now, Voyager" as part of the background score.Certainly not for everyone, but amusing enough to please fans of SEAN HAYES who will no doubt like seeing him in a more restrained role than the gay man he played on "Will and Grace".
BRAD ROWE is a bit stiff as his fair-haired dreamboy (and would-be lover), lacking the ability to create any sympathy at all for his character by the film's end.
billy's Hollywood screen kiss was an excellent film and an awakening to people that gay people and straight people are all the same and just want to find love.
sean hayes played billy very well and put across his character in a funny sort of way.
if you don't like sean hayes you will still like this film because it is a comedy/romance and it portrays gay relationships.
BHSK is about a young man, Billy (Sean Hayes), who is a photographer and all he wants is true love.
But the thing is...Billy doesn't know if Gabe is a homosexual or not.Well I won't tell you the rest or give away anything but I will tell you this: This film is so great that you don't even pay attention to the fact that Billy is gay - you just wish he would end up with Gabe.
I know it may be a little extreme but hey...I love Sean Hayes and this movie..
Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss is an uplifting gay film that appeals to both heterosexual and homosexual audiences.
The movie starts out with a poloroid montage of Billy's early years, the sound effect of the camera got a bit too tiresome after the first 20 times!!
Aside from the heavily gay overtones, (musicals, drag queens, homo sex orgies, j/k) it was a romance movie of a different color, urr maybe of a queer color.
It's just a really nice, cute movie with a universal theme (developing a crush on a friend) and some hysterical drag queens performing various acts throughout.
Not every gay man acts like Jack, and in this movie, Billy is more of the serious type.
This movie certainly took me back to my youth as a young gay man trying to find romance, in a culture where youth and beauty usually wins out over true romance.The story follows Billy, of the title, a young aspiring photographer looking for success and love in LA.
Dis-satisfied with being the "other woman" in his current relationship, Billy "discovers" Gabriel (Brad Rowe) at a coffee shop and asks him to model for him for a new project.
Paul Bartel goes *way* over the top playing a Bruce Weber like photographer, openly and contempuously laughing at the people who purchase his "art" (the character obviously is doing it just to be near stunningly handsome, near-naked men that are young enough to be his grandchildren) and the character of Whitey was just plain annoying.However, despite some of the cliches, Hayes' performance reveals the splendid sense of comedic timing we would later see in his supporting role on "Will and Grace"; he often puts Brad Rowe to shame in their scenes together, Rowe often seems a stiff and wooden next to Hayes, often looking like he just doesn't "get it".Overall the movie's a cute piece of fluff, a nice popcorn date movie..
I doubt that this film was intended to make any serious social commentary other than, perhaps, that gays are quite capable of poking fun at themselves.The movie was funny and amusing.
Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss is a delightful film that should be seen and enjoyed by gays and straights alike..
A Little Lacking in Credibility, But Still Fun. It's a little hard to imagine that Billy's project of recreating "screen kisses" with gay guys would really fly, but the movie still has a lot to commend it.
Hayes, is very appealing--so much so that you can FEEL all that anxiety when Gabriel agrees to spend the night and tumbles into Billy's bed.
Tellingly, the most vivacious character in the whole film is a straight woman (fetchingly played by Meredith Scott Lynn) and the only man-to-man kiss on display is played for a cheap laugh.
"Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" is by far the best film in its genre.
Unlike most Q-cinema films that leave you with a bittersweet ending and a sinking feeling in your stomach, this film turns into a very sweet love story with a twist ending that encompasses the qualities of both a hilarious comedy and a touching romance-drama.
The film opens with a witty narration by Billy like something you might see in "Jeffrey," but slowly develops into something deeper and more meaningful, and ends with a sweet scene that is very uncommon of this genre.
Hayes.The one drawback is that the object of Billy's affection is played by the handsome but rather dull Brad Rowe..
Sean Hayes plays the title role as a gay man who makes his living
Rowe gives a great performance of a sexually confused man who could probably get anyone he wants in the straight or gay world.
The story here is of a gay artist/photographer looking for a satisfying and loving relationship played by Sean Hayes.
6 Months before Sean Hayes became a household name in "Will & Grace" he got great reviews for this film.
In this film Sean plays Billy.
When Billy comes up with the idea of recreating iconic screen kisses from Hollywood movies (such as Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr's in From Here to Eternity) using drag queens in the female roles.
Hayes) is a photographer working on a series of pictures featuring recreations of movie kisses, with drag queens playing the female roles.
While Billy is openly gay, Gabriel says that he is straight and even claims to have a girlfriend.
If you love Sean Hayes then you'll love Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss.
Its just a great movie that talks about a gay guy looking for love and he finds like the love of his life but he doesn't know if he's gay or not.
This very nicely photographed film is not going to go down as a great classic.But it is entertaining with very likable characters.Actor/Director Paul Bartel (Eating Raoul, Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills) has a good role as a gay photographer.The fantasy movies that run in Billy's head are very nicely done.
I found the movie charming, and the character of Billy especially so.
The odd bits of drag and performance art were just annoying filler.Sigh.I will say that the "connection" between Hayes' and Rowe's characters does work and the scene where they are in bed together is played very well.
(For those who haven't seen the movie, don't get too excited about the idea that there is a bed scene between them -- it's a good scene, but not what you're thinking.)But, as at least one other reviewer has pointed out, the way that their relationship is left -- specifically the way Rowe's character behaves in his last scene, simply doesn't fit with how he's behaved (or what we've been told) before.
What is missing are mature writers and directors (and I realize that "mature" in Hollywood means, at most, 35 but even that would be an improvement) making films about gay life when it has moved beyond the issues that pertain either to the coming-out/lost loves of early adolescence period or to the lives of gay men during the screw-around and party and try to get a boyfriend stage..
Sean Hayes, a gay unhappy in love (can we put that stereotype to rest PLEASE?) photographer falls in lust (understandably) with handsome, hunky Brad Rowe.
This movie tries (too hard) to appeal to gay and straight audiences and ends up doing neither.
The acting is pretty good (especially Rowe), but the movie is just bad.
While out for coffee with straight girlfriend Meredith Scott Lynn (as George, short for Georgiana), Hayes admires model-perfect waiter Brad Rowe (as Gabriel).
Later, he meets Mr. Rowe at a shallow party and offers the young hunk a job modeling for a series of photographs he's taking of beautiful young men kissing drag queens...Not to put this film too far down, but it fails if we're supposed to question whether or not Rowe's character might be gay or bisexual.
Most of the time, "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" plays like a "gay film".
Still, the music and dream sequences add an exceptional charm, both celebrating and lifting us out of the genre.******* Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998-06-04) Tommy O'Haver ~ Sean Hayes, Brad Rowe, Richard Ganoung, Meredith Scott Lynn.
"Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" is a small 1998 film about a gay photographer (Sean P.
Hayes) who falls for a young Brad Pitt/Robert Redford type waiter named Gabriel (Brad Rowe) but isn't sure if he's gay, straight, or undecided.
He uses Gabriel as a model for some of his photographs, which are re-enactments of famous movie scenes, and tries to figure out where he stands.There are some nice performances and neat touches in this film, including some fun drag numbers by Mr. Dan and Billy's dream sequences.
The best scene in the film is a bed scene between Billy and Gabriel, strictly PG-13, that says more than pages of dialogue ever could.The late Paul Bartel plays an older, successful photographer, and Days of Our Lives fans will recognize Matthew Ashford as his boyfriend.
Hayes is the best thing about this movie..
I recommend this movie to anyone, gay or straight, who has had an unrequited love.
This is a delightful little film that will appeal to a mostly young gay male audience.
Poor Billy just couldn't get his true love on side - a familiar tale that many gay guys could relate to only too well, especially when they fall for that elusive straight boy in the neighbourhood.Billy played a cute role, the story was basic yet sweet.
Sean Hayes' talent made the film "doable," but thankfully he has gone on to a better role, though still steotypical, in Will and Grace..
With Sean Hayes (from the inexplicably popular "Will and Grace") as Billy; and Brad Rowe as the dream..
I scanned the comments to see if this had come up, but unfortunately it had not.Richard Ganoung, who plays the older friend who does in fact plant the titled kiss, starred in one of my all-time favorite (and rarely seen) gay movies.Ganoung was the male lead of 1986's Parting Glances.
He went from being the youthful object of affection to the older man longing for his younger friend.Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss can't hold a candle to Parting Glances, which also features early work from Steve Buscemi and Kathy Kinney before her Drew Carey fame.I highly recommend getting the video and watching both films to see the different ways gays and relationships are portrayed.Ratings.....
"Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" is something I think gays have been missing for a while; that is, a simple, fluffy, light-hearted, funny love story.
This isn't a complicated film, and if you're looking for a movie that gets all angst-filled and dramatic with its portrayals of gay relationships, this isn't it.
This film has some clever material in it, including the mini-movies that Billy sees in his head.
What would had been interesting, and ground breaking, would had been if the Brad Rowe character had turned out to be straight and he and Billy would have continued to be close and loving friends.
I am not even suggesting a happy ending (I think the only gay-themed movie with a satisfactory ending is "Beautiful Thing"), but the one we got left the audience (who didn't pay, at the screening I was at), numb..
The story revolves around Billy (Sean Hayes) and his infatuation with a seemingly straight man named Gabriel (Brad Rowe) who he meets at a coffee shop and convinces to do some modeling.
Before long a more famous photographer on the L.A. scene, Rex Webster (Paul Bartel) is threatening to swoop down and take him away from Billy before he gets to finish his photo shoot.Much of the film is consumed with Billy's self-doubt about his relationship with Gabriel is he merely engaging in "fantasy projection" of his desire onto an apparently straight man (who assures us at every opportunity that he has a "girlfriend in San Francisco") or has he fallen in love with the improbably handsome busboy?
Since this was one of Bartel's last roles that's kind of disappointing.I did enjoy Hayes' work, I thought it was fine within the limits of what he was given for the character.Not really a terrible movie but really just not funny enough to be worth it..
I suspect the screenwriter attempted to do a combination of all of the above and simply failed to come up with a smoother and more logical ending.Brad Rowe plays the role of the handsome hunk Gabriel, a painfully stereotypical butch-boy character that most gay men can only fantasize about.
But he, quite predictably, turns out to be an insensitive, flake who toys with the emotions of his rather average-looking admirer, Billy, a gay victim-of-unrequited-love stereotype played quite well by Sean Hayes.All through the movie, Gabriel keeps us guessing about his sexuality, from his troubled relationship with his girlfriend (whom we never see), to his homoerotic lead-ons with Billy (especially in the bedroom scene), and to his hanging out with a really goodlooking guy and girl at the Catalina sioree.
At the end of the movie we want to feel sorry for Billy, his having been dumped by Gabriel for a super goodlooking guy. |
tt0046000 | Lili | Naive country girl Lili (Leslie Caron) arrives in a provincial town in hopes of locating an old friend of her late father, only to find that he has died. A local shopkeeper offers her employment, then tries to take advantage of her. She is rescued by a handsome, smooth-talking, womanizing carnival magician, Marc, whose stage name is Marcus the Magnificent (Jean-Pierre Aumont). Lili is infatuated with him and follows him to the carnival, where on learning that she is 16, he helps her get a job as waitress. Lili is fired on her first night when she spends her time watching the magic act instead of waiting tables. When Lili consults the magician for advice, he tells her to go back to where she came from. Homeless and heartbroken, she contemplates suicide, unaware that she is being watched by the carnival's puppeteer Paul (Mel Ferrer). He strikes up a conversation with her through his puppets—a brash red-haired boy named Carrot Top, a sly fox, Reynardo, a vain ballerina, Marguerite, and a cowardly giant, Golo. Soon, a large group of carnival workers is enthralled watching Lili's interaction with the puppets, as she is seemingly unaware that there is a puppeteer behind the curtain. Afterwards, Paul and his partner Jacquot (Kurt Kasznar) offer Lili a job in the act, talking with the puppets. She accepts, and her natural manner of interacting with the puppets becomes the most valuable part of the act.
Paul was once a well-known dancer, but suffered a leg injury in World War II. He regards the puppet show as far inferior to his old career, which embitters him. Lili refers to him as "the Angry Man". Although he falls in love with Lili, he can only express his feelings through the puppets. Fearing rejection due to his physical impairment, he keeps his distance by being unpleasant to her. Lili continues to dream about the handsome magician, wishing to replace his assistant Rosalie (Zsa Zsa Gabor).
Soon, Marcus receives an offer to perform at the local casino and decides to leave the carnival, to the joy of Rosalie, who announces to everyone that she is his wife. Lili is heartbroken and innocently invites Marc to her trailer. His lecherous plans are interrupted by Paul, and he leaves. When Lili finds Marc's wedding ring in the seat cushions and tries to chase him, Paul stops her, calls her a fool, and slaps her.
Two impresarios from Paris who have been scouting the show come to see Paul and Jacquot. They recognize Paul as the former dancer and tell him that his act with Lili and the puppets is ingenious. Paul is ecstatic about this and the offer, but Jacquot tells the agents that they will have to let them know. He then tells Paul that Lili is leaving.
Lili takes the wedding ring to Marc and tells him that every little girl has to wake up from her girlish dreams. She has decided to leave the carnival. On her way out, she is stopped by the voices of Carrot Top and Reynardo, who ask her to take them with her. As they embrace her, she finds they are shaking. She remembers somebody is behind the curtain and pulls it away to see Paul. Instead of telling her how he feels, he tells her of the agents' offer. She confronts him about the difference between his real self, seemingly incapable of love, and his puppets. He tells her he is the puppets, a creature of many facets and many flaws. He concludes by telling her, "This is business." "Not any more," retorts Lili, who walks away.
Walking out of town, she imagines that the puppets, now life-sized, have joined her. As she dances with each puppet in turn, they all turn into Paul. Coming back to reality, Lili runs back to the carnival and into Paul's arms. They kiss passionately as the puppets applaud. | romantic | train | wikipedia | The most telling line in the film is spoken by Paul's partner, who chides Paul for slapping Lili and says, "She is realizing that there is cruelty in the world, and she is learning to protect herself from it." Like Eve in the Garden of Eden, Lili's loss of innocence comes with her knowledge of evil, not her loss of virginity.And unlike other coming of age movies that have the young actors tossing around "cute" sexual comments that don't ring true for a callow young person (because they were obviously scripted by a jaded 50-year-old male), "Lili" rings true with every note (as Paul says, "She's like a little bell that gives off a pure sound every time you strike it.").
Her naivety is far more true to form -- when she is warned by one of the puppets that the lecherous puppet Renaldo "is a wolf", the innocent Lili replies, "I thought he was a fox." This is exactly the way a kid would really respond -- not "getting" the sexual reference and thinking that the comment was about the species of the animal.I understand Audrey Hepburn beat out Leslie Caron for the Oscar that year with her amateurish performance in "Roman Holiday" -- what a travesty that was, since Audrey's performance had none of the depth and exquisite vulnerability of Leslie's performance in "Lili"..
LILI, the 1953 film starring Leslie Caron in the title role, is one of the first examples of a screenplay being turned into a stage musical (CARNIVAL).
When young Lili (Leslie Caron in a gorgeously crafted and heartbreaking performance) comes to a small French village, looking for a family friend, she is devastated to learn that he has died.
Lonely and desperate, she attempts to kill herself but is saved once again; this time by Paul the carnival puppeteer (a dashing Mel Ferrer in a fine performance) who speaks to her through his puppets, kindly Carrot Top, vain Marguerite, wily Reynaldo the Fox and innocent Horrible Henry the Giant.
Paul, a former dancer, crippled years earlier in an accident, is full of anger and resentment but takes pity on Lili, who is so charmed by the puppets that, like a child, she forgets his presence.The film explores their turbulent relationship as Lili becomes the star of the Carnival, charming patrons with an uncanny ability to speak to the puppets as if they are real.
Complications arise as Paul begins to realize his own affection for Lili, while Lili continues to be infatuated with the magician, who's assistant (Zsa Zsa Gabor) is his wife.With fine performances all around and an unusual atmosphere, the film has something of a cult following and is highly regarded for its frank and emotional nature.
With its full-color cinematography, adorable puppets and carnival setting, this film might be mistaken for a children's story but deals, rather, with powerful adult themes.
The character of Mel Ferrer is reminiscent of the Beast in "the Beauty and the Beast", a tortured soul aching for love, and as any girl worth her salt would know, tortured souls make the best kind of heroes!The two dance/fantasy sequences are charming, especially the latter one, where Lili grows from an awkward, love-sick child into a woman of character and determination, all in a few steps of waltz.
Leslie Caron does a marvelous job of making us believe she is an awkward 16 year old in love with a magician.
The ballet sequence at the end of the film in which each puppet turn into Paul, the puppeteer, making Lili realize she loves him is magical.
i hope people will not be turned off by the age of the movie (it is over 50 years old now) because i find newer love stories to be far too sexual that leaves nothing to the imagination.
What it is about puppet shows that make them so entertaining, whether in Lili or the Sound of Music?Leslie Caron radiates innocence during the scenes where she speaks to the puppets.
These scenes are so charming that you won't want to miss any of them.Caron's "relationship" with the Ferrer, a seemingly gruff person who's gentle side is revealed only through the puppets, is crystalized in a final dreamlike sequence reminiscent of Dorothy and the others walking on the yellow brick road in Wizard of Oz. Except, here it's Lili and the puppets, now in "life size" form.Throughout the movie, Caron is completely convincing as one who during the puppet shows believes she is speaking to the puppets as if they were alive.
The innocence radiated by the puppets and her contrast greatly with the complexities and anger present in "real" life.Indeed, Ferrer initially uses the puppets to rescue Caron from a moment of despair that might have been tragic and at another point, mistaking an action by Caron, actually slaps her.Will Caron come to grips with, and accept, the fact that her feelings are not for the puppets, but for Ferrer, whom she knows only as an angry man she believes hates her?I both cheered and felt tears welling up at the end of this movie.
Didn't see Lili until fairly recently, but it is a film so irresistibly charming and well-done that it was so easy to fall under its spell.Lili looks fabulous, the fantasy ballet sequence and Caron's scene with Zsa Zsa Gabor is shot in richly beautiful Technicolor, the puppets still look great- plus they manage to bring a slight creepiness too- and the MGM French village set is made superb use of.
The Oscar-winning music score by Bronislau Kaper has plenty of appropriate whimsy, without falling into sugary sweet territory, and rousing lushness, while the song Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo lilts beautifully and accompanies one of the most memorable scenes in the film, in which Caron is seen singing along with the puppets, even more impressively.The script is both witty and touching, handling a potentially difficult subject inspiringly and only in Stand by Me has coming of age been portrayed more honestly in film.
Leslie Caron positively enchants here, while Mel Ferrer brilliantly brings a sympathetic edge to an at times dark role, particularly telling when with the puppets.
A lovely story that is not trite, and of course Leslie Caron, who I admit I am partial to, is excellent here.As Lili, a disaffected orphan struggling in sadness, to find some kind of life.
Leslie Caron is a bit puzzling--she's both scowling and sweet--but when Lili has a dream and metamorphoses into a woman of the world (vying for the attentions of a handsome magician with Zsa Zsa Gabor no less!), it's shocking to see the actress so glamorously grown-up.
The tune "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" gets a real work-out (it's a pleasant song, if you're attuned to the film's fanciful charms), and Mel Ferrer is possibly too intrinsically dark as a romantic suitor; he's meant to be anti-social, but his long, grim face could use a little mediating.
It tells the coming of age of an adolescent orphan girl who gets involved with a carnival, her infatuation with a magician who is a ladies man, and her involvement with a puppeteer (Mel Ferrer).
Sweet little story.The story of a 16-year old orphaned girl, Lili (played by Leslie Caron), who, after main trials and tribulations, gets a job in a carnival as a puppeteer's assistant.
Leslie Caron is wonderful as Lili and Mel Ferrer puts in a solid performance as Paul, the puppeteer.
And then, without any bias, will trash heinous concepts as "men do not cry", "romance is for dreamers" or "That's film for girls." "Lili" (the wonderful Leslie Caron who then return to catch us in "The Glass Slipper") is captivating.
Amazing thing about the movie its main love story is that the main character falls in love with a man not thanks to his charm but through the puppets he plays.
I believe that this film - Lili- is the perfect example for us to think about why we love the movies..PUPPETS..
The title role however is played by Leslie Caron who with her elfin charm and ability to dance was doing a small dress rehearsal for the much bigger budgeted Gigi.Lili is a French orphan who wanders into Marseilles looking for employment at a bakery owned by a friend of her late father.
This is where the song Hi Lili Hi Lo comes in which became a mega hit for the show.Caron's dancing talent is utilized to maximum effectiveness in the final imaginary ballet sequence.
The film itself earned a few and composer Bronislau Kaper got an Oscar for overall scoring.Zsa Zsa Gabor is in this as well playing Aumont's wife who for the sake of the act keeps the marriage a secret so that love struck girls can imagine themselves with him.
She plays it well too.Charming musical numbers, a charming performance by Leslie Caron, and a great bit of acting from Mel Ferrer.
There's something gently magical about "Lili."If you can stomach the antiquated gender politics of the 1950s, you will find a lovely, melancholy little film about a naive young woman (Leslie Caron) who comes to realize that she loves a grumpy puppeteer (Mel Ferrer) rather than the more conventionally handsome and charismatic magician who first enraptures her.
Ditto a dream sequence that serves as the film's finale, when the puppets are replaced by adult-sized counterparts who engage in a dance with Lili as she comes to the realization of where her heart lies.
Mel Ferrer is the brooding puppeteer who only expresses his true feelings through his alter-ego hand puppets.Acclaimed in its day and still well-loved by many, LILI (1953) nevertheless feels like the obscure film it has become.
The darkness of his character feels out of place in Lili's magical world.Leslie Caron is cute as a button and innocent as a cotton ball, but can you make a movie around her perky nose and moist eyelids?
This film was a spirit of France upon their shows and Melodies by a brilliant dancer , actress and singer Lisile Caron upon this film which was a preparation roots for a more marvelous movie (Gigi) with Louis Jordan and the second one in France The country of arts , culture , beauty and merry melodies.The Muppet's of this story played a great role and cause for making a magic moment in this film which made a funny feelings for audience to be fond of this film every moment because of their eternal story , songs , shows and acting.An Important point in art (the finishing) which enter any art work in the eternity as this film by a brilliant end by the funny spirit of Muppet's that congratulated the lovers on their marriage after the victory of their love in spite of hard situations..
She is distracted by a group of character puppets, who helps her forget her sorrow...Lili is introduced to Carrot Top, the interesting fellow capable of running his life and everybody else; to Golo, the cowardly giant longing to be loved; to Reynaldo, the thief and opportunist full of compromises and lies; and finally to Marguerite, the vain, jealous beauty obsessed with self...
She tells Marcus: 'I've been living in a dream like a little girl, not seeing what I didn't want to see.' She discovers that the love exuding from her adorable puppets comes from the loves of that unreasonable, mean, jealous, bitter puppeteer...Jean-Pierre Aumont adds his charm to the whole story, and remains the beautiful magician armed with an exceptionally likable stage personality...Kurt Kaszner continues to be Paul's loyal and peaceful friend who explains to the delicate girl that the boss had once been a great dancer until his leg was injured in the war and could no longer dance...Zsa Zsa Gabor behaves as the glamorous assistant whose fervent desire is to reveal to everybody her secret...Charles Walters' motion picture is not very musical, but his film culminates in a delightful dream ballet...
Caron demonstrates a graceful dancing...The movie received six Academy Award nominations including Leslie Caron as Best Actress in a Leading Role, and won the Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, and accommodated the hit song "Hi Lili, Hi Lo.'.
I just watched "Lili" a couple of nights ago, and I was amazed by this truly special little film.Lili (Leslie Caron) is a poor orphan waif, who is cast about on the world when her father dies suddenly.
Paul falls in love with her, but Lili only sees him as "the angry boss", not realising that the puppets represent the facets of his personality.Running only 81 minutes long, "Lili" packs a lot of ideas into it's running time, yet never loses it's enchanting, fable-like simplicity.
Cast aside somewhat as another MGM musical, "Lili" only really contains one song ("Hi Lili, Hi Lo", which Caron performs with the puppets) and two dance sequences.
The dance sequences are simple yet surreal-- the final one has Lili, ready to depart from the circus, dancing with the four puppets, who one by one turn into Paul.One of the easiest 10's I have ever given, and really it is a perfect little film.
Lili also imagines herself doing high kicks and running rings around her man.But in the last sequence--the dance with the puppets-- Lili imagines a deep, complete love, where both her and Paul dance together.
With the final puppet transforming into Paul, they dance slowly, his arms protectively supporting her shoulders.Dismissed by some as showily surreal and as just a rip-off of the ballet "An American In Paris", this final dream sequence encapsulates Lili's discovery about life and love..
Through them she comes to know the hidden man, and Paul admits in his soliloquy that the puppets are his only way to reach out to this girl who so strongly charms him.(To her face, he can only show helpless anger that frightens her.) Lili's journey from overgrown child to mature young woman is revealed by the ballet sequences skillfully woven into the plot.
The ballet dream sequence near the end, in which Lili uncovers the real man behind each puppet's personality and realizes how much he loves her, is absolutely enchanting.
Leslie Caron plays a 16-year-old orphan (she is 22 at the time) that finds herself abandoned and alone in a small French provincial town, so naturally she joins the carnival that just happens to be passing through it.
The summary quote, spoken by Paul the Puppeteer (Mel Ferrer, 35) pretty well sums up Lili (Leslie Caron, 21).
LILI is one of those films that, whenever it comes on, I simply HAVE to settle in and watch.A simple little story: Lili Daurier (Caron), a teenager recently orphaned upon the death of her father, stumbles upon a carnival and soon falls in love with the puppet show, and the puppets.
She takes comfort with Marc (Jean Pierre Aumont), but he is far too wise to take advantage of a girl in love with someone else.That someone else is Paul, though the innocent Lili does not realize this: to her the puppets are people.
But in a showdown with Paul, he reveals himself to her and tells her to go home.Walking on the road once more, suitcase and purse in hand, Lili encounters the puppets in a dream scene: all four are played by dancers in costume, and after she has a dance with each of them, she finds herself once again face to face with Paul, and the love they share comes exploding to the surface.The film ends with Lili and Paul in a passionate embrace, and the puppets, looking on, applauding wildly.This is without a doubt the most enchanting movie to come out of Hollywood since THE WIZARD OF OZ.
It's really a shame, as the wonderful moments are so enchanting and I really wanted to love this film--instead, it's good but not great.Leslie Caron plays the title character, a sweet but rather simple-minded young lady.
In the end, it's up to Lili to either stay away or go back to this weasel who loves her but mistreats her badly.Throughout the film, there are lengthy interludes that involve surrealistic dream sequences--complete with singing and dancing.
Kudos also to Mel Ferrer as the puppeteer who could only express his love to Lili through his characters.
At first, Lili ignores him and he expresses his true desire for her through the puppets.I will say that the ending dance sequence was memorable, but the film itself is routine with a really unremarkable Caron displaying innocent saccharine like tendencies..
Lili Daurier (Caron in an Oscar-nominated performance), sixteen and with no one in the world since the recent death of her father, comes to town as the same time as a traveling carnival.
It is Carrot Top, one of four puppets manned by Paul Barthalet (Mel Ferrer), a former dancer who is lame from an injury suffered during the war.The innocent Lili falls in love with the puppets, not quite aware that she is falling for the man behind them.The song "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" is a theme woven throughout the film.
And the puppeteer is so angry at her that he slaps her.The rest of the film consists of a dance sequence between Lili and the puppets, grown to adult size and danced by graceful dancers in costumes, and each of the characters morphs into Paul.
The cast also includes Mel Ferrer, Jean Pierre Aumont, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Kurt Kasznar (among others), and four puppets (given life and voices ostensibly from Ferrer, and Kasznar).Lili Daurier (Caron) is a sweet, innocent recently orphaned (when her father died) French girl of sixteen who's traveled to a coastal town in hopes of finding work, and a home, with a baker friend of her deceased father.
I have in me all these things.But remembering his slap, Lili leaves anyway only to return (after another imagined sequence in which the puppets are people-size, each dancing with her before one-by-one they become Paul and walk back towards where she's been) to Paul in the end.. |
tt0065542 | The Cheyenne Social Club | In 1867, John O'Hanlan (Stewart) and Harley Sullivan (Fonda) are aging cowboys working on open cattle ranges in Texas. O'Hanlan gets a letter from an attorney in Cheyenne, Wyoming, that his disreputable and now deceased brother, DJ, left him something called The Cheyenne Social Club in his will.
After they make the 1,000 mile (1,600 km) trek to Cheyenne, O'Hanlan and Sullivan learn that The Cheyenne Social Club is a high-class brothel next to the railroad. O'Hanlan's new-found status as a man of property makes him the most popular man in town, until he decides to turn the Club into a respectable boarding house.
The ladies of the Club show no sign of leaving. John gets into a bar-room brawl with several men who are equally angry at the prospect of the Club closing. John then learns from DJ's lawyer that DJ had made a deal with the railroad: if the ladies leave the Club, the land the Club is on will revert to the railroad.
John returns to the Club to discover that Jenny, the head girl (Jones), has been assaulted by a man named Corey Bannister. John, with Harley following along, arms himself and goes to the bar where Bannister is. John kills Bannister when Bannister mistakes Harley's cracking pecans for a second gun. "Just like DJ would have done" the barkeeper intones of John's heroics.
The Sheriff advises John and Harley that Bannister's relatives are sure to head for Cheyenne once they learn of Bannister's death. He says he would like to stay and help John and Harley face down the Bannisters, but has to leave town on business.
Harley heeds the Sheriff's warning and leaves for Texas in spite of John's pleads to stay. En route, Harley meets several men at a campfire. While engaging in conversation with the men, Harley discovers they are the Bannisters. He gets on his horse and rides on.
The Bannisters show up at the Club and a gunfight ensues. John, with help from Jenny, kills two Bannisters from the window. A third Bannister enters the house through a back door and is killed by Jenny. Harley, who has returned, kills the fourth Bannister after climbing the railroad water tower. John yells, "Is that you Harley?" The head Bannister hears this and remembers Harley as the man who approached them at the campfire. He shoots at Harley, but is gunned down by John. The sixth Bannister runs away.
John and Harley are feted at the bar which had formerly shunned them. The Sheriff congratulates them and then tells them 20 to 30 of the Bannisters cousins, the Markstones, are heading to Cheyenne. He says he would like to stay and help John and Harley face the Markstones, but has to leave town again on business.
This time, John decides to leave and he has DJ's lawyer transfer ownership of the Club to Jenny. Months later, while working cattle on the range in Texas, John receives a letter from Jenny. He is touched by it, but tosses it into the fire before him. Harley is upset John has destroyed the letter because he wanted to read it. They then ride off together, arguing. | revenge, violence | train | wikipedia | "The Cheyenne Social Club" is a delightful easy going comedy western produced and directed by screen legend Gene Kelly.
Given the subject matter, Kelly manages to stick handle around the double entendres and present a comedy that is tastefully done and probably offended no one.Two drifters, John O'Hanlan (James Stewart) and Harley Sullivan (Henry Fonda) are working cattle in Texas.
So he and Harley set out for Cheyenne.When they arrive, they discover that the property that O'Hanlan has inherits is a bawdy house known as The Cheyenne Social Club.
Harley meanwhile has struck up a friendship with another saloon girl Alice (Jean Willes) after he stops her runaway horse.O'Hanlan is uncomfortable with the kind of business he's in and announces that he is closing up the Social Club while he ponders his next move.
On the trail he meets the Bannisters led by "Uncle" Charlie (Charles Tyner) who are heading to Cheyenne.Only O'Hanlon is left to defend the Social Club and its girls.
They even get to "sing" a song on the trail (good thing they didn't quit their day jobs).The film is made even better with its fine supporting cast.
So Stewart quits his job in Texas and rides to Cheyenne to claim his inheritance and saddle pal Henry Fonda goes along for the ride.
The Cheyenne Social Club rises and falls on the chemistry between its two stars and this one rises like the lightest of angel food cake.
The two movie icons and best friends from Princeton days are so perfectly cast it's a shame they didn't make a sequel and have some further adventures.No doubt also these two helped director Gene Kelly over the rough patches in a movie genre he really wasn't familiar with.
Kelly was wise enough to cast the film with a whole lot of players familiar with the western genre.
And he was wise enough to give all these people their head and they don't let him down.It turns out that The Cheyenne Social Club is a bordello under the temporary management of Shirley Jones.
Apparently whatever suits Stewart just tickles Fonda plumb to death.Best moment in the film is when Jimmy Stewart gets the best of bad guy Robert J.
Has to be seen to be appreciated.This was James Stewart's last starring western and a great one to go out on as well..
Cliches and all, it is a pleasure to watch the interaction of these two old "pros," Stewart and Fonda, and the superb supporting cast.
Jimmy Stewart (John) and Henry Ford (Harley) have been "riding together" for 10 years when John receives a letter from a lawyer in Cheyenne.With John and Harley being drifters, it has taken the letter two years to catch up to them.
John is told his older brother DJ has died and left him a thriving business in Wyoming; The Cheyenne Social Club.
The wagon wheel comes off when John realizes the Cheyenne Social Club is actually an high end, upscale brothel.
When John pops into the picture, the ladies fancy him a hero although John has plans to turn the house into a legitimate business.The casting and directing of this film is perfectly done.
Fun Western comedy with two-towering actors and bemusing situations that happen when an upright cowboy after the death of his brother receives an unusual legacy : The Cheyenne social club and he along with another friend from Texas go to the location .
"John", a honest cowpuncher (James Stewart) to which accompanies his inseparable friend "Sullivan" (Henry Fonda), another cowboy from Texas who are longly friends from 10 years ago , at the prospect of inheritance they decide to go in search of the business of his deceased brother .
After that , they discover the truth as the Club results to be the town's bawdy brothel plenty of joyful girls ( Shirley Jones , Sue Ane Langdon , Elaine Devry as sexpots of bordello) with a great tradition in the region.
Meanwhile there appears the assortment of bad guys (Robert J Wilke , Charles Tyner) who force shoot'em up on them.Gentle entertainment about a bordello in the Old West with two masters of the performance , James Stewart and Henry Fonda , they are magnificent experts in the art of conjuring laughs of nothing , here are reunited in this atypical but amusing western with a lot of jokes , undistinguished moments and comical attitudes , in addition a multitude of absurd situations.
Fun screenplay by James Lee Barret , Western's ordinary , though clichés run through-out , the enjoyable story is enhanced for amusing moments developed among main characters and especially on the relationship between James Stewart and Henry Fonda.
The stellar cast is accompanied by some secondary actors very good as Shirley Jones , Robert J Wilke , Robert Middleton , John Dehner and Charles Tyner .
Clothier , John Ford's usual .It's a movie highly desirable to spend 103 fun minutes professionally directed by Gene Kelly, an expert dancer and choreographer .
He directed some films as "Singing in the Rain" , ¨On the town¨ , co-directed by Stanley Donen , and ¨Invitation to the dance¨, ¨Hello Dolly¨ , ¨Guide of married men ¨ , ¨ Cheyenne Social Club turns out to be his only Western .
It's a minor and thin effort and is beneath this great trio Fonda-Stewart-Kelly .
No matter how many movies teamed Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda, it was not enough.
Gene Kelly directs the pair here in a simple story of long-time friendship in the Old West, familiar ground, sure, but a story that always brings a smile to my face.When John O'Hanlan (Stewart) discovers that his long lost brother has died, he's surprised to find that he has inherited a business.
Thankfully his riding partner Harley Sullivan (Fonda) has tagged along, Harley may have his own point of view on most things, but he does smooth out many of the rough spots they encounter along the way.Story is predictable, the climax is anti-climatic, but, who cares when you get to see these on-screen buddies in a buddy movie defined..
Is "The Cheyenne Social Club" a comedy or action Western?
Cowboy James Stewart receives a letter telling him that he has inherited property from his late brother so he starts out for Cheyenne along with his buddy, Henry Fonda.
It is only after he arrives that Stewart finds out the Cheyenne Social Club is not a boarding house or saloon as he supposed, but, well, something else.
Director Kelly plays up the discomfort Stewart feels being the not so proud owner and his futile efforts to close the place down, but most of the jokes in that vein fall flat.
The Cheyenne Social Club sounds like a bad idea on a number of levels.
For beginners it stars two elderly actors towards the end of their careers in a comedy about prostitution, not to mention Gene Kelly would be one of the last people I would expect to be directing a western.
For a long time it remained a movie I doubt I would ever watch yet much to my surprise the film turned out not only to be perfectly dignified but also very funny and surprising endearing.
The movie doesn't shun prostitution and while propaganda might be a strong word I certainly got the impression the movie was voicing its support for the legalisation of prostitution.Henry Fonda is by far the funniest thing in the film; a child in an adult's body living out a completely carefree existence with Stewart being the straight man and the grown up one of the two.
Even as soon as the film begins Fonda babbles through the entire opening credits which according to the movie lasts for literally over a thousand miles which helps distract from how ordinarily plain the test in the opening credits are.
It is also very amusing as Fonda just follows Stewart wherever he goes as he has nothing else to do with his time but also because he just likes his company.
The film's other major highlight is Stewart and Fonda's discussing of politics (Stewart being a Republican and Fonda a Democrat) mirroring their real life personas and bringing to mind an occasion when their friendship was almost brought to an end when they got engaged in a fist fight over politics in 1947 ("I don't like to dispute you John but didn't you always vote democratic?, Well...that was when I didn't know any better") .The Cheyenne Social Club is the third of three films James Stewart and Henry Fonda starred in together.
Thankfully the third time was the charm; it took 35 years to get these two legendary actors in a great film together but it was worth the wait..
My lasting memory from seeing this film in a large screen theater in 1970 is the opening scene: Fonda and Stewart at work on a snowy range with other cowboys before Stewart gets notified of his inheritance.
(63%) A light hearted comedy western made toward the latter stages of both James Stewart, Henry Fonda's career, and actually westerns in general.
With its charm, nicely drawn characters, and good entertainment value I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to all fans of the western genre or just those looking for something decent to pass the time..
You would think a film headlined by Fonda and Stewart would be a nailed on success, and through Gene Kelly you have enough experience to make a blockbuster.Right off the bat Fonda is poorly cast as Stewart's cowpoke side kick.
The first few scenes are supposed to build the Fonda-Stewart characters relationship.
The sort that comes out with endless folksian nonsense, but for whatever reason Fonda can't play himself down.It also has to be said that Fonda and Stewart's partnership lacked the natural chemistry that make for the best buddy films.Unfortunately either the script, or the direction is howlingly bad.
Despite the fact it had Gene Kelly (of all people) as director, this western comedy-drama is incredibly tired and stale.
James Stewart plays a cowboy in the late 1800s who inherits an upscale brothel; Henry Fonda is Jimmy's talkative partner; Shirley Jones is the resident madam.
Perhaps the script is the main culprit: screenwriter James Lee Barrett, working from the novel by Davis Grubb, must have been raised on old western serials, for his scenario is cluttered up with hammy folks and the type of movie-prostitutes who can't wait to jump into the sack.
Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart are about twenty years too old for their characters but who cares?
Western comedy about an aging cowboy (James Stewart) whose brother dies and leaves him a brothel.
I don't know about you, but the thought of a Jimmy Stewart movie where he is the new owner of a brothel just seems wrong.
Certainly not.It's sad, but in the late 60s and early 70s, there a string of "modern" westerns that featured amoral leads--Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart, among others, made them.
Now it was nice to see movies that tried to be different, but these westerns generally weren't very good.
Just once, I'd like to see a movie where a prostitute is a selfish alcoholic or has an STD.The film has decent writing and the dialog between Fonda and Stewart is good.
I am surprised that Stewart and Fonda where part of this, they certainly didn't need it at this point in their careers...I could probably write a book about the flaws in this film, but it simply isn't worth waisting any more time on...
Even though it was supposed to be a "classical" western, you can see straight away that it was filmed in recent times.
Alas, the times of good westerns ended in the 1960's, ...and they are probably never coming back!.
One feature of "The Cheyanne Social Club"; it marks the 3rd (count'em third) time that James Stewart "killed" career bad guy Robert J.
Stewart's pal, Henry Fonda, is noshing on pecans while watching the action.
Shades of Liberty Valence!This movie was directed by Gene Kelly, and this scene was played for slapstick comedy.
(Heck, even Grace Kelly snuffed him in "High Noon"!) This was quite likely the only time his demise was played for laughs.In an enjoyable movie, this was one of the outstanding moments.
The film is neither good nor bad, entitled neither as farce nor Western.
After an interminable journey across the plains, two itinerant cowboys (the two Hollywood legend Stewart and Fonda) reach Cheyenne, where Stewart has inherited the noisiest bordello in town, which is well-managed by pretty Shirley Jones...
Shot on location near Santa Fe, New Mexico, the film is neither good nor bad, entitled neither as farce nor Western
Some of the jokes about the bordello are labored and repetitious, and there was some complaint over Stewart compromising his clean cut image when he confronts one of the prostitutes in a see-through negligée
Stewart wanted the scene cut out, but the company overruled him
The film's director was a surprising choice
Stewart's reasons for wanting to use Gene Kelly, whose reputation was scarcely associated with Westerns, remain obscure
Perhaps he felt Kelly would sly1y inject more tongue-in-cheek elements, given the bordello angle, than an action-oriented director like Andrew, McLaglen would have
Fonda seems to have had a solid affection for "The Cheyenne Social Club," especially as it gave him and Stewart a chance to really co-star in a movie with some human dimensions....
After James Stewart and Henry Fonda appeared together in a Western called "Firecreek" (1968), it was wisely decided that the two old friends should be paired together in another Western, only this time they would actually play off of their real-life friendship.
Written by James Lee Barrett and directed by - of all people - Gene Kelly, this project would be titled "The Cheyenne Social Club." John O'Hanlan (Stewart) and Harley Sullivan (Fonda) are two Texas wranglers, the former soon learning that he has inherited a place from his deceased brother known as the Cheyenne Social Club.
Soon enough, they find out exactly what kind of place this "social club" is.Two highlights: Probably the funniest scene in the whole piece occurs near the beginning when Harley chatters endlessly during the opening credits as he and John ride to Cheyenne; John finally gets a word in edgewise after they've travelled their thousand miles.
And when John learns that Pauline (Elaine Devry) supposedly has a bad liver, he walks into her room and gives her some money so that she may see a doctor; Pauline, however, thinks that this money is meant for a little something else.The making of "The Cheyenne Social Club" was not a most pleasant experience.
Henry Fonda reportedly didn't want to do the picture at all, trying to get Jack Elam to replace him; certainly, Jack Elam is a wonderful actor (one of my favorite Western bad guys, in fact), but no doubt this film would have been quite different had Elam stepped into the role of Harley Sullivan.
Gene Kelly directs this occasionally funny western.
John O'Hanlan(James Stewart) inherits a Texas landmark...well, its actually a popular whore house.
Down on his luck O'Hanlan talks his good friend Harley Sullivan(Henry Fonda)to help him run it.
Yes, there is some laughs; but this movie seems way beneath efforts and reputations of both Stewart and Fonda.
Situational comedy just doesn't seem to be even par with the cast.Stewart and Fonda work very well together.
Song and dance legend Gene Kelly turned over a new leaf with this 1970 western co-starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda.
"The Cheyenne Social Club" qualifies as one of the best western sex comedies.
Stewart plays a career cowpoke that received a letter two years late and discovers that he has inherited a bordello much to his chagrin.
Henry Fonda plays his long-winded best friend of ten years.
Stewart and Fonda make a hilarious pair who have been riding together for so long but don't know why they've been together.
Shirley Jones and Sue Ann Langdon round out the cast as a couple of the prostitutes at the Cheyenne Social Club.
After he learns that he has inherited a house of ill repute from his brother, John O'Hanlan (James Stewart of "Vertigo") decides to close the place to everybody's surprise.Although it was the only western that Kelly helmed, he used John Wayne's favorite cinematographer William H.
Clothier and "The Cheyenne Social Club" looks as western as all get out..
A buddy Western with James Stewart and Henry Fonda, directed by Gene Kelly.
Produced and directed by Gene Kelly, with a story written directly for the screen by James Lee Barrett, this slightly above average Western comedy, with lots of humorous dialogue, is also a buddy picture for James Stewart and Henry Fonda (their last on-screen appearance together), whose real life longtime friendship comes through very well.Stewart plays John O'Hanlan, whose brother J.D. died and left him the titled club.
John is a hardened cowboy who's been drifting around all his life working different jobs when Cheyenne lawyer Jedediah Willowby's (Dabbs Greer) letter reaches him, two years later, with the news.
Harley Sullivan (Fonda), who's been tagging along with John for 10 years, decides to follow his friend to Wyoming where they learn that the club is a house of ill repute; it's been kept running by one of its girls, Jenny (Shirley Jones, who'd earned her only Academy recognition, a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, playing a different prostitute, Lulu Bains, in Elmer Gantry (1960)).Even though he is treated like a king by 'his' girls AND in town, once they learn who he is (the club is a veritable institution!), John believes himself to be of high moral character, and decides to close the social club down, much to the chagrin of everyone, including Harley who's begun to sample the merchandise one-by-one. |
tt0133189 | SLC Punk! | The film outlines the daily lives of two punks in Salt Lake City, Utah in the fall of 1985: Stevo and his best friend, "Heroin" Bob; Stevo narrates the film. The nickname "Heroin" is ironic, as Bob is afraid of needles and actually believes that any drug (with the notable exception of alcohol and cigarettes) is inherently dangerous.
Stevo and Bob go from party to party while living in a dilapidated apartment. They spend much of their time fighting with members of other subcultures, particularly rednecks. Stevo has a casual relationship with a girl named Sandy, while Heroin Bob is in love with Trish, the manager of a head shop, but reluctant to ask her to become his girlfriend.
The two of them are shaped by their experiences with their parents. Stevo's parents, now divorced, are former hippies who are proud of their youthful endeavors; however, Stevo is revolted by what he perceives as their "selling out" by becoming affluent Reagan Republicans, which they lamely try to justify. Stevo's grades are excellent, and when his father—a lawyer with a Porsche and a penchant for younger women—sends an application to Harvard Law School and Stevo is accepted, he nevertheless rejects it because of his beliefs. By contrast, Bob's father is a paranoid, drunken wreck who mistakes his son and his friend for Central Intelligence Agency operatives, and chases them away with a shotgun when they visit him on his birthday.
Stevo begins to see the drawbacks of living the punk life. Sean, a fellow punk, is a drug dealer who once attempts to stab his mother while under the influence of an entire 100-dose sheet of acid, before being taken away by the police; Stevo later finds him panhandling on the streets with some obvious mental issues.
While Stevo understands that his relationship with Sandy is casual, he's still enraged when he discovers her having sex with another man, and savagely beats him, later loathing himself because his action contradicts his own belief in anarchism. His social circle begins to drift away, as Mike leaves Salt Lake City to attend the University of Notre Dame. Stevo falls in love with a young rich girl named Brandy (Summer Phoenix), who points out that his anarchistic clothing and attitude are more of a fashion choice than an actual political philosophy. Rather than being offended, Stevo takes the criticism thoughtfully and they passionately kiss.
At the same party, Heroin Bob complains of a headache (induced by Spandau Ballet's "She Loved Like Diamond" playing on a stereo), and is given Percodan, which he consumes after being told the pills are simply "vitamins" that will help his headache. The accidental drug overdose kills him in his sleep, seemingly justifying the aversion to chemicals he previously espoused in a diatribe delivered to Stevo. When Stevo discovers that his best friend is dead, he breaks down completely. At the funeral, he appears with a shaved head and changed clothing, and decides that he's done with his punk lifestyle. He decides to go to Harvard, and suggests in the narration that he marries Brandy and she will be the mother of his children. He notes in his closing narration that his youthful self would probably kick his future self's ass, wryly describing himself as ultimately just another poseur.
=== The "Tribes" ===
The film features several cliques presented as "tribes." The film focuses primarily on the punk tribe, but includes several others as well:
Punks: Stevo, Bob, Sean, Megan, and Mike belong to this tribe, although Mike doesn't dress the part. The punks are rivals of the mods, Nazis and rednecks.
Mods: Mods wear suits and ties, and they ride scooters. They're generally the rivals of the punks, but the character John the Mod acts as a diplomat who freely moves between the tribes. In the beginning of the movie, the mods are trying to buy acid from Sean.
Rednecks: Rednecks are rural Utah folk who wear trucker caps and flannel, and drive around in big trucks. Punks hate them for their conservative views.
Neo-Nazis: Neo-Nazis are white power skinheads who wear pseudo-military fatigues and Nazi armbands. Punks and mods are shown to be predatory towards the Nazis.
The Heavy metal Guys: They have long hair and flannel. Not much else is known about them, except that Stevo explains that they are predatory toward the New Wavers.
New wavers: They are people who dress like New Romantics and are said to be the least threatening of the tribes. They are described as being "the new hippies." Every Tribe is predatory to the New Wavers.
The Teddy Boys: Though it is not mentioned in the film itself, Eddy belongs to the Teddy Boy scene. | comedy, murder, cult, violence, flashback, satire | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0092718 | Can't Buy Me Love | Ronald Miller (Dempsey) is a typical high school nerd living in Tucson, Arizona. He has spent all summer mowing lawns to save up for a telescope. At an opportune moment, he makes a deal with popular cheerleader Cynthia "Cindy" Mancini (Peterson). Cindy had borrowed an expensive suede outfit belonging to her mother, without her permission, to wear to an End of the Summer/Back to School party, and needs to replace it quickly after Quint (Cort McCown) accidentally spilled red wine on it at the party. Having few options, save for telling her mother the truth, Cindy reluctantly agrees to Ronald's proposal: he will give her $1000 to purchase a new suede outfit, and she will help him look "cool" by pretending to be his girlfriend for a month, even though she already has a boyfriend named Bobby who is away at his freshman year at the University of Iowa. Ronald feels that he can be a part of the popular crowd if they think Cindy is dating him. Both agree never to reveal their financial arrangement.
Ronald then trades his nerdy, yet loyal, friends for the popular, but shallow, students, and undergoes a complete clothing and hair makeover under Cindy's direction. Over the course of the month, they discover each other's individuality and a bond develops organically between the two. Cindy soon starts to genuinely like Ronald and appreciates his company. As he washes her car at her house, she opens up to him, fetching a poem that she had written that means the world to her and letting Ronald read it. She gets to know him better as he reveals his interests in astronomy and space travel. They gaze at the moon and he tells her how, when they are their parents age, "people will be working there and living there... maybe even us". On the last date which Ronald has "paid" for, Cindy hints that she would like to kiss Ronald, signifying that she has real feelings for him, but he misunderstands and assumes she wants to talk about ending their arrangement. They dramatically "break up" in front of a crowd at school, but Ronald takes things too far and says some hurtful things about Cindy in front of their friends. She becomes cool and distant, but warns him that popularity is hard work and he needs to make sure that he "stays [him]self". The next day, Cindy appears disgusted with Ronald when she sees him behaving arrogantly at school, and becomes jealous when she sees him flirting with her best friends Barbara and Patty, whom he later takes out on dates.
Ronald continues playing "cool" by hanging out with the jocks and hot chicks. He takes Patty to a dance at school, where he performs a dance he learned from an African cultural show on public television (he mistakenly thought he was watching American Bandstand). At first, the other kids are mystified, but they soon join in, and Ronald's new "trendy" dancing further increases his popularity at school. On Halloween night, he and some other boys drive to the house of Kenneth (Courtney Gains), Ronald's best friend, where the jocks test his loyalty by coercing him to hurl dog feces at Kenneth's house. Kenneth is lying in wait and catches Ronald, but lets him go before his dad can call the police. Kenneth ignores Ronald the next day at school.
At a New Year's Eve party at Big John's (Eric Bruskotter) house, Ronald gets drunk and has sex with his date, Iris (DeVasquez), in the bathroom. Iris has a reputation nailing a lot of popular guys. Cindy walks by and hears Ronald reciting to Iris the very poem that she had written and allowed him to read. Devastated, she starts drinking heavily. Later, as a surprise, Cindy's boyfriend, Bobby, shows up at the party, as he still has strong ties to the athletes at the school. After he learns about her relationship with Ronald, through Quint and Ricky (Gerardo Mejia), Cindy is brutally dumped in front of her friends. Even though she tried to explain to Bobby, he paid her to go out with him. Bobby didn't believe her and he still broke up with her. In anger and frustration, she tells the party-goers the truth about her relationship with Ronald and his "cool" pretenses. She scolds her friends for falling for his act and for being "a bunch of followers". "Our little plan worked, didn't it Ronald?" Cindy says as she crushes his popularity, sending Ronald back to the bottom rung of the high school social ladder. Rejected and dejected, Ronald leaves the party alone to spend the night in his garage, crying himself to sleep. When school resumes after the holiday break, he immediately finds himself ostracized as a social pariah. The "jocks" once again tease and throw food at him, and he soon finds that the nerdy crowd has abandoned him also. His distress only deepens when his attempts to reconcile with both Cindy and Kenneth are rebuffed.
A moment for Ronald to redeem himself comes when he defends Kenneth against a potentially violent encounter with Quint. Kenneth, while helping Patty (Darcy DeMoss) with her math homework, is approached by Quint, who orders him back to his side of the cafeteria, or take a serious beating. Ronald intervenes, threatening to break Quint's pitching arm if he does not leave Kenneth, who had only been tutoring Patty out of sincere kindness, with no ulterior motive, alone. Ronald points out that the three were all friends at one time: when they were nine, Quint had fallen out of their tree house and broken his arm. Kenneth carried him twelve blocks to the hospital, with Quint crying all the way. He tells Quint that he - Ronald - was desperate to run with the popular crowd, but he had messed up by trying to buy his way in. Kenneth, however, was just trying to make friends by being himself. Ronald goes on to say that the cool/nerd dynamic is "all bullshit, it's tough enough just being yourself", and walks away. Quint apologizes to Kenneth and the two shake hands as the whole school applauds. Ronald finally redeem himself with everyone.
Following the incident, Cindy recognizes Ronald's worth, and the two reconcile when she decides to hop on the back of his riding lawn mower instead of hanging out with her popular friends. He asks her to prom and the two kiss as the title song plays. Closing credits roll while the two of them ride off into the sunset on the lawn mower. | romantic, cult | train | wikipedia | The difference is that the stars, Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson, are not so stereotypical in their roles as lonely nerd and ultra-popular head cheerleader.Patrick Dempsey has always been underrated as an actor with style, and it is unfortunate that his character, Ronald, is so unlikable after the film's premise kicks in.
But Dempsey himself seems too inherently confident to really pull off the geek aspect believably, and he's too cruel to the girl whose heart he won for Ronald to be a truly sympathetic character.
The standout in this film is Amanda Peterson, whose character Cindy has to be one of the most genuinely likeable "stuck up" high school girls on film.
Making characters likeable is much more difficult than making them sympathetic, and I'm frankly shocked that Peterson's career did not skyrocket after this performance.Whether you're looking for creative ways to invest $1000 or dancing lessons, Can't Buy Me Love is one 80's teen flick that has a lot to offer..
Can't Buy Me Love ridicules the high school caste system--that popular kids are the invincible social class that other social groups strive to be part of, but are limited by the "understood" rigid rules of their place among the social system.
Ronald is in love with senior cheerleader, Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson).
Is he willing to trade it all in for popularity and all the superficiality that comes with it?Ronald's opportunity arrives when Cindy stumbles into the mall one day looking to return or exchange her mother's outfit stained with wine thanks to Cindy, who wasn't supposed to be wearing it, anways.
And how long can he live down the lie?It was one of three good movies Dempsey made in 1987, along with Loverboy and In the Mood (actually the latter is better than the former), all being cute romantic comedies.
Patrick Dempsey, Amanda Peterson, Seth Green (who plays Ronald's little brother, Chuckie), or hell, even Max Perlich fans, are certain to like this movie.
I liked this cute little movie about a geeky boy who pays the hottest highschool cheerleader at his school to pose as his girlfriend.
Patrick Dempsey is good in it, and Amanda Peterson is absolutely great, loved her.
The story is about Ronald played by Patrick Dempsey who is a nerd and lives next door to Cindy the most popular girl in High School played by Amanda Peterson.
This was a little past the dawning of the high school movie, and the characters of the nerd, jock, cheerleader, etc.
But if I just want to kick back and watch a cheesy high school movie that will put a smile on my face and contains no intellectual value, I'll watch "Can't Buy Me Love." Of course, the movie has a "message" at the end about being yourself, and not caring what others think of you, but the message is delivered with the finesse of an after-school special and is strictly pasted on.
In a way, not all will agree with Neil or the song, but this movie had me in stitches (at times) given that I didn't laugh as much as "Fast Times At Ridgemeont High", this was a more heart felt story of a young nerd/geek (Dempsey)who is definitely coming into his own.
I probably looked like Charlie Brown after being kissed by the little red-headed girl at that point as the car was pulling away.I recommend this for all the high school crazy antics we all did and or miss, from that era in our lives.
RELEASED IN 1987 and directed by Steve Rash, "Can't Buy Me Love" is a high school dramedy about a geek at an Arizona high school (Patrick Dempsey) who pays the most popular girl in school (Amanda Peterson) $1000 to act like she likes him for a month so he can move up the social strata.
This is better than some 80's teen flicks (e.g. Molly Ringwald's movies), but not as good as others ("Fast Times at Ridgemont High").
Music is by Robert Folk and cinematography by Peter Lyons Collister.Plot has Dempsey as nerdy outcast Ronald Miller, who fed up of not being popular pays Cindy Mancini (Peterson), the most popular girl in school, one thousand dollars to be his girlfriend.The 1980s was awash with films of this ilk, the teen dramedy topped up by a big hearted message and a finale of punch the air worth.
As evidenced by its popularity among 80s cineastes of a certain age, Can't Buy Me Love delivers all that you expect from such fare.The core theme is of course self acceptance, the attainment of such in amongst the scary world of teenage school years.
This is the best 80s teen movie of all time (period)The chemistry of Amanda Peterson and Patrick Dempsey is truly flattering and comes across so natural Tina Caspary does really well in this one too and you really feel the tension with her and Darcy DemossThe soundtrack by Robert folk in this movie is simply a masterpiecealthough one of the best tracks of the prom dance scene is not included in the soundtrack (actress) by randy hall ( the only downfall)This movie can be watched over and over again without disappointment.This is truly a masterpiece with Amanda Peterson at her best..
It is a hilarious movie and teaches important lessons about popularity and high school life.
Amanda Peterson plays as Cindy, the most popular girl at school.
While, Patrick Dempsey is Ronald, a nerd who wants to fit in with the cool kids.
An unpopular guy desperately wants popularity so goes about it by paying a girl $1000 to be his girlfriend...but then they begin to fall in love with each other...ooh.Let's be honest you know exactly how the movie is going to pan out from the start.
I liked her character because she knew who and what she was, but she was willing to take some chances.Believe me though, that most of the snobbish popular kids in real 80's high schools were shallow and not very nice people.Check it out on youtube..
Patrick Dempsey, and Amanda Petersen, what an iconic '80s casting.Teen oriented movies that started with "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" paved the way for whole slew of movies of this kind which this one now has a "classic" status.Now, girls are wishing there's someone who would take them on a lawn mower ride.
That's become a romantic thing now - wow !Pretty cool movie that's fun to watch even now.Just because the casts are teenagers doesn't mean that the movie is a light weight.It seems like a dumb movie, but it's too good of a romance to be taken lightly.Older actors would have done it differently, but this is just as good as any love story..
Yeah, unless you were already in it we all thought about it at one point or another but in the movie I'm reviewing this time, Can't Buy me Love, Ronny Miller played by Patrick Dempsey actually got a chance to.
When he goes to buy the telescope he notices Cindy Mancini, played by Amanda Peterson, who of course is the most popular girl in school in need of some help.
Ronny decides to buy her a new one in exchange for a date that he hopes will make him popular.I didn't know why I loved this movie as a kid so much.
much less any other 80's movie.Many of us have been in Ronald's shoes in high school: alone, trying desperately to fit in, and just being ever-so-slightly on the nerdy side; for those of that have, this is their movie.This movie is not only entertaining in the fact that it's funny, but it also has a very useful message: if you want to be popular or at the very least be reasonably liked, the best thing to do is to be nothing but yourself.I give this underrated favorite a 10 out of 10..
I loved this film, but I admit it's a love it or hate it sort of flick - a high school nerd wants to be cool, so he pays a cheerleader to date him for a while, but he becomes too arrogant and it all comes crashing down around him, and I think you can work out how it goes from here.It's a classic 1980s teen film, perhaps comparable to 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' or the 'Revenge of the Nerds' series of films in its attitude and style, although the story is most similar to the more recent 'She's All That' starring Freddie Prinze Jnr and Rachel Leigh Cook.
The movie is about a guy called Ronald who is something of a nerd.Ronald has a crush on the most popular girl in school.
Amanda Peterson who plays Cindy does a pretty good job as does Patrick Dempsey as Ronald.
It has been a long while since i've seen this movie, but i can remember a lot of it.Actually, it reminds me a bit of myself.Okay, i didn't pay a girl to be my girlfriend for a month, just to become popular, but i was a bit of a loner, and girlfrienless untill iwas 20.This movie is a great movie to watch, even if you aren't a teenager anymore.It has humor for all ages, and i think most people find something they can relate to.The ending is ofcourse also classic.
I think this movie gives a good message to teenagers that what is more important than popularity is to "be yourself.".
He rents Cindy for a month and this does make him popular but it falls apart near the end of the movie.
Can't Buy Me Love is My Favorite All Time Movie!
The most important aspect of the film is Cindy having feelings for Ronald even though in her eyes, he wasn't popular, but she didn't care.
I don't know why I liked this movie so much, but when I was 16 it was at the dollar movie over the summer and we saw it at least 6 times over three weeks.It is just your basic funny, cute movie about high school life.
It is at least worth a rental, especially for high school kids.Patrick Dempsey does a great job and his friends play the perfect "Geeks.".
Ordinarily I don't like this kind of American high-school movie, but I actually enjoyed this one.
"can't buy me love" was just such a sweet movie to watch, i couldn't help smiling throughout most of the scenes up until the ending.
out of all the teen flicks i've seen about meshing the "cool" kids and the "nerds" (and there is a lot of them) i thought this movie was the most endearing.
This movie had some classic lines in it:* "cards, chips, dips, and dorks" * "cold brew just not going to be the same" * "Quintan is here" <--- I don't know why this makes me laughand my favorite:* Look, it's a nerd herdI'm sure my phrases are off, but I have't seen it in about 13 years, so I guess that's pretty good.In the cast listing it says that Seth Green played his little brother.
Ronald ( beast ) falls for Cindy ( beauty ) I just love it :-) I feel that it could have been a little bit longer of a movie , it seems to be a good movie but it all happens too fast :-( I still love it :-) It is still to this day one of my many faveorite movies from the 80s:-) I mean the only way you can't like it is if you just didn't like the 80s or you just not into that kind of movies but i also agree if you liked Revenge of the Nerds then you will like this movie :-) 80s movies were big on GEEKS :-) Laugh Out Loud :-) Melissa.
The relationship--actually, the movie--provides some valuable lessons on friendship and the costs of gaining our wildest dreams.Along with "The Breakfast Club," "Say Anything," and "The Sure Thing," this is one of the best teen films of the 80's..
Because Can't Buy Me Love is one of those movies that comes along ever so rarely and leaves the viewer realizing that this is the way things are(Not getting a girl for $1000,but the way "popularity" is).The cast is excellent right from Patrick Dempsey as the lead to Seth Green(*yes from Austin Powers*).The clothes,the music may be all 80's but so what?
I was a science-loving film-geek, but I just so happened to letter in varsity swimming and track-and-field, so while I shouldn't have been popular, my "jock" status allowed me fame and kind treatment.Sorry to digress, but, if anything has been clear from what I've been attempting to write, I didn't like the movie.
Charming and cute 80's movie about a colorless high school nerd who desperately wants to get into the cool clique of jocks, quarterbacks and foxy cheerleaders.
Ronnie Miller (Patrick Dempsey) pays the popular Cindy 1.000,00 $ to hang out with her for a month.
You'll fall in love with the characters on both sides as this movie shows you that not everything you think is reality and you won't ever really know what it's like in someone else's world until you walk in their shoes..
A nerdy outcast (Patrick Dempsey) secretly pays the most popular girl in school (Amanda Peterson) one thousand dollars to be his girlfriend.At the time this film was made, I do not think anyone involved was terribly well-known.
I was inspired to watch this otherwise forgotten 80s teen rom-com by the recent tragic death of star Amanda Peterson.It certainly doesn't hold a candle to the better known teen comedies from the genre's golden age, but stars Patrick Dempsey and Peterson are quite good, and the film features an early appearance from Seth Green, who steals every scene he's in as Dempsey's little brother.
Patrick Dempsey hams it up portraying an unpopular high schooler who figures that buying dates and being used will help him make friends and be a good influence on the teenaged society.
It's a shame that I have not seen nearly as much, of her, as I have of Patrick, over the last 14 years.This was a real "feel-good", "pick-me-up" movie, as far as I was concerned.
How I was "cheering Ronald Miller's character on", when "dating" Cindy Mancini, cheerleader queen, actually DID make him popular.......after all those years of being the GEEK and the LAWN BOY........in his senior year, no less........What a way to go out!!
(then he actually HILARIOUSLY did the math, WITHOUT A CALCULATOR, NO LESS, to figure out how many days, he had lived, without that experience!.......17-odd years X 365)!!Well, whoever she was, let me say, facetiously (and also seriously), she was HOT, truly beautiful and cute!!!.......even cuter than Amanda Peterson's Cindy Mancini.......and I wish that she had been the female star of that movie!!.
Wow, it was amazing to see the effects this had on the school and in particular that class, it turned the whole 'popular' thing on it's head.One other reason this movie works is that the chemistry between Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson is obvious.
Patrick Dempsey caught my eye in this adorable little movie about a boy who falls in love with the girl next door and sets out to win both her and popularity.Possible spoilers: As Ronald Miller (or as the object of his affection calls him Donald), Dempsey is transformed before our eyes from an offbeat, lovable geek to a smokin' hot studmuffin whom all the girls lust after.
After she ruins one of her mother's favorite outfits, Cindy Mancini (played by the perky and beautiful Amanda Peterson)finds herself in need of Ronald's help.
One of my all time favorite story lines is when two people don't like each other and then fall in love.
The remains of their relationship seemed to be a joke to me and deep down, I think Cindy knew that and that was why she was dating other guys.Lots of laughs and tears throughout the movie with great acting by the main cast.
This gets played up to the extreme as Ronald Miller goes from being "totally geek, to totally chic" only to lose it all again in heartbreaking fashion.The fine acting of a young Patrick Dempsey, and the gone too soon Amanda Petterson really make the movie for me as the chemistry is real and the awesome scenes together make me smile everytime I watch (which is nearing 20 viewings now)Courtney Gains does an excellent job of being the neglected best friend who sees his friend descend into an unrecognizable jerk and the scenes involving their eventual loss of friendship are tough to watch.It is not perfect, it shows it age a bit but having just watched it recently...I still love it..
I thought the rest was alright but there weren't that great enough scene's.I think there was a lot of whining going on too that would definitely put you off regarding girls grouping over Ronald and the fact, Cindy had kept pressuring him on pointless things like breaking up in public which was fake.
"Cindy Mancini" (Amanda Peterson) is the head of the cheerleading squad and the most popular person in high school.
Now, as far as this movie is concerned I will just say that that this is one of the better 80's teen comedies produced with both Amanda Peterson and Patrick Dempsey performing in an exceptional manner.
Ronald Miller pines for Cindy the most popular girl in school who doesn't know he's alive.
He ditches his old friends for the highlight.The movie not only explores themes like popularity and love in simple terms like other teen flicks.
The movie has a typical romantic plot within an American high-school setting, with lead characters being a nerd (Ronald) and the head cheerleader (Cindy).
I love how (spoilers) Ronald and Cindy act with each other because they are the EPITOME of high school teen relationships. |
tt0246772 | Bella Martha | Martha Klein (Martina Gedeck) is a chef at Lido, a gourmet restaurant in Hamburg, Germany. A perfectionist who lives only for her work, Martha has difficulty relating to the world other than through food. Her single-minded obsession with her culinary craft occasionally leads to unpleasant confrontations with customers. Consequently, the restaurant owner, Frida (Sibylle Canonica), requires her to see a therapist (August Zirner) to work out her poor interpersonal skills. Martha's therapy sessions, however, turn into monologues on food, and her approach to stress management usually involves briefly retreating to the restaurant's walk-in refrigerator.
Martha's life takes a dramatic turn when she learns that her sister is killed in a car accident, leaving behind an eight-year-old daughter, Lina (Maxime Foerste). Martha must now look after her niece, who is understandably depressed, withdrawn, and refuses to eat. The girl's Italian father, Giuseppe Lorenzo, has been out of the picture for years living somewhere in Italy. While coping with her sister's death and raising the young girl, Martha's world is further complicated when Frida hires fun-loving and unorthodox Mario (Sergio Castellitto) as a sous-chef to replace Lea (Katja Studt), who is expecting a child any day. Martha looks on in horror as Mario transforms her kitchen of precision and logistics with his relaxed banter and eclectic jazz music.
Unable to find an acceptable babysitter, Martha starts to bring Lina to the restaurant with her. Lina begins to emerge from her depression in the presence of Mario's playfulness, and even begins to eat when Mario leaves her unattended with a plate of spaghetti he's prepared. Touched by Mario's kindness and concern for the child, Martha becomes more accepting of Mario. She even asks for his help in locating Lina's father in Italy and translating a letter she's written to him.
Just as Martha's strained relationship with Lina seems to be improving, she forgets to pick the girl up from school while helping Lea, her very-pregnant sous chef, get to the hospital to deliver her baby. Lina is angry at being forgotten at school, and the incident appears to cause a serious setback between her and Martha. To make amends, Martha offers to grant Lina any wish. For her wish, Lina wants Mario to cook for them. Mario agrees, and prepares a picnic-style dinner in Martha's living room. Despite the mess left behind in the kitchen, the evening of stories and games brings the three closer together.
The renewed warmth between Martha and Lina is immediately tested when Martha is told by the school principal that Lina has not been attending school regularly, and that when she does come to school, she falls asleep. He also tells Martha that when he asked the girl why she was always so tired, she told him that she was forced to work in a kitchen for her room and board. Angered by Lina's behavior, and also having been warned by the restaurant owner, Martha tells her she can no longer come to the restaurant. Lina storms off, nearly getting hit by a car, and later attempts to run away to Italy. Mario continues to support Martha emotionally, and their relationship becomes romantic.
Lina's father, in answer to Martha's letter, finally arrives and takes his daughter to Italy to live with his new wife and family. Distraught and conflicted by the separation, Martha rejects Mario's loving support, and after another confrontation with a customer, she quits her job. Soon after, Martha asks Mario to accompany her to Italy to retrieve Lina. After reuniting with the girl, Martha and Mario get married, and the three begin their lives together as a loving family. | romantic, home movie | train | wikipedia | null |
tt2514338 | Jauja | In the 1880s, Danish Captain Gunnar Dinesen (Viggo Mortensen) is in Argentina with his teenage daughter Ingeborg (Viilbjørk Malling Agger) who asks him if she can have a dog. He is propositioned by Lieutenant Pittaluga (Adrián Fondari) who asks him for permission to take Inge to a dance in exchange for one of his horses. In clumsy Spanish Dinesen refuses, stating that Inge is his daughter. When Dinesen warns Inge that Pittaluga is too fond of young girls and she should not go near him, she asks why she ever would.
Unbeknownst to her father, Inge is already involved with a young soldier named Corto. Corto tells Pittaluga and Dinesen about the rumors that Zuluaga, an officer who inexplicably disappeared into the desert, is leading a group of bandits and wearing a woman's dress. The men tell Corto to go into the desert and bring them something tangible as proof that Zuluaga is still alive.
During the night Inge and Corto run off together. Though Pittaluga offers to help retrieve Inge, Dinesen insists on going alone. Heading out into the desert he eventually encounters a slain man whispering the name Zuluaga. He later finds a bloodied and dying Corto and asks him where his daughter is before beheading him.
Corto appears to have been attacked by some indigenous people wearing white mud. While Dinesen is stooped over Corto, his horse, hat, and rifle are stolen by one of the natives and Dinesen is forced continue on foot through the inhospitable desert. Driven onward in the search for his daughter, he continues on in the direction the indigenous man went. Dinesen contends with extreme thirst and possibly begins to hallucinate.
As Dinesen wanders through the desert, he sees a dog who leads him first to a toy soldier belonging to Inge and then to a Danish-speaking elderly woman who lives in a cave. She tells him her husband died of a snake bite. Captain Dinesen tells the woman that he is looking for his daughter and, as the conversation unfolds, it is gradually revealed that the woman is his daughter. She tells him to come back whenever he likes and he wanders out into the desert again.
In the present day, a young girl (also played by Viilbjørk Malling Agger) wakes up in a mansion in Denmark and goes to see her dogs. She is distressed by the fact that one dog has been scratching his fur off and the hound-keeper tells her it is because he is nervous and perplexed by her long absences. The girl takes the dog for a walk in the woods around her home and finds a toy soldier on the ground. She picks it up and casts it into a pond. | boring, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt2153963 | Tabu | Prologue
A narrator, Miguel Gomes himself, reads in voice-over a poetic and philosophical text that invokes a legend in which the Creator orders, but the heart commands: the suicide of an intrepid explorer who, somewhere in Africa, long ago, plunges into a turbid river after a frustrated love affair and is devoured by a crocodile. Many swear they have seen a beautiful woman and a sad crocodile on the riverbank and that the two share a mysterious empathy.
Part 1—Paradise Lost
Three disparate women dwell in an old building in Lisbon. Aurora, an octogenarian living off her pension, eccentric, talkative and superstitious, seeming more dead than alive, and Santa, her housemaid from Cape Verde, live at the same apartment. Santa is semi-literate, but proficient in the divinatory art of voodoo. Pilar, their neighbor and friend, a Catholic middle-aged woman, and militant social benefactor, involves herself in their psychodramas.
Pilar has another friend, a romantic painter in love, a gentleman who insists on offering her tacky pieces of art. But Pilar is more concerned with Aurora: with Aurora's solitude, with her frequent escapes to the casino. She is even more worried about Santa, with her long silences and devil arts. Santa thinks it better to take care of oneself without annoying others, so keeps quiet.
Something else concerns the old lady: understanding she will die soon, she feels someone is missing her, someone her friends have never heard about: Gian-Luca Ventura. So she asks Pilar to find him. She succeeds in doing so and the man appears. He is an old colonist, a disturbed man, from Mozambique, an ancient Portuguese colony. Another story emerges, beginning: "Aurora had a farm in Africa at the foothill of Mount Tabu..."
Part 2—Paradise
Flashback: The story of Aurora’s life, told by Gian-Luca Ventura in voice over. This part takes place shortly before the Portuguese Colonial War began.
In 1960s Portuguese Africa, Aurora and her husband live together near the Tabu Mountain. She is a skilled hunter, never missing a shot. She owns a small crocodile, a gift from her husband, which moves around the house as a pet.
One day, the animal runs away. The pregnant Aurora finds it in Ventura’s house, where they consummate their existing mutual attraction; a passionate and dangerous love affair ensues. Gian-Luca confides in his friend, Mario, about the affair. Mario demands that Gian-Luca end the affair and when he is ignored, the two start fighting. The heavily pregnant Aurora picks up a revolver and shoots and kills Mario. She later gives birth to a girl. Two days later, Gian-Luca leaves Africa for good. | flashback | train | wikipedia | A vinyl recording of 60s rock 'n' roll echoing over time through generations suggest a nostalgic remembrance of a distant land, which later plays a greater significance in a saga of unrequited love, regret and (literally) life and death.Initially, Tabu is a love story in disguise, a unfinished love story sprawling over a lifetime of passion, regret, duty and propriety.
In it's latter stages it contemplates ideas of memory, unrequited love, ageing, class inequality, prejudice, and European colonialism in African hills and plains.The first part follows the life of an enigmatic elderly woman in contemporary Portugal - titled Paradise Lost - as she goes about her daily life, we learn snippets about her about her prosaic hobbies, simple pleasures, prejudices, idiosyncrasies, detests, and regrets over a sobering simple lifestyle, a long way from the dream life she idolised.
It is a wonderfully romantic and nostalgic yet with an undercurrent on living the edge of a precipice - the dangerous beasts of the African plains, the wild unfamiliar natives and rugged landscape - there exists a sense of tragedy combined with high passion, regret and wild party impulses.Whereas part one is melancholic as it is bitter and comic, the second part contrasts the beauty of youth, the blinding African heat and sun, it exposes the storytelling medium the by abandoning almost all dialogue and all but some diegetic sound effects.
From the frustrating, fussy and capricious Aurora to the charismatic, carefree, jeunesse Ventura and the supporting jaunty characters, each signify the contrasts in class, social status and the colonial class system soon to collapse under political revolution.What is essentially an unrequited love story /melodrama is a charismatic and rollicking passionate ride with some crystal sharp compositions in textured black and white.
Though the entire film is shot in black and white, the two different stories are told in differing stylistic ways, making Tabu a very fitting tribute to cinema itself.
The second half is a rather simple story of an illicit love affair that could never be but is told in an emotionally powerful way, enhanced by the framed narrative structure and deeply mournful narration of who we discover to be the man she loved.
Part two feels like a two sided approach to love of the past; a past loved one and a love of cinema of the past.Despite the main subject of the story at hand, Tabu is not a completely bleak film, the playful use of different cinematic techniques and music are a joy to watch and the catharsis of the ending leaves a feeling of poignancy but not abject misery.
Either way, you won't regret it.Borrowing the name, two-part structure and love affair-plus-colonisation premise from F.W. Murnau's 1931 classic, Miguel Gomes' Tabu is a film of unmistakable vintage.
Whilst she tries to recall her youth with altruistic next-door-neighbour Pilar (Teresa Madruga) and Santa (Isabel Cardoso), a black woman whom Aurora often woefully calls a housemaid/tyrannous witch, the fatalism of the prologue suggests that Aurora will only be able to relive her glory days in the afterlife.Cue part 2, "PARADISE".
It's a time of lost innocence and furtive whispers, so Gomes decides to strip away all forms of diegetic sound, leaving just the bodies and faces of incredible actors Ana Moreira and Carloto Cotta to express this simple, enduring love.Like Leos Carax's comeback success Holy Motors, Tabu is a film entrenched in film history and scholarly technique (unsurprising considering that they both started out as film critics).
Filmed in intoxicating black & white by cinematographer Rui Poças, Tabu is beautifully photographed; from the alarmingly stark opening image of a sweaty explorer looking lost in an African jungle, to the final image of a baby crocodile turning away from the camera and crawling out of frame.
Mixing the deadened silence with ambient sounds, poetic narration and a Portuguese rendition of "Be My Little Baby" (made famous by The Ronettes) the composite sonisphere speaks for the unspoken, tabooed love to exceptionally powerful effect.Because the film's aesthetic is so dazzling, it's easy to lose track of the whimsical storyline.
Just like that film, Tabu isn't a perfect movie, there's pacing issues and Gomes seems to be wrestling with three separate endings.
A KVIFF viewing, the third feature-length work from Portuguese director Miguel Gomes, which was among the contenders for the Golden Bear in Berlin earlier this year, and wound up winning the FIPRESCI Prize and Alfred Bauer Award.The film is entirely in Black & White, which has a deceiving anachronism effect and injects an appeasing vigor to enliven the storyline.
With being equally divided into two parts, the first half is the contemporary story between a middle-aged woman, Pillar and her senior neighbor Aurora (who is live alone with her black servant Santa, and strongly believes her estranged daughter and Santa are plotting against her); the second half is completely B&W silent, with an elaborate voice-over from Aurora's former lover Ventura, revealing a secret history about he and Aurora's love affair back in Africa half an century ago.
It is a distinctively interesting composition, which contributes a pleasant illusion that we were watching a double-feature.But by comparison, the first part is more austere and compelling while the second part is basically about a superfluously hackneyed liaison between a married woman and a romantic womanizer, the only worthiness is that it is between two white people in Africa, and if one intends to get some in-depth probe about the continent and its people, the film could hardly suffices this curiosity.
Teresa Madruga and Laura Soveral are spellbinding during their screen time, if only the second half could be reinterpreted in another way, the film could have been a fabulous essay about love, aging and mystery behind everyone's usual representation..
Portuguese director Miguel Gomes' third feature Tabu takes us on a nostalgic journey that begins in the modern city of today's Lisbon and travels to colonial Africa fifty years ago to attempt to recapture in memory the paradise that was lost.
Shot in black and white by cinematographer Rui Poças and using 16mm film rather than color to establish a time differential, the film reminds us of the romantic movies Hollywood used to make in the 1930s and owes a debt to F.W. Murnau, whose title was borrowed from his 1931 South Seas adventure.Divided into two parts, Tabu's first section depicts an elderly woman, a dreamer beset by remorse and regret, who is fast losing her grip on reality.
The second is the story of an obsessive love set in the shadows of a fictional Mount Tabu in Africa.
Having lost her money at the casinos, Aurora looks to her estranged daughter living in Canada and her neighbor, Pilar ((Teresa Madruga), a staunch Catholic and social activist for financial help but little is forthcoming.
When Aurora is taken to the hospital, she talks about the only time she truly felt loved, the time when she met a playboy and adventurer on her husband's colonial estate back in the sixties.Aurora asks Pilar to find her friend, Gian Luca (Henrique Espírito Santo) and have him come to her one last time, but she dies before he is found in a nursing home.
Surrounded by doting black servants, she is married to a wealthy merchant (Ivo Muller) and pregnant with his child, but her life will change forever when she meets Gian Luca Ventura (Carloto Cotta), a member of her husband's friend Mario's (Manuel Mesquita) rock band and begins a stormy, furtive love affair that will begin and end many times but in the emotions it engenders, it will last a lifetime.Their story is dramatized in the context of a native rebellion, the beginning of the decolonization process that began in 1961 and continued for more than ten years.
At its core, however, Tabu is not a film about history or even about big ideas but an old-fashioned love story that, while perhaps never quite penetrating below the surface of its characters, captivates with its mood, physical beauty, and sense of dream-like mystery.
Honestly, the film started out slow and I wasn't sure where it was going in the first part.The second part cranked up fast and the audience becomes quickly engrossed in Aurora's past and her life in Africa.
One completely understands her melancholy and longing for her past when you compare her farm on Mount Tabu to her life in Lisbon.Aurora's verboten romance with Gian Luca quickly builds up and the audience can feel the longing and how Aurora felt trapped with her pleasant husband.The saddest part for me was when Gian Luca played the drums to the Ronette's song and his entire demeanor is crushed and devastated.The film ends satisfactorily although the tragic ending of Gian Luca's romance with Aurora is well...
Teresa Madruga did great as the audience's eyes and ears.Lastly, I thoroughly enjoyed the use of black and white cinema for the Africa part of the film.
It's a simple story told very unconventionally, with the long slow death of a character in the first half (entitled "Paradise Lost") and then the best years of her life in the second ("Paradise") to the point of where the aforementioned Paradise came to an end.
The camera is sometimes in Antonioni's turf of spatial meditation, sometimes in Herzog's found ecstasy, sometimes in Chris Marker's visual letters from memory.So the fabric of the film is exceptional, that alone would be enough to earn an enthusiastic recommendation from me, but that is the basis for some pretty cool narrative threads, all pointing to storytelling as maps to the life behind the fabric of illusions.The typical reading of the film is that split in two segments, 'Lost Paradise' and 'Paradise', we have an emotionally shattered old woman, and her backstory of much erotic exploration and tragic heartbreak in faraway Mozambique that explains who she was.It is more interesting than that.
They all are intrepid explorers of course, bringing images to life, as are we venturing in the shared journey of exploring the old woman.This device comes first in the film, but it could be taking place at any time.
Once Aurora dies, Pilar and Aurora's maid set off in search for a certain man named Ventura (Henrique Espírito Santo) who appears to be a bond between the presence and Aurora's shady past
This unorthodox tribute to silent cinema and F.
Nevertheless, the scatter-brained aspect does not perplex that much and the instant the plot drags, the auxiliary visuals come in handy and prevent the material from becoming lifeless.Once Tabu transmutes into a strand of flashbacks derived from Ventura's memory (a part called Paradise), it embarks on being uncannily engrossing and bounteously asserts its aesthetic beauteousness by exposing landscapes of Portugal colonies with its eye-pleasing black-and-white photography.
Young Portuguese director Miguel Gomes plunges us into two narratives that are nothing less than pure poetry.The screenplay and refined narration, the delicate but still frenetic soundtrack that dances through Joana Sá's piano keyboards, the contrasting photography (not new, not old), as well as the roaming melancholy of Lisbon and Africa's landscapes, drive us to a distant, dream-like, almost abstracted dimension."Tabu" is truly a cinematic synesthesia, an artistic portrait that, inexplicably, grabs its viewers from the first minute.
For the duration of its first half, 'Tabu' is one of the most boring films I have ever seen: set in Lisbon, it features a woman worrying about her neighbour, an elderly woman who has been abandoned by her daughter and whose only companionship is her maid.
But things perk up when the old woman dies: we flashback to when she was young and living in a Portuguese colony in Africa, having an affair with a young musician.
The film begins in modern-day Portugal, where an old woman named Aurora (Laura Soveral) is leading a quiet and sheltered life.
The man named by the dying Aurora is the link that brings the two plots together.Although this movie was completed in 2012, it has the look of earlier film.
This is partly because it's shot in black and white, and partly because the director has chosen to remind us that great movies have been with us for many, many years.We saw Tabu on DVD, where it worked well.
In Gomes' film, we begin with a prologue of a Portuguese man's expedition to Mozambique in search of his lover's soul, ending in him being devoured by alligators and being reborn as one, before moving to the first section of the film, titled "Paradise Lost".
After the funeral, Ventura joins with María and Santa and begins telling the story of his affair with Aurora (played by the beautiful Ana Moreira), where he confirms she did actually live in Mozambique, and where he tells of his forbidden romance with her while she was pregnant of her husband's baby.
Here we begin the section titled "Paradise", detailing the story of their affair and of their Portuguese social circle, back when Mozabique was still a colony, which makes up the larger bulk of the film.One of the aspects that surprises outright is just how brilliantly Gomes manages to capture this story from an aesthetic point of view.
Visually the film is of course emulating an older style of filmmaking, right down to the choice of working in an academic ratio (1.37:1), but his visual style is perhaps less reminiscent of Murnau's, and rather seems to emulate 50s Kenji Mizoguchi and early Satyajit Ray. There is that same remarkably organic, unimposing and ever so elegant kind of black and white photography which is harder and harder to find today (even the first half which is filmed in contemporary Lisbon), all the while the film works with a very limited array of sounds and music providing a background for a story told otherwise entirely through the voice-over of Ventura.The voice-over eventually leads to many labyrinthine stories regarding the lives of many people he met in Mozambique, not least the members of his own rock n' roll band, specifically Mario to whom Ventura was a sort of right hand man.
The love story at the heart of it is one forbidden due in large part to the social aspect, that Aurora is a pregnant, married woman, but all throughout the film there's another side suggesting the nature of this affair's forbiddance is also of a divine kind - it is, precisely, taboo.
It borrows its name from an obscure FW Murnau silent, it's filmed in black and white and utilizes two different film speeds, and the entire second half has no dialog, only voice-over.
Well, more precisely, two films.After a brief interlude involving an intrepid explorer, a ghost and a crocodile, Part 1 begins, which is titled "Lost Paradise." It's about three women living in present-day Lisbon -- Pilar, her neighbor Aurora, and Aurora's African caretaker, Santa.
The second half of the film, titled "Paradise," is his recounting of his relationship with Aurora; the entire thing is narrated by him but acted out like something from "Unsolved Mysteries" -- the actors on the screen speak but we never hear their words, only ambient sounds around them.
The film is split into two parts and part one called Paradise Lost where we met Pilar (Teresa Madruga) a retired women living in Lisbon.
Once Aurora dies at the funeral Pilar starts to talk to a strange man named Ventura (Henrique Espírito Santo) who knew Aurora when they lived next door to each other in Africa.
The second part then starts and it is called Paradise telling the story of Aurora (Ana Moreira) and Ventura (Carloto Cotta) when they were younger including a forbidden love shared between the two but also how that messed up their lives.The film is shot entirely in black and white but also all the dialogue is Portuguese.
I believe that the first part of the film works better because of awkward some of the scenes feel but also of how Aurora, Pilar and Santa are involved in the story.
The second part of the film does not work as well for me because of many scenes were there is no sound even if we do see the actors speaking, the only words in this part is a voice-over provided by Henrique Espírito Santo as he explains the story being told on screen.
The choice to use black and white I thought was a good choice especially for the second part as it was a flashback we watched and looked like it was filmed on old style film.
The story did get confusing for me at times but I couldn't take my eyes off some of the images especially in the second half of the film.The performances are more needed in the first part of the film because they actually get to speak dialogue.
Laura Soveral playing the older Aurora in her limited screen time gives the best performance in the film.
She just knew how to play this character's descent into madness very well which is why the film is all about her character in the past and in present time.The film does have it's great moments but because of the failings of the second half to set up as much an interesting story as the first the film.
Who wants to see a film that's shot in black and white, is slow moving and its second part is like a silent film?
A Portuguese film in two parts "Paradise Lost" and "Paradise." The bizarre short prologue transports us to a strange world where an intrepid explorer mourning a lost love gets eaten by a melancholic crocodile in Africa.
Aurora for whom the past was a kind of golden age; Santa who has chosen to remain in Portugal and adjust to her new world and Pilar who appears to embrace activist political causes perhaps as a way of atoning the past.The second part is a steamy melodrama that unfolds as a memory sequence involving a young and beautiful Aurora who's stuck in a dull marriage to a rich man in colonial Africa. |
tt1989475 | Chained | Eager to marry his devoted secretary, Diane Lovering (Joan Crawford), New York City shipping magnate Richard Field (Otto Kruger) asks his wife Louise (Marjorie Gateson) for a divorce. Louise, however, refuses to give up her social position and denies Richard's request. Although Diane insists that she will continue to love him without the benefit of marriage, Richard asks her to contemplate her choices while cruising to South America on one of his boats. Diane agrees to the cruise, but vows to return to New York unchanged.
Soon after boarding, Diane meets Johnnie Smith (Stuart Erwin) in the ship's bar and rejects his flirtations. Johnny asks his smooth-talking best friend, Mike Bradley (Clark Gable), for help, but is double-crossed when Mike treats him like a drunk who's annoying Diane. Mike charms her and a shipboard romance blossoms. Still true to Richard, Diane makes no commitments to Mike. He persists, inviting her to visit his ranch in Buenos Aires. After a fun-filled day, Diane and Mike confess their mutual love. Diane finally tells him about Richard, but ealizing that Mike is the man she truly loves, Diane promises that when she returns to New York, she will end her affair with Richard.
Richard, however, presents her with a wedding ring and explains that his wife finally agreed to divorce him on condition that he not be allowed to see his sons. Overwhelmed by his sacrifice for her, Diane says nothing about her new romance. After writing Mike a "Dear John" letter dumping him, she marries the millionaire.
A year later, Diane runs into Mike in a New York gun shop and suggests they dine together. In spite of his bitterness, Mike still loves Diane and senses that she still loves him. Diane explains why she is loyal to Richard. Mike drops by their country house and, in spite of Diane's protests, vows to confront his rival. When Mike sees how kind and caring Richard is with Diane, however, he backs down and leaves. Richard reveals he had long sensed that she was in love with another man and nobly offers to divorce her. Unchained at last, Diane and Mike begin their married life on his Argentine ranch. | brainwashing, violence, murder | train | wikipedia | The story is very good too, I was watching wanting to know what happens with Tim. And then there's the huge plot twist at the end, you do not see it coming!
Bob, a cab-driving serial killer who stalks his prey on the city streets alongside his reluctant protégé Tim, who must make a life or death choice between following in Bob's footsteps or breaking free from his captor.Be prepared, this film is not for the faint of heart or the more sensitive viewers.
In the vein of Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer, this film takes you inside the mind of a ruthless killer, the character study is a very disturbing, heart shattering and shocking.
Vincent D'Onofrio, who you may know from Law & Order, plays Bob, a serial killer cab driver and gives one hell of a chilling performance.
Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio), a cab-driving serial killer who stalks his prey on the city streets alongside his reluctant protégé Tim, who must make a life or death choice between following in Bob's footsteps or breaking free from his captor.In the short time that Jennifer Lynch has been making her mark on cinema, I have grown to enjoy her style of film.
Sure, this film was presented as more real than, say, "Nightmare on Elm Street", but I saw little need to pick out the plot holes -- some being so obvious that pointing them out is hardly a mental challenge (such as why Rabbit never escapes).You may agree or disagree on the greatness of this film, or even have no strong reaction at all.
The nine year-old Tim (Evan Bird) goes to the movie theater with his mother Sarah (Julia Ormond) and his father Brad Fittler (Jake Weber) tells Sarah to take a cab to go home.
Along the years, the psychopath serial-killer Bob keeps killing women and Tim cleans the house and the blood, buries the women and eats Bob's leftover.
What will Tim do with Angie?"Chained" is a disturbing, twisted and depressing loss of innocence of a boy kidnapped by a sadistic and deranged serial-killer and with a surprising plot point in the end.
CHAINED starts off giving you the impression that this could be just another torture fest where a young boy and his mother get kidnapped by a taxi driver who is really a serial killer and taken to his home.
There the boy's mother is murdered and he is made to live with the killer and do whatever he says.After all that the plot actually becomes more intriguing with superb character development and it is very disturbing and comes up with some very unexpected moments and the final half is what raises this film above many others in the same genre.The performances are excellent, Jennifer Lynch certainly found the ideal actor to play the serial killer in Vincent D'Onofrio and even the actors with the smallest roles manage to shine.Overall, CHAINED is a very impressive film although not for everyone but the final half is sure to impress anyone who sees it..
This time, however, there is an original twist when he brings home a 9 year old boy (Tim) along with his mother, kills and buries the latter (as usual), but he keeps Tim to clean his house and prepare meals.
Of course, Tim tries to escape but he fails and thus gets tied to a long chain, so that he can move through the house and perform his daily chores, among others burying women after Bob slaughters them.This involuntarily form of cohabitation goes on for some 10 years.
Tim remains devoid of any external contacts, unable to leave the house while being retrained by his chain (hence the film title).In the meantime, the usual process of collecting and killing women goes on.
We don't get all the gory details about his past, but in several dreams we get the picture what sort of things happened in his youth, and apparently deformed his character for life.The story becomes interesting when Bob makes serious attempts to interest Tim for the female body, and to arouse his sexual desires.
Though the girl tries to make the best of the situation and wants to help him a bit, this scene ends with blood since handling a knife is what Tim knows best.I refrain from revealing how the story continues from this point, if only to prevent spoiling some surprising turns of events.
All in all a good watch - especially because of Vincent D'Onofrio who has a knack at playing killers (he was excellent in The Cell too)..
This movie is like the Passion of the Christ, because it doesn't make you feel anything except pity for the character.People who praise the film will try to convince you that haters just dislike it because there is no brainless slasher killer and big boobed bimbos.
It gives me the feels!", try watching The Orphanage, which (unlike this picture) is actually intelligent and scary.I'll never understand why films like this are dubbed horror.
As I was watching, I kept noticing similarities to Bereavement and Perkin's 14, and more generally to certain sub-genres like "Torture Porn" (more the concept, less the actual brutal footage, thank God) and even some Slasher films.
The overall result is a sad tale that isn't easy to watch, but is pretty well made.The screenplay managed to be original enough, though the plot twist towards the end felt forced, out of place, and unnecessary.
I always prefer films with a good twist, but this one simply wasn't a good one.The acting I found to be very impressive by both Vincent D'Onofrio as Bob the Cabby and Eamon Farren as Tim/Rabbit.
The sound effects were also good, especially during the end credits where instead of a musical theme we hear footsteps, doors and other ordinary sounds we've gotten used to hearing from that house.All in all, Chained managed to put together some unoriginal ideas and turn them into a compelling, sometimes terrifying and sometimes touching story.
whether you like horror, thrillers or films in general watch this film now.i was impressed with the realism of the script and the acting in general, it is definitely an indie film but deserves a blockbuster audience, anybody who enjoys a good movie would be letting themselves down if they failed to watch this film wow.i was transfixed from the open scene, i would describe this film as a slow burner but rather say this film simmers throughout and provides a dull moment..
Love Jennifer Lynch, but didn't feel too much one way or the other about this film, until very near the end.
One of these friends was actually incensed by the film, partially because he thought it to be little more than misogynistic exploitation, whereas director Jennifer Lynch (quite honestly, I think) believes she has made a serious film addressing child abuse.
Still, even putting aside the reprehensible actions of the serial killer, and the occasionally jaw-dropping inaction of the teen boy, for Lynch to think the inconceivably horrific actions of another character (not revealed until the very end) to be at all realistic, suggests a deeply-seated hatred of men.
Then one day, Tim attempts to escape out of the ranch but Bob is always one step ahead and decides to lock him on a long chain.Ten years later, Rabbit is all grown up as a teenager (now played by Eamon Farren).
Apparently we also learn that Bob has a murky past of his own -- something has to do with a forced incest with his own mom by his sadistic dad when he was a kid.In case you notice the premise sounds familiar, that is because writer-director Jennifer Lynch is revisiting back the same repulsive exercise in physical and psychological sadism in her highly-controversial debut BOXING HELENA back in 1993.
While CHAINED has its fair share of some unsettling experience, with a particularly creepy performance by Vincent D'Onofrio (more on him later), the overall movie is disappointingly redundant.
Yup, just like watching BOXING HELENA all over again.Newcomer Eamon Farren gives a perfectly understated performance as a frail protagonist trying to cope a sadistic life with Bob. Speaking of Bob, Vincent D'Onofrio is a truly unsettling as a remorseless serial killer.
Too bad the female cast, even for a cameo appearance by Julia Ormond, are sadly reduced to thankless roles consisting of struggling, screaming and bleed to death.CHAINED ends up with a surprise twist that I didn't even seen it coming.
Perhaps Jennifer Lynch still needs to learn a thing or two about making a movie that intends to shock viewers.
If you like really scary movies this isn't it...It is just a disturbing bloody edge of your seat look at a killer.
CHAINED is an excellent psychological horror movie, most of which is set in a nondescript rural home of Bob, a cab driver who captures, tortures, kills and rapes his victims, then buries the bodies in his basement.
This is a really excellent film, a real psychological horror, no gore but you get the idea and have to use your imagination, and the performances are superb...the twist is brilliant, totally caught me off guard, jaw to the floor!
For some reason I had some trouble tracking this film down but I was finally able to get my hands on a copy and boy am I glad I did, anything starring Vincent D'Onofrio always peaks my interest (I mean come on, have you seen his work in The Cell?!) and he is one of my most favored actors.
This was the first encounter I have had with Eamon Farren but I was very pleased with his acting, this film has a good story line that will hold your attention until the end and as gruesome as it was at points I just couldn't look away...that is how you know you have found a good film.
I don't want to spoil any of the movie because I did not know what was going to happen nor what it was even about which made it a surprisingly good film.
A perfect Lifetime movie plot of bad men that abuse their loved ones.The cabbie killer(Bob)had a life boring beyond belief and was so one dimensional he could exist on a petri dish.
A nine year old boy goes to the movies with his mother, and when they leave and get into a cab driven by D'Onofrio, they soon realise that he is not playing with a full deck.
Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio) is a cab driver who picks women up, takes them back to his house in the middle of nowhere and kills them.
Although Bob's actions are unclear at the start through flashbacks and conversations with Rabbit it becomes more and more clear what Bob is all about; there are psychological issues relating to his abusive childhood - it's possible that he may have felt that his mother let him down by not protecting him OR because most of the time he saw his father being abusive to his mother that he may have thought that this was the norm and that this is what women are there for - these were my interpretations but I understand that others may see this differently.Other than excellent character development and an insightful narrative the other thing that really elevates this film is the strong performances from D'Onforio and Farren; As Bob, D'Onforio brings to life a very interesting character, a man who'll you'll want to learn more about and find out what he'll do next.
I found the first part even harder to watch as the young lad of plays the victim is a hell of a good actor (hopefully, as I'm guessing they didn't really upset him so, just for the sake of filming) and portrays a little boy in real danger.
Much of the real violence happens off screen and the real 'horror' of the film is about the fact that a young boy has spent over half his life chained up in a serial killer's house with no means of contact with the outside world, or hope of escape.Some have criticised the way the film eventually plays out.
Chained (2012) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Bizarre (what else?) film from Jennifer Lynch about Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio), a serial killer cab driver who kidnaps a woman and her young son.
CHAINED has some very effective moments and overall it's certainly worth seeing but there's still no doubt that there are some flaws to be found and I also think the film starts to run out of gas towards the end.
The movie takes place in a rather dark, old and creepy house and I thought Lynch did a great job at giving the viewer an atmosphere to where you can actually smell the death in this house.
Jennifer Lynch's Chained sorta reminded me of a Lifetime movie and a good straight to DVD film.
"Chained" is a thoroughly depressing and deeply unpleasant psycho killer movie that is almost redeemed, though not quite, by a brilliant performance from Vincent D'Onofrio as the serial killer who kidnaps the young son of one of his victims and keeps him prisoner until adulthood, making him an unwilling accessory in his crimes.
Rabbit is chained to a wall (hence the title) but Bob educates him with books so he becomes clever.Flashbacks throughout the movie show Bobs shocking past, being abused by his dad and brother whilst graphically being forced to have sex with his mother The final half hour is where things start to pick up.
From the IMDb trivia section on this film I see that in the original story a few detectives were hunting the killer down and I thought this would have been a really good plot line as I felt too much time was taken up with quiet scenes of the captor and captive.
The film stays with you.Coming home from a routine trip to the movies, eight-year-old Tim (Bird) and his mother, Sarah (Ormond) are picked up by a psychopathic cab driver named Bob (D'Onofrio).
Jennifer Lynch's "Chained" is one of those films I walked away from completely disturbed but also captivated by.
There's nothing fun about "Chained." All I kept thinking the entire time I watched it is, "This really could and does happen." It's a gripping psychological thriller that throws in a few twists here and there to keep the viewer on their toes.
Basically, it's exactly what you would expect from the daughter of director David Lynch.Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio) is a cab driving serial killer who picks his victims up and takes them to his rural house.
One afternoon, Bob picks up a little boy named Tim (Evan Bird) and his mother (Julia Ormond) from the movies.
Great acting, plot twists, and the film knows how to keep you interested.
I also like films that leave things for you to work out or come to your own conclusion about and not have tidy endings, and this one certainly does that.I think it is a good film for those people who aren't offended by the subject matter but don't need boobs and blood to make their horror real, and are more chilled by implied suggestion and like a more psychological based thriller.Random Irritations:1.
I walked away from this movie with mixed feelings.Vincent D'Onofrio's acting is (as always) strong, newcomer Eamon Farren looks like he lost quite a few pounds for this role and the director, whom i've never hear of before, did a excellent job.The reason why i was, in the end, disappointed is one i cannot reveal in my always spoiler free reviews.
To say more would truly ruin things, but to me the ending shifted the movie from "okay" status to "pretty bad" status; all of the competence of 90 minutes or so was trumped tenfold by those final scenes, as details were introduced that attempted to explain prior behavior of characters - but the explanation held little water, a leaky plot bucket.On the plus side, at least Chained is a marked improvement over Lynch's last big-release film - Boxing Helena, in 1993!
And although it will be in your 'serial killer' film collection, this particular movie has a different quality and lasting psychological effect that will haunt you the next time you decide to take a cab.'Chained' starts off with Tim, a 9 year old boy and his mother (Julia Ormond), who are dropped off at the local cinema by dad (Jake Weber).
They hail a taxi driven by Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio), who seems like your typical cab driver.Soon after they get in the car, and a couple of missed turns, Tim and his mother realize that Bob is not really a cab driver, but a serial killer and that bad things are about to happen.
From here, we see Bob try and teach Tim how to be a serial killer in a sick and twisted father-son type fashion.
This film was originally titled 'Rabbit', due to what Bob calls Tim, but was later changed to 'Chained'.
I am really into serial killer movies, and this film was so good.
I love the way Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio) thinks, and acts throughout the film.
The film makes you hate Bob from his actions, what he does to the women, and to Rabbit (Eamon Farren) but you also cant help but feel sorry for him from his upbringing and abusive farther.Although, I did predict the ending, the movie was full of surprises and kept me quite entertained.
The film sees D'Onofrio's killer taking on a disturbed young apprentice but there are some highly predictable twists in store which you'll see coming a mile off.
The movie doesn't have a plot; it's simply Bob talking random things to Rabbit.
And he claims he didn't understand or like that task.While the movie's competently shot and well-acted by the females and lead psycho, Vincent D'Onofrio, the suspension of disbelief is far too great and the ending twists are laughable at best. |
tt0290937 | Yodha | In an unknown location in the Nepalese Himalayas, a young monk (played by Siddharth) is about to be crowned the Rinpoche of the monastery, when a gang of black magicians led by an unnamed character (played by Puneet Issar) kidnap him. It is revealed that the leader of the black magicians wishes to make a human sacrifice of the Rinpoche to attain invincibility. The other monks in the monastery understand that the Rinpoche's saviour will arrive from across the Himalayas to rescue him from the clutches of the black magicians. In the meantime, the young Rinpoche manages to escape from the clutches of the magicians and runs away to Kathmandu.
At the other end of the subcontinent, in a small village in Kerala, Ashokan (Mohanlal) is an unemployed youth who, with the other members of his club, whiles his time away competing with his cousin Appukuttan (Jagathi Sreekumar) and his club in a series of trivial competitions. Appukuttan finds himself on the losing side every time, adding to his insecurity complex, which leads him to suspect Ashokan of having an affair with his (Appukuttan's) fiancée Damayanti (played by Urvashi).
When an astrologer predicts to his mother, Sumathi (played by Sukumari), that Ashokan is likely to commit a murder if he remains in Kerala, Ashokan is bundled away to Nepal to stay with his uncle Captain (retired) Krishnankutty Menon (M. S. Thripunithura), whom he hasn't met since childhood. Unbeknownst to Ashokan, Appukuttan flies to Nepal beforehand and establishes himself in Krishanankutty Menon's (Kutty Mama) house, masquerading as Ashokan. Ashokan is cast out onto the streets of Kathmandu, where he meets the Rimpoche and forms a friendship with the young lad. Appukuttan attempts to connive his way into marrying Kutty Mama's daughter, Ashwati (Madhoo) — a researcher into Nepalese traditions and black magic at a university in Kathmandu. But Ashokan, with the Rimpoche's assistance, manages to cast doubt into the mind of Kutty Mama and win over Ashwati.
Ashokan and Ashwati then witness one of the black magician's minions kidnapping the Rimpoche. Upon following the kidnapper, they end up confronting the black magician himself. In the ensuing melee, the magician grievously wounds Ashwati and blinds Ashokan, and leaves the two of them to their deaths in the forest. Both of them are rescued by the adivasi tribe tasked with protecting the Rimpoche's monastery. Ashokan is then told of how he is the Chosen One and is trained by an adivasi teacher to overcome his blindness and become a warrior tasked with rescuing the Rimpoche.
In the meantime, the jealous and suspicious Appukuttan follows Ashwati and Ashokan into the forest and is captured by a tribe of adivasis who torture him. Ashokan then ventures into the magician's hideout, rescues the Rimpoche, and brings him back to the monastery. The Rimpoche then, aided by an ailing old monk, restores Ashokan's eyesight. As the solar eclipse nears, the monks begin the coronation of the Rimpoche. The black magician rushes to the monastery to kill the Rimpoche before he is crowned. But Ashokan stands in the black magician's way and, in the climactic fight, kills the latter.
Ashokan then discovers that Ashwati is not dead as he had previously feared. Appukuttan makes a final appearance, trained as a warrior by the adivasis who captured and tortured him. In the comical fight that ensues, Appukuttan is beaten up by Ashokan. | good versus evil, cult | train | wikipedia | Awesome Movie; A Must Watch.
The first time i watched this awesome movie was when i was 11 yrs and even after another 11, i still consider this movie as my personal favorite.
Mohanlal has shown clearly how versatile he is as an actor and the flawless performance of the duo, Mohanlal and Jagathy makes it a perfect blend of action and comedy.
The part to highlight is that Mohanlal in fact got himself trained in Martial Arts to perform some of the action sequences.
Performances from Sidhartha (Rinpoche) is also commendable.The story line is quite different from the usual themes that is portrayed in South Indian Movies.
Further, the songs are good enough but not what one might expect from A.R. Rahman.
But that does in no way affect the flow of the movie.
The action sequences are also perfectly done and Sangeeth Sivan has given a good glimpse of his directorial skills.If you are looking for a perfect entertaining movie to enjoy for 2hrs and 30 mins, never miss this one.
After watching it, you'll surely love Rinpoche and Ashokan..
Excellent entertainer.
A highly entertaining movie which has an adequate blend of action and comedy.
Though the basic plot has been 'inspired' by Eddie Murphy's olden Child' this movies has enough in it to keep the viewer engaged.To summarize the plot - Mohanlal is a happy-go-lucky youth leading a carefree life in a small village in Kerala.
His trysts with his dim-witted cousin Jagathi form the initial half of the movie.
Fate brings him to Nepal where he gets embroiled in the stereotypical battle between 'good and evil'.
The second half of the movie is focuses on how Mohanlal protects the Lama incarnate child from evil forces led by Puneet Issar.The movie has a great comedy track between Mohanlal and Jagathi which runs throughout the length of the movie without ever derailing the main plot.
Jagathi has been given some excellent one-liners and provides very good support to Lal's superb comic timing.
The action scenes are the highlight of this movie, especially those where Lal is being trained in martial arts.
The child artiste Siddhartha comes up with a wonderfully endearing performance especially his call of 'Akosotto'.
Mohanlal delivers another effortless and flawless performance proving that he is simply the best when it comes to roles like these.
Music is hummable and nothing extraordinary except the duet 'Padakali' between Yesudas and Sreekumar.
On the downside, the villain, Puneet Issar appears unrealistic and story-bookish and also tends to overdo the snarling bit.
But this does not take anything away from the overall content of Yodha.All in all, this movie is worth a watch any number of times and is a good option when one just wants to be entertained..
well taken mas-ala flick-a must watch.
the important aspect of yodha is its screenplay,actors,story and the technical crew.all were brilliant.the movie is really exciting,even though the main plot was from Eddie Murphy's golden child.one-thing worth watching the movie is the acting by mohanlal and jagathy sreekumar in which they have portrayed their role with gr8 brilliance.another important thin is the movies background score by AR rahman,which i thin one of his special one.even the songs are good and got a different flavour from AR rahman.the song padakaali sung by yesudas and mg sreekumar is one of rahman's most successful experimental songs.the movie is a perfect blend of humour and action.the plus point of Yoda with its original,is this perfect blend.camera work and direction was also good.the humour in this story doesnot put the main plot in to sides,but decorates it like cherry which is a huge more sweeter in a cake.if u are a fan of a cent percent entertainer,this is the movie 4 u.ACTUALLY A MUST WATCH.I HAVE WATCHED THIS MANY TIMES IDONOT KNOW HOWMUCH BUT EVERY TIME THE MOVIE IS AS FRESH AS NEW..
A lesson in characterisation.
Purely a remake of Eddy Murphy's Golden Child, this movie had a minor (yet important) flaw which made it humble at the box office.
The 'lovability' of Murphy's character is missing from Asokan, his counterpart played by Mohanlal.
Asokan is an arrogant character and is a winner in all the one-on-one competitions he has with his dim-witted cousin while Murphy's character is a humble and innocent one.
Viewers tend to sympathise with the cousin instead.Best thing in this movie is the camera wielded by Santhosh Sivan and the captivating music by none other than A.
R. Rehman (his first movie, I believe).On a positive note, it's more humorous than Golden Child.
And the performance of 'Rimpoche' is excellent..
There is nothing the movie but it's an entertainer.
The most important factor in the film is: AR Rahman is the first Malayalam film to be YodhaAsokan arrives in Nepal, he knows that Apukkutan lives there in his name.
Ashokan accidentally sees rim and joins him.
Ashokan is trying to inform Aswathy that he is Ashokan and that he is the father of the house.
Ashwathy is researching the ancient customs of Nepal.
Ashwani, who appears in the camera, knows that Ashokan belongs to Mala Repos.
In front of them, the repatriation goes away.
Ashokan and Aswathi are trying to stop them.
Appukuttan followed by them is in the grip of adivasis |
tt0161941 | Biohazard 2 | The game is set two months after the events of the first Resident Evil, in the Midwestern American mountain community of Raccoon City. Nearly all of its citizens have been transformed into zombies by an outbreak of the T-virus, a new type of biological weapon secretly developed by the pharmaceutical company Umbrella. The game's two protagonists are Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie police officer on his first day in the local force, and Claire Redfield, a college student looking for her brother Chris. Having just arrived in the city, Leon and Claire make their way to the Raccoon Police Department, seeking protection from the mutated population. There, they discover that most of the policemen have been killed already, and that Chris has left town to investigate the Umbrella headquarters in Europe. With no remaining motivation to stay, the two protagonists split up to look for other survivors and flee the city. While searching for an escape route, Claire meets a little girl named Sherry, who is on the run from an unknown creature, and Leon encounters Ada Wong, who claims to be looking for her boyfriend John, an Umbrella researcher.
It is revealed that Leon's superior officer, Raccoon City police chief Brian Irons, had been bribed by Umbrella to hide evidence of the company's experiments in the outskirts of the city. He also concealed their development of the new G-virus, an agent capable of mutating a human into the ultimate bioweapon. Irons tries to murder Claire but is killed by a G-virus mutant in the police department. Thereupon, Claire and Sherry escape through the sewers and become separated. After splitting up with Leon, Ada comes upon Sherry and picks up a golden pendant the girl loses while running away. Further into the sewers, Ada reluctantly teams up with Leon again, after he insists on his duty to protect her. They encounter a middle-aged woman who fires at Ada, but Leon dives between them and takes a bullet himself. Ada ignores the unconscious Leon and follows the woman, who reveals herself to be Sherry's mother Annette and the wife of William Birkin, the Umbrella scientist who created the G-virus. In an attempt to protect his life's work from special agents sent by the Umbrella headquarters, he injected himself with the virus, which turned him into the malformed creature that is now chasing Sherry. Annette recognizes her daughter's pendant and attempts to take it from Ada. A fight ensues, during which Annette is thrown over a railing. Ada learns that the golden locket contains a sample of the G-virus, and later – taken over by her emotions – returns to Leon, tending to his bullet wound.
Meanwhile, Claire is reunited with Sherry and discovers that the mutated Birkin has implanted his daughter with an embryo to produce offspring. Leon, Ada, Claire and Sherry advance through an abandoned factory connected to Umbrella's secret underground research facility. An attack by Birkin leaves Ada heavily wounded, and Leon explores the laboratory to find something to treat her wounds. He is interrupted by a psychotic Annette, who explains to him that Ada's relationship with John was only a means of getting information about Umbrella: Ada is a spy sent to steal the G-virus for an unknown organization. Just as Annette is about to shoot Leon, a Tyrant monster appears, and she is forced to retreat. Ada returns to save Leon and defeats the Tyrant seemingly at the cost of her own life. She confesses her love to Leon, who leaves behind her motionless body. Meanwhile, Annette tries to escape with another sample of the G-virus but is fatally wounded by her mutated husband. However, before she dies, she tells Claire how to create a vaccine that will stop the mutations caused by the embryo within Sherry. After preparing the cure, Leon and Claire reunite at an emergency escape train and inject Sherry with the vaccine, which saves her life. Birkin – now mutated into a large agglomeration of flesh and teeth – follows them, but is destroyed when a self-destruct system causes the train to explode. After escaping from the city with Sherry, Leon intends to take down Umbrella, while Claire continues to search for her brother. Ada is implied to have survived and to have made away with the G-virus in the pendant. The minigame "The 4th Survivor" depicts the successful G-virus retrieval mission of Hunk, one of the special agents sent by Umbrella. "The To-fu Survivor" and "Extreme Battle" are stand-alone missions that are unconnected to the plot of the game. | violence | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0055524 | A Thunder of Drums | In 1870 1st Lt. Curtis McQuade (Hamilton), a cavalry officer without field experience, arrives from the East at Fort Canby, the remote, understaffed post where he was born as the son of the then-post commander. He attempts to adjust to this new life under the once-disgraced Captain Maddocks (Boone), a wily but embittered veteran of Indian fighting who served under McQuade's father. They immediately clash when Maddocks demonstrates to the cocksure McQuade that the general knowledge of the West he gained as a child at Canby is not enough to permit him to command men in the field.
On the day McQuade reports, Maddocks is burying four troopers from a patrol led by Lt. Porter (Chamberlain), killed in a running fight with a large band of "hostiles" believed to be Comanches. They have also brought back a severely traumatized little girl, the only survivor of the massacre of a family at a distant ranch. The funeral casts gloom on the otherwise festive visit of Tracey Hamilton, also from the East and soon to wed Maddocks' second-in-command, Lt. Tom Gresham (Douglas). McQuade had previously been romantically involved with Tracey and immediately renews their affair. Gresham is assigned to lead another patrol to the suspected location of the hostiles but on the evening of his departure discovers the affair and an ugly scene ensues.
When Maddocks learns the next day that Gresham deviated from his orders, he leads McQuade and the troop in search of him without success. Finally one night they discover the bodies of Gresham and his men when they stop to bivouac. McQuade is shaken that his indiscretion may have caused Gresham to be dispirited and unwary but Maddocks is more pragmatic, disgusted that Gresham allowed himself to be fatally distracted. Prohibited by standing orders from conducting a retaliatory attack, Maddocks divides what is left of his troop, sending McQuade and nine men, including wise and seasoned 1st Sgt. Rodermill (O'Connell), to a nearby mesa as bait to lure the hostile band into attacking first.
The tactic works but McQuade's small group is hard-pressed by their attackers. Maddocks arrives with the main body in time to win the engagement but Rodermill is killed. McQuade discovers that their opponents were not Comanches at all, but Apaches, which Maddocks knew all along, having learned to "out-think them all." Maddocks is satisfied that a change in McQuade's attitude means that he is on the road to becoming a good officer. Upon his return to Canby, McQuade finds Tracey leaving, taking the little girl to her relatives in the East. Maddocks consoles McQuade with the thought that bachelors make the best soldiers because "they have nothing to lose but their loneliness." | revenge | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0460989 | The Wind That Shakes the Barley | County Cork, Ireland, 1920. Dr. Damien O'Donovan is about to leave his native village to practise medicine in a London hospital. Meanwhile, his brother Teddy commands the local flying column of the Irish Republican Army. After a hurling match, Damien witnesses the summary execution of his friend, Micheál Ó Súilleabháin, by British Black and Tans. Although shaken, Damien rebuffs his friends' entreaties to stay in Ireland and join the IRA, saying that the war is unwinnable. As he is leaving town, Damien witnesses the British Army vainly trying to intimidate a railway personnel for refusing to permit the troops to board. In response, Damien decides to stay and is sworn into Teddy's IRA brigade.
After drilling in the mountains, the column raids the village's Royal Irish Constabulary barracks to acquire revolvers, then uses them to assassinate four Auxiliaries. In the aftermath, Anglo-Irish landowner Sir John Hamilton coerces one of his servants, IRA member Chris Reilly, into passing information to the British Army's Intelligence Corps. As a result, the entire brigade is arrested. In their cell, Damien meets the train driver, Dan, a union official who shares Damien's socialist views.
Meanwhile, British officers interrogate Teddy, pulling out his fingernails when he refuses to give them the names of IRA members. Johnny Gogan, a British soldier of Irish descent, helps all but three of the prisoners escape. After the actions of Sir John and Chris are revealed to the IRA's intelligence network, both are taken hostage. As Teddy is still recovering, Damien is temporarily placed in command. News arrives that the three remaining IRA prisoners have been tortured and shot. Simultaneously, the brigade receives orders to "execute the spies".
Despite the fact that Chris is a lifelong friend, Damien shoots both him and Sir John. Later, the IRA ambushes and wipes out a convoy of the Auxiliary Division, and in retaliation another detachment of Auxiliaries loots and burns the farmhouse of Damien's sweetheart, Cumann na mBan member Sinéad Sullivan. Sinéad is held at gunpoint while her head is shaved dry, cutting her scalp. Later, as Damien treats her, a messenger arrives with news of a formal ceasefire between Britain and the IRA.
After the Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed, the brigade learns that a partitioned Ireland will only be granted Dominion status within the British Empire. As a result, the brigade divides over accepting the terms of the Treaty. Teddy and his allies argue that accepting the Treaty will bring peace now while further gains can be made later. Others oppose the Treaty, proposing to continue fighting until a united Irish Republic can be obtained. Dan and Damien further demand the collectivisation of industry and agriculture. Any other course, declares Dan, will change only "the accents of the powerful and the colour of the flag".
Soon the Irish Free State replaces British rule, and Teddy and his allies begin patrolling in Irish Army uniforms. Meanwhile, Damien and his allies join the Anti-Treaty IRA. When the Battle of Dublin launches the Irish Civil War, the Anti-Treaty column commences guerrilla warfare against Free State forces. As the violence escalates, Teddy expresses fear that the British will invade if the republicans gain the upper hand. His position is: "They take one out, we take one back. To hell with the courts."
Soon after, Dan is killed and Damien is captured during a raid for arms on an Irish Army barracks commanded by Teddy. Sentenced to death, Damien is held in the same cell where the British Army imprisoned them earlier. Desperate to avoid executing his brother, Teddy pleads with Damien to reveal where the Anti-Treaty IRA is hiding the stolen rifles. In return, Teddy offers Damien full amnesty, a life with Sinéad, and the vision of an Ireland where Pro- and Anti-Treaty Irishmen can raise families side by side. Insulted, Damien responds by saying that he will never "sell out" the Republic the way Chris Reilly did and Teddy leaves the cell in tears. Damien writes a goodbye letter to Sinéad, expressing his love for her, but he says that he knows what he stands for and is not afraid. At dawn, Damien dies before a firing squad commanded by a heartbroken Teddy. Teddy delivers Damien's letter to Sinéad who is distraught and heartbroken. She attacks Teddy and orders him to leave her land. | dramatic, violence, cruelty, murder, romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt3398066 | Christian Mingle | Busy ad executive Gwyneth Hayden (Lacey Chabert) has been unsuccessful in love. Seeing that a friend has become engaged leaving her as the last single woman in her group, and after seeing an advert for the dating website Christian Mingle, she signs up. She confesses to her co-worker Pam (Saidah Arrika Ekulona) that she hasn't been to church in years despite having been brought up a Christian, and before going on a date with Paul (Jonathan Patrick Moore) she buys The Bible for Dummies and Christianity for Dummies.
After a couple of successful dates, Paul takes Gwyneth to a Bible study group at his friend's house. She meets Jessy (Sascha Alexander) and Jimmy (Tony D. Czech), a couple who also met through the site, Gabby (Jessa French) and Tommy (Justin Dray), who are expecting their first child, and Kelly (Jill Saunders), a childhood friend of Paul's.
Paul asks Gwyneth to go to church and meet his parents, Lacie (Morgan Fairchild) and Bill (David Keith). After Gwyneth meets with Jessy, Jimmy, Gabby, Tommy and Kelly, Paul reveals that he will be travelling to Mexico with his father's construction company to repair a church in Mexico. Gwyneth is annoyed that she wasn't told but is persuaded to join everyone in Mexico.
She takes time off from her job but while there her copy of Christianity for Dummies is discovered and she confesses to Paul that she wasn't a practicing Christian when she signed up to the site. They break up and she returns to America. When Paul and his family returns Gwyneth goes to see him and learns that he is with Kelly.
Her boss Douglas McCarver (Stephen Tobolowsky) has Gwyneth write a campaign to sell a cure for baldness for their client Donny Da Bona (John O'Hurley), but she cannot lie due to her newly discovered faith and quits to go become a teacher at the village in Mexico.
Some months later Paul returns to the village to tell Gwyneth that he has broken up with Kelly and he proposes to her. | christian film | train | wikipedia | null |
tt2568760 | Theevram | The Movie opens with a crime where a young man is beaten to death with a club in front of his fiance. Then comes an investigation officer Alexander (Sreenivasan), and an assistant Ramachandran (Vinay Forrt). Alexander unlike the assistant, is an officer who doesn't believe in torturing the accused people to prove crimes. Though he is a man who even fears to witness a live postmortem, he is intelligent enough to prove crimes. He proves this one too without much problems. Parallel to this, Harsha Vardhan (Dulquer Salmaan), a man of mystery, lives lonely in a big house, and teaches music to a girl named Sophie. He one day kidnaps and brings an auto driver (Anu Mohan) and tortures him in his house cellar covered with plastic. Alex and Ramachandran take up the case and upon investigation, Alex suspects Harsha. But Harsha turns out to be quick and swift before his suspicion turns into his belief. He murders the auto driver and then eradicates every single evidence which proved him guilty and revealed the identity of the driver. Once the severed parts are found, the case heats up further and Alex realizes that it's a well planned murder, only after he finds Harsha to have left the city without any notice.
The story then moves four years back. Harsha, as an aspiring young musician, struggles not only in his career, but also in his life to maintain his relationship with his lover Maya. After getting married, both of them, with their two more friends, Nimmy (Riya Saira) and Dr. Roy (Vishnu Raghav) start living together. One day, May joins a call center and gets miffed with a driver on his careless driving. Harsha leaves for Chennai, after getting his break and while he's away, the driver murders his wife and buries her severed head to avoid suspicion. But Alex finds it out and the driver is imprisoned. Harsha gets devastated by the loss of Maya and gets furious upon finding that first of all, the driver was given life imprisonment instead of death penalty, and secondly, he got freed before time. He makes a plan along with his two friends to kill the driver. Nimmy starts using his auto and befriends him. One day, while going with him, Nimmy follows Harsha's plan and the driver takes her on a route through a forest, and she suddenly jumps out. In order to stop her from running, he jumps out but is held by Harsha. A fight takes place between them in which Harsha overpowers the driver and injects him to unconsciousness.
Then in the present, Nimmy and Roy are shown watching news which proves the system's failure in finding out the dead body's identity and that the case would go on with further investigations. Upon being asked by Ramachandran about what was to be their next action, Alex smiles and replies that, "It's not Jesus Christ who has died. It's Judas. He'll have to die", after which he is accompanied by Ramachandran through his laughter, indicating that they won't disclose anything about Harsha. | revenge, murder | train | wikipedia | one movie that i think that the producer talked about the charter to all those actors ..
facts - no charters are important the only thing that is important is what's going on in the movie.
completely beats some of the old American thrillers given music in the movie at all shots will confuse you with other thoughts you can't predict who or how he did it .
was good script.
excellent thinking of a young artist and that com-pained with cultural diffusion.
what a great movie .
everyone who loves movie should watch this movie because this is a unbeatable story that make you only think about the movie for all that time.
great quality language used was one of the major plus points and then team work was involved in this movie with all the people who were behind he scene..
A revenge story - a bit far from perfection.
One thing I appreciate about this movie is the director's effort of bringing into a new narrative style to the Malayalam industry.
The first half was superb and when it was nearing the interval even the viewers were sweating due to excitement, anxiety/tension .The scenes that followed up after the interval were quite disappointing indeed.
There was much lagging and some of the jokes didn't quite work out as well.Coming to the performances Dulquar has given a splendid one.
He is the main highlight of the film.
The young actor shows much promise.
Meanwhile Vinay Forrt and Sreenivasan are the show stealer's even thought they are not present throughout the film.
Anu Mohan is an actor to be looked out for as he delivers his best.So if you are searching for a different movie experience, I recommend this one.
Hope this review was helpful.
Theevram Review: An extremely intense action thriller!.
Movie: Theevram (U)Rating : 4/5I had just watched KAMMATTIPAADAM the previous day before watching THEEVRAM.
I had heard a lot about this film and it looked interesting.
I had also read somewhere that the Hindi action film BADLAPUR (2015) has an almost similar storyline to this film released in 2012.
That steamed up my desire to watch it.
And yes, I can say that THEEVRAM is a film which takes itself and it's title very seriously.
So, seriously that it thrills till the end.Dulquer Salmaan impresses one more time.
This time he has a different role to play.
His inner feelings come out as his facial expressions.
He's stupendous.
The duo of Sreenivasan and Vinay Forrt entertains with its intelligence and also, some cool humour that I couldn't stop laughing at.
Anu Mohan as the villain is terrific and menacing.
Vishnu Raghav plays his part well.
So do Riya Saira and Shikha Nair, in their respective parts.
The music is good.
Thankfully, the first half is not occupied by any romantic scenes or songs.
The story and screenplay are both praiseworthy.
Several concepts presented by Roopesh Peethambaran can make you think he's a super genius.
The action scenes are terrific, although they are not too much in this film.
The film has been shot with a terrific visual technique which makes this film stand out.
I can't tell that thing, watch it yourself and you will easily realize.The film has some mild flaws.
The first half runs at a great pace with no hindrance to the story and reaches an ultimate interval blockade.
But it's in the second half that the film begins to slow down as the flashback episodes start rolling in.
The episodes could have been shorter though.
Even if around 25 minutes of these episodes had bee trimmed out, one would have found out what's the flashback all about.
But since these scenes are light hearted and cleanly entertaining, there's nothing much to bother.
Although the film has bloodless action and has scenes which are either investigative, dark or light hearted, yet the film has some extreme scenes of graphic violence, which make you think how come the censor board passed it with a U certificate without deleting these scenes?
But that's not a big issue at all.Overall, THEEVRAM is an interesting piece of an artwork by Roopesh Peethambaran.
It's Dulquer and the terrific script that together make this film exciting.
It's one of the finest action thrillers I have ever seen..
An underrated gem.
This movie will haunt you for a lifetime.
A very usual story and situations, but the execution will render you speechless.
Amazing performance by Dulquer, and it is undoubtedly one of the best in his career.
The plot is simple, a man loses his wife, he takes revenge.
The screenplay too cannot guarantee anything new.
We have all seen these situations and characters a thousand times.
But what makes it different is how the makers have delivered and packaged it.
Dulquer ruled throughout.
The dark image suits him very well.
Sreenivasan and Vinay Forrt were awesome.
But it was Vinu Mohan who surprised me.
He was splendid.
The Malayalam film industry is not so familiar with such intense movies, and I think this one is a little ahead of its time.
Hope this movie will get recognition it deserves, someday..
The Dark Dulquer Rises :).
Theevram is a well-packaged crime drama that primarily scores due to it's music and also an intense performance from Dulquer Salman.Dulquer Salman is just few films young yet has already begun carrying a movie on his shoulder.
There's no doubt acting is in the genes and this can easily be seen in the emotional scenes conveyed effortlessly by him.
Shikha Nair as his wife is another promising, upcoming actor.
She's exuberant and provides the sunny side in this otherwise dark story.
The other important supporting actors are also impressive here like the veteran Sreenivasan who excels as the cop Alexander, Vishnu Raghav as Harsha's buddy Dr.Roy, Riya Saira as Dr.Roy's love and also Vinay Forrt as Alexander's assistant, Ramachandran.
This is a debut movie for Shikha Nair and Anu Raghavan(in a negative role as an auto driver) however, both portray their characters with lots of confidence on screen.The music is another pillar of strength for this move beside Dulquer.
The background score and all the songs have a catchy, engaging tunes and my personal favs are the theme song Mannake sung by the music director Roby and also the positive, cheery Innariyathe by Vineeth Srinivasan and Shweta Mohan.For a debut direction, what Roopesh Peethambaran has done is commendable and it's a really pleasant surprise to know that he was the junior Mohanlal in Sphadikam :) I felt the camera-work could have been a notch higher, especially in the beginning scenes which should have actually left a scorching pace for the rest of the movie to follow.
And although, the story in general made for an absorbing view, I wished the ending had the same sense of impact that we felt when Dulquer first shows up on screen.The film has its share of violent scenes, so I wouldn't recommend this a safe viewing for kids.Verdict: A treat for Dulquer fans.
Another angry young man rises in Malayalam cinema :).
just a bad revenge movie.
Murder method copied from the TV series DEXTER.Scenes in which you can't even distinguish whether it is comedy or tragedy.
Very disappointing.The only good thing the movie could do was expose Dulquer Salmaan's caliber.His performance was awesome so was Sreenivasan's.Everything else was just substandard.
There are some good parts which are shadowed by the bad parts.It is obvious that the director is a rookie.
Sorry Roopesh Peethambaran, better luck next time..
Yet Another Clichéd Revenge Story!.
I don't know why Salman chose this script which is too obvious.
The débutant director tries to be a Tarantino here and fails terribly.While I liked the first part, I did not know the film was in anti- climax.
And unlike other non-linear screenplays, here - it just spoiled the broth.
Salman is good but I think Sreenivasan overdid it with his laughter.
Vinay Forrt is coming up, I would say.
Some comedy scenes were worth laughing but in some sequences, you stay baffled whether to laugh or to be serious.The music is good enough for a plot too slimy and the overall performance by cast is good.
Newcomers have done well.
Direction is amateurish and the stunt scenes were too rookie without precision.
Why I gave it 6/10 is its thriller sequences which makes us think and some good acting by the cast.Bottom Line: Theevram is a very predictable movie and you must not expect anything NEW from this.
An average weekend watch maybe, once the DVD arrives.Can be watched with a typical Indian family?
YESLanguage: No | Sex: No | Nudity: Mild | Alcohol: No | Smoking: No. Interesting structure .....
but awful film at the end of the day.
Dear Roopesh Peethambaran, incompetent actors, a loud background score and ordinary writing ruined your revenge thriller which can boast of an interesting structure.
The hero's sidekick, the heroine and the villain were played by unremarkable actors.
The background score was so damn annoying.
The blatant comedy track and the long and painfully boring scenes which explained every single aspect of the murder and subsequent revenge ruined the film completely.
Dulqer Salman was self conscious in many of the scenes but credit to him for choosing a film with such dark subject matter so early in his career.
Sreenivasan, Janardhanan and Vinay Fortt were amusing as the trio of police officers who investigate the case.
But the rest of the supporting cast was populated by complete nobodies.
The scenes where Dulqer's character tried to make it as a music composer served as a distraction.
I noticed that the police procedural scenes had a bluish hue to them.
I wonder whether you were inspired by Michael Mann.
Ultimately, Theevram is just another silly and mediocre middle class revenge fantasy.
Regards, Pimpin. |
tt0094320 | White of the Eye | A series of murders of rich young women throughout Arizona bears distinctive signatures of a serial killer. Clues lead Detective Charles Mendoza to visit Paul White, a sound expert installing hi-fi systems in wealthy people's homes. His special talent is to make a noise which echoes through the air cavities in his head and shows him where the sound of the speakers should come from and echo in the room. He is married to Joan, whom, ten years earlier, he had seduced away from Mike DeSantos, who was her current boyfriend. Joan is questioned by Mendoza, but does not believe his insinuations that her husband is somehow involved in the murders.
Various flashbacks show Joan's previous relationship to Mike and later explain how it came to be that he abandoned her. The couple met Paul and befriended him. At Mike's suggestion, he and Mike go on a deer hunting trip together. Paul shoots a deer and brutally mutilates it, demonstrating his sick fascination with killing. This is partly intended to scare Mike off, which it does. Mike catches Joan and Paul after they've made love, and Paul declares that he will take Mike's place. "I am the one," Paul says. Mike puts his gun at the back of Paul's head but decides not to kill and abandons Joan.
By now Joan has run into Mike DeSantos working at a gas station in a neighboring town. Mike tells her he got out of prison after suffering a major head injury and he thinks life is looking up. He makes her promise not to tell Paul that she has seen him. Joan soon discovers Paul has committed adultery. By puncturing Paul's tires she provides him with an alibi for the most recent killing. He begs her forgiveness as the police turn their suspicions away from him. At home, Joan looks into a crawl space in the house, and discovers preserved body parts of Paul's victims wrapped in paper and plastic. Joan confronts Paul, and Paul tries to explain his motivations for killing. He believes he has been "chosen" and is expressing the nothingness of the universe, whose heart is female and destructive like a black hole. He is putting women "out of their misery," but he loves Joan.
Joan's distrust of Paul over the next night and day agitates him into a fury. First, he tries to imprison her and then kill her and his daughter. He heavily arms himself and paints his face to look like a samurai warrior or an Indian brave. Joan and the little girl escape in different directions and soon Joan has to elude Paul in the abandoned quarry. It turns out Mike has been staying there, armed with a machine gun, certain that he will meet Paul again. He rescues Joan and takes away Paul's gun, leading him to the edge of the quarry. Paul makes the sound he uses in the emptiness of living rooms and savors its echo from the quarry. While incessantly pontificating about his philosophies of life and death, Paul reveals a lighter with which he has lit the fuse of his explosive vest. Mike opens fire on him with a machine gun and Joan dives into the lake in the quarry. Paul and Mike both die instantly, in a hail of destruction. Joan is reunited later with her daughter. She talks with Detective Mendoza about what the ten years with Paul could have meant, whose destructive and nihilistic nature she never understood. | neo noir, murder | train | wikipedia | Shamefully neglected thriller from director Donald Cammell is an outstanding and disturbing character study!Arizonia family man becomes the chief suspect when some local women are violently murdered, but is this charming man the real killer?White of the Eye is a bizarre trip of a thriller that's quite unlike any other film of the thriller/horror genre.
Director Donald Cammell gives this film such incredible and dazzling style that one almost becomes hypnotized at times.
Cammell has a terrific talent for inventive cinematography and well uses the parched filming locations of Globe, Arizona.
A nicely atmospheric music score also helps to set up the rather primitive-like setting of the film.
Keith does perhaps his all-time best role with this film.
Hollywood needs more David Keiths!Why such an intelligent and finely-made suspense film never became a recognizable classic is simply beyond me.
White of the Eye is a completely unique, engulfing, and haunting film.
David Keith secures his place here in the Pantheon of film weirdos that includes Eric Roberts in Star 80.
Oddly, I was so wrapped up in Keith's performance that I didn't notice the flashbacks the first time I watched the film.
In the wealthy and isolated desert community of Tucson, a sound expert (David Keith) is targeted as the prime suspect of a series of brutal murders of local suburban housewives who were attacked and mutilated in their homes.
(Unfortunately, the director had long since passed.) The film is beautifully shot, using extensive time to show the landscape and surroundings.
This does slow the picture down, which will scare some viewers off, but at least for the first half of the movie, it is more of a work of art than a thriller or horror picture.
(Actually, there are other interviews on the disc not listed on the case, which are very much worth your time.) For a film that has been widely forgotten, Scream pulled all the stops and gave this just about as good of a release as anyone could hope for..
There's a lot going on in this movie, I just look forward to the day I can finally decode it, which doesn't sound like a good sign.
The only thing that lets the film down is the ending, which looks like a Hollywood style tag-on but probably isn't.
Only his third film in 17 years, Scottish director Donald Cammell followed his mind and identity-bending psychedelic masterpiece Performance (1968) and the studio-butchered Demon Seed (1977) with another oddity, the strange and confusing, yet nonetheless effortlessly intriguing White of the Eye. Cammell killed himself shortly after seeing his final film, Wild Side (1995), heavily censored by an appalled producer, at the end of what seemed like a frustrating career.
It's a shame he wasn't allowed more opportunities to direct features, as although White of the Eye sometimes steers into TV-movie aesthetic and features an unnecessarily overblown climax, it is something to be savoured and thought about a long time after the credits roll.After a series of brutal murders of upper-class women, tire tracks left by the killer leads Detective Charlie Mendoza (Art Evans) to sound expert Paul White (Keith David).
We learn through flashbacks the meeting of Paul and his now-wife Joan (Cathy Moriarty), and how he stole her away from her boyfriend Mike Desantos (Alan Rosenberg).
Mike knows something too, and when Joan discovers Paul's secret affair, she slowly uncovers who her husband really is.There's not really much point trying to unravel the mysteries in the movie, as it will leave you with a headache.
The soundtrack, by Rick Fenn and Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, is a powerful presence, and drums up a dusty, apocalyptic feel reminiscent of Richard Stanley's Dust Devil, which came out 5 years later.David's performance is also impressive, especially in the latter stages when he is let off the leash.
It's got one of those titles like "The Stepfather" and "Cop," titles that are bad and misleading and really don't give you a sense of how well-made the film is.
Like the other movies, White of the Eye benefits from an intense performance by its leading man.
In this movie, he completely loses it and becomes a suburban monster; those looking for the appealing David Keith from An Officer & a Gentleman or The Lords of Discipline should look elsewhere.
This type of compass of colored objects, and an actual compass recur several times throughout the movie, but to what purpose, I don't know.A man who makes custom sound systems for people lives with his wife and daughter.
Someone is butchering local women, and the investigating officer (Art Evans) is zeroing in on sound engineer (David Keith) who lives in the desert with his wife (Cathy Moriarty) and daughter.
the film through wonderful uses of 16MM shows flashbacks which charts Cathy Moriarty's former relationship with Alan Rosenberg of Cybil fame,& depicts episodic moments which may give clues as to who the Killer may be, all is not what it seems which culminates in a rather bizarre climax.
Directed by Donald Cammell Performance/Demon Seed, & also Ace Photographer on Nicolas Roeg films, there is lots of excellent photography especially innovative Steadicam (Larry McConkey)who is excellent wherever steadicam is used.the soundtrack is composed by Nick Mason (of Pink Floyd) a tour-De- force performances by David Keith, who does his best screen work, as does Cathy Moriarty of Raging Bull fame,.
The performances are great, the film always looks tremendous and we are kept wondering almost till the end.
David Keith and Cathy Motiarity along with some recognizable supporting actors do their best to save this stylish film.
The movie drags on until the final scenes in a gigantic quarry, where everything ends with a bang.
What we have here is a clear case of a movie that tries to get by on sheer style, without any particular concern for the story or the characters.
Well done serial killer/thriller movie....
David Keith does a good job as the husband/suspect and the beautiful Cathy Moriarty as his wife is great as usual.
I took a chance on this as it was (a) billed as an 80s slasher, and (b) in a shop display with other Arrow blu-ray releases such as Argento's brutal classic TENEBRAE, and the awesomely inept bucket of winning failure that is CONTAMINATION.White Of The Eye is a completely different sort of 80s slasher though - in fact not really a slasher at all, more like a very laid back, slow paced drama.
The atmosphere of vaguely quirky characters in small-town Americana almost made it feel like a Coen Bros film, but with zero laughs.
The late Donald Cammel, the co-director of performance, brings his talents to his own serial killer script.
The acting is reasonable; credible but not a stretch but what really makes the film worth watching is the directorial stylistic oddities.
The title refers to an old apache legend about the nature of violence and those who look into the abyss of violence and eye close ups (another Argento favorite) are so recurrent throughout the film that they become boring.The final reel has to be seen to be believed, ranging from classic "Stepfather" (Joe Ruben) scare tactics to an utterly bonkers denouement which, I suppose, is in keeping with the erratic hit and miss mysticism of the film..
Maybe for a movie made in 1987 it might have been good in that time but for now you have much better thrillers to watch.
You get not one, but two hamfisted psychopaths dragging you towards this film's embarrassingly flat ending....and no, it does not fall into the "enjoyable b-movie" category.
Donald Cammells take on the psycho-thriller,is an absorbing,offbeat,beautifully made affair.Opening with a breathtaking sequence,as a woman is murdered in her chic house by an unseen assailant.Cammell uses extreme close ups of the killers eye,slow motion,and a weird pulsating music track,to blistering effect.This is a stunningly directed film,with a script by Cammell and his wife to match.Thankfully the cast are up to the challenge.Raging Bull's Cathy Moriarty gives her best ever performance in this,as the wife who not only has to discover her husbands infidelity,but also his terrible secret.Alan Rosenberg also impresses as Moriarty's ex,giving a sympathetic performance for such a pathetic character.The revelation here though is David Keith,who is quite simply awesome and believable as a man who appears normal,but inside is a mass of raging insanity.The flashback scenes that appear sporadically as the film progresses are clever and well written,gradually revealing Paul Whites mindset.Although the film isn't overly violent,one of the murders is disturbing in the extreme.*POSSIBLE-SPOILER* Also nasty is the scene where Moriarty discovers the secret her husband has hidden under the bathtub.The climax as Paul,clad in warpaint and wearing half a ton of dynamite,hunts his wife is riveting,with an explosive ending in a disused quarry.Another good feature of the film is the stunning location work,showing Tucson Arizona as an almost alien but starkly beautiful landscape.Criminally underseen and underrated,this is stunning cinema and one of the best films of the eighties..
A friend of mine who once watched this film with me said it was the biggest load of old cobblers he'd seen in a long time.
I think Cammel missed the point of his own film, which is basically a chamber piece.
Instead, perhaps because he didn't get to make a film often, he threw life, the universe and everything into the mix in a garish jumble.The direction is a curious mixture of styles, some of it shot like a commercial, other parts almost cinema verite.
In the scene where Mrs White discovers what's behind the bathtub, the camera seems to lurch to give credence to the expression 'my world turned upside down.' The film reminds me of Nick Roeg's 'Bad Timing' to the extent that it could have been directed by him.
It's just a shame he wasn't given subject matter more worthy of his talent.Cammel apparently thought it was really beautiful that David Kieth was willing to go so far into his character but, although good, he often gives an amused and bemused expression as if to say: "Blimey, what bizarre sh*t have I got involved with here?" Cammel was an interesting scriptwriter, and builds up a real picture of small town life before the film descends into the surreal and otherworldly.
I love the way the cayote's bark seems to hit the beat of the blues guitar in the scene where Paul White is banished to the outhouse.Now that Cammel has sadly kicked the bucket, we can no longer ask him about the more bizarre aspects of this extroadinary and vivid experience.
Donald Cammell directed this 1987 thriller about a sound technician in a little town in Arizona, that is suspected of being a serial killer of local suburban housewives.
David Keith and Cathy Moriarty star in this movie, that was at the top of my Want List for quite awhile.
Keith portrays Paul, whom the police have several clues that tie him to the bloody mutilation murders, and Moriarty is his wife whom is starting to believe the police.
This movie has a lot of style, and what a soundtrack with Nick Mason of Pink Floyd providing the Floydish music.
It falls pretty much in the art movie genre, even though it has some Giallo elements to it, and David Keith is indeed a scary guy in the best role of his career.
The movie has some interesting twists and turns, and one particular scene where Paul's wife finds something hideous hidden under their bathtub is truly horrifying.
This is not a movie to miss, a true cult type film that you will probably want to watch multiple times.
"White of the Eye" is an interesting little film.
So, just because there is a car chase, doesn't mean it is "Hollywood".Also, the ending does contain a huge explosion, but it too does not feel like it is out of a "Hollywood" film.
Plus, the thunderous chorus accompanying the explosion and the aftermath is a really neat touch.It is neat moments like this that make "White of the Eye" unique while standing apart from Hollywood-type films..
At the core of the thing are two vivid and memorable performances by the two stars, David Keith and Cathy Moriarty.After making quite a splash in "Raging Bull" and "Neighbors", Moriarty returned to films after an absence of several years, playing married woman Joan White.
Her husband Paul (Keith) is a sound and electronics expert, and a fairly charismatic guy, but he falls under suspicion when a succession of housewives fall victim to a serial killer in their affluent desert community.The big reveal of the story occurs sooner than one would expect, leading to a not entirely predictable finale.
A very stylish movie, with some great shots and memorable scenes.
A couple of the supporting characters could have been pulled right out of a David Lynch movie, as they're quite cryptic.
Forget about internal coherence and just enjoy the direction, cinematography and editing.Unfortunately, the plot (and film) run out of steam at the climax of the third act.
The only reason I can see to watch the film through to the end is to see a real explosion.
This is a real, bunches-of-dynamite explosion.So, if you don't insist on films making good sense and appreciate an imaginative and well-photographed scene, give this a try..
***SPOILER ALERT*** Before were even introduced to the major characters in the film we witness one of the most brutal and sadistic murders in all of motion picture history.
The savage slashing and dismantling of the murder victim makes the shower scene in "Psycho" look like as if someone nicked their face shaving in comparison.At the scene of the crime local cop Det. Charles Mendoza, Art Evens, not only notices very distinct tire tracks but things lined up, in the murder victim's house, that resemble that of an ancient Apache direction marker or weather-vane.
It turns out that the tire tracks fits the truck tires that Paul White (David Keith), the areas crackerjack electronic and sound upgrade expert, drives.
The movie then seems to go off kilter with David's love life, not his being suspected in a number of horrific crimes in and around Globe Arizona, being the main focus of its story.We get a number of flashbacks of a younger David, looking like a 1960's hippie, meeting his future wife Joan, Cathy Moriarty, who together with her boyfriend Mike DeSantos, Alen Rosenberg,stopped off at his repair shop on their way to Malibu to get their eight track tape recorder fixed.
Now some ten years later with both David & Cathy happily married with and eight year old daughter Danielle, Danielle Smith, a bitter Mike, who had since served time behind bars, shows up out of the blue!
David for his part has been cheating on Cathy for what seems like years with him having an affair with one of his customers, whom he installed a TV and stereo unite, the sultry Ann Mason, Alberta Watson.
What all this had to do with David being suspected in a string of vicious murders, which by then you almost forgot about, made you wounder if the film's storyline somehow got lost on the cutting room floor?
****SPOILERS**** It's in the last fifteen or so minutes of the movie, after Mike showed up, that we get to understand what all these disjointed events had to do with the series of murders in and around Arizona.
Something happened on that hunting trip in the Arizona Rockies that later changed things around in the movie not only forever but for the absolute worst!I doubt if anyone can match the murderous psycho in the movie "White Of The Eye" who's actions, while both crazy and normal, should have easily earned him, or the actor who played him, the best actor Academy Award for 1987.
Donald Cammell's hyper-stylized direction captures the eyes, but the script (which he co-wrote) is rambling and slow-moving.
In the final twenty minutes, the film goes so (intentionally) over-the-top that it crosses over the line from a tense thriller to a bloody black comedy.
The last half of the movie is a "shining" ripoff ;to be fair ,one should add there's a final "unexpected " twist for good measure,and plenty of gore .It's a wonder attractive Cathy Moriarty did not go nuts after such an adventure.The first half suffers from a loose screenplay .Most of the scenes do not bring much to the thin plot.The most interesting side is the guy-next-door side of the hero ,but the "I can't help it,It's another person " neurosis is as old as the hills ,itw as already what Peter Lorre said in Lang's "M".If you do not ask for too much,you may have a look ,but only if you are into the "serial killer" sub genre..
*spoilers*Donald Cammell's final film White of the Eye is more similar in theme to the chameleon-esque Performance than the sci-fi adaptation Demon Seed.
Both films concern identity, either the loss of (Performance where the two disparate leads merge into one) or the rigid absolution thereof (White of the Eye), resulting in madness and murder.
See also the films of Performance co-director Nicholas Roeg.The opening sequence of White of the Eye depicts an eagle soaring over the man-made landscape of city and quarry/mines, completely distanced/alien from that world.
An eagle is a predator reliant on vision, it could be construed as a metaphor for Paul White.The first murder is overtly stylised, as is most of the film.
It is more like art than murder (but what else is any film?).The second murder is more sinister, particularly when the killer holds a mirror to the drowning woman's face.
It reminded me of the male/female interplay with a mirror in Performance (identity theme again).There is a revealing moment into the psychology of White when his wife, Joan, confronts him about the murders.
As he knew the truth about White, he is partially responsible for the murders, and with typical film morality had to die at the end. |
tt1405403 | T2 | The movie begins with Claire (Maricel Soriano) with Elias (Eric Fructuoso) picking up a child as an assignment. Her mission is to give her to her adoptive family. After picking up the child Angeli (Mika Dela Cruz); strange things start to occur. When they arrived at the Tenement 2, where Angeli's new parents are staying, they only find Tess (Camille Prats), Melissa (K Brosas) and Domeng (Mon Confiado). Angeli pleads Claire to not leave her no matter what happens, and writes a letter to her which is not to be read until it is supposed to be read.
As Elias came searching for the sleeping Angeli and Claire, he fell victim of entities and was eventually killed. After a while, Claire wakes just to find Angeli missing and starts to search for her only to find Elias dead. She then finds Angeli being possessed only to be awaken back to her consciousness through Claire's presence. For the second time, Angeli pleads Claire not to leave her and decides to escape the building. They failed to make it out as a huge swarm of rats, due to the entities, starts to attack them which forced them to separate. Fortunately, Claire was saved by a myseterious lady using her magic lamp. The lady then tells her to run quickly and be ready before midnight (which is three in the morning for the entities, which was revealed are Fairies).
Angeli was taken by the fairies while the lady explains to Claire the truth about Angeli and the fairies. She reveals that she too had a child with a fairy and the rule that a fairy raised in the human world will be forcibly taken from the human world once he/she turns nine years old. The lady advises that the child shouldn't be given to the fairies as in the fairy world it is believed that love nor emotion do not exist. Bravely, both decided to go back where she and Angeli once stayed and found Angeli's letters which was believed to be important. They luckily escaped monsters laid on their paths. Suddenly, both mysteriously arrived in the fairy world and the lady finally finds her child that was taken from her only to be rejected believing she doesn't have any family in their dimension.
It was then when Isabel (Carmen Soo), one of the fairies, introduced herself as the mother of Angeli, and tells the real story of their life of Angeli and her father. During this time, Jeremy was seen searching for Claire in the building. Everyone awaits for Angeli's decision. But before she decides, she is confronted by Claire who reads her the letters and memories of her human life with her human father who was discovered to be blinded after the death by her fairy wife after the discovery that she is a fairy. Angeli then breaks down remembering her human father.
The fairies then challenges Claire for Angeli or Jeremy's lives. Angered, Angeli then threatens her mother that if the fairies ever touch or hurt Claire's husband she will not be with them when she turns 18. Instead, she promises that she will join them once she turns 18. The lady then kills all the fairies using a potion and disappears with them. They then wake up in real life being found by Jeremy.
After the events, Angeli was then adopted by Claire and Jeremy and goes to her new school where she mysteriously too was chased by fairies then finding out that her teacher is her fairy mother. | flashback | train | wikipedia | Supernatural stupor. "Hindi kita maintindihan (I can't understand you)!" screams Maricel Soriano at child co-star Mika Dela Cruz when the latter starts acting weird. Such sentiment may be had of audiences of "T2" (for "Tenement 2"), a limp horror film about "engkantos" (environmental spirits) from the otherwise dependable Chito Roño ("Sukob", "Feng Shui") that never finds the right bearing at the onset and devolves into a lumbering CGI-fest in the end.On the verge of separation from her husband Jeremy (Derek Ramsey) mainly due to her inability to conceive and unwillingness to adopt a child, Claire (Soriano), who volunteers part-time for an organization that helps orphans find foster homes, agrees to go to Samar to accompany an orphan to his family. On the way home she is forced to bring with her Angeli (Dela Cruz), a child weirdo babbling something about "them" and doing sleepwalks where she claims to be seeing butterflies. It turns out that the real problem starts when they reach Tenement 2, the building where Angeli's aunt - and supposedly adoptive mother - is supposed to live, a place where people act weird, and Angeli's supposed room looks a bit too polished and eerily out of place with the rest of the dilapidated building.Capped by the ludicrous and ineffective climax that feels more in common with later titles in R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" series, Roño's Samar hometown-inspired spookfest proves to be more baffling than frightening, without any consistent propulsion towards genuine dread, and only the unnerving quality of the building and Soriano's strong presence to keep things barely afloat. When hampered by an uncharacteristically slapdash direction and an overall feeling of sluggishness, stoic-looking actors in heavy make-up and hundreds of computer-generated rats don't seem as frightening, making one wonder if everyone behind the project has been in some otherworldly trance. |
tt0245803 | Bulletproof Monk | In 1943 Tibet, a Tibetan monk is informed that he has fulfilled the prophecies made of him (fighting for justice while cranes circled overhead, fighting for love under a palace of jade, and rescuing friends he never met with family he never knew he had) which include forgoing his name. He is then entrusted by his master with the protection of a Scroll which contains knowledge by which the reader becomes the most powerful of living things, a protection that will keep him youthful and immunize him to injury until, at the close of 60 years, he must pass the knowledge to an heir. The master, who has formerly been the guardian of this Scroll, is killed by German soldiers shortly after the transfer. His pupil, the now nameless Monk, escapes the Nazis.
Sixty years later, a young pickpocket named Kar robs a police officer. He is arrested, frees himself, and flees reinforcements. Above, the Nameless Monk notices several men attempt to capture him, and he escapes into the subway. He and Kar collide and cause a young girl to fall into the path of an oncoming train. Kar and the Nameless Monk rescue the girl, and the three escape; Kar leaves his bag of stolen goods in the station. The Nameless Monk and Kar introduce themselves and Kar steals the Scroll from the Nameless Monk and runs away. The Nameless Monk chases after Kar, whom he suspects may be a suitable successor, as cranes were visible far above their fight.
When fighting underground against a minor crime lord called Mister Funktastic, Kar meets a young woman named Jade, with whom he falls in love. The Nameless Monk follows Kar home and watches him practice Kung-fu by mimicking Chinese martial arts films. The next day, Jade meets with Nina at the opening of a human rights exhibit. Later, the Monk and Kar meet again and are talking when Jade walks up to them and asks Kar to return her necklace, which he had stolen to earn her esteem. A group of mercenaries sent to kill the Nameless Monk interrupt them, and he flees with Kar.
The Nameless Monk and Kar hide beneath an Asian laundromat that houses several fellow monks, and the Nameless Monk shows Kar advanced combat techniques. They are attacked and the Scroll is taken to the employer of the mercenary forces, a crime lord named Strucker, who is revealed to be the Nazi commander. Upon reading the Scroll, Strucker realizes it is a fake; the true secret is tattooed on the Nameless Monk's torso. The Nameless Monk and Kar return home to find that Kar's employer has been murdered by Strucker's granddaughter, Nina. They return to the Asian laundromat but are betrayed by an ambitious monk. All parties are taken to Strucker's base of operations and tortured.
The Nameless Monk and Kar seek the help of Jade, whom they learn is the daughter of a currently imprisoned Russian crime lord. The Nameless Monk realizes that by fighting Jade in her "palace" (as she is a Mafia "princess"), Kar has fulfilled the second prophecy. Nina interrupts their meeting, captures the Nameless Monk, and has Jade and Kar beaten. Later, Jade and Kar infiltrate Strucker's headquarters, where they are separated. Jade fights Nina and defeats her, and Kar finds the Nameless Monk. By now, Strucker has regained his youth, but he is unable to obtain the content of the last line of the Scroll, which is present only in the Nameless Monk's memory. Strucker attempts to scan the Nameless Monk's brain, but Kar prevents him. A fight ensues, and Strucker is thrown from the roof onto electric cables; however, the power of the Scroll preserves Strucker from death.
While Jade frees the other monks, the Nameless Monk transfers the Scroll's content, and the task of protecting it for 60 years, to Kar. Strucker then attempts to kill Kar, but is killed himself – Jade is revealed to have taken some of the Scroll's power, as it was she who fulfilled the final prophecy by rescuing the monks. The Nameless Monk tells them that they both passed the three prophecies and the final test. The next day, the now aged Nameless Monk meets Kar and Jade, to whom he reveals the final line of the Scroll and whom he now deems inseparable. He then departs, lighthearted. | suspenseful, violence | train | wikipedia | The film revolves around The Monk with No Name (Chow) trying to find a new chosen one (Scott) while avoiding a nazi super-villain that he incountered 60 years ago.The film is more of a comedy than an action film and Sean William Scott and Chow Yun Fat play off each other well in a world where they are chased by nazis and run into characters like a British guy named Mr. Funktastic.
Of course there has to be a leading lady and Jamie King is as good looking as they come and plays her character well.The action all involves wire-fu, like that as seen in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", but not as dynamic.
Since most of the characters are new to martial arts the fights are a little slow but entertaining and lighthearted none the less.Bulletproof Monk could have been a lot better than it is, with a little more time spent on it, but as it is it is a silly amusing film, which kept me entertained for an hour and a half.
Now I'm looking for other movies starring Yun-Fat Chow.I must admit that I did find the underground cavern and the mysterious mind-reading device to be rather over-the-top, but that was the only part of the movie I didn't like.Please keep in mind that this movie _is_ based on a comic book.
I expected not to like Seann William Scott, but I ended up feeling he did a great job (and no, I didn't see the ridiculous American Pie movies, what're you, nuts!?).
In short, it doesn't take itself too seriously, and neiither should the audience.Chow-Yun Fat shows he can play non-serious roles and get away with it, and Sean William Scott shows he can do other parts away from American Pie and its teen comedy clones.
The Monk has been on the run from would be rulers of the universe for 60 years when he finally runs into a potential new scroll-keeper as promised by prophecies.Bulletproof Monk is a "light" comic book/fantasy/action/martial arts/comedy film in the vein of The Golden Child (1986) and The Medallion (2003).
It leans most strongly towards the fantasy genre, but it's frequently funny (perhaps more subtly than one would expect) and loaded with visually poetic, wire-heavy martial arts.Seann William Scott is Kar, a street kid who has a flair for kung fu, which he picked up by endlessly watching and emulating Asian films at the theater where he both lives and works as the projectionist.
It's an interesting approach that isn't used often enough in martial arts films.The principle flaw with Bulletproof Monk is that too many plot elements and characters seem to flow by too quickly.
I'm a fan of Yun-Fat's work, including this film, and I enjoyed both Scott and Jaime King's performances quite a bit.
I knew the movie was going to be silly, but I just wanted to see some wire-fu and be entertained.The story is silly, it's about a monk who has to protect a scroll that when read will give the reader ultimate power (of course the protector of the scroll gets the magical power of wife-fu abilities).
And then they cavort around and run into a group of neo-nazis after the scroll (those wacky neo-nazis!) a Russian mafia princess named Jade (played by the smoking hot Jaime King) and a British guy with a mohawk named Mr. Funktastic, who lives in the underground of the New York subway, and keeps making verbal threats to cut men's genitalia off.This movie takes itself lightheartedly, so the main duo of Seann William Scott and Chow Yun-Fat act like they are cast in a buddy cop film.
Both Scott and Chow are funny (especially Chow), the wire-fu is entertaining, Jaime King is hot, and the whole movie works.It's not the best film ever, and I couldn't tell you if it's the best Chow Yun-Fat film ever, since my local Hollywood video lacks his Hong Kong imports.
But Bulletproof Monk may entertain those who like cheesy martial art flicks, or appese the action junkie while he has to wait to see the next summer blockbuster.
I'll be brief.The movie starts with a bang, and ends with a boom, with plenty of pops and kabangs along the way.You want a movie that's fun, with likable actors, good action, a light plot that moves right along, and more than a few genuine chuckles?
This is one of those.Watching Chow Yun Fat work is fun, whether he's giving life to a substantial, full orbed character such as in Crouching Tiger, or to a more stereotypical one as the Monk with No Name.Don't confuse the movies, and you'll have fun.
Chow Yun Fat, who is in NYC for an unknown reason (probably not the best place to protect an ancient scroll of incredible power and importance), playing an unnamed Tibetan monk is pursued by this militia just as he begins to befriend a protégé who he believes might be a prophesied successor in his task of protecting the scroll (Seann William Scott).
Unfortunately, Seann William Scott's uneven performance only reinforced the frigidity of the film.Bulletproof makes for a decent light night's entertainment, but little more.
Chow Yun-Fat plays the protector of the scroll, a job that sounds like it'd suck considering it means living a life on the run.
So now Chow's got to train Kar to be the next protector while also evading capture from a nasty old Nazi (Karel Roden) who wants the rejuvenating powers of the scroll for himself.Watching Bulletproof Monk, there's a clear sense of desperation on hand.
Because her performance and martial arts work are subpar, she won't appeal to the former, and because she doesn't get naked, she'll only marginally appeal to latter.Chow Yun-Fat is still the best thing Monk has going for it; he's charming, likable, and surprisingly quite funny.
Hollywood really sucks sometimes!Yun-Fat plays a Tibetan monk who, during WWII, is tasked with looking after an ancient scroll able to endow the person who reads it with the power to rule the world.
Seann William Scott plays Kar, a pickpocket who unwittingly fulfils three ancient prophecies that mark him as the next protector of the scroll...Predictable, unimaginative nonsense from start to finish, with decidedly mediocre action scenes, Bulletproof Monk will annoy the hell out of anyone with a half decent knowledge of martial arts/Asian action cinema; Kar learning his martial arts skills by watching old kung fu movies is hard enough to accept, but I simply will not forgive director Paul Hunter for completely wasting the talents of the legendary Yun Fat..
"Bulletproof Monk" has an air of reality in it that anyone can be a hero.I enjoyed the movie; I thought that the screenwriters went to great lengths to create a believable story from a sometimes unbelievable comic.
Seann William Scott, Chow Yun-Fat and Jaime King (the good guys) all turn in sterling performances.
In fact, it looks as if Seann William Scott & Chow Yun-Fat had immense fun making this film and their chemistry is there to see.
BULLETPROOF MONK is a silly film, sometimes completely stupid – like the villain's lair, for instance – but it's hard to dislike as a buddy-buddy type comedy.Chow Yun-Fat is the straight man, used to doing this kind of noble hero stuff in his sleep, and the film just kind of takes place around him.
There are some other amusing bit parts, like the appearance of Mako in one of his last roles, plus British television actress Victoria Smurfit playing another villain with a stiff-upper-lip accent.The action isn't great, but it has a nicely violent edge for what is essentially a kid's film.
While the dialogue isn't entirely credible and some of the minor characters/situations completely laughable, and not in a good way, for the most part BULLETPROOF MONK is amiable tosh and a film I got a lot of enjoyment from..
The fights are great, even if they are not so polished like other movies from then, but it actually adds up to the enjoyment of the film (wich kinda feels like one of those Chinese martial arts flicks).As for the humor and jokes, that's the thing I always enjoyed more of anything in this film.
Watch it if you want to spend some time with light fun and without convoluted themes.I don't deny it has flaws, but after all this is a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, so you shouldn't be disappointed if you wanted to find something more dark and edgy.By the way, to those of you that won't believe the sight of Nazis in Tibet, claiming it's false and bullshit, check your facts: Nazi Germany send some explorers to the área in the hopes of expending their knowledge about the arian race and phisionomy of the locals (others say that the expeditions were made to contact the people of Shammballa or other mythological folk).
Seann William Scott is much better than I thought he'd be, Chow-Yun Fat doesn't take himself too seriously, Jamie King is very pretty, and the story is serviceable..
Veteran of martial arts films Chow Yun Fat not only delivers the expected martial arts skills but is also quite funny in his role as the 'Monk with no name'.
Similarly Seann William Scott supplies comedy value but also manages to look convincing during the fighting scenes.The storyline not complicated and is easy to follow, allowing you to just sit back and enjoy this film for it's good points, it's quirky comedy and the entertaining fight sequences.
it has some little editing problems in few scenes (seems to me Director couldnt decide what he want: to make this movie more funny or to keep it in more serious action course), and watching Chow Yun Fat mumbling in 'chinglish' has some kind of funny side effect, you just cant take him seriously ;-) I know he had English Teacher / Dialogue Coach on set, but apparently he is languages learn-proof.
Since Sean William Scott's character was living in chinatown (and probably growing up there as well) he could have speak Cantonese, and those few English lines Chow Yun Fat had here - they all could have been spoken in this language instead.Anyway most of characters are very flat and stereotypical (as soon as you see German soldiers you know they are movie's villains ;-) except maybe for Russian Drugs Tsar's daughter "Bad Girl - Jade" (Jamie King).
Pretty good fight scene, one of the best catfights in hollywood movies so far.I gave this movie: 7 (Story: 9, Acting: 4, VisualFX: 8, SoundFX: 7)If you want to see Chow Yun Fat's 'real' acting - rent subtitled version of "The Killer" (dubbed version doesn't have the atmosphere)..
If you're going to see this film, take my advice: Leave your brain at the door, get into the silly plot, enjoy the endearing chemistry between Chow Yun-fat and Seann William Scott, and just forget about your problems for over an hour and a half.
The monk, assisted by a young pickpocket named Kar and Kar's girlfriend Jade, who turns out to be the daughter of a Russian crime lord, have to thwart the evil plans of the villains.The star of the film is Chow Yun-Fat, the Hong Kong actor who also starred in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" but the two films have little else in common.
By the end of "Bulletproof Monk", the ancient Tibetan secrets that are supposed to be its focus are less interesting than an acting-for-the-camera mystery.How can an unknown Irish television actress (Victoria Smurfit), who looks like a pre-implant Patsy Kensit and whose supporting part is relatively small, flat-out steal the movie from the the actors with the four bigger parts?A related question would be how Smurfit, wearing loose fitting pantsuits, can come across about seven times sexier than former supermodel Jaime King?
Somehow along the way, generations who follow the latter will falter just like the predecessor.Chow Yun-Fat, whom I remember from "The Replacement Killers", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and others has really put on a show in this movie.
Then again, I haven't really seen any other movies with Chow Yun-Fat, so I have no idea how his movies usually are; but I think that given that this movie has so many similarities to a typical Chan movie, it should have been at least a little better; Chan's movies always seem to have good comedy, entertaining martial arts fights, and a story that allows for plenty of both, without keeping the audiences attention at the plot for any minute over the complete run time of the film.
As for the story, it seems to try to learn you something new, make you think, but it ruins any potential it might have by constantly throwing some (often bad-looking) martial arts fight scene in your face, just as you're starting to think more about what Chow just said, which often will sound like something out of a fortune cookie.
I do think that it is good that Seann William Scott and Jaime King performed their martial arts moves themselves, but, this has also been done in The Matrix, and here it seems more like a gimmick(though I think it was the actors' choice themselves).
Bulletproof Monk is a great movie, if you don't mind a lousy script, a disjointed story line, poor acting, and bad directing.
Starring Chow Yun-Fat (`Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon') and Sean William Scott (`American Pie'), `Bulletproof Monk' fails where it had the opportunity to be slightly good.
Naturally, as is always the case, if the scroll should fall into the hands of the wrong people, a Nazi for example,
well, as Sean Connery said in `Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade,' `the armies of darkness could walk across the earth.' Having traveled to modern day New York City, the monk finds himself being helped by a young man, Kar (William Scott).
"Bulletproof Monk" looks better as a comic book, than at the movies.
The problem with the screen treatment, director Paul Hunter has given the material, is that however good the special effects might be, there is no soul to the story.As an action film, "Bulletproof Monk" is not completely unwatchable, quite the contrary, but it appears that perhaps an oriental director might have done something more with the thin plot.The tremendously charismatic Yun-Fat Chow does a lot to enhance the film.
Bulletproof monk is a lot of fun if you like bad movies.
Add some primitive, half-finished CGI and shameful fight choreography and this is nothing more than a wasted opportunity.Maybe you'll enjoy it if you're a big fan of Fat and/or Scott, but whatever you do, don't rent or buy expecting to see a class kung-fu movie..
it's rather good fun (if you're not expecting too much).Sean William Scott - better known as 'Who?' unless you're watching an 'American Pie' movie, where he is - of course - 'Stiffler.' He is playing, er, 'Stiffler' basically, only he's really good at martial arts and pickpocketing people.
He ends up getting caught up in a plot by Nazis seeking immortality and has to help the titular 'Bulletproof Monk' (Chow Yun Fat) save the world from these out of time creeps.This film was made back in 2003 and I'd love to say that, because of the time it was made, there was less CGI and more 'practical' effects.
But, if you like your modern martial arts films, or just need a relaxing little action flick to rest your brain to after a hard day's work, then this should fit the bill..
Chow Yun-Fat and Sean William Scott buddy up to retrieve an ancient scroll from baddies, chop sockery does follow.That's pretty much it really, the two characters obviously poles apart, but coming together as one in a series of action scenes that are both laughable and enjoyable because of the former.
You get an evil German Nazi (whoever else could illustrate evil so well known and coherent for even the last American movie goer to grasp immediately ...), the old national treasure to gain control over the world with (for good or ill) which needs to be protected against Nazis and even some sort of a Dr. Elsa Schneider ;) Sean William Scott was a certain surprise, to me, since I didn't know he could actually play anything beyond this Stifler-like characters he impersonated thus far.
And there is no doubt that Mr. Yun-Fat, Mr. Scott, and Ms. King all deserve much better material to work with.Overall, this is a film that probably looked great on paper, was executed poorly, and was saved by the combined charisma of it's three leading actors.6 out of 10..
As for the story, its not really anything new but the pairing up of Chow Yun Fat and Sean William Scoot is another love/hate aspect of the movie: either you love the combination or hate it.
Sean William Scott and Chow Yun Fat trade mediocre one-liners in this rip off of truly funny movies like Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon.
Seann William Scott and Chow Yun Fat have surprisingly good chemistry, and that's what holds up the film.
I think this film is a Shanghai Knights wannabe, unfortunately though, Sean William Scott is about ten leagues below the 'funniest-guy-in-movies-right-now' Owen Wilson, and Chow Yun Fat is nothing next to Jackie Chan.
Chow Yun-Fat is, as we know from Crouching Tiger, a very talented actor, capable of conveying mood with little or no dialogue.Even Scott Sean William, aka the man with 3 first names, was decent in his role.
If you like Chow Yun-Fat, you must not see this movie.
Chow Yun Fat sure has done some good movies, but this isn't one of them.
Before I saw this movie, I thought "Bulletproof Monk" had a lot going for it, particularly the casting of Chow Yun-Fat and Seann William Scott.
Jackie Chan's best has been mediocre, Jet Li has produced a constant run of stinkers, and Chow Yun Fat looks set to follow the same pattern.Bulletproof Monk is the worst in formula action films. |
tt0162760 | Wanted: Dead or Alive | Josh Randall (McQueen) is a Confederate veteran and bounty hunter with a soft heart. He often donates his earnings to the needy and helps his prisoners if they have been wrongly accused.
Randall carries a shortened Winchester Model 1892 carbine called the "Mare's Leg" in a holster patterned after "gunslinger" rigs then popular in movies and television. Randall can draw and fire his weapon with blazing speed. Three Mare's Legs were used in the series, differing in the shape of the lever and the barrel.
Although Randall is a bounty hunter, he doesn't chase and capture only men on wanted posters. He also settles a family feud, frees unjustly jailed or sentenced men, helps an amnesia victim recover his memory, and finds missing husbands, sons, fathers, a fiancée, a suitor, a daughter who had been captured many years earlier by Indians, an Army deserter, a pet sheep, and even Santa Claus. This variety, as well as his pursuit of justice and not just money, contributed to the show's attraction and popularity.
Except for a few episodes at the beginning of the series, Randall rode a horse named Ringo.
Several episodes in 1960 included a sidekick named Jason Nichols (Wright King), a deputy sheriff turned bounty hunter. He and Randall worked well together on-screen, sharing a chemistry audiences enjoyed. By the start of the third season, Nichols had been dropped. The episode called "The Partners", where Nichols killed three men that Randall felt could have been taken alive, is often considered the episode that broke up the partnership, although that was actually only the second episode with Wright King and long before the last episode he appeared in. | murder | train | wikipedia | Another recycled western plot rides again.. U.S. Marshals Whip Wilson, Jim Bannon and "Texas" set out to capture a gang that has been collecting on wanted men, "Dead or Alive." The latter are all bought in dead...after the gang has helped them escape prison and a reward has been posted on them. Bringing them in alive won't work, as the escapees might get talky and tell the law who helped them escape in the first place. Whip, with the help of the law, poses as an "escaped" convict named Mason.The latter, fiancé of a girl saloon owner named "Spangles" Calhoun, has been imprisoned on perjured evidence. A reward for "his" (Wilson posing as Mason) capture has been posted. Whip goes to Copper City and "Spangles'" saloon. She, in the law's plot, hides him. The "Dead or Alive" gang, Taggert, Utah, Mike and others, are tipped to "Mason's" hiding place. Bannon gets in with the gang and when they attempt to grab Whip (posing as Mason), all are arrested. As a reward for her help Whip promises "Spangles" to get a full pardon for her lover.. Unattractive and unappealing lead!. Whip Wilson, Fuzzy Knight, Jim Bannon (themselves), Lane Bradford (Utah), Christine McIntyre (Spangles Calhoun), Stanley Price (Meade), Marshall Reed (sheriff), Zon Murray (Mike), Leonard Penn (Taggart), John L. Cason, Kenne Duncan (henchmen), William Fawcett (bartender), Ray Jones, Jack O'Shea.Director: THOMAS CARR. Screenplay: Harry L. Fraser ("Clint Johnson"). Photography: Ernest Miller. Film editor: Sam Fields. Music: Raoul Kraushaar. Art director: Fred Preble. Set decorator: Harry Reif. Dialogue director: Stanley Price. Set continuity: Mary Chaffee. Assistant director: Melville Shyer. Sound recording: Charles Cooper. Western Electric Sound System. Producer: Vincent M. Fennelly. A Frontier Pictures production for Monogram. Copyright 9 September 1951 by Monogram Pictures Corp. No New York opening. U.S. release: 3 April 1951. No U.K. or Australian theatrical release. 58 minutes. SYNOPSIS: A U.S. marshal traps a gang of murderers that capture and kill outlaws in order to collect the reward money. COMMENT: Weak Whip Wilson western. It starts promisingly with some ingeniously edited and atmospherically paced establishing scenes (although the plot is obviously derived from a Wild Bill Elliott western also directed by Thomas Carr), but on the entrance of Wilson himself (a stocky, balding, unattractive lead man with as much personality as a cheap but overworked dentist) interest deteriorates rapidly.The rest of the cast has almost nothing to recommend it either. Christine McIntyre is an old bat and the lead villain is as dull as dishwater. His henchmen, played by Lane Bradford and some unknown, are a mite more interesting, whilst Jim Bannon does okay as the second lead (he looks and acts a bit like Wild Bill Elliott) and Fuzzy Knight is his usual self (though at least his "comedy" isn't so broad as usual — it's just plain dull).Action is kept to a minimum and Wilson uses his whip only once — to unseat the villain from his horse at the climax (and then with just about one punch he knocks him out).The rest of the film is filled with the most trite and clichéd dialogue ("You'd better have something real interesting to say, stranger") shot almost entirely in the same cramped set.Production values are less than minimal ("The drinks are on the house!" the hostess exclaims after a tame fight scene, at which there is a stampede to the bar comprised of precisely two persons!)Carr's direction after the first few minutes is steadfastly routine. Some of the exteriors are not badly composed, however, and some effort has obviously been made to make the best of the locations.But the plot is too familiar, the action too infrequent and too tame, plus the added handicap of the unattractive and unappealing Mr. Wilson. |
tt0300532 | Blue Crush | Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth), Eden (Michelle Rodriguez) and Lena (Sanoe Lake) are best friends. They raised Anne Marie's 14-year-old sister, Penny (Mika Boorem), ever since their mother took off to Las Vegas with a boyfriend who was uncomfortable with the idea of having the two girls come along. While Penny is at school, Anne Marie, Eden and Lena work as maids at a large resort hotel, but more importantly, they are surfers. Anne Marie rises every morning before dawn to train for her surfing comeback, and was once considered a rising star in women's surfing and competed as a youth, but an extreme wipeout and near-drowning incident temporarily halted her career, and left her with deep-seated fears. Her friends, especially Eden, have encouraged her to try it again.
Anne Marie has been invited to join in an upcoming surf competition at the famed North Shore surf spot, Pipeline. She hopes to gain the attention of sponsors and get herself and her friends out of the near-poverty they are living in. As the Pipeline competition gets closer, she struggles to keep Penny under control and deal with her own personal issues.
At work, Anne Marie meets and catches the eye of Matt Tollman (Matthew Davis), a National Football League quarterback in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl (it is hinted that he plays for the Minnesota Vikings). Matt is there with several of his rowdy teammates and instantly becomes attracted to the surfer. Through a series of "chance" encounters, she agrees to teach him how to surf for $150 per hour, and brings Lena, Eden and Penny along for the ride. When she goes to Matt's hotel room to get the money, they kiss as a call comes and Anne suspects that it is his wife but he promises it is his niece. Later they sleep together. Her acceptance of a non-local begins to cause friction between her and many of the young men in her surfing social circle. Anne Marie faces more problems when she and Eden argue about Anne Marie's lack of dedication to training for the Pipeline contest due to the sudden appearance of Matt. She also has to hear demeaning comments from several of the other football players' wives and girlfriends staying at the hotel about how she is undergoing the "Matt Tollman makeover" while attending a luau at the resort.
Anne Marie confronts Matt about their situation and soon resolves to step up her game, as she finally commits herself to the Pipeline Masters. On the day of Pipeline, Anne Marie wipes out during her first heat, but advances to the next heat after narrowly beating pro surfer Kate Skarratt. She is shaken, but Matt tells her a story about his first game as an NFL quarterback and helps her regain her wavering confidence. Determined, but still afraid, Anne Marie returns to the water. Competing in the same heat is Keala Kennelly, one of the first professional female surfers, playing herself. While Keala surfs the first few sets of waves without wipe-outs, Anne Marie still has inhibitions about riding one, visions of another near-drowning incident holding her back. Keala finishes her turn, then paddles out and takes Anne Marie under her wing and encourages her to take the best wave of the day, on which Anne Marie manages to score perfectly. Although she does not advance to the next heat, she has regained her lost confidence, but also attracted the notice of sponsors, one of which includes an offer to join the Billabong women's surf team. | flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1295085 | Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story | In 1987, Dr. Ben Carson travels to Germany to meet a couple, Peter and Augusta Rausch, who have twins conjoined at the back of their heads. Dr. Carson believes he might be able to successfully separate them, but realizes that he also risks losing one or both of them. After explaining the risk, and despite that fact, Ben agrees to operate.
During the four months he spends researching and formulating a plan to increase his chances of a successful surgery, the film shifts back to 1961 in Detroit, Michigan, when 11-year-old Ben Carson is failing school. His single mother, Sonya, who had but a third grade education, is distressed about her sons' academic failures and decides to do something about it. First, she requires Ben and his older brother Curtis to learn the multiplication tables, and unbeknownst to them, checks into a mental institution to battle depression. When she returns, she realizes that her sons are watching too much television, deciding to restrict them to only two shows a week and requires them to read two books a week and write reports on them, which frustrates the boys but they soon become hooked on a television quiz show. She hides from them the fact that she does not know how to read the reports.
Ben and Curtis soon begin to love reading and learn many things from the world of books, so that within one year Ben goes from the bottom of his class to the top. But Ben has an uncontrollable temper which climaxed in high school when he nearly killed a friend over changing radio stations. Fortunately for his friend and for Ben, his knife hits his friend's belt buckle and breaks. Shocked, Ben runs home and cries out to God to take away his temper. This experience changes his life.
After hard work and strong determination, Ben receives a scholarship to Yale University, where he meets his future wife, Candy Rustin, who supports him in his struggles to get through Yale. After studying neurosurgery, he is accepted as a resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he is faced with a dilemma that could end his career – operate on a dying man without permission or supervision, or let him die. He takes the risk and saves the man's life.
In 1985, after Dr. Carson's mother joins the family in Maryland, Candy is rushed to the hospital where she miscarries their twins. Dr. Carson stays with her all night until the next morning when he does a rare procedure, a hemispherectomy, in which he removes half the brain of a four-year-old who had been convulsing 100 times each day.
The film then returns to where it began: the year 1987, when Dr. Carson is preparing for a risky surgery to separate the twins conjoined at the head. With four months nearing an end, Ben still cannot figure out one final component of his plan. His mother encourages him that he can save the twins. Then he gets an inspiration and confidently prepares for the operation. After about 22 hours into the procedure, Dr. Carson and his team of doctors manage to separate the baby twins, saving two young lives. He tells the emotional and grateful Peter and Augusta that the surgery was a success. The film ends with him surrounded by cameras and microphones in a press con. | inspiring, romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0430239 | It Waits | In a remote national forest, five archaeology students discover a cave associated with an ancient Native American legend. Using explosives to gain entrance, they find prehistoric drawings and bones strewn across the cave floor. Suddenly from the shadows, a creature emerges and slaughters the students.
Two months later, forest ranger Danielle "Danny" St. Claire (Cerina Vincent) is sitting on the floor of an isolated ranger station tower in the same national forest—drunk and crying. Remembering the tragic car crash that killed her best friend Julie Cassidy, Danny blames herself for the tragedy because she was driving after a night of heavy drinking. Her boss Rick Bailey (Greg Kean) calls to tell her she will be alone at the station for the next few days while her colleagues battle a forest fire. He also informs her that cracks have developed in nearby Devil's Gate Dam and instructs her to drain off water to relieve the pressure. That night, awakened by nightmares of the accident, Danny hears sounds coming from outside. With rifle in hand, she descends the tower to investigate and discovers claw marks on the tool shed door.
The next morning, Danny's forest ranger boyfriend Justin Rawley (Dominic Zamprogna) arrives to keep her company. After inspecting the dam, they return to the station for a romantic dinner during which Danny confesses she was the one driving the car when it crashed, and that she allowed the police to think Julie was driving. Justin consoles her and they make love. During the night, they're awakened by the sound of the emergency siren on the roof. They investigate and discover that something destroyed the satellite dish, rolled Justin's jeep over into a ditch, and disabled the radio. The next day, they go to the nearby dam to use its radio. They meet up with Carl and Evelyn Nash—two campers that recently went missing. Despite Justin's warnings, the Nashes head out on their own. Soon they are hunted down by the creature and killed. Meanwhile, at the dam, Justin and Danny find the radio room completely trashed. Later when they enter the station, Evelyn's bloody corpse swings down from the ceiling on a chain. When they rush outside, Carl's body is thrown off the roof onto them.
Justin heads off alone to get help. That night in the woods, the creature viciously attacks and kills him. The next morning, Danny notices the tool shed was broken into. Inside she finds Justin's severed head on a shelf and his bloody body on the roof. Danny buries Justin's remains and decides to fight back. That night the creature attacks the station, but Danny is able to shoot and wound it. The next morning, Danny discovers a trail of green gooey blood, and follows it to the cave. There, she meets the teacher of the students who were killed in the cave. He reveals what he knows about the creature, including some of its weaknesses. He also explains that the demon is drawn to Danny's negative energy—her guilt over her friend's death—and provides her with documents about the ancient legend. Back at the station, Danny finds the dug-up corpses of the Nashes and Justin arranged around the table, with Justin's severed head on a plate. When it starts to rain, Danny remembers the teacher saying the creature doesn't like water. She goes off to hunt for the creature. When the rain stops, however, the creature attacks her, rips flesh from her leg, and then flies away. Back at the station, Danny finds the Nashes' cellphone and calls her boss Rick and tells him to bring the SWAT team, but he dismisses her request believing she's drunk.
The next day, Rick arrives at the station alone and accompanies Danny to the cave, which she plans to destroy with several sticks of dynamite. Soon they discover the teacher's body impaled on a pole in the middle of the road. The creature flies by and drops Justin's headless body onto Rick, crushing him to death. Danny drives off with the creature in close pursuit. As she approaches the cave, the creature lands on the hood and attacks Danny, who steers the vehicle directly into the opening of the cave, sending the creature flying inside. When it attacks one last time, Danny lights the dynamite and escapes just as the dynamite explodes, sealing the entrance with the creature trapped inside. Afterwards, Danny returns to the station, lays her ranger badge on the table, and then leaves. Sometime later, Danny tells a policeman about the killings, but says she doesn't know who did it. Then she explains that she was the driver in the accident that killed Julie, accepting responsibility for her friend's death. | violence, flashback | train | wikipedia | The good news, however, is that "IT" (which is this time a mythological Indian demon instead of Pennywise the Clown) only waits for a good half hour until the inevitable dramatic sub plot and dull character drawings are over and done with before going on its outrageous murderous rampage.
There's a terribly lame sub plot trying to trick us into believing the mythological creature actually feeds and strengthens on misery and sadness (and thus Danielle herself attracts it), but I strongly advise you to disregard the ludicrous dialogs and fully focus on the special effects and gory massacres.
"It Waits" borrows ideas and elements from at least a dozen of other (and more successful) horror movies, but hey, you've surely seen a lot worse already and at least the second half provides plenty of carnage and the creature's design is reasonably horrific.
The filming location is stupendous and reminded me of those glorious early 80's slasher movies that also entirely took place in forestry regions, like "Just before Dawn" and "The Final Terror".
Cerina Vincent isn't very believable as a park ranger heroine, but she has obvious other qualities like her incredible good look and an impressive rack.
"It Waits" is decent horror fare, better than some of the dreck that is getting released in movie theaters..
The character parts of the story were more interesting than the actual "horror movie" stuff.
The lonely forest ranger Danielle St. Claire (Cerina Vincent) works alone in Tower 19 of the Forestry Department of a remote National Park.
When a group of students releases a demon trapped in a mystical cave, the creature attacks tourists nearby her tower and later her boyfriend Justin Rawley (Dominic Zamprogna).
Without communication or means of transportation, Danny fights to survive while the monster is attracted by her sadness."It Waits" is a reasonable low budget movie that gives the sensation of déjà vu since it uses many clichés of the horror genre.
Cerina Vincent is extremely sexy and has a good performance, attracting the creature not because of her beauty but her pain and misery for the loss of her close friend.
The first 20 minutes plays out like a weakly dramatised infomercial on the dangers of drink driving, the two characters we have a handle on by this time are about as deep as a cookie tray, seem to have an almost fatal case of the clichés and just as "she" confesses to "he" that she was responsible for her best friend's (and his girl friend's) death - what do they do?
At this point I switched off and for a few seconds I thought about making it my purpose in life to warn everyone off buying or renting this movie - I gave it a rating of 1 for the nice forest scenery and the silly parrot with the fake voice.
Nevertheless, it is always disappointing to see the same ridiculous clichés about stupid people doing stupid things in order to give the unseen monster easy pickings (not to mention to keep the writer, director, and producer from exerting themselves by actually trying to think up a fresh idea.) How many times do we need to see someone skipping out into the woods in the middle of the night when they know there's a monster bumping people off?
Bottom line: bad acting, worse script - would have been more satisfying to see everyone killed in the first five minutes and then watch the monster wander around aimlessly in the woods for a few hours..
Better than average low budget horror movie from the Sci-Fi channel.It's a good cat-and-mouse yarn in the vein of Jeepers Creepers, with the creature "feeding on" the terror of its prey before finishing them off.
That would be a park ranger named Danielle (Cerina Vincent, who carries the film well), stationed at a secluded area of an unnamed national park (based on dialog, it's apparently the Grand Canyon area).Danielle's angst, fear, suffering, and her resolve to turn the tables on her tormentor are all portrayed well, as is her pivotal back story.
OK, but basically an average horror movie.The most-excellent Cerina Vincent makes this better than it has any right to be.I was not aware that US Forest Service rangers regularly operate hydroelectric generation plants.
"It Waits" is more of a 'character' and love story than a pure 'horror' movie.
I think this comes from most movie people knowing close to nothing about guns and having the idea in their heads that a 'hunting rifle' is a bolt-action with 'scope type.
For some reason while watching IT WAITS it occurred to me that this movie looks and feels a bit like some sort of 90 minutes long stand alone episode of THE X-FILES (but only without Scully and Mulder running around in it and it's not about aliens either).
While on the surface IT WAITS looks like your standard run-of-the-mill creature-in-the-woods feature, it does have a little more to offer.
The drama-aspects, predominant in the first half of the movie and coming back with a final twitch in the end, were something you wouldn't exactly expect in the first place from a movie like this and they were even well-developed too.
Cerina Vincent (looking good as ever) plays a troubled young ranger, Danielle, coming to terms with her personal demons from the past regarding a traumatic experience and her on-going issues with her boyfriend Justin (played by Dominic Zamprogna, who has a pleasant on-screen charisma).
The kills in this movie are pretty good and gory, and the fun stuff includes that some of the corpses tend to pop up here and there, because our demonoid creature is just a bit more cunning and devious than your average beast.Another nice touch about IT WAITS is that it's not about a bunch of people (whether it be teenagers or military folks or whatever) fighting some creature in the woods.
I would have to say this movie was a brilliant horror movie to be counted as an independent film, the script was great and i cant forget about the actors including Cerina Vincent who has to deal with all these inner demons haunting her from the past and this flesh eating native American beast that is hunting and stalking her.
And the acting was great you have to like this movie even though it doesn't have buckets of gore you could still have a strong stomach while watching the kills.
Its a great horror movie and besides Hot actress Cerina Vincent is in it.
it's worth watching i think,, the thing with horror movies is you can't take them tooo seriously,, there' not perfect and there hard to come by , so don't be so hard on this one,, it wasn't too bad.
The beautiful actress makes her character come to life, and at least as much of the story involves her struggles with her inner demons as it does her fight to the finish with the monster from the forest in which she finds herself stranded.
An effective low-budget horror film that deserves a bigger audience than it has reached so far, It Waits is efficiently written and executed and is a great showcase for the gifted Cerina Vincent.
i liked this movie.it's a bit slow at times,but it is enjoyable,for the most part.the creature isn't the most realistic i've seen,but i have seen a lot worse.there is lots of gore,so if you have a weak stomach,you might want to prepare yourself.but if you're a gore hound,you'll probably really like that aspect of it.there are no big name actors/actresses here,but i really liked the actress who played the female forest ranger.i thought she was very convincing.this won't likely be the best horror movie you ever see,but it's sure better than a lot of them out there.it has a 4.2/10 rating on this site,but i would rate it higher than that.i give It Waits a 6/10.
I had a hard time believing the very beautiful Cerina Vincent in the lead role as a park ranger, but that's not taking anything away from her performance because she does carry the film.
So many years later, in search of a good creature feature, I "legally purchased at full price a copy of the DVD and waited to have it mailed" since that's how we all watch movies in 2012 because torrenting is illegal, right?
The sappy love story between our heroine and her boyfriend is developed wayyyy too long just in order for it to end in possibly the stupidest set of decisions made in any horror movie.For a gore lover like me the movie touches on being decent in that aspect but there is definitely a sense of modesty as far as the length of the kill scenes and what the director allows us to see.
"It Waits" doesn't really explain the creature other than referencing some Indian religious relation (which i'm not sure is factual lore or not and certainly not intriguing enough to look up.)What i couldn't stand the most was the CLEARLY CONTRIVED INSERTED SOUNDTRACK featuring songs that not only don't belong in the horror movie.
But, the Canadian scenery made the entire movie viewable--for me, anyway!Certainly NOT the worst Horror flick I've watched, but I believe it had unexplored/unimplemented possibilities which could have made it great!
I found this one to be a little weaker because: spoilersThe creature is everywhere doing all sorts of killing, even pushing a jeep over, yet it can't get into the flimsy little ranger's tower?Likewise, the fact that it seemed to be toying with the main girl(Cerina Vincent of Cabin Fever fame) seemed a bit far fetched.
Finally we have character development in a low budget horror movie.
We get a whole pile of them at the beginning of the movie, then when she's whining and crying and relating the whole story to her boyfriend, we get a whole pile of them again.Oh, wait, is there supposed to be some horror aspect to this thing?
It's unfortunate, because there's some really beautiful scenery in this thing, and the setting, up high in the air in a ranger tower, could have been very effective - if it weren't housing someone who spent the whole movie whining and crying and having flashbacks to something utterly unrelated to the story at hand.The second half of the movie picks up a bit as the monster chases the girl around the woods.
One, it's one of those flicks where they purposely don't show the creature until the very end (we're talking, 20 minutes left in the movie).
The movie moves very slowly, which made my mind wander (did I mention Cerina Vincent has great legs?) And the monster looks like the younger sister of the monster from "Jeepers Creepers." "It Waits" is not a horrible movie, but don't expect to be scared out of your wits, or glued to your TV.
A young forest ranger Danielle(Cerina Vincent)uses her lonely outpost to grieve the death of her best friend.
She must face the wrath of the ruthless monster and destroy the flesh-ripping creature from hell...alone.This horror flick is better than expected and is given some credibility by being produced by Stephen J.
Danielle races back to the ranger station to wait out the night, when she goes to find the camper, she discovers that he had been killed.The plot ends nicely, and it gives off enough questions that a sequel could clear up.
Szollosi.THE STORY: A forest ranger in the Great Northwest named Danny (Cerina Vincent) assuages her guilt & grief via alcohol while alone on the job.
When her boyfriend comes to visit her in the wilderness they become increasingly aware of a creature or demonic entity that is killing off everyone in the local area and playing headgames like a cat plays with a mouse before slaying it.It dawned on me after watching "It Waits" that it combines the plots of two 1979 films -- "Alien" and "Prophecy" (not the '95 film "The Prophecy" with Christopher Walken), both of which were out that summer.
The aspects it borrows from "Alien" are obvious (BASIC PLOT SPOILER): A tall, hideous monster kills off a group of people in an isolated setting one by one; the creature's not fully shown until the ending wherein the lone female protagonist has a showdown with it.
BOTTOM LINE: "It Waits" is a must for Cerina Vincent fans and those who enjoy monster-in-the-woods flicks, or both.
So, here's my first recommendation, if you like seeing people get their thang in action, or must have a high body-count in your horror flicks, I'd check out some cool 80s stuff and avoid this, as it will disappoint you.Still, for everyone else: It Waits is that very rare thing in the horror genre, a well acted movie with a lot of thoughtful character development.
Vincent manages to effortlessly convince in what's only her second lead role (first being the decent but silly Intermedio/Dead & Dying).Now, It Waits plays out basically like this: First half, we meet Danny and her boyfriend Justin and we find out through both flashbacks and well played drama about how Danny is a troubled woman and is having trouble finding her way out of her problems, meanwhile things around them start to suggest that someone or something is out to cause some kind of menace.
If you are, you'll be dead excited by the second half, which is a crazed, adrenaline fueled tension fest as Danny faces up to the creature that has been causing chaos all over her mountain.If you don't mind your horror thoughtful, It Waits is great (and well worth the ironically long wait it took for it to come out properly) and well worth your time.
"It Waits" wasn't as bad as it could've been.**SPOILERS**While grieving for the loss of her friend, forest ranger Danny St. Claire, (Cerina Vincent) is alone at her watchtower and trying to get over it.
Not to mention that Cerina Vincent is in 90% of the shots, and wearing as low-cut a tank-top as she does in it is never a bad thing.The Bad News: It's pretty hard to figure out exactly what's going on in the movie, as it does an extremely bad job of explaining everything.
Seeing a bunch of dead bodies lying around isn't what the gore-hounds really want, and it distracts from the viewing as they do look like impressive kills at times.The Final Verdict: Had it kept in some gore and explained things a little better, this wouldn't be such a bad movie.
I saw a preview of this movie and thought it was gonna be stupid but I ended up watching it instead and was surprised how much better it was than the trailer.I read that originally the main character was supposed to be a man and don't know why they ended up using a woman, but Cerina Vincent pulled off the role nicely and Dominic Zamprogna played her male friend equally as well.
It waits was interesting right from the start and had good effects and nice atmosphere.The thunderstorm towards the end looked real and was done right.Too many times in the past in other movies they have really come across fake.I also liked how the creature wasn't shown up close enough to get a good look at first.All you see is quick glances of it.This added to the mystery and horror of it.It made it more elusive and ghostlike.
There were some parts of this film that could have been done better and some parts were not necessary but for the most part I liked this movie..
Once the creature turns up things begin to pick up although it seems to want to play games with the forest rangers & scare them although it could just as easily kill them & be done with it.
I think the gore could have been more plentiful but whats here is quite impressive.With a supposed budget of about $1,200,000 It Waits was a pretty well funded film, I have to say I'd have liked to have seen more for that sort of money.
not only was there so many stupid holes in the story, like for instance that main character hoped the lighting would set a forest fire so she would get some help.
The characters are very likable after about 20 mins of getting to know em', I liked the back story of guilt and shame for the lead girl, she is a very good actress, I am sure we will see her a lot more and a lot more of her hopefully soon.
Hunting and killing it stalks forest ranger Danielle who is coping with the fact that she was responsible for the death of her best friend.It waits reads like a great storyline and it is a good plot for a movie, I would says its just watch able, its a modern B-movie with so-so special effects and scenes which I could say where rip offs from other movies, i.e. Jeepers Creepers 1+2.
In a nutshell the movie wasn't that great, and it was disappointing to see Cerina Vincent try to out act the bad storyline, after a first class performance in Cabin Fever..
Yes this movie is bad...the only good part is that Cerina Vincent is hot...other than that....I cried when I watched this movie because it makes Jeepers Creepers look good...I watched it all the way...twice...only twice because I wanted to show my friend how bad it was.
The story then centers around a young ranger named Danielle (Vincent) stationed nearby who accidentally killed her best friend in a car accident and is slowly turning into an alcoholic due to the guilt.
It doesn't like rain but it doesn't hurt it and the creature runs around in it during the movie.
Lastly for those of us who also have seen Cabin Fever I'm sure a lot of the draw of this movie was Cerina Vincent. |
tt3817950 | Dr. Prakash Baba Amte: The Real Hero | This movie showcases the life of Dr. Prakash Baba Amte, a man whose contribution to society is immeasurable. He was unaware of his destination but became an inspiration to the world by teaching the epitome of self-actualization.
After finishing his doctor degree, Prakash's father Baba Amte, took him on a picnic to Hemalkasa. It was a turning point in Prakash's life. He became restless seeing that, while people had reached the moon, there were people were living as animals. They use to hunt and sleep under the tree. Prakash went there to treat them and became a part of them.
Dr. Mandakini and Prakash loved each other from college days. Leaving her luxurious life behind, she accompanied Prakash without any condition. This is where the real story begins in the dense forest of Hemalkasa. They struggle with tribals, wild animals, Naxalites and corrupt government officials. Today, after 45 years, Hemalkasa has become an example to the world. | romantic, humor | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0035440 | Thunder Rock | The Dramatists Play Service gives the following synopsis of Thunder Rock:
The action passes in a lighthouse on Lake Michigan. Charleston, the keeper, has taken a job there to flee from a detestable world. Opposing Charleston's pessimism, Streeter, his friend, says he is giving up his job to become an active member of society again. Streeter believes our world can be brought out of its chaos if people do something about it. Filled with this determination, he leaves to become an aviator. Charleston retreats further into a fantastic world of his own building. The people of this world are half a dozen of the sixty who were shipwrecked ninety years ago. Believing that "Mankind's got one future—in the past," Charleston breathes life into these creatures of his imagination. They live again on the stage. As he talks to them we see passengers as they really were, each seeking sanctuary from a disturbed Europe, running away from life, yet needing the same hope and strength as Charleston himself. Charleston's sincerity convinces these creatures that he really has the courage to lead his fellow men into a better world, and in this faith they are content to die again. Inspired by their confidence, the lighthouse-keeper returns to useful work, determined to create a new order out of the chaos of the old. | allegory, philosophical, flashback | train | wikipedia | Based on a play, "Thunder Rock" is a 1942 film that follows the fascination with ghosts that seems prevalent at the time, just as it is prevalent in ours.
The war caused people to think about death and the afterlife a great deal."Thunder Rock" is about a newspaperman David Charleston, (Michael Redgrave) who saw the rise of Fascism and Nazism and tried to warn people to wake up and take action.
There's a doctor driven out of Vienna for using an early form of anesthesia (Frederick Valk), an early feminist (Beverly Mullen) jailed repeatedly for her views, a man and his wife en route to America to try for a better life for their family.There are several themes present in this film - the themes of keeping hope, not giving up one's quest, and affirming life, certainly important ideas in a time of war.
In the beginning of the film, there is the communication of information from one person to another to another to another, as knowledge is passed through generations.Redgrave is excellent, as are Finlay Currie, Beverly Mullen, James Mason (as David's friend) and a young Lili Palmer as the doctor's daughter.
The pre-war setting is a morale boosting tale of sticking at it - for we never know what tomorrow will bring; it delivers a reasonable tale but I found it hard to get into the stories of the various passengers as they were not characters I was given a lot of time to get into and care about.
The support cast of passengers is less assured and really never get close to being real people - instead their dialogue and stories are too heavily laden with meaning.Overall this is a reasonably good propaganda.
Like knowledge that is transmitted from one life to another.David (Michael Redgrave) who is living completely on his own in a secluded lighthouse, finds a logbook with an old passenger list.
Early film from Britain's Boulting brothers (producer John and director Roy) shows an uncanny grasp of technical assurance, yet their combined talents, and those of the sterling cast, cannot eradicate the stultified air of theatricality which comes via this material, taken from the play by Robert Ardrey.
Seems the ghosts of a one hundred-year-old shipwreck reenact their lives for the lighthouse keeper, all in an attempt to bring him back to civilization.
You may as well have had a Donald Duck Cartoon instead and started the film where James Mason lands at the lighthouse.It achieves some great moments both in and out of it's lighthouse setting, Michael Redgrave is very good but everything just goes on that little bit too long for it's own good.James Mason stardom puts him near the top of the billing, but he's really only a bit player in this and doesn't make any significant contribution to the overall film..
All the reviewers who wished they could see this film again (some of whom saw it originally in 1942!), can now see it again if they are resident British and subscribe to Freeview tv on Channel 81 It is shown regularly on this wonderful channel which I constantly watch if you can put up with the adverts which finances it, as it saves paying for numerous dvds which I used to do before I discovered this tv station.For example, every Sunday @ 9.p.m. GMT they are repeating the wonderful mid 60s episodes of "The Human Jungle" starring Herbert Lom which I originally saw when it was transmitted (I am now 72).Some reviewers thought Thunder Rock was too stagey.Does it matter?
I saw the classic R.C.Sherriff's "Journey's End" on Youtube the other day which of course is based on his play.What if Michael Redgrave is a bit declamatory at times, he was an accomplished stage actor first.In 1942 Britain was in a precarious position so of course the Government sought propaganda films to help morale & the war effort.See this film on the aforesaid channel, the tv station is bound to repeat it occasionally..
It's a shame, because the Boulting brothers are good film-makers, and the likes of Michael Redgrave and James Mason are strong actors.
Charleston (Redgrave) lives in self-inflicted isolation as a lighthouse keeper, having become completely disenchanted with the outside world, most of which is complacent in the face of rising evil and looming war.
In this film adaptation the story is broadened and filled in; it played to packed houses in 1943 America and did well in the UK.Here the Boulting brothers -perhaps better known for their later comedies- have made an excellent film that is both absorbing and intriguing.Of course it was made in wartime and the message is played for all it is worth as propaganda.
It is a little less overtly metaphysical than some other films from around this time and that is no bad thing; one foot is kept grounded at all times, more or less.Someone once said "the greatest journeys we go on are those in our own minds" -or words to that effect- and this play/film is testimony to that.The message that came through most strongly for me was that we owe the past a heavy debt; it is, in the present, always our obligation not to turn away, not to give up or hide away in the face of adversity.Despite its flaws this film rates a 9/10 from me..
This film was made during the darkest hours of the war in 1942, when Singapore was lost and the darkness of dictatorship and its violence reached its farthest limits and leading intellectuals and writers of the world committed suicide, like Stefan Zweig, and somehow the writer of this story (Bernard Miles, a great actor himself,) gets to the very heart of darkness of humanity and history.
It is therefore one of those very rare and extremely metaphysical films.Michael Redgrave has given up on the world and is looking forward to the end of humanity and civilization, he doesn't care any more about anything as he wasted his best years on a lonesome crusade against fascism in Europe with no response at all, since people allowed the war to come anyway, so he absconds into a remote lighthouse beyond everything, where he doesn't even read books.
They are real enough to him, and he is not alone in having made the experience that ghosts can be more alive than live people.The film exploits this strange field of occult metaphysics and succeeds in realizing all their different fates, that is six of them, including the captain (Finlay Currie), a Viennese doctor and his wife and daughter (Lilli Palmer), a suffragette 70 years ahead of her time and another family with a Dickensian background of hardship.
His friend James Mason (Streeter) tells him that he thinks he is a coward and the two fall out, leaving Redgrave alone on the lighthouse island.
In England, Michael Powell's "49th Parallel" and Leslie Howard's "Pimpernel Smith" are effective statements about the fight against Nazism...In "Thunder Rock," adapted from a play by Robert Audrey, an anti-fascist journalist in Canada (Michael Redgrave) fails in his political movement because of the greed and avarice of his Fleet Street fellow workers and the self-satisfaction of the public...He retires to an isolated lighthouse on lake Michigan, in disgust with the world of the thirties...The lighthouse rock sustains a commemorative tablet to a group of European immigrants whose ship sank off-shore during a storm a century before...As the weeks turn into months, the professional writer begins to imagine the ghosts of the dead names appearing before him, each telling their tale of sorrow, of escaping, of seeking a new life...In the end he decides he has no cause to complain, and that it is his duty to keep on fighting, even if only for the sake of the dead he has conjured up...The film (photographed in black and white) is intriguing, strongly imaginative, very well acted and presented....
Michael Redgrave (in one of his best roles) is the lone lighthouse keeper who was once a spokesman against the onslaught of Fascism (shown in a sequence of montages that clearly bear the influence of CITIZEN KANE [1941]), who has retired from the world when his warnings were dismissed.
The life-stories of the individual passengers (though, for obvious reasons of time constraint, the writers opted to focus on only three) are all somewhat melodramatic but the one involving progressive doctor Frederick Valk and Lili Palmer (who even has feelings for Redgrave, i.e. he imagines she has!) is the most engaging.The plot and setting allowed the director and cameraman (Max Greene, who later shot Jules Dassin's British-made noir NIGHT AND THE CITY [1950]) to experiment with light and shadow which, along with the literary dialogue (it was adapted from a play by Robert Ardrey that was intended to urge America into World War II, which had already happened by the time the film came out!) and the marvelous ensemble acting, emerges as one of the film's most impressive qualities.
As a matter of fact, the cast was made up of established, upcoming and (to me) unfamiliar names but, apart from the ones already mentioned, James Mason's all-too brief appearance as Redgrave's sparring pal - who has no qualms about doing his thing for the war effort - is especially notable.The climax, too, is terrific: first, we have the 'ghosts' realizing what has really happened to them (shades of "Outward Bound" but also looking forward to THE SIXTH SENSE [1999]) and, then, their refusal to 'leave' unless Redgrave goes back to civilization and do his duty (his being dominated by entities he's supposed to be controlling himself, interestingly enough, foreshadows his unforgettable turn as the Ventriloquist in the celebrated horror compendium DEAD OF NIGHT [1945] - which, incidentally, also featured Valk as a doomed doctor!).The Boulting Brothers - John produced the film while his twin brother Roy directed it, but they often exchanged roles!
It concerns an anti-fascist journalist named David Charleston, (Michael Redgrave) who is a reporter for a newspaper in Canada and he has traveled in Europe and has discovered that Hitler is starting trouble in Germany and there is reason to believe that Japan is also starting problems in China.
David writes many books trying to tell the world that they are in big trouble and then decides to retire to a lighthouse in Michigan on the Great Lakes.
Streeter gets upset with the way that David is acting and finds out that he is communicating with dead people that had a shipwreck ninety years ago in the great lakes and in his own mind they are alive and talking to him.
Michael Redgrave plays a writer who tries to reveal what is happening in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, but is not allowed to do so by the papers for whom he writes.
David Charleston (Michael Redgrave) is an anti-Fascist who spent the entire 1930s warning the Western World of the threat of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan.
But all of these ghosts (except the ship's Captain, Finlay Currie) are unaware that it is no longer 1850, and that they are all dead.The crisis of the film is when Currie (who has assisted in this mental game with Redgrave) gets tired about it because Redgrave has turned the characters into caricatures and not real people.
Here, it's the supernatural that takes center stage.THUNDER ROCK has an intriguing premise and deals more with the supernatural and the effect that the ghostly inhabitants of a lighthouse have on the mind of a disillusioned war correspondent during the WWII era.
MICHAEL REDGRAVE is the writer who retreats to a lighthouse in Lake Michigan when he wearies of a world drifting toward fascism and loss of freedom as the Nazi menace increases.
The inhabitants of the lighthouse (from an 1849 shipwreck) inspire him to have courage and go on with his life and fight for his beliefs.Unfortunately, the allegorical fable of a man visited by the spirits of dead passengers who lost their lives at sea doesn't ring true.
In short, the story never reaches the kind of potential it had--and despite good acting by the entire cast, especially by a young MICHAEL REDGRAVE and JAMES MASON.
You just don't see these any more.As others have noted, it is "stagy" as in it is pretty much a theatrical stage play in film form...but the script and the premise is excellent.The ghosts were all believable to me, hailing from 1845, when traveling from London to California was quite a bit more difficult than it is today.It is the first time I experienced a Redgrave performance and was genuinely surprised.
World-weary, embittered newspaper writer, excellently played by fine, cerebral actor Michael Redgrave, has retreated to a lonely lighthouse on Lake Michigan (!), "Thunder Rock", to isolate himself from oncoming perils of 1930s Europe.
(What an emigration ship from Europe to America is doing on Lake Michigan isn't made clear.)Redgrave creates in his mind a scenario imagining the characters on that ship, exemplaries of their fields, but who are rejected, harassed, punished for trying to achieve noble ends before their time, and so they decide to flee to the New World where they would be free to pursue their goals.
Redgrave wrestles with his imagined characters and ultimately comes to realize that these potentially great achievers decided (allegorically) to abandon their work by running away, just as Europe and the world would fail to rise against fascism until WWII forced them to confront reality.
He then realizes that he must end his isolation and get back to the fight!Interesting to see British actors in lake maritime office not too successfully playing Americans; standout performances by Barbara Muller, whose character anticipates the woman's movement, and Frederick Volk as Pasteur-like doctor..
Sold as a ghost story, this was really forerunner of the two-act psychodramas which permeated Anglo-American theater for the fifty years after WW2.After establishing the setting of the loner in the light-house, we find that British leftist writer David Charleston took the lighthouse job on Lake Michigan only to get away from a world headed for war and which, co-incidentally, had little use for his earnest genius (the poor fellow!) For companionship he imagines six people from a log of passengers lost in a wreck from 1849.
So, when the war finally arrived, Redgrave left the UK and moved to the most isolated place he could find--a lonely lighthouse on a tiny island in the Great Lakes.
By the end of the film, Currie (who was imaginary) convinced Redgrave to stop being a hermit and do his part for the war effort against Fascism--a not especially subtle but very rousing ending indeed!
Thunder Rock is directed by Roy Boulting, is based on the play by Robert Ardrey, has a screenplay by Jeffrey Dell and Bernard Miles and stars Michel Redgrave, Finally Currie, James Mason, Lilli Palmer and Barbara Mullen.Thunder Rock is set during the Second World War. David Charleston(Michael Redgrave)is an embittered writer, who despairing of the awful things humans do to one another, becomes a lighthouse keeper.
David brings to life in his mind the ghosts of some passengers from a ship which sank with all hands near the lighthouse in the 1800's.
He believes the past to have been uncomplicated and not as dark and terrifying as his present, he soon finds that view is far from true.Redgrave is superb in the lead role and I liked the fantasy element to the film where the ghosts appear to him.
The film also does a good job of showing those of us in the present that our times may be terrible but each period in history has had it share of good and bad people and events.The entire cast are superb with special praise going to Redgrave and Barbara Mullen as the spinster who wanted to live her own life, not the life men told her she would live..
Redgrave plays a journalist lively in isolation, managing a lighthouse on Lake Michigan in despair at his inability to persuade people about the dangers of the rise in fascism.
Unless you happened to see the play - by Robert Ardrey - on which the Boulting Brothers based their film then the only selling point is Michael Redgrave.
By 1942 he was a seasoned film actor having served a distinguished apprenticeship in the theatre and although it did no harm to feature the likes of James Mason, Finlay Currie, Barbara Mullen and Lily Palmer in support by this stage of his film career Redgrave was fully capable of carrying a picture by himself.
Thunder Rock is the place where a jaded idealist played by Michael Redgrave has assigned himself in the true keepers of the lighthouse tradition.
Only the ship's captain Finlay Currie knows he's dead, the others just think they're stranded on his island waiting for a storm to clear.Redgrave's come to a personal crisis of sorts, the supervisors want him to take some overdue leave.
And there's the real crisis of the oncoming World War which Redgrave tried to tell an uncaring public and its leaders about and now he's withdrawn into being the ultimate isolationist.On the night that the action of this play takes place, Redgrave's imaginary friends start giving some unexpected answers to questions and not something that his own mind creations would give out with.
The film added quite a bit to get it out of the living room of the lighthouse where all the action takes place on stage.
James Mason is also in this film playing a real friend of Redgrave's who starts wondering about his sanity when Redgrave tells him about his imaginary group of dead friends off the Land of Lakes.
The characters are deeply etched to make up for a rather static lack of plot.A British film set in Lake Michigan, who'd have believed it and also believed it was good. |
tt1441326 | Martha Marcy May Marlene | Early one morning, Martha flees from an abusive cult on a farm in the Catskill Mountains led by their enigmatic leader, Patrick and his subordinates Watts and Katie. After escaping pursuers, Martha is caught at a diner by Watts, who attempts to take her back, but she refuses and not wanting to cause a scene, Watts leaves while staring one last time at her, unsettling Martha. Martha worriedly phones her sister Lucy, eventually asking for her help. Lucy picks up Martha at a nearby bus station and takes her to a lake house in Connecticut which Lucy shares with her husband, Ted. Martha only tells Lucy that she had been living with her boyfriend in the Catskills and broke up due to him lying, leaving out all mention of the cult.
Martha integrates her life with Ted and Lucy, but begins to show odd behavior while out at a public lake by stripping naked and casually going for a swim before Lucy forces her to get out, much to Ted's amusement. Martha, Lucy, and Ted go boating on the lake where Lucy confesses that she in essence abandoned Martha when she went to college and is attempting to reconnect with her.
In a flashback, Martha is seen meeting Patrick for the first time. He declares that she "looks like a Marcy May." It is explained to Martha that the group is working toward being self-sufficient on their farm and is told to open herself up and be a part of things as she is closed up due to her family abandoning her. Later, Martha awakens from being drugged in the middle of being raped by Patrick, and afterward Katie, the seemingly alpha female of the cult assures her that it is good what happened which is reaffirmed by her close personal friend Zoe (Louisa Krause). Later, Patrick sings Jackson C. Frank's song "Marcy's Song" in front of the group, and now addresses Martha as Marcy May. Martha begins a relationship with Patrick.
After Martha is left with Ted for a day as Lucy goes to "the city", Ted reveals to Martha that he and Lucy are attempting to have a baby, to Martha's amusement as she doesn't believe Lucy has any motherly instincts. The discussion slowly turns sour when Ted berates Martha for not contacting anyone in the family for two years where Martha casually shakes it off and goes swimming and another flashback reveals that the cult always went swimming naked at a waterfall. Martha begins to show signs of paranoia that the cult followed her and is watching her, which is coupled with Martha constantly sleeping to Ted and Lucy's confusion. Martha is also staying awake at night listening for signs of the cult. Martha walks into Lucy and Ted's room while they are having sex and gets into bed with them. A horrified Lucy explains that this is not "normal" behavior, and Ted is furious about the incident. Martha didn't think she did anything wrong as it was simply a "big bed". Ted berates Lucy for enabling Martha and begins to show a lack of patience for Martha's behavior while Lucy informs Ted that she wants to be there for Martha.
In another flashback to her time on the farm, at Katie's urging Martha "handles" a new girl, Sarah, to life on the farm. She explains that they all help out with Katie and Patrick's babies. When Sarah comments that all the infants in the community are boys, Martha ominously replies that "he only has boys". Katie helps Martha to prepare Sarah for her "special night" with Patrick, presumably the same ritual of rape that Martha experienced. The preparation includes drinking a drugged drink. After giving the drink to Sarah and putting Sarah into the same room Martha was raped in, Martha waits outside the room to give the same speech Katie gave Martha when she was first raped.
During another flashback while teaching Martha to shoot, Patrick asks her to kill a sick cat to prove that she is "a teacher and a leader," but she refuses. He then asks her to shoot another cult member; she refuses to do this as well, which angers Patrick, who then instructs Zoe to rape Martha, who proceeds to do so. One night, Martha, Watts, and Zoe break into a house and steal valuables to sell to fund the farm. In another scene, Martha and several cult members have sex in one room while Patrick watches from a stairway.
In the present, while having dinner, Martha and Ted get into an argument about how to live life where Martha repeats the cult's philosophy that they should just "live" rejecting Ted's urging that she needs to start thinking about a career to provide necessities in life and berates her for being a freeloader and lacking any values for dropping off the face of the earth for two years which ends with Martha lashing out exclaiming he doesn't "knowing anything about it" and then leaves the table. Martha attempts to call the cult one night, but loses her nerve when the girl on the other end deduces it is Martha and calls her Marcy. Martha hangs up and disconnects the phone when it rings again. Martha's paranoia takes a turn for the worst at Ted and Lucy's party, where Martha has a panic attack when she claims she recognizes the bartender (as a cult member) and begins to create a scene and breaks down and has to be sedated by Ted and Lucy. Ted suggests they seek help for Martha, to Lucy's agreement, but goes further by telling Lucy that she needs to be moved to a mental health facility; Lucy refuses to send her away, with both showing varying degree signs of contempt for Martha's behavior.
In a flashback, Martha, Watts, and Zoe break into another house but are found by the owner. They start to leave, but Patrick appears and confronts the owner, questioning whether he will call the police. The man orders the group out and promises not to call the police, but Katie, who was hiding, stabs him in the back. They quickly leave, with Martha clearly in shock. Martha is later shown answering the phone, using the name "Marlene Lewis" — a name that all the women use on the phone to conceal their identities, and follows an answering procedure on the wall next to the phone that includes asking the name of the girl on the other end three times. Watts eventually appears and agrees to pick the girl up in the next few days. Martha continues to struggle in the aftermath of the attack, and Patrick tries to convince her that death is actually a good thing per the cult's philosophy as "death is love". Furthermore, Zoe reaffirms the cult's philosophy to Martha as she attempts to confide that the stabbing has troubled Martha. It is later shown Martha being over worked by the cult and is later hit by Katie with a utensil for eating when she's not supposed to (the cult only eats once a day where the men eat first followed by all the women). Martha has a breakdown in the bathroom and Zoe betrays Martha to open the door for Patrick who physically assaults her and berates her for not learning anything. Martha apologizes and obtains Patrick's forgiveness for her lack of adhering to the cult's philosophy.
After a nightmare at the lake house, Martha has another panic attack and kicks Ted, who was trying to help her in her confusion, down the stairs. This leads Lucy to confront Martha, but Martha refuses to explain what happened to her. Lucy informs Martha that she needs "help", which Martha deduces as being sent away, which Lucy affirms and states she doesn't feel safe with Martha around granted they are trying to start a family, which leads to Martha coldly telling Lucy that she will be a "terrible mother." Lucy sobs, then makes Martha admit she has no money, but informs her she will pay for her treatment.
The next morning, Martha goes swimming in the lake and sees a man watching her from the opposite shore. Ted and Lucy then drive Martha to her treatment facility when the same man from the lake runs in front of Ted's car. He gets into a car parked on the side of the road and appears to follow them. Martha nervously looks back as they drive on, but doesn't say anything. | cult, mystery, philosophical, murder | train | wikipedia | After attending a screening last evening, I find myself at a loss to adequately describe not just her stunning turn, but also this unusual film from writer/director Sean Durkin.On the surface, this sounds like just another movie peeking inside a creepy cult that brainwashes, and psychologically and physically abuses women, and is led by a charismatic (and creepy) religious style figure-head.
There are many similarities to the Manson-family story of which much has been published, but Mr. Durkin takes the film in a much different and very creative direction by concentrating on what happens to Martha (Olsen) after she escapes the cult.In the Q&A, Durkin states he did much research and found the most fascinating story to be that of a cult escapee and what she went through during her first three weeks of freedom.
Settling in to the lake house with big sis and new brother-in-law, it becomes quite obvious that Martha doesn't know how to fit in society and has absolutely no interest in discussing her recent past.The sister is played very well by Sarah Paulson, and her husband is Hugh Dancy (so very good in Adam).
It boasts two young talents who are showing tons of potential - director Sean Durkin and lead actress Elizabeth Olsen; Olsen's performance is subtle and effective, and Durkin's directorial work creates a strong sense of atmosphere, which is aided by the superb cinematography of Jody Lee Lipes (who also had very little prior experience in feature length films).
The same goes for the relationship between Martha, her sister and her brother in law, and most of all the ending, which suggests some very interesting subjects which the rest of the movie doesn't really explore.To be clear: I don't object to open endings or films that leave a lot of information out to allow viewer interpretation, but in this case I felt it was done as a cover up for lack of decision on Durkin's part - a flawed script that doesn't really feel complete.
This film got a lot of praise and was even described as one of the best films of 2011, after watching it I find it hard to see why people would say that.The content is good, the story is of a girl trying to adapt back to normal life after escaping a cult.
Durkin brilliantly frames the film in a similar vein to Memento, jumping back and forth between Martha at her sister's cottage in the present and her life in the cult in the past.
They just seemed like mere plot devices more so than anything else.While there is still something I still cannot quite describe that holds Martha Marcy May Marlene back from being the best film of the year, I cannot stop thinking about how powerful and great it really is.
Weird, but in a Good Way. Elizabeth Olsen's acting in Martha Marcy May Marlene is really fantastic (it may or may not be her first feature film, not sure which she did first this or Silent House).
Her acting combined with the background we get make it easy to see how someone could be drawn into a cult - and stay for so long despite the abusiveness.The interactions between Martha, her sister and her brother-in-law are downright strange at times but not in a 'hunh?' way at all.
They're strange in a way that actually makes perfect sense for the characters and the experiences they've had.I was really disappointed by the very, very, very end of the film - but I liked the other 100 or so minutes enough that I can forgive it (or forget about it).
But the longer she lives with her sister and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy), the harder it is for her to separate memories from dreams, right from wrong, and good people from bad people.Overall, the film is slow and silent, not usual traits for a psychological thriller.
Olsen has this tender powerfulness that suited the character (or characters) perfectly; she made you hold on to her with her all-knowing eyes and earnest desire to understand who she is.With a modest budget and a somewhat original way of showing madness mixing with sanity, shot and performed beautifully, "Martha Marcy May Marlene" should be in the running for all the major Independent Spirit Awards.
As the first feature for both writer/director Sean Durkin and star Elizabeth Olsen, it certainly is a stunning debut.Before you venture into the mind of "Martha Marcy May Marlene" I will leave you with a final thought.
The present reveals it is two years later, Martha has decided to escape the cult, and shacks up with her sister and brother-in-law in an upscale Connecticut lakeside community.First time feature writer/director Sean Durkin is a bit manipulative with his script and shot choices.
Subtly and acutely directed by American filmmaker Sean Durkin, this brilliantly narrated story draws an invariably engrossing, intensifying and afflicting portrayal of a young woman driven to the edge of her sanity and struggling to recover after suffering psychological and physical abuse whilst living on a remote farm under the power of a cult leader.
The fine editing by Zachary Stuart-Pontier and the efficient fragmented narrative structure increases the pace in this profoundly mysterious independent film about the dangers of seductive and misleading cults, targeting vulnerable young men and women who are looking for a sense of belonging, which is impelled by the internal and efficiently impersonated acting performance by Elizabeth Olsen in her first leading role and the great supporting acting performances by American actor John Hawkes, British actor Hugh Dancy and American actress Sarah Paulson.
The discomfort that Martha brings to Lucy and Ted (Sarah Paulson and Hugh Dancy) - the real-family sister and brother-in-law - is palpable, even if it is what makes the story kind of a bummer overall.
The seamlessness of the two story lines come to a head with a THOROUGHLY maddening, tantalizingly teasing, made-for-sequel final scene-only the joke's on you-there won't be one...Cast: John Hawkes, Sarah Paulson, Elizabeth Olsen, Hugh Dancy, Brady Corbet Director/Screenwriter: Sean Durkin Producer: Josh Mond, Antonio Campos, Chris Maybach Genre: Drama/Thriller Rating: R for disturbing violent and sexual content, nudity and language.
There she was abused, raped and forced to be a witness with few peers when they enter in peoples homes in the middle of the night and sometimes murder them.My guess is that to such a topic could get something much better while the movie is boring, slow scenes are repeated and unnecessarily lengthen, leading actress is monotonous, makes no effort to bring life to the movie and the end of the film is really like the whole movie: weak and confused..
The ending is annoying and makes you think Sean Durkin didn't know where he was going and how to end his movie.The alleged stylized cinematography is in fact pretty cheap with the intensive use of the zoom, and a lot of shots feel forcedThe only satisfaction is Elizabeth Olsen that portrayed her character quite well.All in all, the movie didn't live up to its potential and the ending leaves a bitter taste..
That's really the biggest reason that I'm giving "Martha Marcy May Marlene" a 3 out of 10; because the ending made me feel quite unhappy -- I felt cheated.There should be rules about cliff hanger endings, like if you put one up then you should have at least some explanation before hand, so that at the end the viewer isn't completely confused.There were some scenes that were intriguing and disturbing to watch.
Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) escapes from an abusive male-dominated communal cult where she lived as Marcy May. Her sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) eagerly takes her in.
Martha Marcy May Marlene - CATCH IT (A-) The film focuses on Martha (Elizabeth Olsen, yes Olsen Twins has a younger sister), who flees from an Abusive Cult culture led by an enigmatic leader, Patrick (John Hawkes).
The movie follows the character of Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) after she has escaped from a ranch owned by a cult.
Trees represent the idea of freedom, which is slowly taken away from her both in the cult and with her sister, Lucy (Sarah Paulson).Two characters are really worth mentioning when reviewing Martha Marcy May Marlene.
The film opens with Martha/Marcy May/Marlene (Elizabeth Olsen in a tortured yet incredibly nuanced performance) escaping a cult in upstate New York to reunite with her estranged sister and her sister's husband.
This last year's Sundance darling, MMMM is a perturbing piece of director-writer Sean Durkin's debut feature, showcasing montages yoking two paralleled story-telling about a young girl Martha's life within an anonymous cult (under the guidance of a collective sharing canon, the austere and independent lifestyle, while sexual abuse and some inexplicable brutality are being conspired in a horrid fashion) and after a two-year stint, she escapes from it and stumblingly copes with her foray into the real world.A low-end cinematography gives away a barren but pertinent observation, but the occasional buzzing score is somehow quite nettlesome.
Olsen's visceral dedication is remarkable though, but our sympathetic sensation has been hindered by the edgy shots and an ambivalent script, knowingly playing mysterious and keeping certain distance towards both the mystified cult and the disheartened couple - Martha's caring but ineffectual sister and her secular husband, their approach to uncover the truth behind is unimaginably lame (Sarah Paulson and Hugh Dancy are barely shimmering alongside) The late-bloomer John Hawkes is so insidiously charismatic as the cult leader (a Charles Manson analogy) and his solo rendition of Marcy's Song has an irresistible spell which is the deadly potion for naif girls (it will work simply just switching the name of its title to his prey).
The film certainly deals with those subjects on a tangential way, but its main point is making us participants of the mental dissociation suffered by a young woman who managed to physically escape from the cult, even though she might never abandon her "master"'s "teachings", for better or for worse.And then we have the wonderful performance from Elizabeth Olsen in the leading role, which expresses even the most complex emotions with looks, expressions and body language.
Sarah Paulson also brings a good performance as the older sister with contradictory emotions about the entrance of the main character into her life, while John Hawkes managed to be simultaneously charismatic and frightening as the leader of the cult.As for the negative elements from Martha Marcy May Marlene, I can mention the fact that the abrupt ending feels forced, at the same time it avoids us from receiving an emotional catharsis; and I can also mention the fact that the character Ted is occasionally forced to create conflict when it wasn't necessary.
The mystery lying behind the on-screen display of social perversion, which in the case of "Martha Marcy May Marlene" comes as a manipulative cult, can drive intense interest just through sheer curiosity as to what possible force in this universe could drive such queer behavior.Our only window to that answer is lead actress Elizabeth Olsen.
She plays a young woman who has successfully run away from a cult in upstate New York and attempts to re- assimilate with her sister (Sarah Paulson) and her husband (Hugh Dancy) in their wealthy Connecticut summer home.Writer/director Sean Durkin constructs some pristine transitions between Martha's present rehabilitation and the key revealing moments of her troubled two years as Marcy May. In doing so he flawlessly conveys her psychological trauma and injects suspense (however temporary) into the narrative.Durkin opts for long takes and minimal camera movement, which provides a sense of authenticity.
this movie as my title says keep you wondering about the missing pieces of the story it doesn't make the film boring at all it makes it mystery there's philosophical arguments that will make you think , i like the eccentric character rolled by Elizabeth Olsen it has a lot of drama and weird actions i don't think any other actor can do the same job she did she really fir the role .
It is more interested in the lasting effects the group has on its protagonist, Martha (Elizabeth Olsen), after she escapes and re-unites with her sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson), who is living in middle-class comfort hosting parties with her husband Ted (Hugh Dancy).
Why Martha (Marcy May and Marlene are assumed names she lives under at various times) joined the cult in the first place is never made especially clear -- the film only hints at the lack of direction and the waywardness that led her to think a weird setup like the one she lands in is her best alternative.
Elizabeth Olsen gives a very good performance as Martha, but I think I was most impressed by the performance of Sarah Paulson, as Lucy, Martha's sister.As other posters have said here, abrupt and ambiguous endings are starting to feel somewhat obligatory in a certain kind of indie film, but the one in this film is effectively unsettling.Grade: A-.
For me, first time writer/director Sean Durkin's Martha Marcy May Marlene is one of those films, the first one I've come across this year.
I became trapped in this young girl's head and wasn't let go until the final frame.Elizabeth Olsen, in her film debut, stars as the many-named title character, who we are introduced to as she is fleeing from a farm where she belonged to a mysterious cult.
It is an engrossing dissection of the mind of a girl whose life is so fractured that she escapes 'ordinary life' to join a cult living on a farm where all of the members work and all are directed by the mindset of a quietly deranged man.Martha (Elizabeth Olsen in a knockout performance) has been living with a 'family' headed by the charismatic, dark Patrick (John Hawkes) who has renamed her Marcy May. Together with Zoe (Louisa Krause), Katie (Mary Dizia), Sarah (Julia Garner) - each of whom is bedded by Patrick in a ceremony of sorts - and with the male members of the family Max (Christopher Abbot) and Watts (Brady Corbett).
Rather than bringing resolution to the film's story writer/director Durkin leaves Martha (now in her new role as Marlene) at a juncture where we the audience must decide the ending.
It is this slowing unwinding of a girl's mind as displayed in the relationship with her nurturing but confused sister that makes one of the most thrilling psychological dramas in years.Even though the film as we watch it seems to be the career making performance of Elizabeth Olsen it is far more staggering a 'first outing' for Sean Durkin.
"Martha Marcy May Marlene" is a story about a young woman named Martha (played beautifully by Elizabeth Olsen, younger sister of the Olsen Twins) who tries to readjust to life after spending two years with a cult.
Lucy, who is newly married and is planning on raising a family, decides to take her under her wing, much to the dismay of her new husband Ted (Hugh Dancy).Throughout the film, Martha goes through flashbacks of her time with the cult which gives us viewers exactly what her experience was like starting with the cult leader Patrick (John Hawkes) giving her the name "Marcy May".
There are many things that haunt you like ...........the dead......but here's something different........It makes you question your mind ......your belief system.........Just imagine what you would be undergoing when you feel that you are under a constant watch of someone...............it normally happens when your mind is disturbed and doesn't allow any sound thoughts.....Martha(Elizabeth Olsen)clearly puts this across the viewers through a brilliant performance.....for which she deserves accolades.After two years being away from her sister Martha returns to her so that she can lead a normal life from what she was serving with this so called 'cult' and their charismatic leader Patrick.But her past memories tie her up mentally and restrict her to the recurrent thought that the cult might be still following her......
It's not that you have a hunger for it, you simply don't know how else to live."Martha Marcy May Marlene" is a film about a young woman, Martha(Olsen), who loses her grip on reality after fleeing from an abusive cult, led by a man named Patrick(Hawkes).
Of course, the character changes from father to menace as he begins to take control of Martha's life for her, in a scene that really is tough to watch.Most of us have never been a part of a cult, but during the film we feel like we are.
Elizabeth Olsen, yes Olsen as in the younger sister of the famous twins, has had one of those moments with her first feature film debut, Martha Marcy May Marlene.
Her harrowing and haunting performance has given claim to the fact the she is the sister with the talent for acting.Martha Marcy May Marlene is the story of Martha, played by Olsen, who is an escaped cult member who is still struggling to find the balance between what she was taught in her 2 years with the group lead by Patrick, played by the truly underrated John Hawkes.
'Martha Marcy May Marlene' opens with a shot of young woman, Martha, (Elizabeth Olsen) fleeing from a farmhouse-set, cult-like commune; she races desperately through the woods and makes a phone-call to her sister, Lucy (Sarah Paulson).
Making her film debut in writer/director Sean Durkin's magnificent and creatively titled "Martha Marcy May Marlene".
With overall good performances and a well thought out screenplay does enough to hold the viewer's attention while making us feel the protagonist's confusion, ideology and depression.Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) runs off from an abusive cult and calls her sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) who she has not communicated with over the last 2 years. |
tt0328880 | Brother Bear | The film is set in a post-ice age North America, where the local tribesmen believe all creatures are created through the Spirits, who are said to appear in the form of an aurora. Three brothers (Kenai, the youngest brother; Denahi, the middle brother; and Sitka, the eldest brother) return to their tribe in order for Kenai to receive his totem, a necklace in the shape of an animal. The particular animal it represents symbolizes what he must achieve to call himself a man. Unlike Sitka, who gained the eagle of guidance, and Denahi, who gained the wolf of wisdom, Kenai receives the bear of love. He objects to this, stating that bears are thieves, and believes his point is made a fact when a bear takes some salmon. Kenai and his brothers pursue the bear, but a fight follows on a glacier, during which Sitka gives his life to save his brothers, although the bear survives. Angered, Kenai heads out to avenge Sitka. He chases the bear up onto a mountain and kills it. The Spirits, represented by Sitka's spirit in the form of a bald eagle, transform Kenai into a bear after the dead bear's body evaporates. Denahi arrives, mistaking Kenai as dead, and believing his bear form is responsible, vows to avenge Kenai by hunting it down.
Kenai falls down some rapids, survives, and is healed by Tanana, the shaman of Kenai's tribe. She does not speak the bear language, but advises him to return to the mountain to find Sitka and be turned back to normal, but only when he amends his mistake; she disappears without an explanation. Kenai quickly discovers the wildlife can talk, meeting two brother moose, Rutt and Tuke. He gets caught in a trap, but is freed by an outgoing bear cub named Koda. They make a deal: Kenai will go with Koda to a nearby salmon run and then the cub will lead Kenai to the mountain. As the two eventually form a sibling-like attachment, Koda reveals that his mother is missing. The two are hunted by Denahi, who is still determined to avenge Kenai, unaware that the bear he is pursuing is actually Kenai. Eventually, Kenai and Koda reach the salmon run, where a large number of bears live as a family, including the leader Tug, a grizzly bear. Kenai adjusts to his surroundings and is happy living with the other bears. During a discussion among the bears, Koda tells a story about his mother fighting human hunters, making Kenai realize that the bear he killed was Koda's mother.
Shocked and horrified, Kenai runs away, but Koda soon finds him. Kenai reveals the truth to Koda, who runs away, grief-stricken. An apologetic Kenai leaves to reach the mountain. Rutt and Tuke, having had a falling out, reform their brotherhood in front of Koda, prompting him to go after Kenai. Denahi confronts Kenai on the mountain, but their fight is interrupted by Koda, who steals Denahi's hunting pike. Kenai goes to Koda's aid out of love, prompting Sitka to appear and turn him back into a human, much to Denahi and Koda's surprise. Though Koda can't talk to humans, he doesn't want Kenai to leave, because ever since he came into the cub's life, he has been like a brother to him. However, Kenai asks Sitka to transform him back into a bear so he can stay with Koda. Sitka complies, and Koda is reunited briefly with the spirit of his mother, before she and Sitka return to the Spirits. In the end, Kenai lives with the rest of the bears and gains his title as a man, through being a bear. | revenge, satire | train | wikipedia | BROTHER BEAR has many strengths to recommend it, and I hope it eventually finds an audience on video.I'll admit a bias: I live in the Yukon Territory, and the story obviously takes place in next-door Alaska (with characters named "Sitka", "Kenai", and "Tanana", it's pretty obvious).
It also makes novel use of the movie screen by switching to a wider aspect ratio at a certain point in the story.The protagonist, the Inuit Kenai, learns the value of his totem, love, when he is transformed into a bear and becomes the traveling companion of the cub, Koda.
The film also features the hilarious Canadian moose, Rutt and Tuke (Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas) for comic relief.I would count Brother Bear among my three favorite animated films (along with South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron).
That's right, the real message of this story has direct application to today's world.Major morals from the story:1) We are all brothers and sisters in this world.2) See and understand the other person's point of view (even if you don't agree with it).3) Tolerance4) Being responsible for your actions.5) Forgiveness and Redemption.6) There is no greater love than the ability to sacrifice oneself for a friend.7) To those ruled by hate and fear: ....a) No matter who you are or how talented you may be, you will not last long in this world.
Brother Bear is one of those movies that is funny and moving at the same time and of an ideal length to hold the attention of a kid.Sure,the critics hated it probably because it is not as knowingly clever as Finding Nemo.
Having (I think) seen all the Disney animated features, I would have to say that 'Brother Bear' is the finest Disney feature since 'The Fox and the Hound' - which is to say the best around 25 years.
While it isn't perhaps quite as eye-popping and panoramic as 'The Lion King', I think this only goes to show that good storytelling will win out over superficial eye-candy covering a third-hand script.The final scenes of the movie are genuinely surprising (there is a sort of stock surprise ending, followed by something I really didn't see coming), and at the same time, it's genuine lump in the throat stuff - something Disney seemed to have been a bit shy about lately with films like 'Atlantis'.
Sadly, Disney Feature Animation closes down after "Home on the Range." I'm waiting for Disney's last cartoon on DVD, but the subject of this review is "Brother Bear." This is the second last traditional Disney animated feature."Brother Bear" is a good story of love, sin, understanding, forgiveness and brotherhood, as the title suggests.
with happiness,satire and the death of a character.the wonderful "disney style" of animation makes this movie an instant classic.This movie has a special treat for real and true movie goers with a funny segment at the end of the credits,so sit back,listen to the music and you will be rewarded..
A masterpiece and i know i will get hate for saying this but it is the truth, this movie is way better than several Pixar films which are good visuals but superficial story lines that don't capture heart, horrors of the world and emotion as Disney films of the past do.
Out of the post-Tarzan Disney movies, Brother Bear gets my vote as the most beautiful visually.Another pro was the awesome soundtrack.
The result really is a superb film.A magnificent parable that not only has exceptional high production values we come to expect from Disney animation, not only has good leads for the voice talent, but also has Bob and Doug McKenzie reincarnated as a couple of moose from "the great white north" (take off, eh!).
Me being the oldest and my two brothers and me, and has loving music in it, I'm one of those people who actually listens to movie tunes while I'm out in the day but on the bonus features where they mention a song called 'This can't be my destiny' by Phil Collins that to this day is still unreleased, they let you hear five seconds of the song but straight away I love the tune and I wish they could of added it as a bonus track on the official brother bear soundtrack album that I have.
It's a movie that has an heart and warm feeling and is perfect as good clean family entertainment.I don't think that "Brother Bear" will grow into becoming a Disney classic, it's too formulaic and unoriginal for that but it however is still one of the few recently made movies that has this typical old Disney feeling, with a warm story and atmosphere.
Like I said before, the story isn't terribly original and is some typical Disney stuff that already has been shown in some of their previous movies but it doesn't hold "Brother Bear" back from being a good movie but that didn't ruin the movie for me in any way.The animations are simply great and the environment and the characters look fantastic.
I like him as an actor but he hasn't got exactly a good voice for an animated movie.The movie might be at times a bit too scary for children and at times a bit too childish for adults but overall the movie in general is a perfect clean family fun entertaining one for all ages.The fantastic music is from Mark Mancina and Phill Collins, who after "Tarzan" teamed up again for this movie.It's a warm and entertaining movie for the entire movie.
Its beautiful, yet simple animation, great soundtrack, great characters, good story, and great message makes this film easily one to remember and re-watch here and there for years to come.
This film may not be the absolute best Disney film (then again, almost every film after The Lion King hasn't been as good as their previous films either), this film is amazing for what it is and I believe a lot of people who haven't seen it yet would enjoy it, just like me..
If it is shown up earlier, maybe 3 years earlier, or different time with Finding Nemo, it can gain much more positive response, because I believe that good story is the main element that makes an animated movie unforgettable..
I feel like Brother Bear was the last Disney film to connect on as deep and an emotional level as Lion King or any pre 2000 animated film.
Phil Collins should've worked with Disney on every film because he did SUCH and amazing job on the music in this movie.
Its a shame brother Bear didn't win the Oscar for best animated film.
Instead, Finding Nemo did, which looking back, Brother Bear is a much better film.Disney has lost its original drive.
On the surface, Disney's Brother Bear is a touching family film filled with adventure, humor, and likeable characters.
There is, of course, the literal transformation of the film's central character, Kenai (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix), into a bear but there is also the transformation of his heart, an awakening of his soul as he comes to a new level of understanding by walking in another's shoes or, in this case paws!
One of the better films to come out of Disney studios in recent years, Brother Bear is wonderfully animated with lush painted backgrounds and 2- & 3-D drawings that hearken back to the pre-CG glory days.
Brother Bear isn't likely to be dubbed an instant classic, but with its exciting story and wholesome messages, it is a fine addition to your family's home movie library..
After dragging my feet to see this poorly-reviewed movie whose trailer suggested a warmed-over mix of past successes (principally THE LION KING with music by TARZAN's Phil Collins), I was pleasantly surprised to find BROTHER BEAR to be the most enjoyable hand-drawn animated film I've seen since Simba claimed his throne.
Brother Bear is one of the only Movies this year with true substance and Entertainment value.We've seen a few useless attempts by Disney to create spectacular 2D animated films since the Lion King in order to get back the glory, which is Disney animation.
So many of us judge other people from other walks of life as wild beasts, when all we need to do is look beneath the surface to truly understand.Whilst there are many similarities to the Lion King and other Disney films, Brother Bear clearly stands on its own as one of the best Disney films Ever.
(I'm going to be stingier with 9's and 10's to save a 10 for Return of the King next month; I'm sure very few other movies this year will come close to that one.) The Northern Lights effects are very good, the art is beautiful and well up to usual Disney standards, and the story line is enjoyable and plausible in context.
With Brother Bear he again wrote, together with Mark Mancina a strong soundtrack with memorable songs like the upbeat "On My Way" or the sad "No Way Out" the latter is carried with some of the best animation Disney has done in recent years.The VoicesI'm glad Disney choose for less celeb voices with only the Moses being celeberty leaving the rest open for lesserknown/unknown (voice)actors.The ScreenMost of the film is animated to use the full length of the silver screen only supports the breathtaking art.Not the DVDDon't wait for the DVD you'll miss allot.
While he's on his way, he's accompanied by a spunky, cute bear cub named Koda (Jeremy Suarez), and it was then that Kenai realized how everyone needs to be loved no matter what they look like.
Together, both Kenai and Koda must overcome the dangers they face along the journey, including the ongoing threat from Denahi (Jason Raize), Kenai's other brother, who's hunting them down because he mistakes Kenai for the bear who took away Sitka's life.Believe me, this film is worth your money.
All the emotions and the funny moments as well as a great degree of spectacular animation are captured here, which makes "Brother Bear" an instant classic in the tradition of "Bambi".
Overall Brother Bear is the last one really decent hand-drawn Disney's animation and worth seeing for both kids and adults.8.5 out of 10.
Although not as politically correct as DreamWorks' "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron," the movie still smacks of the same revisionist history and pop mysticism that plagued Disney's own "Pocahontas." That these shortcomings don't bog down the whole picture speaks to the credit of the movie though, as does its somewhat leisurely but absorbing pace and funny performances.Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix) is a Native American hunter in the Pacific Northwest circa 8,000 B.C. The youngest of three brothers, Kenai is upset when he discovers the animal chosen to be his spirit totem is a bear, the symbol of love in his village.
However, Kenai's other brother Denhai is hunting him down, mistakenly believing Kenai is the bear that killed Sitka and has also killed Kenai as well.Based on the above description it might be hard to consider this a movie small children could watch, but the animation is so lively and the comedy relief inserted in just the right tension-breaking moments that the movie avoids being depressing.
Moranis and Thomas seem to be having a fun time invoking their Bob and Doug McKenzie characters from "SCTV," even going so far as to end their sentences with the stereotypical Canadian "eh" and altering their trademark line "hoser" into "hoofer." Every moment Rutt and Tuke onscreen is a welcome addition to the movie."Brother Bear" is one of the most unique animated features Disney has released in a long time, but still suffers from throwing together New Age spiritualism and suggesting a once harmonious coexistence between nature and mankind that frankly did not exist (or at least did not exist post-Eden).
Brother Bear (2003) *** (out of 4) Underrated Disney film about a Inuit hunter (voice of Joaquin Phoenix) who kills a bear without cause and ends up being transformed into a bear where he must help a young cub who has lost its mother.
BROTHER BEAR seems to get a lot of mixed reviews among Disney fans but I really don't understand why because I thought it was a pretty good film with several memorable characters, some good laughs, the needed pulling of the heart-strings and of course some great animation.
The scene where Kenai confesses his guilt to Koda is one of the most emotionally powerful scenes i've seen in a film, due, in a large part, to the great acting from Joaquin Phoenix in this movie.The animation is awesome and is most certainly not sub-par at all.
Easily as moving and as well detailed as The Lion King, Disney outdoes itself again with magnificent landscapes, heart-pounding action scenes, and a storyline which, while dwelling in the realm of high fantasy, comes out believable in spite of the magical and mythological nature of the plot.Phil Collins contributes much of the soundtrack, including the heartbreaking "No Way Out"; a song of hopelessness and despair at the realization of the pain one has caused to those he loves.
best film everi have seen this film 8 times and i cry evrery time i see it when kenai tels koda about his mom then i start crying it was so sad the he told koda that your mom wont be coming back then koda say no.....no and runs in to the forest and up a tree and starts too cry i feel like i want to go and pet him := but it is a movie and not for real but i feel like it is real it looks real and it is real inside of me this is a movie i can see over and over again i thank disney for making BROTHER BEAR make nr 2 if possipoll pleas...rank:A+++++++++ very very extra good ;0.
first time in Disney's life, the truly touching, funny, outrageous movie after Lion King!!!let's give Brother Bear 10 stars out of 10!!!!!.
Brother Bear and Home on the Range (April 2004) are part of a last ditch effort for Disney to revitalize this staple of animation before it is too late.The story centers on a young man who goes through a magical transformation and learns the meaning of brotherhood.
Rutt and Tuke may be the main draw but they only the comic relief and are added at all the appropriate moments to keep the story flowing.Despite being different genres of animation, Brother Bear does share one similarity with Pixar's Finding Nemo in the fact that both films have practically no big name stars voicing the characters.
Brother Bear makes the story its own by combining breathtaking landscapes, memorable characters and delightful voice talent to make one of the best family films of the year.
Sure, it's no Lion King, but who cares?My favorites were the moose brothers Rutt and Tuke and the bear cub Koda (who I thought was gonna be annoying but turned out adorable.)A wonderful Disney film that should kick 2D animation back in the game..
Brother Bear is a prefect Disney film that makes a great Disney movie.
I think all of us want more great animated movies like Brother Bear, Aladdin, The Lion King and a lot of others..
My rating: 6/10The absolute best Disney films, like Mary Poppins, feature a story line, music, characters, and magical animation effects that are fully enjoyable for all ages, from the youngest to the eldest.
Animation : B+ Music: C Plot: FFor me and my family, this will probably be the last Disney film we will see for a long time.
However, it starts and ends as a display of New Age mysticism and Native American spiritualism that many parents will have a difficult time explaining to their kids, or may choose to ignore the conversation altogether.The trailer heavily advertised an exchange between the Bear (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix) and "Rutt and Tuke" (the voices of Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis, of 80's MacKenzie Brothers fame) and it was one of the few points in the movie that actually got a laugh from the audience, albeit well-worn.
It is relatable, whilst at the same time, goes off in a way that is more make-believe.This movie is about Kenai, a man who resents all bears, after his brothers get into a fight with one, and is sadly killed.
I have to admit that, when I first saw the previews for Brother Bear, I didn't think much of it, especially since more recent Disney animated movies(Treasure Planet, Lilo & Stitch) have been pretty disappointing in my opinion.
However, despite all of this, throughout the entire movie, I felt like I had seen everything in the movie used at least once before by Disney, which takes away a little from the overall experience.In conclusion, despite a few minor flaws, Brother Bear is a very good movie which is certainly worth seeing, and is also one of the best animated Disney movies in a long time.-- 8/10.
As a lifelong Disney fan, the theatrical trailer for Brother Bear intrigued me, seeing as Disney and other movie makers were going in the direction of computer animated films, like Finding Nemo and Shrek.
Kenai regains his human form in time to stop Koda from being slain, but chooses to remain with his "little brother" as a bear.The story is touching, the action gripping and the musical score outstanding (Phil Collins delivers yet another remarkable performance).
Brother Bear is my absolute favorite Disney movie, and likely will be for the rest of my life.
It is a Disney animation movie and very touching film too.The Ice Age, there were three brothers.
The animation of Disney had definitely improved in the 2000s (before they switched to CG for good), though I think that it got a little too bright when we switch to Kenai's story as a bear.Then there are the characters, and I mostly like them (though I'll list a few). |
tt3859980 | Mohenjo Daro | The film opens in 2016 B.C. with Sarman, a young man from the ancient village of Amri, who lost his parents when young. Sarman's uncle gives him an amulet that contains an inscription of a unicorn Sarman sees in his dreams. This animal is also the emblem of the city of Mohenjo Daro.
Arriving in Mohenjo Daro to sell his wares, Sarman learns that the city is ruled by the tyrant chief Maham and his wicked son Moonja. Maham proposes to impose an additional tax on the farmers, but Sarman leads the farmers to oppose the taxes so that their families don't starve. Sarman gains access to the upper city by showing his uncle’s amulet and falls in love with Chaani, daughter of the head priest of Mohenjo Daro. The head priest, strangely, appears to recognize him. Chaani reveals that she has been forcibly betrothed to Moonja. Maham realizes Sarman and Chaani love each other and that Sarman is the leader of the tax revolt. Realizing that the people are rallying behind him, Maham gives Sarman the Bakar-Zokhar challenge. Sarman proposes that if he wins, Chaani will be released from her engagement. It is accepted.
The head priest reveals to Sarman how Maham was expelled from Harappa for illegal trade with Sumerians. Maham entered Mohenjo Daro as a trader and quickly rose to become the trade chief. Maham had discovered that the mighty Sindhu river held vast gold deposits so he decided to dam the river and divert its course to mine the gold. The wise Senate Chief Srujan opposed this but Maham built the dam anyway and had Srujan framed and arrested for hoarding gold. Chaani's father and Durjan - Sarman’s uncle - were threatened by Maham to go against Srujan, and Srujan was killed. Maham then took his place as the new Senate Chief. The head priest then reveals that Sarman is Srujan’s son. It is now up to Sarman to purge the evil Maham.
Sarman faces the ferocious Tajik mountain cannibals Bakar and Zokhar in an arena before the city. After a vicious battle, he kills one of the cannibals but spares the other and the people of Mohenjo Daro surge even stronger behind him. Enraged, Maham urges Moonja to finish off Chaani and the priest. Moonja kills the priest but Sarman saves Chaani and kills Moonja.
Chaani exposes Maham’s plan to use the gold from the Sindhu to enrich himself and to smuggle in weapons from the West. All the chiefs now stand against Maham. The people elect Sarman as the new chief but Sarman suggests Mohenjo Daro needs a people’s government, not a chief. Sarman realizes that the dam will burst and the Sindhu River will flood the city. He rallies the people to lash boats together and form a floating bridge. They evacuate Mohenjo Daro and cross to the other side of the river. The dam collapses, and Maham, chained in the city square, is drowned. The once renowned Mohenjo Daro is no more. The survivors migrate to another river, which Sarman names Ganga. | romantic, revenge, murder, violence, flashback | train | wikipedia | Is this directed by the same director who directed the movies like Lagaan and Swades?This film is such a travesty that I hesitate to honor it by calling it a film (a student from one of the slow learners class could have written a much better story), and the acting is so bad that it could almost be mistaken for a spoof.
This could have been another masterpiece for Gowariker but it is a mess of a movie.Mohenjo Daro gets a D.Check out my video review of the film!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5yqOrZuYBA.
Mohenjo Daro, starring Hrithik Roshan and Pooja Hegde is a period drama based on ancient Indian civilization, which the whole country feels proud about.
The movie showcases the life and day to day activities of ancient times and also revolves around a story of a peasant (Hrithik) who falls in love with a Princess (Pooja).
Director: Ashutosh GowarikarCast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde Plot: Mohenjo Daro is set in 2016 BC and showcases ancient Indian civilization in all its glory.
Technicalities: Ashutosh Gowariker has a lot of experience when it comes to period drama films and has left no stone unturned when it comes to Mohenjo Daro.
Mohenjo Daro is a must watch for its breathtaking stunts, awesome visuals, melodious music, and power-packed performance of Hrithik Roshan!
Mohenjo Daro.Must watch movie who want to seen something visually special.
Hrithik has nailed it..enough have been said but this guy doesn't need any camp or CHAMCHAAS..Way to go HRITHIK proud to be Hrithikian.MOHENJO DARO has raise he level of action films.\ in terms of acting all have supported well.
first of all if you want to see new plot then this movie is not for you.I think this movie is like a pioneer and enjoyable if you watch with family or with friends.Story line : 5 (predictable) Picturisation : 8 (Good one because i think they succeeded in creating old historic time) Action: 7 better than other Bollywood movies which have stupid type action scenes.
Our history is what makes us special but Mohenjo Daro has just made history special.The movie takes you on an epic journey back in time to an untold story of love,rediscovering history like never before.
Mohenjo Daro is another one of those masterpieces that appears once in a blue moon only to leave the audience awed by its perfection in direction, passionate music, superb acting, vibrant cinematography, breath taking scenes, stunning costumes and all the other unmentioned achievements that will drive you to watch it over and over again.
It has portrayed the ancient world down to the detail showing the cultural diversities and the hardships of the poor without wasting a single shot and only a mastermind director like Ashutosh Gowariker could achieve such perfection.Mohenjo Datong boggles the mind touches the heart and is a must watch for the entire family as it's entertaining for people of all ages, the old and the young.
#MohenjoDaro Remember the movie is from the director of Lagaan, Swades: We the People and Jodha Akbar and off course there is the great actor like Hrithik Roshan who Performed films like Lakshya, Guzaarish, ZNMD and KNPH What You gonna expect more.......
Mohenjodaro-The Movie is one of the greatest performance i ever seen in bollywood.....First watch the movie and then review...VFX is greatest one in this budget...Hollywood can't vfx like mohenjo daro in that low budget..loved hrithikjust enjoy the movie.
While returning from cinema hall you will surely get something hing to learn and you will become more curious to know about ancient Indian history and civilization.Thank you ashutosh govarikar giving treat of this movie.
I don't really watch that many Bollywood movies but I was looking forward to Mohenjo Daro since some time.
The story is good so it keeps you engaging throughout the movie and the background score is one of the best of Rehman's work...Hrithik's performance is the best in this movie , pooja hegde manages to do her role well and other actors also play their part really well.The battle scene after the interval is a visual treat and the performance of Hrithik in that particular scene is just pure brilliance ...Totally worth watching it in the theaters........👏👏 👏👏👏.
To be frank it was kind of expected after the trailer came out that Mohenjodaro wasn't going to be anything as special as "Lagaan"but still it was an Ashutosh Gowariker movie and possessed hugely talented Hrithik Roshan so I gave it a chance, little did I know what was being offered,believe me it is one of the worst movies ever made in Bollywood.How was this given a green signal and so much of fund is beyond my understanding.It is a colossal failure by Ashutosh Gowariker in every department be it direction, writing, screenplay or set design.Story is so bloody clichéd that watching it unfold is worse than watching paint dry,in fact its so clichéd that even Ashutosh Gowariker knew that there's no point working hard on the screenplay as it's an impossible task to make it interesting.
As this movie is not only based but even named after the real great historic city of Mohenjo Daro, thus it should have done at least some justice with the history which it did not!The film makers have taken advantage of the general ignorance of the people about the historic Mohenjo Daro specifically and that of the Great Indus Valley Civilization in general.
Would people not just Google up Mohenjo Daro and see that it stands erect in Pakistan to be visited by anyone who wants to see it?It was not only the shameful distortion of history that is despicable but while I see some people praising the music and sound effects of this film, I want to know that why on earth is A.R Rahman called an artists when he cant actually 'create' good music or sound effects.Whenever the face of Maham, the villain of this movie was shown the background sound of Buddhist monks chanting could be heard to supposedly produce a semi-frightening effect.
Making a captivating historical drama, despite being fully factually correct, requires a great deal of unlearning and relearning, which Ashutosh Gowariker could not dare to do much for 'Mohenjo Daro'.Making a film on 5000 years old Indus Valley Civilization, with scantly available research data, is a herculean task and it requires great labor and vision to make a compelling story out of it.
He also did not shy away from falling in the trap of traditional Bollywood winning formulas i.e. run-of-the-mill romance.The film is not a failure but the disappointments are too colossal to handle, especially when these come from the maker of films as great as 'Lagaan' and 'Swades'.Hirithik Roshan, however, shines in 'Mohenjo Daro'.
Sindhu Ma (Indus river) takes center stage in the story and a huge thumbs-up for that, as this was one most satisfying experience in the whole film especially for the history lovers.'Mohenjo Daro' is the first of its kind effort of making a film of this scale on the mysterious and very less known part of the human history.
Even the presence of the Greek God looking Hrithik Roshan couldn't save it falling down to the black hole.The movie had no solid story line it suddenly seemed to be an out an out Love story which turned to a revenge tale and merged to a Water- River- Dam tale.
Over all seems the Director was sure about the thing that he needed the name Mohenja Daro and that's it then he worked on his own imaginary facts to produce a movie which will boast taking you back 4000 years.Verdict : If you are a core fan of Hrithik Roshan like me go ahead invest your time who needs to see it to believe it !
Ashutosh Gowariker has again come up with an interesting theme, but too bad, the execution falls through.Sarman (Roshan) is an inquisitive farmer-cum-merchant who travels to the city of Mohenjo Daro to sell his yields against the wishes of his well-wishers.
Half way through the film, you will not feel like getting attached to the cinematic experience and the performance from the new actress will make you think that better actress already in the film industry could have done justice to the movie.
If you want a time passing humor movie with the dessert of Greek God looks like Hrithik Roshan who completely makes even boys drool over him.
Hence, the result shows nothing but a good cinematography.Storyline Rating: 2 Content: 2 Commercialization: 4 Entertainment: 2Acting Rating: 3 Hrithik Roshan: 4 Pooja Hegde: 2 Kabir Bedi: 2 Arunoday Singh: 3 Piyush Mishra: 3Direction Rating: 2Music Rating: 2Cinematography: 4Editing: 2.
And lest you thought they were not accessorised to the hilt in 2016 BC, perish it: the villainous chief wears a headgear of horns (the happily hamming Kabir Bedi, who carries it off with a raffish air) to an alarmingly tall crown of what looks like feathers, coins and shells sported by the leading lady (the debutant Pooja Hegde, who looks much better without, and may fare better in her next).In between is leading man Hrithik Roshan as poor indigo farmer Sarman, a resident of village Samri of the Sindh province, who has set his heart on going to neighbouring big town Mohenjo-daro.
That is where, he is convinced, lie his fate and fortune, and an animal with one horn.Right from the build-up, featuring what is meant to be a thrilling boat ride and a fight with a fake-looking crocodile, all the better to show off Hrithik's rippling chest and ripping valour, Mohenjo Daro is a plod, and a heavily borrowed one to boot: the entry into a forbidden town (which strongly reminds us of Baahubali), the romance with a pretty stranger, the rivalry with a muscle-bound fellow, the unravelling of dark secrets, the saving of a town from a beastly ruler—we've seen so many versions of it before.It beats me how so much time and effort can be spent on creating something meant to be jaw-dropping, but which leaves you sighing at the sheer waste of it all.
I had given it a well-deserved 10.'Swades' had been exceptional too and had gotten a 9 from me.'Mohenjo Daro', on the other hand - in spite of an amazing historical, nay, legendary, background, does not deliver at even half the intensity of 'Lagaan'.Hritik Roshan, for the most part, delivers the same excellent performance as he has since he started out with 'Kaho Na Pyar Hai'.
Even thought they did their best but it seems the director wasted a lot talent from the likes of Kabir Bedi and Hritik Roshan - these both are superb actors who would have done an exceptional job but were failed by a weak script and direction..
I am a huge fan of Ashutosh Gowariker and I love Hrithik Roshan but for a lot of reasons this movie was utter crap.
Sometimes I was confused whether this movie is a drama or a parody because some scenes and dialogues are just plain cheesy and laughable.Coming to the acting, Hrithik doesn't bring anything new to the role and that maybe due to the writing of his character.
He is simply superb as Maham.Arunoday singh has done a decent job as well.Pooja Hegde looked very beautiful in the movie and her acting is okay.Music is something that could have been better.
VFX in the climax is mind blowing.Overall movie like Mohenjo daro comes once in a lifetime.Critics be damned you can't afford to miss this movie at any cost.It has blockbuster written all over it.This is Ashutosh Gowariker's best movie till date.Two thumbs up..
there comes a time when someone or something creates an impact so hard it leaves its footprint in human history forever,Jesus Christ left such a foot print so we measure time before Christ and after him but but but people who made fun of historical inaccuracies of this movie do not have any idea what the director of this time changing movie means by 2016 B.C,he does not mean Before Christ..no sir,what he means by Bc is BC( i can not type the full word here),we call some of our friends BC,we refer to some of our relatives as Bc and we just utter BC whenever we are angry..got it?so what the director means is that this year 2016 has been a BC for him,get it?Now coming back to the movie,the plot is simple and basic that has been repeated in thousands of movies what differs is the Bc (get it?)the music might make some people question the existence of auditory organs and yes we will not discuss the harppan civilization.We will just stick to the BC only.on the acting front everyone plays their part as they are supposed to.hrithik roshan is same as well,he has got a limited set of expressions and acting skills equivalent to a piece of wood,I do not know the name of the actress that wears a garden on her head and dresses designed by ritukumar or manish malhotra of 2016 BC.(you know what I did there?)I am praying for those who watched this movie in cinema halls and even praised it here on IMDb,may God give them a nice set of brains this Christmas.We mortal beings do not have qualification required to review this classic so i will stop here.P.S Mr director congrats you are a Bc,hrithik you are a Bc (I find it awkward when men get excited to see hrithik bare chested rather than women) closeted gays may be?don't know,still hrithik you are a Bc please retire and to the audience who liked this movie:well..BC I forgot that plastic crocodile who jumped out of water lol may it rest in peace down there.
They respect True History.I thank sir Ashutosh Gowariker for creating movies like Mohendo Daro, Lagaan and my all time favorite Swades..
They could of just called it land of blah and it would be more like the movie...I mean Mohenjo Daro means city of dead...It's ancient cities which have a lot of history...
After Jodhaa Akbar, filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker has gone even further back in time for Hrithik's Mohenjo Daro.
Before reviews stated coming, i watched Mohenjo Daro at special public screening in multiplex in Pakistan on Thursday (One day before) worldwide release.When i watched the movie i was so confident that this movie will get praise and good word of mouth, because not only me, every individual in theater enjoyed the movie because of its tremendous cinematic presentation of Indus Valley civilization.Talking about the movie, as a general movie-goer, movie was entertaining and fast paced from start till end, the very first scene was jaw dropping and took audience attention and connected them with lead character 'Hrithik Roshan'aka Sarman.Apart from the visual appearance of world of MohenjoDaro and their people, the movie has a lot of scenes and action sequence which are so aggressive and well placed that audience really feel connected with the story like crocodile sequence, the big arena action packed sequence, the fight with Maham's son and the epic climax.Trust me, if it was labeled as a Hollywood movie, it would have been praised by everyone like they made hit Jurassic world critically and commercially but problem is that Asian audience feel themselves so much intelligent that they cannot even just appreciate the effort of production team which is to entertain people, and criticize illogically.Acting wise i was not expecting so much variation in Hrithik Roshan's character "Sarman", now i realized that this character was only made for Hrithik and he gave his career best performance.Kabir Bedi as Maham was a menacing strong antagonist.
Right from the beginning of the first look of the film "Mohenjo Daro" it started doing rounds in the mind of historians as well as the audience with its huge sets and some epic battle scenes.
Mohenjo Daro is an average movie with Impressive direction and a Bankable Star ,The weak point of this movie was the Plot ,It is the same old story told in the same old way .Total credits to the filmmakers for making this movie IF only it had a strong plot this movie would have been considered one of the best Indian films .The First half of the movie is a complete drag but if you are a fan of Hrithik and Asutosh Gowariker you would love it.The Second half of the movie is a letdown it is totally predictable You can easily guess what the next scene would be .The Ending was a highlight though.The star cast doesn't Disappoint Hrithik as as usual gives a good performance Pooja hedge Shines .The Villain was Non-threatening yet another weak point of this movie But still you can watch this if you are a hrithik fan..
The detailed set design will surely make time travel to that era, the acting was great, n why not when we have class actors like Hrithik, kabir bedi, Pooja Hedge is looking beautiful..
His acting was too rough and showed very unnecessary expressions that weren't needed.Direction and Cinematography- Ashutosh Gowariker is a good director but for this movie it's like saying action but with no cameras.
But Mohenjo-Daro is a movie with Bad script , Bad Acting , Bad Lyrics , Bad Music , Bad choreography , Bad Costume designs and above all , Bad Direction .
Mohenjo-daro, 100 out of 100 to Ashutosh Gowariker for the attempt to create a story in the ancient civilization.
Reasons you should watch this movie:1) Awesome work & story by Ashutosh Gowarikar2) Action scenes done by Hrithik3) Dance steps (perfectly new steps which you had never seen in any Bollywood movie before)4) Perfect imagination in terms of city, business/trading work, costumes (I guess nobody knows what they wear actually so ignore those people saying modern costumes are used)5) Pooja Hegde did well according to debut film in Bollywood6) Great Music as usual by A.
Mohenjo Daro is crucial for Hrithik and its director Ashutosh Gowariker. |
tt0034808 | Grand Central Murder | Convicted murderer "Turk" (Stephen McNally) escapes from police custody, crashing through a washroom window as a train pulls into Grand Central Station in New York. He telephones his former girlfriend, Broadway star Mida King (Patricia Dane), and threatens to kill her. She leaves her show between acts and hides in a private train car on a siding at the station, planning to leave town and marry her rich, high society fiance, David V. Henderson (Mark Daniels). However, her body is found by David and his ex-fiancee, Connie Furness (Cecilia Parker).
Police Inspector Gunther (Sam Levene) is called in to solve the crime. The doctor at the scene is unable to determine the cause of death. Turk is recaptured, and wisecracking private detective "Rocky" Custer (Van Heflin), whom Turk had hired, is also brought in, as he had helped his client evade the police. Other suspects are rounded up: Mida's greedy phony psychic stepfather Ramon (Roman Bohnen); her ex-husband Paul Rinehart (George Lynn), who works at the station; and her producer Frankie Ciro (Tom Conway). Also mixed in are Mida's maid, ex-burlesque singer Pearl Delroy (Connie Gilchrist) and her daughter "Baby" (Betty Wells), Mida's understudy. Then Roger Furness (Samuel S. Hinds), Connie's magnate father and chairman of the board of the railroad, shows up to guard his daughter's interests. Gunther gets each to tell what they know, with the unwelcome assistance of Rocky.
It turns out that the victim was a calculating gold digger. Like the inspiration of her stage name, King Midas, everything (or rather every man) she touched, turned to gold for her purse. She had used each successive boyfriend as a stepping stone, then discarded each in turn, in her climb up the social ladder. Landing millionaire David was to have been her crowning achievement, the fulfillment of her lifelong ambition. Frankie finds her, but she calms his anger at the prospect of losing the star of his expensive production by telling him that she plans to get a rich divorce settlement in about six months, more than enough to finance an even more lavish show. This conversation is overheard by David, giving him a motive. During the investigation, Ramon dies, apparently of a weak heart.
Rocky is able to solve the case and show that Ramon too had been murdered. The killer electrocuted Mida while she was in the shower of the locked railway car by connecting the plumbing to the electrified third rail. When he went to return the wiring to the storage locker, he was spotted by Ramon. The murderer paid Ramon off, but later got rid of the loose end with poison. Rocky identifies the man as Roger Furness, who breaks away and jumps aboard a departing train, but falls to his own death on the third rail. | revenge, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0070337 | Lost Horizon | It is 1935. Before returning to England to become the new Foreign Secretary, writer, soldier, and diplomat Robert Conway (Ronald Colman) has one last task in China: to rescue 90 white Westerners in the city of Baskul. He flies out with the last few evacuees, just ahead of armed revolutionaries.
Unbeknownst to the passengers, the pilot has been replaced and their aircraft hijacked. It eventually runs out of fuel and crashes deep in the Himalayan Mountains, killing their abductor. The group is rescued by Chang (H.B. Warner) and his men and taken to Shangri-La, an idyllic valley sheltered from the bitter cold. The contented inhabitants are led by the mysterious High Lama (Sam Jaffe).
Initially anxious to return to civilization, most of the newcomers grow to love Shangri-La, including paleontologist Alexander Lovett (Edward Everett Horton), swindler Henry Barnard (Thomas Mitchell), and bitter, terminally-ill Gloria Stone (Isabel Jewell), who miraculously seems to be recovering. Conway is particularly enchanted, especially when he meets Sondra (Jane Wyatt), who has grown up in Shangri-La. However, Conway's younger brother George (John Howard), and Maria (Margo), another beautiful young woman they find there, are determined to leave.
Conway eventually has an audience with the High Lama and learns that his arrival was no accident. The founder of Shangri-La is said to be hundreds of years old, preserved, like the other residents, by the magical properties of the paradise he has created, but is finally dying and needs someone wise and knowledgeable in the ways of the modern world to keep it safe. Having read Conway's writings, Sondra believed he was the one; the Lama had agreed with her and arranged for Conway's abduction. The old man names Conway as his successor and then peacefully passes away.
George refuses to believe the Lama's fantastic story and is supported by Maria. Uncertain and torn between love and loyalty, Conway reluctantly gives in to his brother and they leave, taking Maria with them, despite being warned that she is much older than she appears. After several days of grueling travel, she becomes exhausted and falls face down in the snow. When they turn Maria over, they discover that she had become extremely old and died, as her departure from Shangri-La had restored her to her true age. Horrified, George loses his sanity and jumps to his death. The Sherpa porters accompanying them were earlier swept away by an avalanche, triggered by one of them who carelessly fires a handgun.
Conway continues on and eventually meets up with a search party sent to find him, although the ordeal has caused him to lose his memory of Shangri-La. On the voyage back to England, he remembers everything; he tells his story and then jumps ship. The searchers track him back to the Himalayas, but are unable to follow him any further. Conway manages to return to Shangri-La. | romantic | train | wikipedia | Mr. Van took his role of Harry Lovett just after closing a 2 year Tony nominated (for best actor) run of the Broadway revival, "No, No, Nanette." He is a song-and-dance-man from way back and, honestly, the only one in the cast that was truly talented and experienced for musicals.
Other pleasant numbers are done by Olivia Hussey when she welcomes the new visitors and while the lyrics are weak, James Shigeta shows his strong voice in the "Family" song, as well as a nicely done staging of the full piece.View the film for what it is ...
Much better than it is generally given credit for, this version of "Lost Horizon" not only had great music and beautiful scenery, but also some stunning mountain photography.
Certainly the roles could have been given to people who could sing better than Peter Finch, Liv Ullman, George Kennedy and Sally Kellerman, but what do you want in a movie, good acting or melodious pipes?
Song and dance man Bobby Van is great fun, Michael York is a suitably tragic villain, and seeing Sir John Gielgud decked out as Chang may sound silly but actually works very well on screen.
LOST HORIZON certainly does not fit that last description because while CITIZEN KANE it is not, it certainly does not deserve to be trashed.By the time LOST HORIZON came along, the movie musical was already considered a dead genre, save for the occasional import from Broadway that actually turned out well (OLIVER!
Hunter may have succeeded in bringing back old-fashioned soap operas with the Douglas Sirk movies, but as THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE showed with its original songs that paled in comparison to the classics it stood alongside (well, almost), the musical was perhaps not a genre in need of a revival.You certainly could have fooled Hunter, who went full-steam ahead with his musicalization of a property that should have been left alone to begin with.
Supposedly the film led to the break-up of their previously infallible partnership, as well as Hunter's film career (he mostly worked for TV afterwards).Apparently, Hollywood likes to keep its megaflops very secret because LOST HORIZON has not been seen much since its theatrical debut, and has not even made it onto VHS, let alone DVD in the U.S.
But if even Ed Wood's hilariously bad movies can be released & enjoyed by people even for all the wrong reasons, then certainly LOST HORIZON can.
Here is a film which attempts to inspire and uplift, and I guess it succeeds, if for reasons quite different from those intended.Unless they attempt a musical version of "Schindler's List" this will probably be the all time champion in the "Play it straight" stakes.
Peter Finch is the international peace keeper who becomes involved in a somewhat constipated romance with resident Liv Ullmann; Sally Kellerman is a malcontent photographer who spits out lines like, "I got tired of taking pictures of people with their heads blown off, so that people with their heads STILL ON--and usually under hairdryers--could get one last kick before turning to the nearest recipe"; John Gieguld, "as Chang", is curiously cast as an Asian factotum for the High Lama who learned to speak English while attending Oxford (but why no songs for Chang?); while Bobby Van, as a USO entertainer, soft-shoes his way into the hearts of the Shangri-La schoolchildren.
There are two groups of people in the world: those who love this 1973 remake of "Lost Horizon" and those who are lucky to escape with their lives if caught in a theater with a majority from the first group.
Burt Bacharach and Hal David are talented songwriters and I happen to love their songs, especially "The World Is A Circle", "The Things That I Will Not Miss", and "Question Me An Answer".
Comparisons with the 1937 Ronald Colman classic aside, this Bacharach-David musical starts as an adventure story and only moves into song and dance fantasy about 45 minutes into the film, when the mixed bag of plane crash survivors (Peter Finch, Michael York, Sally Kellerman, George Kennedy, Bobby Van) discover Shangri-La, led by Oxford graduate Chang (John Gielgud) and the High Lama (Charles Boyer).So the cast looks strong - and in Shangri-La is boosted by wimpy Olivia Hussey and pouty Liv Ullmann.
The cast, is made-up of mostly non-musical talents (Ullman, Finch and Hussey, were all dubbed, and still don't sound all that great).Frankly, the novella, on which this, and the earlier non-musical film versions were based, is mediocre, at best.
As for all the reviewers who claimed the cast cannot sing in tune, this criticism falls apart since Liv Ullmann, Olivia Hussey and Peter Finch were dubbed (brilliantly too, as the vocals match their speaking voices perfectly), and Sally Kellerman has a really lovely and totally unique singing style.
I wouldn't claim for a second that Lost Horizon is a masterpiece (The things I wouldn't miss about it are the uninspired choreography, and Bobby Van's "Question Me An Answer" number, which could easily have been cut), but if you haven't ever seen Lost Horizon, or haven't seen it for some time, try watching without that "Oh boy, let's have a laugh at this pile of junk" attitude, and you will be surprised at how enjoyable it actually is..
A lot of people who are fans of musicals- especially classics like "Singin in the Rain" and "My Fair Lady"- disdain this musical version of "Lost Horizon" because it is an anti-musical.
The musical remake of "Lost Horizon" is truly one of the worst films ever made.
(I think Chips got crucified mainly because it just happened to be an old fashioned musical in a time that was thriving on being "Mod.") Lost Horizon, on the other hand, had no redeeming features(except for Surtees) and was just terrible.Producer Ross Hunter gets the blame for this dreadful mess, but lest we forget, he was also the guiding force for the wonderfully entertaining Throughly Modern Millie.
Unable to avert my eyes, I watched, fascinated, in the same way one watches a train wreck.This was "Lost Horizon", a mid 70's stinker that deserves a place among the top flops of all time, and could replace 'Plan Nine from Outer Space' as the worst movie ever made.
It stars Peter Finch [sic!], John Gielgud (must have been desperate for work at the time), George Kennedy, Sally Kellerman, Liv Ullman , Michael York and Charles Boyer (his last - understandably - film).
The bottom line is that because of these insane casting choices, the film was doomed from the start....and the worst of them was the god-awful Bobby Van. Now in real life, he might have been a lovely person and it's sad that in real life he died so young, but with the material they gave him here I just wanted to rip out his tongue to get him to be quiet.Now I also mentioned the songs--egad, those terrible songs!!
The original LOST HORIZON by Frank Capra was a subtle delight throughout--and not a single song and dance number in the film.
Bear in mind that most of the actors also have no or little previous musical experience (Liv Ullmann was even dubbed in the movie), and one can understand why the numbers just fall flat.
What is surprising is that Michael York and Olivia Hussey are the only ones who want to leave.For the benefit (?) of anyone who has not seen this abomination, try to envision the talentless Bobby Van dancing in front of a class of Shangri-la schoolchildren, singing "Question me an Answer." Lerner and Lowe, in their worst moments, never descended to such depths.
For some reason the songs felt like they were meant for a different film.The cast is okay but this is a musical.
It was certainly one of the more memorable films from my childhood, very colourful, and some of the songs were great (of course I had no idea at the time they were from the legendary Bacharach and David, who are far too harsh on them).
James Shigeta who did do the film version of Flower Drum Song, Sally Kellerman and Bobby Van who actually was a musical performer did their own work.Lost Horrizon also is a story set during the time when the British actually had an empire.
Why not cast Glenn Close?But back to "Lost Horizon," I think the other problem is by the time this was released in 1972, the music and presentation were considered dated or "old school." Similar complaints were leveled at Hunters 1970 film "Airport"--calling it "old fashioned filmmaking."So, you've got three things working against the film: a dull plot, dated music, and principal vocalists who can't sing.
It features static direction by Charles Jarrot and some really awful Burt Bacherach/Hal David songs like "The World is a Circle", "Share the Joy", "The Things I Will Not Miss", and "Reflections".
Maybe Stephan Sondheim could have restored some grit to the story, playing up the very real conflict inside each character's reaction; just five years afterwards, Brian Eno would have captured the tranquil atmosphere to a T; instead, Bert Bacherach and Hal David were given the job of writing the songs, which marry Muzak-like melodies with some of the clunkiest New Agey lyrics ever penned.
Quite naturally for the time, every song calls for a dance number, which range from the merely forgettable to the completely boring, and so is the script, which has not one line worth quoting.Tie-ins with this movie were legion -- there were everything from cookbooks to posters planned to promote this film, and such was the hype that I actually went out and bought the sountrack album.
This latest version of "Lost Horizon", a musical remake of the 30's fantasy about a group of people who find Shangri-La after their plane crashes, was a big, fat, juicy, and notorious flop when originally released in 1973, and has often been cited in numerous articles and books about Hollywood's celluloid mistakes.
(It's said that, at the time, Hollywood's nickname for it was "Lost Investments".) Having finally seen it a few years back, thanks to the cable channel AMC (this was before they started adding commercials), I have to admit - and I am a huge, HUGE fan of bad movies!
Oh, sure, it's overlong and overproduced (typical of Ross Hunter productions) and some of the Burt Bacharach-Hal David songs are indeed cringe-worthy ("Living Together, Growing Together" and "The World Is A Circle", at least as they are presented here; perhaps with a different arrangement and better direction and choreography they could work) and the acting often a bit overbaked, but there ARE some positive qualities to be found: some of the cast display admirable - albeit definitely untrained - singing voices, in particular Liv Ullmann and Olivia Hussey (Sally Kellerman's is actually interesting); the cinematography and costumes are spectacular (again, typical of Ross Hunter productions); some of the music is actually pretty decent, though it sure ain't Bacharach & David's finest hour by any stretch of the imagination: while their undeniable stamp is in every note, the lyrics have that unmistakable feeling of treacly, heavy-handed 70's "self-help" running throughout.
This version of "The Lost Horizon" is actually not a bad film at all.
1973's color musical adds a GREAT DIMENSION to Hilton's utopian work (even though Michael York was the pits!).The original "Lost Horizon" is in my personal collection, and the 1973 issue also belongs in my top 10 list, along with "Gone With The Wind", "Coming Home", "S.T.: The Wrath of Khan", "Day The Earth Stood Still", "Sound of Music", "Soylent Green", "Dirty Dancing", "Shirley Valentine" and "What About Bob"..
Back in late 1971, when I was a green kid in the U.S. Army, I read in a newspaper that Ross Hunter was remaking "Lost Horizon." I loved the James Hilton novel, but I wasn't crazy about the 1937 movie because it seemed so "Hollywood." I hoped the new version would be more true to the book, and I had an idea about how to do that.I wrote a letter to Hunter suggesting that he make the movie in northern India, where there were real Himalayas and a lot of Tibetan refugees.
Those refugees didn't get much attention back then, so the idea seemed like a way to kill two birds with one stone: helping unfortunate people and making a movie more authentic.To my shock, Hunter wrote back, thanking me for my military service and my suggestion, but telling me that he was "very much against runaway productions." (Though I lost the letter years ago, I still remember that phrase.) I was disappointed, but I respected the famous producer for sticking by his guns.
And I'm not sure if I'm recalling this correctly, but I seem to remember that actually NOBODY was dubbed, though they all definitely should've been, even Bobby Van!!The most striking thing about the whole mess was the lavish song and movie score provided by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
This version of Lost Horizon pretty much finished the job Rex Harrison's Doctor Doolittle began: that of burying the Movie Musical for years.
But who thought to have George Kennedy and Peter Finch as "singers?" Burt Bacharach's score is actually pretty good (though it's clearly not his best work, Bacharach on a bad day is still worthy of a listen), and the film has some cute moments (mostly provided by the children of this paradise along with Bobby Van who mugs his way through the bulk of his material), but they are outnumbered by the stilted ones...
However, 32 years on it really looks like a 'final days of the musical' last ditch effort that fails to work on almost every level.If you have a few friends who love bad films, get them together and treat them to parts of this one, they'll love you for it..
I loved the original version Of Lost Horizon , so I remember being very excited when I heard they were doing a remake with one of my favorite actresses of the time , Olivia Hussey , from Romeo and Juliet.
Plus, I find it odd to see Burt Bacharach doing movie musicals when his trademark was always sappy love songs.Don't get me wrong - I love movie musicals - especially good ones like West Side Story, the Music Man, Brigadoon, etc - but Lost Horizon as a musical just totally blows.If you want to see a version of Lost Horizon that captures the wonder of Shan-gri-la and is true to Hilton's work then I suggest you catch the 1930's B&W version with Ronald Coleman - you'll be glad you did..
The on board cinema was just like the real thing and I watched Lost Horizon at least two or three times during the voyage.
The film starts off as action adventure and suddenly changes into a very strange kind of musical, with a score which was very 1973, just like some of the god-awful clothes worn by Michael York and Bobby (please don't dance) Van.The main Shangri-La set looks like a 1970's Burbank Hilton Resort and the obvious studio set interiors are very much over lit.
Believe it or not there's a LOT to like about 'Lost Horizon,' further Bert Bacharach and his collaborative partner Hal David never produced a single, bad piece of music.
On board are song and dance man Bobby Van (as Harry Lovett), uptight photographer Sally Kellerman (as Sally Hughes) and gold prospector George Kennedy (as Sam Cornelius)...Mr. Finch is attracted to singing schoolteacher Liv Ullmann (as Catherine) while Mr. York prefers pregnant dancer Olivia Hussey (as Maria)...Wise old Dalai lamas John Gielgud and Charles Boyer are befriended by Finch.
I was about 14 years old as I saw the musical version of Lost Horizon.
We had the album with all of the wonderful Bacharach/David music and knew all of the songs before seeing the film.
A child would be instantly bored watching this, although the "The world is a circle" song is so bad, one just has to laugh.How high caliber actors like John Gielgud, Liv Ullman and Peter Finch ever ended up in this bomb is amazing.Watch for the yuks!.
Did he actually believe he could turn this classic tale into a musical?This film must be watched, if for no other reason than to see Sally Kellerman and Olivia Hussey "dance" and "sing" in the local branch of the Shangri-La library to an insipid Burt Bacharach tune.
Okay, I admit it, this musical Lost Horizon is not a good movie.
No wonder Hal David and Burt Bacharach ended their songwriting partnership after these creations.Truthfully, the songs are so bad they are funny especially The World Is A Circle which seems to be going for a Sound Of Music effect.
As a story, LOST HORIZON is an incredible adventure and both the 1937 Frank Capra film and this 1973 musical are faithful adaptations of the James Hilton novel.
This musical version basically takes the Capra film, populates it with actors who can't sing, adds color and bad 1970's hairstyles, and introduces the most mediocre songs imaginable.
What I do know is, Lost Horizon (the musical) needs to be seen to be believed, and that's the only reason I can think of to see it.Load up on caffeine first -- it'll help you not to nod off as this film bores you to death -- and it'll give you a good excuse to spend time in the bathroom which means you won't have to watch as much of the movie..
Time has been kind to the musical of "Lost Horizon", and as the world heads into different styles of wars and disasters, perhaps the longing for what this movie expresses isn't such bad wishful thinking.. |
tt0096380 | Vice Versa | In Thailand, a pair of thieves steal an ancient skull from a Buddhist monastery.
Marshall Seymour (Judge Reinhold) is Vice President of a Chicago department store, in charge of buying. He is divorced and has a son named Charlie (Fred Savage) whom he has little time for. He, and his girlfriend Sam (Corinne Bohrer) are on a trip to Thailand to purchase exotic merchandise. At the same time, an art thief named Turk (David Proval) tries to purchase the skull but has to find a way to smuggle it out of the country. He puts it with one of Marshall's purchases, so that he and his accomplice Lillian Brookmeyer (Swoosie Kurtz) can make a switch.
When Marshall returns, he takes Charlie for a few days while his mother, Robyn (Jane Kaczmarek), and stepfather Cliff, are vacationing. Tensions run high in the family since Charlie can't understand why his father can't be more involved in his life. While Charlie is holding the skull, they get into an argument about how they wish they could be in each other's bodies. It is revealed that the skull possesses magical powers, and after they both express a wish and touch the skull, Charlie grows up into his father's body, and Marshall shrinks into his son's body. After the initial shock, they each realize they must live out their lives as each other, and Marshall heads off to school to deal with tests, bullies and hockey practice, while Charlie resumes his role as a Vice President from an 11-year-old's viewpoint.
One night, Charlie goes out with Sam and takes her to see the rock band, Malice, which Marshall had promised to take him to, but changed his mind at the last second. The date helps to improve Marshall's relationship with Sam.
Marshall and Charlie go to the museum and talk with Professor Kerschner (Elya Baskin), who explains the true nature of the skull and wishes to show it to a lama before giving it back to them. Robyn comes home earlier than expected and is furious when she sees Charlie drinking. (Not knowing he is Marshall.)
After failing to get the skull back by asking nicely, the thieves embark on a mission to steal it. Charlie learns from Marshall's boss, Avery, that he has called a meeting to pull the plug on Marshall's business. He picks up Marshall from school and, after purchasing a device that will allow them to communicate with each other, Marshall listens in on the boardroom meeting and instructs Charlie on what to say. However, Turk ends up kidnapping Marshall, leaving Charlie to fend for himself in the boardroom. No longer able to speak eloquently, he stands up and lashes out in his father's defense before leaving the meeting.
With Turk and Lillian holding Marshall for ransom, Charlie tries to get the skull back from the lama. During this time, Marshall tries to explain to the thieves that he is not himself, and that he and his father have switched bodies because of the skull. Turk seriously considers what Marshall is saying, but Lillian dismisses the story as a ploy. When Charlie finally arrives with the skull, the switch is made and Marshall is returned. However, Marshall and Charlie rush to reacquire the skull so that they can switch themselves back. They manage to catch up with the thieves just after they themselves have accidentally switched bodies, and take the skull back from them, leaving Turk and Lillian in their new bodies as punishment.
The police arrest Charlie for possible kidnapping and Cliff bails him out; Charlie tells him that Robyn is not aware of what happened. Sam shows up and reports that Marshall still has a job, despite Charlie's outburst. He asks Sam to take him home so that he can give Charlie a present. On the way, Charlie proposes to Sam.
Charlie climbs up through his bedroom window and he and Marshall touch the skull, successfully switching back into their own bodies. Marshall then goes to see Sam while Charlie listens in to their conversation about the proposal. Though initially caught off guard, Marshall relents and embraces the proposal his son made for him. | romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1886493 | Catch .44 | Drug boss Mel tasks his associates Tes, Dawn, and Kara with intercepting a truck driver bringing rival drugs to a diner at night. The women wait for the driver at the diner, but when they fail to see him, they draw guns on the occupants of the diner and demand to know if anyone knows who the driver is. However, a shootout ensues when Francine, the diner's owner, and Jesse, a patron, draw firearms of their own. The ensuing gunfight ends with Kara, Francine, Dawn, and Jesse all dead and Tes in a standoff with Billy, the diner's cook. As Tes and Billy point their weapons at each other, their situation becomes more complicated when Ronny, another associate of Mel's, arrives at the diner.
It is eventually revealed that no drugs were coming into the diner and the job was a set-up. Mel hired Billy, Jesse, and Francine, who all worked for him, to kill Tes and her cohorts. Ronny, who is infatuated with Tes, states he came to the diner to rescue her and steal the money Mel supposedly gave Billy for his assignment, although Billy denies having it. Ronny orders Tes to shoot Billy, but Tes ultimately turns her gun on Ronny, and a second shootout occurs.
Mel later comes to the diner and discovers Ronny to apparently be the only survivor of the gunfight. After a brief conversation, Mel shoots Ronny in the face. Tes, however, turns out to still be alive and guns Mel down. She then intercepts a car carrying Mel's money and drives off with the cash. | suspenseful, neo noir, murder, violence | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0288441 | Barbie in the Nutcracker | The frame story is of Barbie's young friend, Kelly, having trouble performing a ballet move and her fears of going onstage. Barbie tells her a story of The Nutcracker to cheer her up.
A girl named Clara lives with Drosselmeyer, her stern grandfather, and Tommy, her younger brother. On Christmas Eve, they receive a surprise visit from their Aunt Elizabeth, who comes with gifts for her niece and nephew. Clara receives a Nutcracker that Aunt Elizabeth tells her contains the heart of a prince. Tommy tries to grab the doll from Clara, but in the scuffle, the Nutcracker's arm is broken.
Clara fixes the Nutcracker and falls asleep near the Christmas tree. She awakens to see her Nutcracker suddenly alive and fighting the Mouse King and his mouse army. When Clara tries to help, the Mouse King shrinks her down to his size, though he is still unable to defeat them and temporarily retreats.
The Nutcracker explains that he needs to find the Sugarplum Princess who is the only person who can stop the Mouse King from taking over his world. The wise owl of the grandfather clock advises Clara to follow the Nutcracker, since the Sugarplum Princess is the only one who can make Clara her original size again. The owl also gives Clara a locket that has the power to send Clara home after they find the Sugarplum Princess.
The two journey into the Land of Parthenia in the Gingerbread Village, where the children tells them that the rightful heir to the throne, Prince Eric, has gone missing. Clara realizes that her Nutcracker is the missing prince and he reveals that his previous careless attitude lead the king to pronouncing the Mouse as acting king until Eric accepted his responsibilities. The Mouse decided he wanted to be king for good and put a spell on Eric, turning him into a Nutcracker. Eric hopes to redeem himself by finding the Sugarplum Princess and make things right again.
Clara and the Nutcracker are joined by Major Mint and Captain Candy. They cross the Sea of Storms with the purple horse named Marzipan, and arrive at the Sugarplum Princess' Island. Clara is separated from the group, who are all captured by the Mouse King's bats, and she ventures alone to the Mouse King's palace to free her friends. After being rescued, the Nutcracker fights a final battle with the Mouse King, during which the Mouse King is hit with his own spell resulting in his scepter to disintegrate and shrunk into the size of a real mouse. He flees into the sewers.
The Nutcracker was injured in the battle and Clara kisses him, whereupon he is restored to his true form as Prince Eric. Clara, because she was able to break the spell, is revealed as the Sugarplum Princess. Eric is crowned king and the couple, who have fallen in love, dance as the citizens of the Land of Parthenia celebrate their victory. At this time the shrunken Mouse King makes one more attempt to defeat Clara, stealing her heart-shaped locket and opening it. The Mouse King is knocked to the ground by a snowball and apparently dies, but Clara disappears, having been magically returned home.
Clara wakes up in the living room where she fell asleep. The Nutcracker is missing, and she runs to her grandfather, who dismisses the story as her imagination. Just then, Aunt Elizabeth returns with a young man – it is Eric. Revealing him to be the son of a friend, she insists that he stay for dinner and drags Grandfather Drosselmeyer and Tommy away. Eric gives her back the locket and asks her to dance. She answers, "I couldn't say 'no' to the King", and the couple waltz together. A snow-globe shows the Prince – now a king – and the Sugarplum Princess dancing happily in the Palace courtyard.
The story goes back to Kelly and Barbie. Kelly realizes the importance of not giving up and makes one more attempt at the ballet move she just can't do. Kelly and Barbie dance to the Sugar Plum Fairy and Kelly finally gets her steps right; Barbie quotes: "I always knew you could..." | fantasy | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0169858 | Shin seiki Evangelion Gekijô-ban: Air/Magokoro wo, kimi ni | In 2015, fifteen years after a global cataclysm known as the Second Impact, teenager Shinji Ikari is summoned to the futuristic city of Tokyo-3 by his estranged father Gendo Ikari, the director of the special paramilitary force Nerv. Shinji witnesses the United Nations forces battling an Angel: one of a race of giant monstrous beings whose awakening was foretold by the Dead Sea Scrolls. Because of the Angels' near-impenetrable force-fields, Nerv's giant Evangelion bio-machines, synchronized to the nervous systems of their pilots and possessing their own force-fields, are the only weapons capable of keeping the Angels from annihilating humanity. Nerv officer Misato Katsuragi escorts Shinji into the Nerv complex beneath the city, where his father pressures him into piloting the Evangelion Unit-01 against the Angel. Without training, Shinji is quickly overwhelmed in the battle, causing the Evangelion to go berserk and savagely kill the Angel on its own.
Following hospitalization, Shinji moves in with Misato and begins settling into life in Tokyo-3. In his second battle, Shinji destroys an Angel but runs away after the battle, distraught. Misato confronts Shinji and he decides to remain a pilot. Evangelion Unit-00 is repaired and Shinji tries to befriend its pilot, a mysterious, and socially isolated teenage girl named Rei Ayanami. With Rei's help, Shinji defeats another Angel. The pilot of Evangelion Unit-02, teenage girl Asuka Langley Soryu, loses her self-confidence following her defeat, and spirals into a deep depression. This is worsened by her next fight, against an Angel which attacks her mind. In the next battle, Rei self-destructs Unit-00 and dies to save Shinji's life. Misato and Shinji later visit the hospital where they find Rei alive but claiming she is "the third Rei". Misato forces Ritsuko to reveal the dark secrets of Nerv, the Evangelion boneyard and the Dummy Plug system which operates using clones of Rei.
Asuka is reduced to a catatonic state by her depression, and Kaworu Nagisa replaces her as pilot of Unit-02. Kaworu, who initially befriends Shinji, is revealed to be the final Angel. Kaworu fights Shinji, then realizes that he must die if humanity is to thrive and asks Shinji to kill him. Despite his initial hesitation, Shinji kills Kaworu. Soon after this act, Nerv and SEELE trigger the forced evolution of humanity, termed the "Human Instrumentality Project", in which the souls of all mankind are merged into one through Rei. Shinji's soul grapples with the reason for his existence and reaches an epiphany that he needs others to thrive, enabling him to destroy the wall of negative emotions that torment him. This allows him to be reunited with all of the main characters, who congratulate him. | psychological, cult, violence, horror, insanity, psychedelic, action, philosophical | train | wikipedia | These scenes, however, serve to underscore the themes of the movie for the most part.The animation is excellent and the music is great (and features a number of nice works by Bach) and the symbolism is truly rich and elaborate, involving many elements of Christianity and Judaism as the entire series is sort of a take on the Apocalypse.
End of Evangelion tells the same story that episodes 25 and 26 but in the way the creators of the series originally wanted it.
And even if one has seen the series they still might not get all of this, but that's the beauty of Anno's masterpiece Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion.
This shows a much more dramatic and extended version of Episodes 25 and 26 however, and answers a lot of the questions that were left at the end of the series and does a great job generating new ones.
I think this film is a treat for all viewers and is one of the best anime movies i have ever seen.
Being a fan of both Evangelion and Anime in general, this movie was the best I've ever seen.
This is the official ending for the saga, meaning the last two episodes weren't after the mass disappointment from many of the fans of the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION TV series.
It was also really sad (for the EVANGELION fans that is) to see a lot of the characters who we got know and care for a long time in the TV series, see them for the last time on the screen.This film can really make you ask questions to yourself like 'will we be reborn after we die?', 'would everything be better if humanity ended and then reborn?', 'is destruction really a bad thing?' etc.NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: THE END OF EVANGELION is without a doubt, the deepest film I've ever seen and probably ever will see and thankfully there is not going to be a sequel to this film, and that's the way it should be.Thank you so much Hideaki Anno for giving us the proper end to this awesome saga..
Having had mixed feelings about the Neon Evangelion series, which became increasingly perplexing and offered nothing like a real ending, I should have just let it go.
There is also never an explanation to how Shinji has the significance he has in the end, although the idea of the Destined One is so powerful that even though he's never described that way I imagine people will take it for that.The movie is basically set up as the final two episodes of the series.
But in the first half of the movie there is mainly action and little psychology or character development.The second half basically does exactly what the final two, famously unsatisfying episodes of the series did; it goes into Shinji's head and talks about his fears.
In short: if you didn't like the last 2 episodes of the series, End of Evangelion has that same stuff and then some.
The film also has a very unique atmosphere of strangeness and bottomless desperation.Much like the series, I admire the concept of End of Evangelion.
I know its one of the major points of the series, Shinji is a normal' boy with severe emotional problems, but I after watching Death and Rebirth all I wanted to do was trap his head in a vice and thrash it with a golf club.
Everyone has a film or television show they've seen which causes for them to curse at the screen, wishing that they could rank their favorite of films something higher than a ten, because it has such a godliness to it which makes it far greater than anything believable by man!'Neon Genesis Evangelion' (my respect for that name and it's franchise dose not change that it is a real mouthful); it is my favorite anime, and it is the only film and series where that all applies to me.
In a brief review of 'Akira' I had posted some time ago (under the different user name of Real77), I had written how I consider 'End of Evangelion' and 'Ghost in the Shell (the film)' the greatest of anime films; 'End of Eva' is my favorite of animated films, and that the movie has such a small rating (currently) on IMDb astounds me, though, I understand that, because anime is still obscure enough that such a movie like THIS can be overlooked, animated films (which are not 'End of Eva') from the United States (particularly) which are targeted for children and which will continue making the mainstream idea of animation something targeted towards children, will be the films with the better rankings.
As the title of my comment reads, the franchise is a psychodrama, where the central conflict of the story is about why Shinji pilots the Evangelion and not really about if he can pilot the thing or if he can defeat the Angels; the film's central conflict is of Shinji trying to understand what makes him happy and by what means he can achieve happiness.The artwork in the show was never amazing, though the film has a nice detail to it's art that the series lacked, because of budget-cuts.
The score is fits well with everything going on about in the film ('Komm Susser Todd' is the most depressing and yet hopeful song I've heard in a long while) and the adding of classical pieces is a nice touch also.That this film has such a small ranking really amaze me, but you can change that members of IMDb. Watch the series and this film...please...because few films have had such an fullness and effect upon me as this movie.
Symbolism, great plot and memorable scenes make The end of Evangelion the best movie based on a TV series.
Let's talk about the Movie, It starts off when Shinji is emotionally stressed to help Asuka, but he ends up Masturbating when he was F*cked Up. No wonder about how they put effort with a huge studio in the 90's, If you like this Anime Series as a fan of myself, I recommend you to buy some of the DVD, and Blu-ray products on Amazon, or you can Torrent it legally, but they don't have episodes or movies in streaming services like: VRV, Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Amazon Video.
The plot was about Destroying NERV Headquarters, and Shinji wasn't brave due to his Medication problems, Asuka try's to kill the Eva Series, but she ends up dying when her eyes was sliced apart, and his arm two.
so that was my thoughts of "End of Evangelion" whether you were both depressed or feeling better.This Anime deserves positive reviewsAnimation 10/10Art 10/10Background 8.82/10Plot 8.97/10Story 9.04/10Characters 7.91/10Sound 9.21/10Enjoyment 8.40/10Overall 9.43/10Was it worth your time, or money to watch this series?
If you don't like the classic Evangelion Series filled with Depressed endings and Broken Heart scenes, I recommend you to watch the Rebuild Films or read the Manga with 14 volumes..
This film is absolutely wonderful, but I have to insist that you see the 26 episode Neon Genesis Evangelion series first.
Direct Quote"This show is about your questions and your answers so go find the meaning its whatever you think it is."The show idea was lost to me and for 26 episodes and two movies its too much for the average Anime fan to understand if you need to see go see it!
"Evangelion" was one of the best animated shows ever made, showing that the giant robot genre could be more than big machines fighting each other...Well, part of the series has those elements of shows as "Mazinger Z", but later in the series it grows into something more mature and complex, and more psychological and darker as well."The End of Evangelion" offers the same good elements of the original show, but it goes beyond the limits of the original series, something that makes this film a unique and disturbing (but good) experience.The animation was quite good.The visual mastery of the production is perfect!
they aren't real "anime" almost, even if this movie is intended as a replacement for the last two), yet the figure of Shinji gets thrown down even deeper in the chasm of depression, you can almost feel hatred for him during some sequences, you may even yell "C'mon move you spineless paranoyd!" to the screen.Misteries shown in the series unravel partially as you go on with the movie, good and bad things happen, yet this is a real surprise to discover.Sure, you need to watch it if you saw the whole series, you'd miss something oherwise.
It's the only real "movie" of NG Evangelion, since the other two, "Death & Rebirth" and "Revival" add nothing new to series + EOE.The ending is in the Anno style: you may understand something, yet if you understood something else, it would be ok, since he didn't intend ONE meaning, just wanted to trouble your mind with endless possibilities of unraveling the plot.Gave it a 7, after all it left me a better memory of the series than what it would have been if I was left with the 25 and 26 eps..
I did not watch the original 26 episodes series but I watched in these days all Evangelion films, because of the high ratings: Death and Rebirth (a recompilation of the original series), The End (a rewriting of the End of the series, still considered one of the best Anime ever), and then the last three, 1 and 2 which reboot the series apparently without mayor changes, and 3 which goes in new territories.
Although I will not spoil the film itself.The final instalment of the now notorious Evangelion saga goes way to overboard...Firstly I just wanted to make this clear, I loved the series and quite controversially it's original ending.
The alternate ending, which most speculate is the real ending is astonishing, and great, though it did leave room for more questions to be answered, and it seemed to be more on the psychological side of the story and goes very deep to that in the middle of it towards the very end, it did have good action in the beginning and a lot of gore, blood and violence, but I have to admit the middle part was interesting but there was little character development, and some scenes were unnecessary, I mean what was the relevance of the live action sequences and scenes which looked like letters?
I know a lot of people didn't like the way the series ended, but I think it was okay, though someone told me that this is the real ending, and the last episode is more of an epilogue, not a climax, so I must this is a very promising film for the fans..
{By the way, it is impossible to understand/enjoy this film without first watching the complete series; Death and Rebirth is barely a substitute, as it omits much and can be confusing at times} Personally, the thing that attracted me to anime was the genre's ability to mix the highly entertaining (in this case, giant robot fighting) with larger philosophical issues (the meanings of happiness, reality, and trust to name a few).
The second half gives us more incite into Shinji as a character, although episode 26 did a better job of explaining the process of instrumentality.The greatest part of this movie is the way it layers itself.
If you focus on Shinji as a character, you can see how the ending is a success (although not in the explicit way that the series ending showed).The best way to enjoy this film is to come into it with an open mind.
The End of Evangelion is a film following the conclusion of episode 24 of Neon Genesis Evangelion the TV series.
It was a bit awkward with its execution and wasn't really like the previous episodes making them highly unwanted among the community and also to the director, so Anno decided to finish the series with this film instead.This movie is truly a masterpiece in anime.
I recommend watching the entire series before coming to this movie (including the series' episodes 25 and 26).The Best Things about this Film is:
Seeing that you're on this IMDb page, you have likely either already seen this film or have just found out about it through its relation with the anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion.
I and many others feel that even though the events appear completely different, the characters arrive at the same point as the show's ending.Of course, if you disliked NGE, then I would not recommend this film; it's not going to change your opinion in the slightest.
I admit the first time i saw it I was confused and disappointed I had not seen the original series, but when i saw it on adult swim it helped me to understand why it ended the way it did, if you are into happier endings EOE is not for you.
Let me explain some scenes which I found to be a great contribution to its symbolism, When Rei fuses with the Lilith, it seems like a random act that would give you that type of random result but its a sort of reference, in the bible angels who would impregnate mortal women would give birth to giants, now Rei was not given birth to but grew to a immense size because of her fusion with an angel(which also means a being superior to man), another is when Shinji was held in place by the Eva series, the symbol that they create is supposed to be the tree of life, which in Genesis Adam and Eve did not take a bite of its fruit, by doing so man becomes god sense we already taken a bite of the tree of wisdoms fruit.
The movie kicks off straight where episode 24 left off, as this is the alternate ending to the Neon Genesis Evangelion series.
Comparing the original episodes 25/26 to this movie, I must say that Anno made a wise decision to give the fans what they wanted and create this alternate ending.
Setting away the psychological ending seen in the series, that's exactly what you can hope to see in this movie, a real Evangelion ending.Finally, all the events seen in the series reach their most important point, with each of the characters having to face their own wars, this movie actually manages to keep the viewer watching the whole time.While most of the sequences are a lot more graphical and violent than older generation parents may be wanting their kids to see, they turn out being completely justified and fitting to the plot.In case you liked the series, you must see both of the movies in order to (finally) understand whole the plot.
HOWEVER (!!!) I would not recommend watching this film unless you have seen the entire series of "Neon Genesis Evangelion"..
I loved this movie to death,I also think there's no better ending to the series than this one.
If you like anime with a lot of substance,definitely check it out.Any other anime movies or series that try to emulate what Evnagelion has done has never been up to snuff,in my opinion,Neon Genesis Evangelion and its movies are the final words on the "ginat robot" genre.
i saw this series.nothing in my LIFE ever changed the way i looked at the world(relationships,people,the planet,god)until,i saw...neon genesis evangelion.
This was his way of just shaking them off.I watched the complete series and this and the last movie in an EVA marathon, and I was so emotionally drained by the end I didn't know where up was.
First things first -Do Not watch this movie without at least seeing evangelion:Death and Rebirth (or better still the TV series itself)- Evangelion:The End of Evangelion is the cinematic finale to the outstanding TV series.With great character development, fantastic, brutal and touching action scenes, EoE is a must for fans of the series.The ending is probably one of the most fantastic ever animated, though it never gives you all the answers, it definitely ensures that it will stick in your mind for a very long time to come.
Although there have been multiple stories as to why this movie was made, the most common was that Hideaki Anno received many, many death threats from angry fans frustrated about the original series' ending (as it was very confusing).
However, having seen this movie a few times now, at its core, it is actually carries the same life-affirming message as the end of the series.
However, both the series and this movie should be watched, as both will REALLY make you think deep thoughts about things like the meaning of life..
This movie is a perfect ending to the series Evangelion.
This is not a happy film, and there is no real hope, or concrete evolution of character, as was seen in the original series ending.
My opinion however is that the movie ends good (The humanrace survives and only 2 main characters die (which is pretty normal in action anime/manga) and the usual lovecouple is made).
Nor good.The only things I liked about this movie was the animation and the fight scenes.So overall, if you're a fan of the series, it's worth watching.
I must say that I am a great fan of the Neon Genesis Evangelion's series, it is the only anime that I really get addicted through times.
If only the ending was as cheerful as many of the earlier episodes in the series so that everyone can enjoy it.Personally I would like to say shame on you Mr Anno, its no wonder you received death threats..
Important previous aclaration: you MUST see Evangelion's serie before see this movie."The End of Evangelion" is more than a very good animation film.
b/c Anno is a genius.I actually liked the ending to the series more than the one in EoE. |
tt1815862 | After Earth | In the 21st century, an environmental cataclysm forces the human race to abandon Earth and to settle on a new world, Nova Prime.
One thousand years later, the Ranger Corps, a peacekeeping organization commanded by General Cypher Raige (Will Smith), comes into conflict with the S'krell, alien creatures who intend to conquer Nova Prime. Their secret weapons are the Ursas, large predatory creatures that hunt by "sensing" fear. The Rangers struggle against the Ursas until Cypher learns how to completely suppress his fear, a technique called "ghosting." After teaching this technique to the other Rangers, he leads the Ranger Corps to victory. Meanwhile, Cypher's son Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) blames himself for the death of his sister Senshi (Zoë Kravitz) at the hands of an Ursa. Kitai trains to become a Ranger like Cypher, but his application is rejected due to his recklessness, and Cypher views him as a disappointment. Kitai's mother Faia (Sophie Okonedo) convinces Cypher to take Kitai on his last voyage before retirement.
During their flight, however, an asteroid shower forces their spaceship to crash-land on the now-quarantined Earth, near erstwhile Central America. Both of Cypher's legs are broken, and the main emergency rescue beacon damaged. Cypher instructs Kitai to locate the tail section of the ship, which broke off on entry to the atmosphere. Inside is the backup beacon which they can use to signal Nova Prime. Cypher gives Kitai his weapon, a wrist communicator, and six capsules of a fluid that enhances the oxygen intake so he can breathe in Earth's low-oxygen atmosphere. Cypher warns him to avoid the highly evolved fauna and flora, and to beware of violent thermal shifts. Kitai leaves to find the tail section, with Cypher guiding him through the communicator.
Giant baboons attack Kitai, and during his escape a poisonous leech bites him. Kitai administers the antidote, but two of his capsules become damaged and his nervous system shuts down. When Kitai awakens, he narrowly escapes a thermal shift. Kitai lies to Cypher, not informing him of the damaged capsules. That night, Kitai listens to Cypher tell him a story of when he was attacked by an Ursa, how Cypher realized that fear is merely an illusion created by the mind's thoughts of the future, and thus Cypher first began to "ghost" himself from the Ursas, choosing to live rather than to let his enemies - both fear and the Ursas - decide his fate.
The following day Kitai reaches a mountaintop, and Cypher learns about the broken capsules. Knowing that the only way to complete the journey with only two capsules would be to skydive, Cypher orders Kitai to abort the mission. Believing his father still sees him as a disappointment, Kitai blames Senshi's death on Cypher's absence on the day of the attack. He skydives from the mountaintop, but a large eagle captures him and his communicator is damaged. Kitai wakes in the eagle's nest, surrounded by its chicks. Tigers attack the chicks, and Kitai defends, however, he fails to defend the chicks. The eagle attacks the tigers, and Kitai escapes. He reaches a river, and builds a raft to continue along it. Tired, Kitai falls asleep on the raft. He dreams of his sister, Senshi, who reassures him that Cypher's bitterness is just his own anger for not saving her. Senshi urges Kitai to wake up. When he does, another thermal shift catches him by surprise and he nearly freezes to death. Kitai is rescued by the eagle, who sacrifices itself for him.
Kitai reaches the tail section and retrieves the emergency beacon along with another communicator, weapon, and more oxygen capsules. The communicator only allows Cypher to see and hear Kitai, but not for Kitai to hear him. Kitai learns that the ship's Ursa escaped and killed the remnants of the crew. The emergency beacon does not activate, and Cypher realizes that the atmosphere is blocking the signal. Kitai heads to a nearby volcano from which he can launch the beacon, and is injured when the Ursa attacks him. Kitai is able to control his fear and "ghost" himself from the Ursa enough to kill it. He then launches the beacon. A rescue team arrives, and the film ends with the two traveling back to Nova Prime, both agreeing that they would rather work with Faia. | boring, flashback | train | wikipedia | Night Shyamalan's big-budget vanity project for father and son team Will and Jaden Smith turns out to be much worse than the trailer.
In the film, the father and son crash land on the planet Earth a thousand years after the people were forced to leave it.
Father doesn't always know best, the latest result being After Earth, a vanity project that Will Smith has concocted for his son, Jaden.
The short version of it is this: Will has no personality in this movie whatsoever, his non-talented son Jaden is absolutely laughable as a lead figure, the plot drags along for seemingly unending hours with little or no excitement or humor or intrigue to keep our attention or interest, and the underlying themes and tone is nothing more that pure hype for the scientology church.
However, that apart doesn't hide the fact that this over-hyped and quite frankly terrible plot with so many holes it would take an eternity to list them all, is quite possibly the worst film I have watched this year and some of them were low budget.
Was it the effects that ruined it, was it the lame story, the extra-lame acting of the second Smith in the movie, the directing of someone who got after Signs too much credit and couldn't deliver since (with the exception of the low budget Devil).
Probably because of Will Smith.The year is not over, but I do not think that After earth will be topped in the category for "the worst movie of 2013"!.
I feel like they made a movie just so Will Smith's son could star in it.
As the character he is dreadful, but that's not his fault - I got the sense he was trying to make something of it, but it just doesn't work.Jaden Smith cannot act.
A low point in both M Night Shyamalan and Will Smith's careers, with one of the worst child performances I've seen for any film.
Of the movies that get a lot of hate The Village was the least bad, not great but pretty decent(while Shyamalan didn't direct but produced and wrote Devil, that also applies here).
The Happening and The Last Airbender suffered mainly from having such potential but falling hard big time, Happening did have some unintentional comic value(mainly because Mark Walhberg's acting was so laughably bad) and Airbender had great visuals and score.After Earth didn't have as much potential as those two but didn't have any of the things that raised the other two up a slight notch.
Will Smith is a likable actor and guy, but has never been this one-note or disengaged before, maybe his character was meant to be like that but it didn't mean that Smith had to take it to extremes.Jaden Smith, Will Smith's own son, was even worse, and along with the story his performance was probably the worst thing about the film.
Seriously, it's that bad...(the first 5 mins of course).So, gut assumptions tell me the rest of the movie(if one would want to call it a 'movie') is more or less like the first 5 minutes of Crap.I couldn't help but notice, also, that the movie poster is dominated by two large heads of presumably Jayden and the other on the right of whom I can't place a name is a good indication that the movie is all about them and them alone.
Since seeing it though, I have read the reviews and I agree with the majority of people who say that After Earth is crap...There is pretty much nothing that Will Smith has starred in that I didn't like.
I was so disappointed that next time Jaden Smith's name comes up, I'll wait and read the reviews before going to see it.
Perhaps mr Smith should keep out of movies like "I am Legend" since bad scripting obviously impairs his judgment.
Previously, I had a hard time deciding what was the WORST movie I've ever seen but thanks to AFTER EARTH, I now have a definitive answer.
Really, your better of spending your money by bury it under a tree, and watch that tree for 2 or was it 3 hours, you will see better acting and a more entertaining story then what you see in this lame excuse of a movie, some movies are funny because they are bad, this one even fails in that.
Jaden smiths has the acting talent of a brick wall, and i'm offending the wall right now, some people already pointed out that he better would serve the movie world by serving popcorn or selling tickets, 1 out of 10 is actually more than it deserve, there is still room in the desert for burying it next to E.T the game (not the movie ET, because that one is a great movie)..
And that includes all B and C movies I have ever seen in my lifeThis whole movies evolves around 1 persons (wills Son) and he is put on the spot whilst not able to carry a child role in Karate Kid he is definitely not up to the task for this movie.First of all the whole script is one big mess and not at all explanatory it worse even when Wills Kid shows up, supposedly one of the top of his class but not even able to perform a simple tasks when he's on his own..Acting was Terrible, Plot awful, script somebody wrote in his backyard whilst looking at his neighbor kid (1 year old) trying to stand up on his/her own feet.
Night Shyamalan could make another interesting movie, that the visuals would leave me in shock and awe, and that Jaden Smith could make a decent performance, unfortunately none of these hopes actually took place.
It sounds like a kid reading reluctantly for his high school English teacher.His acting also had much to be desired, but in all honesty I think this movie would have been a hundred times better if Will Smith would have been the lead character, or at least the narrator in the beginning.
Their homes are basic, and the opening story is boring, and seems forced, they don't make you feel for characters and the CGI showing the frozen wasteland of Earth looks beyond half-assed which is unfortunate as the rest of the movies CGI is actually decent looking.
Overall I feel this movie was an excellent idea it was just poorly executed, instead of jumping right into the action and making the movie last an hour and forty minutes, there should have been some well needed dialogue scenes in the beginning to allow the audience to gain an understanding for the characters.
However both Will's and Jaden's dialogue is terrible in the movie, the only thing that feels real is the connection they share as father and son which is obvious since they are just that.
This movie is definitely not worth the money to make it, but all those idiot will smith fans will claim otherwise no matter how bad it gets !
That's not like her to not want to watch a will smith movie, but this must be his first huge flop.
Wills trying to push his kid off on the public so they can keep a cash cow going, and someone please slap will across his face, to tell him the truth about how badly acted, written, and could have been a good movie idea, but 100% a flop !
The films is really poorly written and paced with a script that is so thin and derivative, it feels more like a generic video game than an actual movie.
I will say there is some good cinematography here and there, but the film offers nothing new and ends up being one of the most dull and boring viewing experiences I've had this year.The worst part of After Earth though might be that it's only a further reminder of how low the once promising Shyamaln's career has sunk..
For those who don't know, this is the first lowest-rated movie for Will Smith since 1999's disappointing mess "Wild Wild West," one for Jaden since "The Day the Earth Stood Still," and another bomb for Shyamalan.After Earth feels like a re-cut of "Battlefield Earth" (Ya know, the Travolta movie we don't even care anymore) and sometimes half-"I Am Legend" and half-"Hunger Games." But to me, maybe it's the whole Scientology thing that starts to ruin the whole story.The story is ridiculous, poorly acted (Smith sounded like James Earl Jones), mediocre sci-fi elements.
Will Smith is also just going through the motions then collecting his pay in this one obviously just being a good dad and getting his kid a blockbuster movie role.
I'm sure it's hard to act with CGI monsters anyway but the effects in this are surprisingly bad, much worse than in Will Smith's other sci fi film.
Today i seen this movie and i don't understand why this movie is receiving so many negative reviews and poor ratings.In my opinion its a more emotional driven movie than a sci-fi.It could be made more better but still its worth a watch and i enjoy watching this movie.Acting of Jaden Smith is okay.But i really wish Will Smith should have contribute major part in this movie.Art direction is not upto that mark, the interior design of space ship is really not that good as compare to those that we usually saw and expect from sci-fi movie but some scenes and cinematography of capturing earth's nature is spectacular.In my opinion its 6.5 out of 10..
However, even though I sincerely do not expect anything great from Shyamalan at this point, I found it a bit hard to believe that Will Smith would fall so low, so suddenly and make a very bad movie.
I believe the whole bad feedback about this movie comes from the fact that it was directed by Shyamalan and that Smith senior was not the main star.
OK, yes the movie have some big loopholes, yes they could have made really more interesting story, yes it is as predictable as it can possibly by, yes will smith is limited to a supporting role, yes the acting may not be academy award deserving, but the movie is still pretty watchable.I chose not so watch it because of the reviews, and I was bored as hell this weekend and a friend which shares my movie tastes went to see it without reading the reviews and he said it was at least entertaining, that got me curious, and out of curiosity and boredom I went to watch it.
I have to admit that despite the stuff mentioned above and in other reviews it was entertaining.I think people was going to this movie waiting for other Avengers only to be as disappointed as I was with Iron man 3, but if you just want to see an entertaining movie with a good production, good CGI and a rather common story, instead of another Avatar, then I think this movie deserve at least 6/10 I'm giving it 8/10 just to try to boost the ratings a bit and because I actually like it (I'm no movie critic so I rate based on how much I liked it, couldn't care less for the technical/critic part of the movie).
This is why the time is took to built the pace seemed long, but the actual time devoted to Earth felt short and rushed.Talking about performance of Jaden, real son of Will Smith, I have to say he needs much to learn.
But unlike that film After Earth wasn't a Will Smith movie.
After Earth can be said as Jaden's role as a first billed star cast.One thing I liked about this movie was the Soundtrack.
But neither of them could save the movie, after watching it and learning the Scientology background of this film, i really hope it cripples Will Smith career, just because he thought he was the blockbuster king until he made and wrote a stupid script like After Earth..
Save your money, stay home, and watch a good Will Smith movie like Independence Day or I, Robot..
Considering Will Smith had near full control of this project - writing the script, coaching his son's performance, personally hiring M Night Shyamalan (but only for basic directing) - this film is good for what it is.Had it come before Star Trek, Oblivion and Cloud Atlas this year and if M Night Shyamalan didn't have a bad rep then I think this film would be at the 6.5/10 rating that I think it deserves..
The good news is that if you are watching this as an in-flight movie at least the sick bags are handy.I could sit all day commenting on where this film went wrong but it all comes down to a single factor.
The poor boy isn't that good an actor and does not have his fathers charisma so asking him to carry this film sets him up to fail, so really not fair.Even if he did have the talent, if you look at how the father-son movie partnerships launch great careers look at where it got John Wayne's son Patrick, who did have a certain amount of talent.
i just wanted to see this one , because it is Will smith , and OK his son plays in it , so it would have been some obvious stupid movie, i just knew it.
I decided to watch the film without any prejudgement to find out that this is actually a very good movie.
I like the smiths,but they were a bad choice for this movie.
m night's creativity shows a bit in this movie but not enough to fix the unbalance.Although the Smith franchise will no doubt remain, the bad smell hanging over Shyamalan won't lift any time soon.
When I first saw "The Pursuit of Happiness", I assumed that he was going to become hugely successful and amaze people with his massive talent and charisma, much like his dad.Sadly, his next big role (in the remake of "The Karate Kid") was much less impressive, and you could see that the dude is getting a big head and not working very hard to cultivate his acting abilities.Well, his latest role is probably going to be the end of his acting career (unless, of course, daddy keeps pushing him though).I can name most movies with Will Smith, but this one is so forgettable that I can't remember the title as I type this.
Pros: - fresh and innovative - 2 man father-son acting is nice - its not 10000000 soldiers dying - emotion is apparent - characters develop - stunning visuals - tense moments - dramatic scenes - grand dialogue Cons: - how they arrive on earth is silly - it's 2 man, what do you expect - the ending is predictable but what, did you want your protagonist to fail.(1 con imo)I say congrats to the Smiths, i saw the father son connection, the acting was fantastic (for a seasoned and 14 year old) and i hope M.
I just read a review saying that Will Smith didn't show enough emotion, and that the movie wasn't funny enough.....WHAT TRAILER WERE YOU WATCHING!
I have no idea who is sending these bad reviews, nor where their expectations come from, but my wife and I just saw this movie, and both of us thought it was quite good.The acting was NOT "wooden" as one review I read stated.
At times I did not like them, either, but that was the CHARACTER and the WRITING, but NOT the acting.The special effects were quite good, as well.
This movie suffers from an uninteresting plot and story that was somehow made by Will Smith and a good cast that just seems to sleepwalk in their roles with no memorable characters or moments in the film,that just makes it very boring.
I don't like the scared boy, overly emotional and suddenly not, Jaden Smith look scared all the time or actually more confused in this part, this is not a good role for him.There are some cool sci-fi moments, great cgi, a big world of deadly creatures and beautifully created landscapes and sceneries.
Your role in After Earth is that of the work of someone trying way to hard and will go down in modern movie history as having one of the worst accents committed to film.
M. Night Shyamalan jumped on the bandwagon to prove that.After the Pursuit of Happiness, this is the second movie in which Will Smith and his son (yes, he has a son if you haven't noticed) play the central (father-son) characters.
Will (Smith) he finally accept the fact, that it's not a good idea to put his son into movies?
This movie shows that even the stars who we like to see as one of the good ones, Will Smith, will use their position to waste everyones time and money.
I'm sorry too, Jaden Smith's acting in this movie is bad and I actually liked him in the Karate Kid remake.
Don't get me wrong, I like Will Smith but never thought he was that great of an actor although he was good in I Am Legend.
I do like Will Smith but the movie just looked generic and boring.
Most of the bad acting comes from Will Smith's son; Jaden Smith who just does nothing but wains like a fifteen girl, I never find him much of a good actor after Pursuit of Happiness.
I have never seen a sci-fi movie like this.people just want their entertainment, they don't care about spending money....but today I do care and worry for what I spent.the main crash for the film is the story line visual effects was pretty good.average background music.could have changed the plot...
I think Will Smith has been in some of the worst movies to come on screen.
Surely a movie that Will Smith has written to really push his son's career has to be good, right? |
tt0120531 | Woo | Woo (Smith) is an extroverted woman living in New York City, and she has a notorious knack for turning men into mush. When Woo's psychic friend Celestrial (Girlina) predicts that the man of her dreams is about to enter her life, Woo doesn't believe it is true. Celestrial, however, is convinced that Woo is destined to meet a tall, debonair Virgo. Woo's cousin Claudette (Paula Jai Parker) and Claudette's boyfriend Lenny (Dave Chappelle) plan to spend the night together but find themselves entertaining Woo instead. Lenny begs his best friend Tim Jackson (Davidson) to take Woo out - even though shy, strait-laced law clerk Tim is the polar opposite of the sassy and brassy Woo. That same night, Lenny and Claudette's night goes wrong when his sick obsession with chicken drives her to be forced to dress up as a sexy but awkward "chicken ho" (he makes her cluck and walk like a chicken) but she is allergic to feathers.
At first, Woo expresses disinterest in the matchmaking mismatch. But when she's told that Tim is a Virgo, she decides it is fate, jumps at the chance, and immediately heads for Tim's apartment. Meanwhile, Tim, who can't believe his luck, goes next door to his neighbor Darryl (LL Cool J) for tips on romancing women. Darryl supplies Tim with incense, edible body oils, and a tape of sexy songs. When Woo arrives, Tim is completely smitten. Woo, however, discovers that Tim is anything but the sexy, spontaneous stud of her dreams. Finding Tim's pseudo-cool act totally transparent, she humiliates and teases him. They are just about to exit Tim's apartment when Tim is visited by three of his pals - Frankie (Duane Martin), Hop (Darrel Heath), and Romaine (Michael Ralph). The chauvinistic attitude of Tim's friends irritates Woo, so she retaliates and freaks out the trio by acting insane. Finally, the date gets underway. Woo and Tim arrive at a stuffy Italian restaurant, but Woo's behavior gets them thrown out. They go to a dance club, where Tim becomes the victim, punched out by Woo's ex-boyfriend. Woo likes a good laugh, and when Tim discovers the theft of his flashy new car, she finds this hilarious. And so it goes, straight on till morning.
=== Subplot ===
Tim's friends: Frankie, Hop and Romaine have their own night of fun, gradually going to the same places Woo and Tim go. Unfortunately for them, they unwittingly go to a night club with mostly drag queens, but Hop thinks they are really women and is ultimately horrified once he finds out the truth.
Tagline: It's her world.. we're just living in it. | paranormal, romantic | train | wikipedia | Very basic film with few laughs but plenty of racial clichés.
Woo is a woman who is looking for her perfect man but has been played once too often.
When a friend hooks them both up on a date things go wrong from the start when Woo feels that Tim is only after one thing.
After that she drags him through a series of misadventures as he gradually loses patience.I must admit to have taped this because of the presence of the lovely Jada Pinkett Smith.
Ironically I watched this on the day that The Matrix Reloaded opened in the UK I wonder will she be boasting about her presence in this film now that she has real hits under her belt.
The plot here is almost an `urban' rehash of Blind Date, with Woo leading the mild mannered Tim to despair.
However the majority of the film is poor and not very funny.
The plot is very thin, so thin that it needs separate little subplots for the other characters just to sustain the running time.
Sadly neither of the two `friends' subplots are any good at all and are either stupid or obvious.The main `romance' between Woo and Tim is badly translated.
At no time did you wish for these two to be a couple, even the `slow music during a thoughtful taxi ride' moment seemed to come out of nowhere and indicate that the film would be ended soon.
To be honest other than Woo's body I could see no reason any man would want to be with her certainly Tim could do a lot better, which kinda goes against the point of the film.
Their episodic adventures raised a few small laughs for me but not enough to justify the time.Pinkett-Smith is OK.
Davidson is better despite playing the same sort of character as he did in Booty Call, he has more of a knack for comedy and his character was easier to emphasis with than Woo.
Cameos from LL Cool J and Foxy Brown do nothing to liven it up.Overall I am not against urban comedies although many of them do tend to fall into lazy cliché that would border on the racist were they not produced for the very groups they stereotype.
Here I had low expectations but was still let down., Very few laughs, very basic plotting and such poor characterisation that it was hard to like anyone in the film.
"Woo" is about a woman (named, of all things, Woo!) who goes on a blind date with a guy who hasn't been with a woman in a long time.
Woo has been through a lot with men and gets the feeling this new guy just wants one thing, so she leads him on a series of late-night adventures a la Scorsese's "After Hours." This movie is L-A-M-E lame.
It's packed with all sorts of awful dialogue, poor performances, racial stereotypes (including the big fat black woman who waves her finger at everyone and finishes every sentence with the word "girlfriend") and so on and so forth.Nowadays it's best remembered for starring Jada Pinkett (Smith), wife of Will Smith.
Her performance isn't that good and it's hard to believe they based an entire movie -- including the TITLE!
It's not entertaining, it's not funny, it's just dumb and annoying.Not even worth watching on TV..
I should have known that this film wasn't going to be any good; the director made another film by the name of 'The Guru' which has the 'honour' of being the only film that I've ever rated lower than 4/10(!) The thing is with this film is that most of the time, you're laughing at it, instead of with it.
Given the fact this film is made up of an entirely black cast, this method of delivering the dialogue is constant throughout and is, in my opinion, very annoying after a while.
It's not 'Chris Tucker' annoying but it grates in its own way.This film's setting takes a bit of a 'road movie' approach as it never lingers for too long in a certain place or setting, or at least that's how these single route journey's in film SHOULD take place.
In 'Woo', the place of no return they set off from (the guy's apartment) right the way through to the final scene is crammed with ridiculous scenes in pretty generic settings and the frustrating thing is, is that they last for far too long and are far too unfunny to be appearing in a film which is listed under the comedy genre.Incidences here include the farce that happens in an Italian restaurant, a rather pointless and unfunny scene in the next setting: a secret underground club which has the ability to hide its loud music RIGHT until you get up close and open the final door and also in a police station during which I can't even remember one joke.
Other frustrating things include the use of slapstick early on and a rather irrelevant scene involving LL Cool J, whom the protagonist goes to visit for advice on: wait for it
..music(!) I think LL Cool J appears rather early/high up in the pre film credits yet lasts for about four minutes.
One moment in this film made me laugh and that was when a character went to switch off his car alarm, only to find the car gone and the alarm lying there, still in perfect working order.
I had the displeasure of seeing this movie last night.
It was on one of the HBOs and it was one of those movies that is so bad, you can't stop watching.
Afterwards, you just think to yourself, "why the hell did I just sit and watch that awful, awful movie???" Please don't waste your time with this.
The premise of WOO centers around a mismatched couple who meet via a blind date .
Right away you realise that this isn't a groundbreaking sex comedy and perhaps needed something to set it apart from other movies in the sub genre and there's nothing here that does But what really ruins the film is the ethnic stereotypes and I don't think I've seen so many unlikely characters since watching black exploitation movies like SHAFT and Hit-man .
If you're going to populate a film with black people at least give them non stereotypical quirks.
So a psychic predicts that "Woo" is going to have a good-hearted man for the hot night, right?
Well, Jason predicts that you're not going to get a single laugh nor thrill from this wasted, inept, trashy, short urban comedy where there are plenty more apartment buildings and nightclubs to shoot a picture.
Ms. Smith is one good actress they've wasted there, but rest assured that all of the acting (as well as the diversion) is to blame.
This movie hurt too much to watch...
What were the stars thinking when they signed on to this movie?
The film was predictable, slow, and often tasteless.
Probably the funniest scene in the entire movie takes place in a drag club.
The film consists of one implausible scene of conflict after another (especially at the Italian restaurant), desperate to find a punchline.
But with a film like this, even though it's a comedy, your disbelief elevates by the minute and it just doesn't have a natural, character-driven flow.
If this is about a 1 or 2 dollar rental at your local video store--this is not a bad film to rent.
Woo Is Funny.
Not all movies are supposed to be 'intelligent' or 'thought-provoking'.
Some movies are made for us to be able to sit back for one and a half hours, forget all our troubles and just have a good scream.
All my favorite comedy actors are here: Jada of course (looking as lovely as I've ever seen her), Dave Chapelle, Duane Martin, Paula Jai Parker, Aida Turturro, LL Cool J and Dartanyan Edmonds.
Even Foxy Brown makes an appearance and it's not too bad either.Overall, it is funny.
Everyone has experienced the "blind date" syndrome and this movie takes it to another level.
Lynne with the wine and fried chicken was funny, Tommies 3 friends in the gay club was classic, and everything that could go wrong for Tommie goes wrong.
And who could hate a movie with the great Billy Dee Williams making a cameo appearance?
Many people hated this movie and I can not see why unless your expectations were to high to begin with.
Just relax, watch it, laugh, reflect, and have a good evening.
We all know Jada and Tommy can do much better in other roles.
All actors can have an average film or too in their careers.Overall rating: 7 out of 10..
A romantic comedy with a star-studded cast and superb acting..
I think "Woo" was a very interesting movie and featured very good performances by Jada Pinkett Smith and Tommy Davidson.
"Woo" is a good movie to watch on a Friday night, and is guaranteed to make you laugh a few times..
"Woo" may not be the best movie in the world, but it was not "awful" as you so rudely stated it to be.
It has comedy, it's fun, it's feel good.
If you are not that would explain why you didn't enjoy the movie.
I'm not being racist hopefully, I'm just saying that black people are not huge critics on films.
Tommy Lee Davidson's role was kind of boring...but Jada was funny, and sexy, and very entertaining, including the random people (lady ordering the drinks, and Pookee!) Point....Be quiet if you don't know what you're talking about.
This movie was absolutely hilarious.
Jada Pinkett Smith did a wonderful job and so did Tommy Davidson.
Especially the part when woo and timothy were in the Italian restaurant!
Woo is a beautiful woman who just wants to be free, and Timothy is a nerdy guy, with jerks as friends.
Ow, and there's a transvestite in the movie that's suppose to be one of Woo's really good friends.
And so is Woo's cousn who goes out Lenny, whose Dave Chappelle.
I recommend this movie to everyone who likes a good laugh..
Love this Movie!!.
All of the characters are funny, but my favourite part of the movie is when Hop (Darrel Heath) discovers what type of club he's been in all night.
Most of the reviews have been bad, but this movie will be an all time fave of mine for a long time to come.
My friends all tell me that I'm not mean enough in my movie reviews, and they probably have a point.
Woo was released in May of 1998, near the end after Titanic hit it's stride of making more than a billion dollars worldwide at the box office and winning the top Academy Awards of that year.
Well 1998 was a memorable year for me, and Woo was apart of it.
Woo was far from earning any of the money and awards Titanic did, but it also had major competition of other block busters such as Godzilla.To digress, I saw Woo back in theaters then and thought it was a reasonable romantic comedy.
Jada Pinkett Smith was good as the sassy and sexy party girl who tries to seduce and date a straighted headed young lawyer (Tommy Davidson).
I later re-discovered Woo on video a few years later and realized that it was indeed quite a dull comedy with little laughs, but the talent and directing and plot sorta kept it going.
With Duane Martin and cameos by LL Cool J, Woo was nothing too special but at least viewed for the fans of Tommy Davidson and Jada Pinkett Smith.On another note, Woo does have a good rather hip rap song 'Nobody Does it Better' performed by Warren G and Nate Dogg.
This mixed-up and predictable film had a few funny moments but over all not worth the rent.
If you are a big Davidson or Jada fan, it might be worth the look to check out their performances, otherwise stay away..
This Was A Funny Movie.
Though the film had some predictable moments, overall it was entertaining to say the least.
Dave Chappelle and LL Cool J had limited participation, but brought good aspects to the film.
Overall, there have been some horrible films produced by Hollywood, this wasn't one of them.
Tommy Davidson, not the funniest person I've seen on the screen didn't do that bad of a job..
The film is set among New York's black community; all the main characters are black, with white actors seen only in minor roles.
(Is this revenge for the way in which Hollywood used to discriminate against black actors?) The title character Woo (this is presumably a nickname although we never get to find out her real name) is a beautiful young woman who is having difficulties in her love-life, and accepts a blind date with a young man named Tim, largely because he is a Virgo.
(Her astrologer has told her that she is fated to find romance with someone of that particular star sign).This is an example of that classical romantic comedy plot, love blossoming between two people of different temperaments.
The shy, diffident Tim, a law clerk, is having even more difficulties with his love-life than is Woo; he lacks a social life to such an extent that his friends nickname him Macaulay Culkin (because he's always home alone).
Woo, by contrast, is an outgoing, extrovert party animal, and is keen to take Tim out for a night on the town.
As this is a romantic comedy, we know that there will be a happy ending; the interest of such films lies in the route taken to reach such an ending.
We quickly realise just why Woo, despite her physical beauty, has not had great success with men; the woman is spoilt, wilful and a prize bitch, the sort of person who (in one of the film's most manic scenes) wrecks an Italian restaurant after a trivial quarrel with a waiter.
It hardly seems credible that Tim would tolerate such an annoying and unlikeable character, let alone conclude that she was the love of his life.
I am not sure whether the problems with Woo's character are the fault of the scriptwriter or of the actress, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Probably a mixture of both.The film has been criticised for allegedly perpetuating stereotypical images of young black males.
The character of Tim, in fact, seems to have been designed to get as far away from these stereotypes as possible- he is quiet, middle-class and lacking in self-confidence, especially where women are concerned.
The other male characters, however, are written in a stereotypical way, presumably deliberately so in order to accentuate the contrast with the untypical Tim. They are loud, outgoing and streetwise, sexist in their attitudes towards women and prejudiced towards gays.
These characters did, however, provide some of the more amusing scenes, which mostly had little to do with the main plot, like the scene in the gay bar where one of the men mistakes transvestites for real women (an old joke, going back at least to "Crocodile Dundee"), or the "Chickie Ho" scene where a man makes his girlfriend dress up as a chicken while making love.
Unfortunately, amusement is in short supply, and the film as a whole makes for pretty dull viewing, a sort of romantic comedy version of those old blaxploitation action films from the seventies.
There are three kinds of bad comedy: The painful, the so-bad-its good and the boring.
This movie falls in the third category.
In 1998, a black movie bombed so bad in theaters that it was dissed by everybody.
Now I know that a movie that bombs at the box office doesn't always mean its bad but Woo really does stink.
I hated this movie.
Everybody I knew hated this movie.
These positive reviews are funnier than the actual movie itself.
Woo looks like a sitcom that was canceled for a good reason.Story: Tim is set on a blind date with a Woo, a nutty woman who spends most of their date trying to loosen him up.
They get into some messed up situations and end up falling for each other in the end.What kills Woo is that nobody in this movie is likable.
Tim is a hapless geek, Woo is a neurotic freak and Tim's friends are the most ignoble and annoying brothers ever in a movie.
On top of all that Woo is quite boring.
Its a shame to because the actors in this movie all have personality but it doesn't show in this film.
The script sucks and every actor and actress looks like they were bored to death while participating in it.
Jada Pinkett would move on into better things and Tommy Davidson's career started to fold after this movie.
If you want a better movie starring Tommy Davidson stick with Strictly Business and Booty Call.
If you want a better movie starring Jada Pinkett stick with A Low Down Dirty Shame and Bamboozled.
Woo is a waste of time and film..
MILD SPOILERSI thought this movie was a bit all over the place.
The concept was fun, but wasted on a weak script.I stayed up late to watch this because it looked like fun, but I hardly laughed.Good points: The stolen car.
Tim uses his remote to activate car alarm to discover the alarm is the only thing left.I also like the scene in the hidden club when Woo starts getting down and Tim hasn't got a clue what to do, then asks her to dance at the wrong time.Not so good points: I also think Jada Pinket was the wrong choice for Woo. Not foxy enough, or funny enough.
There are many funny great looking young black actresses in cable TV sitcoms who could have caned that part.Don't need to see it twice. |
tt0060165 | A Big Hand for the Little Lady | The five richest men in the territory gather in Laredo for their annual high-stakes poker game. The high rollers let nothing get in the way of their yearly showdown. When undertaker Tropp (Charles Bickford) calls for them in his horse-drawn hearse, cattleman Henry Drummond (Jason Robards) forces a postponement of his daughter's wedding, while lawyer Otto Habershaw (Kevin McCarthy) abandons his closing arguments in a trial, with his client's life hanging in the balance. They are joined by Wilcox (Robert Middleton) and Buford (John Qualen) in the back room of Sam's saloon, while the curious gather outside for occasional reports.
Settler Meredith (Henry Fonda), his wife Mary (Joanne Woodward), and their young son Jackie (Gerald Michenaud) are passing through, on their way to purchase a farm near San Antonio, when a wheel on their wagon breaks. They wait at Sam's while the local blacksmith repairs it. Meredith, a recovering gambler, learns of the big poker game and begins to feel the excitement once again. During a break, Otto Habershaw catches a glimpse of Mary in her violet dress. Being so enchanted by her, he permits Meredith's request to watch the game only if Mary allows him. The newcomer buys into the game, eventually staking all of the family savings, meant to pay for a home.
The game builds to a climactic hand; the gamblers raise and re-raise until more than $20,000 is in the pot. Meredith, out of cash, is unable to call the latest raise. Under the strain, he collapses. The town physician, Joseph "Doc" Scully (Burgess Meredith), is called to care for the stricken man. Barely conscious, Meredith signals for his wife to play out the hand.
Taking his seat, Mary asks, "How do you play this game?" The other players object loudly to playing with someone who does not know the game, but eventually give in. The situation is explained to her: if she cannot match the last raise (and any others that may follow), she will be out of the hand.
Despite the men's protests, she leaves the room to borrow additional funds. With Jackie and four of the players trailing behind, Mary crosses the street and talks to the owner of the Cattle and Merchants' Bank, C. P. Ballinger (Paul Ford). After she shows him her hand, Ballinger assumes she is playing a practical joke. When he learns otherwise, he loans her $5,500 (at 6% interest) and makes a $5,000 raise for her. The other players, aware of Ballinger's tightfisted, cautious nature, all reluctantly fold. Mary collects her sizable winnings and pays Ballinger back with interest. The game then breaks up, no one ever having seen the winning hand.
The lady's determination earns her the admiration of the men. Even Drummond, the most hard-hearted of the bunch, is so touched that, when he returns home to the waiting wedding ceremony, he talks privately to his weak-willed, prospective son-in-law, gives him some money, and orders him to run away and find himself a better wife than his daughter.
The final scene takes place in the gambling town of Black Creek, where it is revealed that Meredith, Mary, and even their "son" are confidence tricksters and expert card sharps. Together with Ballinger and Scully, they have perpetrated a scam on the five poker players, who had swindled the banker in a real estate deal sixteen years before. "Mary" is actually Ballinger's girlfriend Ruby. She had promised him she would give up gambling after the caper, but it becomes clear that she had no such intent when she sits down to another poker game. | revenge, plot twist | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0088207 | Surf II | Long ago in "The Good Old Days", surfers ruled. It was bitchin'! That was before the threat of chemical pollution, nuclear waste and the horror of Buzzz Cola.
Menlo Schwartzer was a high school genius who hated surfers. He invented a weird soft drink, involved local businessmen and set out to rule the coast. He nearly succeeded. This is the story of Buzzz Cola and Menlo's revenge.
Deep in his secret underwater laboratory, teenage mad scientist Menlo Schwartzer plots to rid the beaches of his greatest enemies: surfers. Having been driven to revenge following a cruel practical joke gone awry, Menlo concocts an addictive chemical agent which turns its drinkers into mutated, garbage-ingesting zombie punks. With the reluctant help of his girlfriend Sparkle and a pair of greedy, cigar-chomping soda businessmen, Menlo distributes the chemical under the guise of "Buzzz Cola", and one by one begins to build an army of brainless zombie slaves to do his bidding.
After several of their friends fall victim to Buzzz Cola, airheaded surfer dudes Chuck and Bob begin to piece together the parts of Menlo's evil scheme. Finding no help from their spaced-out parents or the bumbling efforts of the local police force, the two enlist the services of their eccentric science teacher and vow to stop Menlo for good, or else they will not be able to compete in the big surf contest this weekend. | revenge, cult, adult comedy | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1260567 | Dark House | Dark House tells the story of the Old Darrode House, where Janet Darrode ran a foster home for children and then murdered all of them and killed herself. The film opens with a young girl who walks into the house on the day of the massacre and discovers the bloody scene of the crime.
Fourteen years later, local girl and student actress Claire Thompson has been seeing her therapist over an experience she had in the house which left her disturbed. He suggests that she revisit the old house, but she has never been able to get past the gate.
When horror mogul Walston Rey appears in her advanced acting class, he reveals that he has converted the house into a horror attraction site and that he wants to hire Claire and her classmates to work as hosts to his attraction. Claire sees the opportunity as a chance to enter the house safely surrounded by her peers. In the house, Walston and his staff proudly show off their holographic three-dimensional system which creates lifelike interactive and harmless horror figures, but when Mrs. Darrode's ghost gets into the system, the holograms become real and are activated by fear. They start killing everyone inside as the survivors try to shut down the system and try to escape.
Claire finally manages to remember what happened in the house years ago. She was fostered under the care of Mrs. Darrode, who was an abusive religious fanatic. As a child Claire one day led a rebellion among the other kids. They burned their Holy Bibles and rejected Mrs. Darrode's teachings. Mrs. Darrode flew into a psychotic rage and murdered all the children, labeling them sinners and heretics, with the exception of Claire who only managed to escape by hiding in a closet. Then struck by remorse for what she had done, Mrs. Darrode thrust her hands into the kitchen garbage disposal and killed herself.
In the present day after remembering, Claire loses her fear and flies at Mrs. Darrode, who disappears. She is discovered by the police, who believe she was responsible for the murders and is committed to a mental asylum.
In the final scenes of the film, the girl who discovered the scene all those years ago also comes to the house to try to come to terms with her trauma. She and her boyfriend are quickly locked into the house and are killed. The film ends with Claire strapped to a straitjacket in a padded cell screaming "SHE'S STILL OUT THERE!" | violence | train | wikipedia | That's the good thing: they're clearly having a good time, giving their movie a fair bit of energy and pace and going to town with the visual effects and splatter.
In the end, one is likely to forget this pretty quickly, but enjoy themselves while the movie plays out.Meghan Ory stars as Claire, who as a seven year old girl was witness to the massacre of some other children in a foster home.
Now Claire is a teen aged drama student who learns that "house of horrors" creator / showman Walston (Jeffrey Combs, who may provide enough reason to watch for those who otherwise wouldn't bother checking this out) is setting up his latest attraction in that same house.
Skip this one, it isn't so bad it's funny, the death and gore is very average, the 'brief nudity' (if that's your bag) is CGI, and the 'Dark House' looks just like a normal suburban house.
Reading some of the positive reviews that Dark House has received makes me wonder if there is something wrong with me, but then I remember: no, there is something wrong with this film.I have always been a horror buff, so I forgive the inevitable cliché moments that are trademark to the genre.
I like it when horror movies look mildly makeshift or amateur, or have a grungy misguided feel, as it can make them more genuine and edgy; but this just looked like something pieced together by a bunch of pretentious film students assigned a last-minute project.
Wow, most of the time when you watch some of these horror movies you expect to see crap.
Fantastic horror movie, decent acting, good story and direction.
This movie reminded me a little bit of house on haunted hill.
Shot in just 18 days, Dark House looks, sounds and feels a lot better than the majority of studio horror films I see in any given year.
Combs chews scenery, but he does it with rakish, fun-loving panache; Whyte is encumbered with costume, affectation and accoutrement, but his indisputable spirit shines through; and Cole plays the stereotypical gloomy goth girl with droll wit and intelligence.If you enjoy old-fashioned haunted house flicks with plenty of snarky humor, unabashed boo-scares, and grand guignol gore, step into Dark House..
When a group of drama students are hired to play parts in a live action haunted house attraction, things go from fun to fatal in Dark House – a film presented at the Fangoria Frightfest.Jeffrey Combs plays Walston Rey, a flamboyant man channeling Geoffrey Rush's character from 1999's House on Haunted Hill.
Walston recruits the young actors to play roles in a house considered haunted by legend due to a 14-year-old murder spree of young children by psycho Janet Darrode.
Miss Darrode also perished gruesomely in the house and the legend of her spirit haunting the home has become legendary.Walston's intention is to have two reporters visit the house and with the use of his live actors and a sophisticated audio-video-hologram system, they will be able to project images of everything from flesh eating zombies to axe wielding clowns.Meghan Ory plays Claire, an acting student who just so happens to have a history with the house as she was the last child to venture through its doors and exit alive.
Fourteen years of therapy and bad dreams lead to her confrontation with her demons in the house when the holograms come alive and begin to diabolically kill all those trapped inside.Dark House is filled with true scares and some of the creepiest ghost-like monsters since Thir13een Ghosts in 2001.
Director Darin Scott working on his own screenplay mixes some quality scares with spooky characters and it is no surprise that the film was the winner for best feature at the Shriekfest Film Festival in 2009.Not all the humor in Dark House works to the expected result and the film commits the new cardinal horror sin (at least amongst fans) with the overuse of CGI blood.
Terrible smarmy cops summing up the crimes, unbelievable acting of the little girl who discovers the bodies in the beginning of movie, and horrible idea of the black spooky mist flying around the room.
At the same time an impresario, (Jeffery Combs) seeking to create the ultimate Haunted House, leases the nightmarish resident, hires a group of actors to staff his house of horrors with state-of-the-arts holographs visual effects and to scare the daylights out of his visitors.
What's worse, it's so bad you can't make much of a judgment about the cast other than how pretty they are.The setup is basic haunted house horror.
Her acting class runs an exercise of no value other than to give the audience a thumbnail stereotype of each character and then we get the horror-meister who wants to setup a reality/horror type show in the old Darrode House.
Claire jumps at the chance to face her fears, buttressed by a crowd of people she knows and talks them into becoming the cast for the new show.What follows is the most ridiculous, contrived horror-schlock that has nothing to do with the setup, no rising action, just scene after scene of hellish horror with no real context.This was so bad that I couldn't make it through the whole thing.
Hired to play parts in a mogul's new horror attraction, a troupe of actors arrives at a reputedly haunted house to prepare for the place to open find the past's grisly secrets coming back to kill them one by one and forcing them to battle their way through the attractions.This one was actually a lot of fun and manages to have a lot of good stuff about it.
A large part of this one is the film's startling atmosphere throughout here as the setting is fantastically used and milked for it's worth.starting off with a stellar backstory here about the abusive owner and the fate of her and the children in here come start this off nicely, and from there this one has a ton to like with the setup for the house as the interactions with the attractions are an absolute blast.
These provide the film with a great setting for the action within here as these here are fun, from the initial hallway encounter that kills off the guide while they believe it's part of the act, the walk-through of the different setups throughout the rooms from the different ghosts engaging in grandiose and elaborate attractions that not only provide this one with some great scenes but also setting up how she's slowly taking over unleashing the ghosts upon the guests.
That leads into the fun final half as the killings start getting pretty bloody when they do strike, since it's pretty late into the film when they do begin toying with them in a series of stellar confrontations that they're unsure of how to react to, from the brawl with the night to the group being trapped in the bathroom and the harrowing encounter in the basement control room which are really chilling and fun sequences that bring about the best use of the ghosts' presence.
For starters, it takes 30 minutes to get to the house & no scares once there.Coombs is good but the back story is lame & grinds the movie to a halt every time it's explained, which is often.
He's one of the best horror actors out there and is greatly underrated.A little girl witness a massacre and 14 years later takes the advice from her therapist to visit the house once again.
Of course, things are not always what they seem at first.Using holographic illusions, the Darrode House is to be turned into a horror attraction - The Dark House by Walston (Jeffrey Combs of Reanimator films).Diane Salinger of Rest Stop fame is Ms. Darrode, the religious wacko that committed the horrible crimes, and she is fantastic.Samantha (Meghan Maureen McDonough) just wants to hook up with the luscious blonde Ariel (Bevin Prince).Needless to say, the house takes over and the attraction becomes real.
Ending was great.If you liked House On Haunted Hill or 13 Ghosts, you'll find this film worth the time invested..
The problem is that they don't understand why people like dark house rides so when they make a film of it they get it wrong..
only watched it out of boredom, yet after just moments i was totally gripped, never a dull second, seriously if your thinking of watching this film don't be put off by the cover making it look a bit predictable like i was for SO long, because its AMAZING!!!
A troupe of actors hired for a haunted house attraction soon find that they are working in a true house of horror.Can Jeffrey Combs carry a film?
While this may not be one of his best roles, he at least spends a fair amount of time on screen.Unfortunately, there is nothing new about people going into a haunted house and soon finding out it is really a house full of horrors.
The infamous Darroh (or something similar that almost sounds like dark) House in which seven foster children where brutally murdered 14 years ago, is being reopened as a horror attraction called Dark House.
One of them, Claire (played by Megan Ory), witnessed the brutal suicide of the children's tormentor and views this new position as a way to bury the demons of the past.To assist are brave actors, the house works by an advanced hologram system designed to react to fear and excitement.
With "Dark House" being a Fangoria FrightFest movie and with it having Jeffrey Combs on the cast list, then I had really high hopes and expectations to the movie.
This movie just didn't turn out to be what I had hoped.The story is about a group of young people who have to star in a philanthropist's (played by Jeffrey Combs) latest attraction in haunted attractions, where he turned a ghastly house into an attraction.
Amongst the group is Claire (played by Meghan Ory) who survived the ordeal as a child, and is there now to face the demons of her past - demons that she soon figures out are none too happy about being things of the past.There were aspects to the storyline that worked out nicely enough, but in a grander picture, then the movie just didn't really impress or manage to stand out in the horror genre.Effects-wise, then "Dark House" was adequate, making good enough use of the special effects throughout the entire movie.
The movie was especially well carried by Meghan Ory and Jeffrey Combs."Dark House" wasn't a particularly impressive experience, and it will quickly find a place on the shelves in my movie collection, never to be played again.
The lead girl in the movie had no believable emotion to go along with a lifeless plot.The sets looked and felt like a stage, the dialog felt like is was being read from a teleprompter and there was "0" character development.
The countless mistakes in this movie made it difficult to take it seriously enough to feel the frightening aspect of it, which probably didn't stand a chance to surface anyway because of some of the tacky graphics.some scenes were more impressive than others, but the lesser graphics like digital black swooshing smoke for a thrilling effect had quite the opposite - seemed out of place and random.
Who cares.Jeffrey Combs tries to inflate this into something better than the average dead teenager flick, but the whole notion of "You didn't really see holograms/ghosts killing people, it was the crazy chick all along" ending just didn't make sense.Just dropped this from a 5 to a 3 just thinking about the plot illogic.
Jeffrey Combs' Walston Rey is an enthusiastic owner of haunted house attractions, preparing for his biggest and best yet, the old Darrode estate notorious for a massacre of orphans at the hands of their den mother.
Claire(Meghan Ory)is the lone survivor of that massacre and her memories of that awful day are buried within her mind..encouraged by her therapist, Claire will coerce the students of her acting class to accept Rey's job offers to work in various roles in his new spook house, leading patrons through his "maze of horrors" utilizing state of the art digital holograph technology( a sort of Illusion system)to scare them.
Ms. Darrode, we come to find out through snippets of memory which return to Claire as she spends time in the house, was a religious fanatic who whipped her children repeatedly while they quoted verse, believing them to be demon possessed.
In this movie we are led to believe that holographic killers can gain enough physical essence to attack real human beings thanks to Janet's infecting the programming which brought them to life..a bit too silly and far fetched for me personally, although there's an ending(a twist, I guess)that questions everything we witnessed take place once the doors and windows were locked shut and Ms. Darrode started up the killing spree.
By-the-numbers gory house movies usually steal from the best (13 Ghosts, House on Haunted Hill, etc.), then season with a little Rob Zombie.
As if that wasn't odd enough it cuts to a woman in her 20s waking up from a nightmare 14 years later only to learn she is actually now a college student taking acting classes with one of every campy horror cliché.
The acting is terrible and it reminds you of your children's school play but not as adorable.Now we have these college kids going to work at the same house the mass murders took place in which is unlikely this house would realistically be sold or open to the public in any way after the slaughtering of children.
After spending the longest hour and a half you could imagine leading you to believe you are following at least for the most part what is going on to who and how they inject a random end scene to frustrate you.The last 2 minutes of the film cut to a woman in her mid 30s standing in front of the house with a young jock.
Fourteen years ago (even though some of the cars were from the mid-2000s), Claire (Meghan Ory) was horrifically traumatized in the "Darrode House," the site of a brutal massacre that left seven children dead by the hand of their evil foster mother Miss Darrode.
The creator of the haunted house, entrepreneur Walston (played by horror icon Jeffrey Combs), has chosen none other than the Darrode House itself in which to stage the house of terrors!
. .As many horror fans will tell, it is very difficult to make a great "haunted house" movie.
Other than 'Paranormal Activity,' it has been several years since the U.S. has had an overly successful (critically and/or financially) haunted house film, instead having mediocre pictures like 'An American Haunting' or 'The Haunting in Connecticut.' One of the major failures of the subgenre comes from the lack of subtlety that ends up ruining any chance at real terror.
That being said, it seems that 'Dark House' was never made to be 'the next great haunted house film.' It was aware of its limitations and, instead of true fear, it went for the next best things in horror: fun & blood.
And, while a darker 'Dark House' may have been a welcome idea, this way worked well enough for a fun evening.On the technical side of the film, there isn't a lot to complain about.
However, viewers looking for an entertaining evening with a few jump scares and some gore will find enjoyment in 'Dark House.'Final Verdict: 6/10.-AP3-.
You could take the basic idea of people working in a haunted house being picked off and make a really good scary movie, it's a shame they didn't have the skill to do it.Thinly sketched characters you don't care about, lame jump shocks with loud noises, incoherent plot, crappy acting and no real tension..yep, it's a modern horror movie!.
A group of eager young drama students are recruited to work in a fancy hi-tech haunted house attraction owned by flamboyant impresario Walston Rey (splendidly played with lip-smacking theatrical zeal by Jeffrey Combs).
I even enjoyed the dialogue: "You can't go in there!" "Watch me." But, alas, everything went downhill from there.To begin with, why would the brave little girl who entered the supposedly scary Darrode House not scream when she saw several dead children strewn throughout the house?
I love good haunted house movies.
Claire almost believes it was real but when she looks back and his body is gone she is convinced it was all an act and she continues the tourThe film continues with Garrode using the holograms to kill everyone of one at time.
The haunted house looks like a lot of fun though.
It seemed like a good choice what with a bunch of young friends hanging out in a haunted house.The ambiance here didn't fit the movie.
I think they sacrificed all the production funds for special effects, which were cool, but not great.The plot is simple: a haunted house producer hires aspiring acting students to perform in his latest production.
This like really bad version of The House on Haunted Hill Meets Thir13en Ghosts (Remakes) put into one big MESS!.
I should have just fast forward the first 35 mins of the movie.The ending did not make no sense what so ever, you will need ignore what you saw at the start of movie.This like really bad version of The Haunted Hill Meets Thir13en Ghosts (Remakes) put into one big MESS!3 out of 10.
The plot is that a horror attraction maestro played by Jeffrey Combs, one of the only actors alive today worthy of calling himself a horror movie star, opens an attraction in a house where a woman killed all of her foster kids.
The movie shows weak knowledge of the paranormal, horror characters that don't belong in a haunted house and a weak plot driven forward by needless blood and gore. |
tt0058265 | Kiss Me, Stupid | While driving his Dual-Ghia from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, lecherous, heavy-drinking pop singer Dino (Dean Martin) is forced to detour through Climax, Nevada. There he meets the amateur songwriting team of Barney Millsap (Cliff Osmond), a gas station attendant, and piano teacher Orville J. Spooner (Ray Walston), a man easily given to jealousy. Hoping to interest Dino in their songs, Barney disables the "Italian" sports car and tells Dino he will need to remain in town until new parts arrive from Milan. (Dual-Ghia was actually an American marque, mating a Dodge frame, drivetrain, and engine with Italian coachwork.)
Orville invites Dino to stay with him and wife Zelda (Felicia Farr), but becomes concerned when he learns the singer needs to have sex every night to avoid awakening with a headache. Anxious to accommodate Dino but safeguard his marriage, Orville provokes an argument with his wife that leads to Zelda fleeing in tears. He and Barney then arrange for Polly the Pistol (Kim Novak), a waitress and prostitute at a saloon on the edge of town called the Belly Button, to pose as Orville's wife and satisfy Dino.
That evening after the three have dinner, Orville plays his tunes for Dino on the piano and Polly requests a particular song. It is one she knows he wrote for his wife when trying to persuade her to marry him. Doing so, Orville gets lost in emotion, as does Polly, who has fallen a little for the dream of a domestic life that she doesn't have. Under the influence of wine and song, Orville starts thinking of Polly as his wife and tosses Dino out. He then spends the night with Polly.
Dino seeks shelter at the Belly Button, where Zelda earlier had gone to drown her sorrows. When she became drunk and rowdy, the manager deposited her in Polly's trailer to sleep. Hearing about the talents of Polly the Pistol and declaring himself eager "to shoot it out with her," Dino goes to the trailer and finds Zelda there and mistakes her for Polly. A longtime fan, she succumbs to Dino's charms and allows him to seduce her, persuading him how perfect Orville's song would be for him at the same time.
Zelda meets Polly the next morning and figures out the trick Orville played on her. She gives Dino's money to Polly, who needs it to leave Climax and start a new life.
A few nights later, Orville is distraught knowing that Zelda intends to divorce him. Suddenly he hears Dino singing one of his songs on coast-to-coast television. He is at a total loss as to how this could have happened. He wants an explanation, but Zelda simply orders him: "Kiss me, stupid." | satire | train | wikipedia | Orville and buddy Barney (Cliff Osmond) write songs in their spare time one is called `I'm Taking Mom to the Junior Prom Cuz She's a Better Twister Than My Sister,' and another begins, `I'm a poached egg without a piece of toast/Yorkshire Pudding without a beef to roast' and they're excited when singing sensation Dino (Dean Martin as the same kind of leering lush he usually played in his nightclub act and on TV) is stranded in town.
And it's a shame because this is one of Wilder's very best films; a cynical, often very funny comedy about a very touchy subject: fidelity (which probably accounts for its PG-13 rating; an oblique tribute to its' power)Ray Walston stars as Orville Spooner, a third rate songwriter from a small town who has yet to chart a big hit.
Perhaps Walston is a bit weak in a leading role (Sellers would have been fantastic), but the script is first rate, both funny and touching.Dean Martin and Kim Novak are seriously under-rated actors in my opinion; here Dean sends himself up as 'Dino' and is not afraid to play himself as un-likable.
While the lesser-known Felicia Farr comes across very well (she was also the wife of Wilder's frequent star, Jack Lemmon, I wonder how this film would have worked with Lemmon in the Walston role?)This is a gem of a movie and one of Wilder's best..
The much maligned and savaged KISS ME,STUPID has aged far better than the previously mentioned title, thanks in large part to director Billy Wilder's razor sharp satiric barbs at the expense of small town America's morals and mores, in this case, Climax, Nevada.Dean Martin portrays himself or rather a ratcheted up version of his 'Dino' persona.
Ray Walston, (brilliantly cast; nobody played sharper or more venal in comedy than he did - remember, he once even played the devil?), is the small-town songwriter who tries to sell some of his songs to a visiting superstar called Dino, (Dean Martin, parodying himself as a womanizing, hard-drinking piece of scum).
But being the all-American hypocrite that he is, he can't bring himself to use his real wife so he packs her off to a motel and hires the local floozie Polly the Pistol (Kim Novak) to take her place.The film is very funny in the way it undermines our conventional sense of morality.
Billy Wilder's career as a hitmaker ended with this for-its-time smutty sex comedy, yet it shows all of the flaws and strengths that once made him one of Hollywood's top directors and, for all its sexual innuendo, is really a very sweet film.
Spooner, who hires a local prostitute (Kim Novak) to impersonate his wife (Felicia Farr) so he can use her to sell singing star Dino (Dean Martin) his songs, the other three stars are dynamite.
And Novak gives the performance of her career as the romantic small-town slut trying to earn enough money to get her trailer out of the desert.As with most of Wilder's films, all the cynicism and sex play mask a romantic heart: Polly and Orville begin to believe in her masquerade as his wife, until he kicks Dino out to protect her honor.
Billy Wilder's failed satire of sex comedies involves famous crooner and ladies' man Dean Martin stranded in a small town on the Nevada border, befriended by hack songwriter Ray Walston who hopes to sell Dino his novelty songs.
Martin, Novak, and Felicia Farr are all engaging, and director Wilder sets up the running gags with his customary aplomb, yet not much can be done with Ray Walston, an eleventh-hour replacement for Peter Sellers and a complete mismatch for this ribs-nudging material.
A legend goes a s far as pretending that "kiss me stupid" is subpar.As far as Wilder comedies are concerned it's only one notch or two under the two Monroe ones and probably the underrated "avanti",and probably superior to "apartment" "one two three" or "stalag 17" Reductio ad absurdum that love between husband and wife is laudable,playing with every cliché you can think of and creating absolutely stunning scenes out of them.This is a movie one can only dream of ,nowadays ,when comedies are vulgar,not funny at all and gamble on audience's stupidity (!)Once again,once more ,Wilder 's screenplay is exciting,witty,now delirious-the parrot watching the telly-,now almost dramatic -the scene when Walston throws a loaded Martin out of his home,this admirable sequence when Novak thinks that it would be great to be a housewife .Wilder plays with his characters ,no one is in the right place,no one acts as if he's supposed to do,and,that's the miracle,everything will turn right.Invention is everywhere ,in every scene,in every line of dialogue,even in these silly songs the hero and his pal want Dean Martin to sing (check the words:" when I'm without you,I'm a Yorkshire pudding without a roast beef(sic))Wilder was a director who used to dare ,provocation was his forte :from the name of the one-horse town (Climax) to the holier-than-thou woman who set up a petition against the "belly button" ,this den of iniquity.
As designed by Alexander Trauner, who also worked on such atmospheric films as Jour de Lève, and Othello (1952) it's a small town where the only real excitement is playing the piano or watching colour TV in shop windows, unless one heads out to The Belly Button where apparently, at least as Spooner is assured by a visiting citizen's committee, "love is for sale." Wilder opposes the sexual opportunism and the commercial value placed upon relationships, as epitomize by Dino's predatory libido and Polly's trailer with its conspicuous 'bang bang!' TV, with the ostensible stability and moral compacts of home life.
Showing the depth that Hitchcock saw in the actress when he cast her in Vertigo a few years before, her performance convincingly portrays the necessary mixture of wistfulness, self-possession and deprecation that the tart with a heart role here requires.Lensed in well composed widescreen black and white, and with an excellent cheap edition available, albeit without extras worth the name (the region one edition allegedly contains a couple of deleted scenes), Kiss Me, Stupid is a film made by artists at the peak of their form, without a dull scene throughout, and I recommended it unreservedly..
While this isn't a terrible movie, it isn't great; in fact it isn't even very good, despite a decent effort from Walston, a pretty good self-parody by Martin, and a game try by Novak to overcome her limited talents.The story is based on an Italian play, and Wilder and his long-time collaborator I.
There then follows an over-complicated plot to install local waitress (and part-time hooker) Polly the Pistol (Novak) as Oliver's wife (without Oliver's real wife knowing) so that Dino can get as fruity as he likes with her without Oliver going off the deep end.This is pretty cynical, downbeat stuff, complemented by a sombre black-and-white cinematography that seems to emphasise the bleakness of not just the character's surroundings, but their entire lives, and it's not easy to successfully translate this mood of dispirited ennui into a serviceable comedy.
Granted, a little too much time and space is given to Ray Walston early on as he over reacts and overacts to the idea that his wife might be deceiving him, but then filming began with Peter Sellers in the role and nobody would have complained then.
Jealous piano teacher Orville Spooner (Ray Walston) sends his beautiful wife, Zelda (Felicia Farr), away for the night while he tries to sell a song to a famous nightclub singer Dino (Dean Martin), who is stranded in town.The Catholic Legion of Decency strongly objected to the completed film and it was condemned, the second film to get such an honor -- the first being "Baby Doll" in 1956.
Kim Novak is transformed into a pitiful dumb broad, and Dean Martin plays himself, or, more pointedly, he plays the version of himself that his worst enemy might have imagined in a feverish bout of spite.Walston's role originally belonged to Peter Sellers, who suffered a heart attack and was forced to withdraw from the picture.
It's a wretched looking film highlighted only by Kim Novak and Dean Martin's performance as "Dino," a famous crooner very much like the lecherous character Martin played throughout much of his public life..
he has a great line when an unsuccessful songwriting team fling their best tune at him > he has been forced by a detour into a small town, where he has been manipulated to stay the night: "just what I need...another Italian love song!".problem is that his self parody has a seriously "dark" side > he is not the wine-women-song man but a leering letch, anxious to jump on Ray Walston's wife (actually KIm Novak, the small town hottest barmaid, playing proxy - SEE THE MOVIE).
KISS ME, STUPID might have failed in 1964 for no better reason than the dreadful title (remember 1967's sublime THE HONEY POT?), but the film, drawn from an Italian play, "L'Ora della Fantasia" (filmed earlier as "Moglie per una Notte" or "Wife For A Night" with Gina Lollobrigida unexpectedly in the Felicia Farr role of the wife!) was essentially one long dirty joke about a jealous husband willing to sacrifice SOMEONE's virtue to get ahead, just not his wife's...except that it had Billy Wilder, who found something special there.In 1964, Billy Wilder's production, the script lovingly crafted with frequent collaborator I.A.L. Diamond with excellent songs recrafted from the Gershwins' trunk by Ira (it's only the NON-song background music which was by Andre Previn), suffered from every problem imaginable.
Dean, of course delivers as the singer Ray Walston's piano-teacher/composer (with his mechanic/lyric writing partner Cliff Osmond) is desperate to sell a song to, making vintage and rewritten Gershwin songs ("Sophia" was originally "Wake Up, Brother, And Dance," cut from "Shall We Dance") sound as fresh as 1964 - but the key to the film is perhaps the ONLY near great performance of Kim Novak's career.Under Wilder's direction (something not even Hitchcock could do), Novak makes "Polly the Pistol" a fully rounded character that the audience can care deeply about and be rewarded when Wilder and Diamond give her a genuinely hopeful happy ending - something they do for *everyone* in this unexpectedly warm film, unlike the possibly more realistic "...Apartment." Novak's brief scene with excellent second tier actress Felicia Farr as the wife (why did she never find the roles to make her a bigger star?), is a minor masterpiece and worth the whole film.Those too shallow to understand why an artist like Wilder would choose to film in the more detailed visual vocabulary of black & white (or who miss Hays Code "morality") will probably never be the ideal audience for KISS ME, STUPID, even 'though the poorly chosen title might seem geared to that sort of "lowest common denominator" comedic taste.
No one felt it necessary to dub him in 1958 when he recreated his London role (Luther Billis) in the film of "South Pacific" or his Broadway role (Mr. Applegate) in "Damn Yankees." One suspects that the obvious dubbing was in the service of an "in joke" in the Wilder/Diamond script where the wife insists to "Dino" that the song "Sophia" would be better suited to the voice of pop singer, Jack Jones.
The beginning of Kiss Me Stupid has Martin performing in Las Vegas and I'm willing to bet that all Wilder did here was set up his cameras and film Dean probably doing his final show one night at the Sands half in the bag.
What to do, but hire a chippie from the local bordello, Polly the Pistol as played in Marilyn Monroe style by Kim Novak and have her pretend to be Mrs. Walston.Wilder's headaches with Monroe are the stuff of legend on the sets of The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot. He had no such problems apparently with Novak, but Kiss Me Stupid is hardly in the same league with either of the Monroe films.Speaking of Gershwin standards for some of the songs that Walston-Osmond team come up with, Billy Wilder got none other than the retired Ira Gershwin to write some new lyrics to some unpublished numbers that the late George Gershwin had done back in the day.
There is a reason that none of these songs became any kind of hit for Dean Martin.Sex has always been a great topic for Billy Wilder films and in such things like the aforementioned Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot and also The Apartment and Irma La Douce, Wilder is brilliant and insightful.
Spooner who works as a piano teacher in Climax which is a small town in Nevada.He's also a church organist and writes songs with his buddy, gas station attendant Barney Millsap (Cliff Osmond).Orville often gets jealous over his beautiful wife Zelda (Felicia Carr).One day a real star stops in this small town and has to stay for a little longer.This unlucky fella is Dino who has the appearance of Dean Martin.Well, the two fellows get an idea.They could try and sell a song to Dino and become famous themselves.The only problem is Orville's wife.Dino is known as a ladies' man and he'd probably make a move on Zelda.So they replace her with somebody else.That somebody is Polly the Pistol (Kim Novak), a waitress of a joint called Belly Button.Now Dino can mess around with his "wife" as much as he likes.Billy Wilder is the director and I.A.L. Diamond is the writer of Kiss Me, Stupid (1964).It's a very much underrated gem of Wilder's movies.It made me laugh quite a few times.Ray Walston is hilarious as the jealous husband with the picture of Beethoven on his shirt.And Cliff Osmond offers some moments of laughter as Barney.
Felicia and Kim are wonderful women.Dean Martin does some fine parody of himself as the character he plays.You got to like Barbara Pepper as Big Bertha.Mel Blanc, The Man of a Thousand Voices plays Dr.Sheldrake.Henry Gibson is in his second movie portraying Smith.André Previn is behind the original music and Ira Gerswin behind the lyrics.I actually liked the song Walston and Dino sang.It really sticks in your head."Listen to me Sofia...".
Dean Martin bravely plays an exaggerated character of himself (how many stars today lampoon themselves?), Kim Novak is drop-dead gorgeous as well as being amusing, and Ray Walston is a master "straight man." Also of note are a hilarious Cliff Osmond, a Wilder rep player of sorts, as Walston's songwriting partner.
Seen today Kiss Me Stupid is a daring and brilliant film.One should read both 'Kim Novak On Camera' and also 'Conversations With Wilder' concerning this movie.
Walston simply did not have the star charisma to work with real movie stars Dean Martin and Kim Novak.This film is a good film that should have been a great film.
Ray Walston simply does not register especially when working with two genuine movie stars Dean Martin and Kim Novak both whom the camera loved.
The sometimes misguided attempt to take an Italian sex farce, and transfer it to a small town somewhere in the desert results in a movie that doesn't quite feel right, but certainly has a lot of fascinating elements.the early sequences, featuring an insanely jealous Ray Walston, absolutely convinced that his pretty wife (felicia Farr) is having an affair with everybody from the milkman, to the dentist, to the 14 year old boy he's giving a piano lesson to are perfectly timed, and result in classic comedy.
Things may go a little wrong when Cliff Osmond, as Walston's song writing partner, and the owner of the gas station across the street, gets involved, in a performance that is a little too broad.The movie becomes even more interesting, to me, when Dean Martin enters the story, playing a parody of himself that few stars then or now would agree to.
Originally it was supposed to be Peter Sellers, who left after a few weeks because of a series of heart attacks, and Walston was a last minute replacement, but I suspect that the script was originally intended for Felicia Farr's husband, Jack Lemmon, whose decency and incredible comic ability humanized a few Wilder characters over the years, and who would have, I think, changed the tone of this movie considerably.
Who already watched to most movie from the Master and compare with Kiss me stupid has a great disapoitment,the miscasting is around two actors Dean Martin and Ray Waslton,the first really a annoying guy,he actually think including in the movie he is best than Elvis and Beatles....a second class singer who didn't has a charm neither charism.Walston was a wrong choice to the role,but Kim Novak provides a sexy acting about Polly the Pistol....Wilder drive forces in this character who proves to be later a sole character which deserve a best review of the entire picture!!Resume: First watch: 1990 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.
A delightful movie from Billy Wilder with a marvellous and at times very touching performance from Kim Novak and Dean Martin sending himself up in great style.
Despite some memorable performances in this film, (Ray Walston as Orville is one to be remembered as a highlight in his career), "Kiss Me, Stupid" pales in comparison to Billy Wilder's past comedies (i.e.
Dean Martin plays a character named Dino in this Billy Wilder film, Kiss Me, Stupid, centering on Ray Walston's jealousy and possessive nature when it comes to his wife, played wonderfully by Felicia Farr (Jack Lemmon's wife in real life.) Ray and Cliff Osmond are songwriters on the side (Ray being a piano teacher and Cliff being a mechanic by trade) in a small town in Nevada, so when Dino is driving through on his way to a gig, they make the most of it, making the car undriveable and making Dino stay the night at Ray's house. |
tt0049437 | Liane, das Mädchen aus dem Urwald | A German expedition is in the jungles somewhere in Africa doing an unidentified mission there. During this mission, Thoren (Hardy Krüger) is attacked and captured by the local natives called the Botos. Before they can kill him at their village, the Botos then notice the arrival of a long-haired, topless wild woman (Marion Michael) wearing only three necklaces and a loincloth made of beads, shells, and some feathers. The wild woman communicates with the Botos to spare him and let him go. When Thoren leaves, the wild woman heads into her treehouse. Later that night, Thoren tells the others of his experience with the wild woman and is told by one of them to take him to where he saw her. The Botos are shown doing entertainment as the wild woman plays with her pet lion cub Simba.
The next day, the wild woman grabs onto a vine and swings over a lake before she lets go to drop into the lake and go swimming. When she is spotted by Thoren, she escapes into the jungle only to be later caught in a big game net by Kersten and Keller which is spotted by one of the tribesman who alerts the other Botos. Later that night, Thoren arrives and has part of the net removed from the woman's head and feeds her a banana. When the Botos attack in retaliation, Thoren hooks up a tape to a loadspeaker which frightens off the Botos as Dr. Jacqueline Goddard (Irène Galter) undoes the net and lets her rest. After the Botos escape, the wild woman gets up and is attacked by an expedition member only for him to be beaten up by Thoren who warns him to keep his hands off her. Thoren carries her body back to the tent to let her rest. Thoren and Jacqueline then notice that one of necklaces around her neck has a good luck charm with an L engraved into it. Thoren then decides to bring it to Professor Danner to figure it out.
The next day, Jacqueline gives the wild woman a bath which she enjoys, cuts her unruly hair to shoulder length, and puts her in some new clothes. Thoren comes in and tells Jacqueline that the whole world is asking for information about the white girl they found. Jacqueline says that her name is Kiyahi, but couldn't understand anything else she said. Thoren and Jacqueline then teach her some of their language and states that she must've originally come from a good family before being taken in by the Botos.
Meanwhile, in Germany, shipping tychoon Theo Amelongen (Rudolf Forster) and his nephew Viktor (Reggie Nalder) look at the article about the wild woman that was found and Theo suspects that it might be her long-lost granddaughter Liane who went missing 18 years ago when the ship she and her parents were on went down with a speculation that her Liane at 2 years old had somehow survived. Theo decides to have his agents look into this.
Back in Africa, Thoren takes Liane with him and Jacqueline. When Liane's tribesman friend Tanga (Jean Pierre Faye) and Simba show up, he ends up sneaking on the ship. While Liane, Thoren, and Jacqueline are playing cards, Tanga catches up with them and they end up taking him and the lion cub with them. When the ship arrives in Germany, the press swarm over Liana until Thoren sends then off.
When the group ends up at Theo's house, he is reintroduced to Liane as well as being introduced to Tanga and Simba. Viktor is told by his lawyer that Liane will be inheriting the fortune. This causes Viktor to take matters into his old hands without Theo finding out. He ends up locking her into a room and ends up getting attacked by Tanga. At his company later, Viktor hires a man named Jensen who was one of the survivors of the ship Imperia sinking and asks to testify that he had no survivors without mentioning that Viktor hired him for this.
While talking with Thoren as a bikini-clad Liane plays with Simba, Theo tells Thoren that he will watch over Liane until he gets back. They then see Liane climb up a tree and dive into the lake that she swims in until breakfast is served. Theo then commented that she had inherited her mother's swimming abilities. Theo and Thoren then look at the last letter Liane's mother wrote which says that she had given her milk to her fox terrier Terry and enjoys climbing. Later on, Blackie the dog find a piece of paper of the letter that was crumpled up. When Thoren asks who would want to try to dispose of the letter, Theo asks his maid where Viktor is. Theo then arranges to meet with Viktor tonight. When the counselor comes that evening with Viktor, they find Theo dead in his study. Moments later, the police are called in where the counselor and the maid are questioned about Theo's death. They found the evidence of the pencil and string which the inspector thinks the culprit would end up getting in to the study. It is then discovered that Viktor was responsible for his uncle's death as he makes his escape. Viktor then gets into his car as Thoren and the police pursue him. The car chase goes down the street until Viktor ends up driving his car off the bridge to his death.
Back in Africa, Professor Danner gets the news that Liane has inherited the Amelongen fortune and gets a news article that Liane is heading back to Africa to visit the Danner expedition. Professor Danner considers this as a homecoming with Thoren and Tanga arriving with her. The Botos also rejoice with the news that Liane and Tanga are coming back. Liane, Tanga, and Thoren arrive with Professor Danner. While the Botos celebrate, Liane runs off into the jungle, gets naked, and goes swimming in a lake. She is then joined in her swimming by Thoren. | cult, murder | train | wikipedia | Topless Jungle Girls, Cute German Division.
German expedition to Africa's darkest jungle region stumbles upon topless blonde girl whom natives revere as a goddess.
Is she possibly the long-lost granddaughter of wealthy Hamburg industrialist?
(Would there be a movie if she wasn't?) Well, then, let's take her back to the BRD and reunite her with her family.
Therein lies the conflict.This was strictly adults-only US release of the 1950s and played for years as a "special".
The NYT critic of the day declared it virtual pornography, though the exploitation material consists of some seminude Africans in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC-type footage and a few peeks at the bare breasts of heroine Marion Michael, a fresh-faced German teenager.
Her long fake hair, and the lion cub she frequently carries around, protect her modesty considerably.
(Compare Tanya Roberts in SHEENA, which showed more and drew a PG from the MPAA.)If, and I'm not naming names, you were too young to see this in the 50s or even the early 60s, when it played your nabe, and you always wondered what kind of positively adults-only thrills you might be missing, LIANE is available in a not-bad (but not-great) print from Sinister Cinema and you can satisfy your curiosity.The storyline is pretty thin and is laid out point for point in the IMDB synopsis above.
Marion is cute as a button and looks a lot more like a 1950s SEVENTEEN covergirl than a denizen of the tropischer Urwald.
Sinister describes this as its best-selling Jungle Thrills entry, so apparently I'm not the only one who was waiting for this to hit video.
Like so many other long-deferred delights, the anticipation was rather more rewarding than the fulfillment..
Recommended for All Eleven-Year-Old Boys.
An expedition discovers young topless Liane (Marion Michael) cavorting around the jungle, where she is worshiped by the locals as a goddess.
There, she must remain fully clothed, as another relative intrigues and murders to prevent Liane from inheriting the family fortune.I saw this movie at my neighborhood theater around the time it was released in the USA (1959).
It was on a double bill with "Plan 9 from Outer Space," which was the only reason I was in the theater that day.
Imagine my surprise and fascination when Liane first made her appearance, swinging on that rope flashing her bare breasts!
I was eleven years old, and it was the first time I had ever viewed a woman's breasts.
I'm guessing that they were only on screen for a few seconds, but to me it seemed like forever.
Once removed from its jungle setting, the movie becomes rather pedestrian and uninteresting.
Still, because of its promising beginning, "Liane Jungle Goddess" has made a lasting impression on my life.
I would rate it "5" for the cinematic experience and "10" for the breasts..
LIANE JUNGLE GODDESS was released for the school holidays in Sydney Australia in January 1959 and rated G: as in FOR GENERAL EXHIBITION..
haha..it played for 3 weeks in the glorious starry ceiling CAPITOL theatre all 2337 seats, now the home of THE LION KING on stage.
The ads for the first two weeks escaped press censorship and had the dear 17 babe NUDE on a rope, obviously swinging from tree to tree.
Were'nt we liberated and having a laugh all those years ago.
A later ad featured Liane, same pose, and in a drawn on polka dot bikini which means somebody complained.
but who cares, by then the kids were back at school and The Capitol was running a double of...wait for it..
a molesters double that ran one ghastly week.
Great for Teenage Boys in 1956.
Liane, Jungle Goddess (1956)* 1/2 (out of 4)A German expedition through Africa turns up a beautiful blonde girl (Marion Michael) who the locals think is a goddess.
The crew kidnap the girl and take her back to the press who has a field day with her and soon it turns out she might be the long lost daughter of a very important man.This is a pretty strange film that I'm sure was loved by teenage boys back in the day.
This Tarzan-wannabe was filmed in German but it was sold throughout the world and in many locations it played matinees to where kids could watch it.
They would have loved that because of the beautiful blonde in the lead plus the fact that she wasn't very many clothes and at times we see a few slips of nudity.
Obviously, it's easy to see why so many teens from this period have such a fondness for the film.As it stands today, the film is pretty weird because it starts off as a Tarzan rip-off but then it quickly turns into some weird drama where people are fighting over who actually owns the title character.
I'm really not sure why they decided to leave the jungle because that's where all the fun was.
These early scenes contain shots of the wildlife and it was rather fun seeing the young girl in her natural location.All of the fun gets sucked out once we get back to civilization and the girl get taught how to speak English and how to be proper.
This stuff is just told in such a boring way that you can't help but wish they were back in the jungle.
Michael certainly has the appropriate look for the role and she's certainly fun to watch.
Hardy Kruger is fun as the lead male and we also get Reggie Nalder playing a bad guy.
LIANA, JUNGLE GODDESS really isn't that good of a film.
I'm sure when you watch it in life will determine how much entertainment you actually get out of it.
For me personally, the film is harmless fun at the start but it slowly grows more boring as it moves along..
When I say that it's a jungle out there, you believe me!.
It's clear that this movie's target audience is 14-year-old boys.
"Liane, das Mädchen aus dem Urwald" ("Liane, Jungle Goddess" in English) has little purpose beyond showing off Marion Michael's body, especially the upper half.
And boy is there something to show off!
I understand that Marion Michael was known as Germany's answer to Brigitte Bardot.
As expected, the movie got treated as an adults-only movie upon its initial release (although you can bet money that a number of boys went to see it and it helped them become men).Obviously the movie has a colonial mentality in its depiction of the Africans.
We can understand that and simply luxuriate in all the shots of Marion Michael swinging from the vines wearing as little as was allowed..
The perfect film for sexually repressed 12 year-olds!.
"Liane, Jungle Goddess" is a slight film but one that pubescent boys would generally love.
This is because in this Tarzan knockoff, the queen of the jungle is a good looking teenage girl from runs around topless (and wearing little else) during the first portion of the film.
It's the sort of film that they simply couldn't have made in the US at the time due to censorship laws and I wasn't surprised that it was a German film (dubbed into English).When the film begins, you see the usual stock footage of Africa--for the most part.
It is less grainy and looks good, but it's also random--with Toucans (a South and Central American bird) and natives with blowguns (they use them in the Pacific and South America) in Africa!
This sort of thing isn't that unusual in a 1940s and 50s jungle epic--and as I mentioned above, the quality of the footage is pretty good otherwise.A group of explorers learn that there is a white teen living in the jungle amongst 'those savages', so they kidnap her and take her back to civilization.
A problem arises, however, when an unscrupulous man contemplates harming Liane because she might be the heir to a family fortune--and he's counting on having this money for himself.
For this sort of movie, "Liane" is actually pretty good.
While it's not a must-see or even a very good movie, it's a mildly enjoyable B-movie that has slipped into the public domain (and can be downloaded from the link on IMDb).
My only serious reservation is that the actress playing Liane was only 16 and I worry that pervs might watch the film for all the wrong reasons.
12-18 year-old pervs are welcome...old creepy guys watching it are not!By the way, I was really surprised when one of the characters was referred to as 'Mr. Goehring'.
Considering it was made only a little over a decade after the war, I certainly was not expecting to hear this name in a German film!.
Family film + breasts = "special" film.
I first learned of this film in the 1980s while looking through hundreds of random movie stills for sale in a movie memorabilia store in Hollywood.
One of those stills was of a young lady with a cute Hayley Mills type face, a lady labeled as Marion Michael, squatting down in her jungle outfit while performing a dance, her long blonde hair covering her breasts.
"She's gorgeous!," I thought, "Who is she?" I later looked up the movie title mentioned on the still, along with her name, and tried to obtain the movie but it simply wasn't available back then.
(I did find a few more stills of her and of this movie, however.) It wasn't until 2014 that I was finally able to see the movie on YouTube, and I wasn't disappointed.The movie left me with a good feeling, the same kind of homey jungle feeling I used to get as a kid when seeing Tarzan family movies from the '30s, and I thought about the movie the rest of the day.
Admittedly it's clearly a B movie with a predictable, trite plot, and shallow, stereotypical characters, but the combination of several elements made it work well, in my opinion: a beautiful young lady in scanty clothing, pretty (California) jungle scenery, cool jungle drums, wildlife footage, a '50s style family movie feeling, amusing character foibles, downplayed violence, and a happy ending.
There is a lot of atmosphere: a treehouse, a toucan, a cute lion cub, tikis, natives attacking with blowguns, several topless black tribal women with jiggling breasts as they beat on drums or dance, some fragments of spoken Swahili, etc.
It has the look and feel of Adventureland in Disneyland, with jungle tents, a bicycle-powered generator for a Morse code radio, British pith helmets, rifles with scopes, palm-thatched native huts adorned with antlers, etc.
I think it would be a great film for boys who are Tarzan fans if only parents weren't so prudish about breasts.
Kudos to Germany for being less prudish than Americans regarding the human body, then and now: Marion Michael must've been only 16 or 17 when this was filmed.Some minor oddball weaknesses...
The footage was oddly sped up in some places, especially to make it look as if Liane could climb a tree faster.
(Old Tarzan films did the same thing, however.) Liane's treehouse is in a disappointingly barren tree with all its limbs cut off.
The cranes-alligator-snake scene sequence was used in both the beginning and end, in absolutely identical footage (would it have been that difficult to at least show those same animals a few seconds later?).
Toucans such as the toco toucan shown perched in the tree near the beginning aren't found on the African continent, only in tropical America.
The pronunciations of Liane, Jacqueline, and Vodos/Wodos shifted constantly throughout the film.Some miscellaneous observations...
Liane still looks great in shorts, abbreviated blouse, and swimsuit while living in civilization.
It's clear by the plant species--pampas grass, Washingtonia palms, Canary Island Date Palms--that most of the jungle scenes were shot outdoors in some Southern California studio set, but I felt that added to the feel rather than detracted from it, since California vegetation is denser and more picturesque than African veldt vegetation, and it captured the feel of those great old Hollywood jungle sets of the 1930s.
Most likely the native tribe (described as Vodos/Wodos) with its dances, drums, and food preparation wasn't authentic, but if not, it certainly looked very authentic to me.
Nowadays it looks funny to see men and women lighting up stinky cigarettes right next to each other during romantic scenes, but this was made in the 1950s, and we've matured a lot since then, except that some of us men still prefer "pretty little bubbleheads," all the same!If you liked this film, films with a similar character you should check out are: "Sheena" (1984), "Tarzan and His Mate" (1934), "Little Indian, Big City" (1994), "Jungle 2 Jungle" (1997)..
A wonderfully naive plot and theme.
*Spoiler/plot- Liane, Jungle Goddess 1956.
An African expedition consisting of Germans find a blonde native girl in the jungle.
Research proves that she is the heir to a German billionaire's industrial fortune.
The heir is brought back to civilization only to get involved in family drama.*Special Stars- Marion Michael, Hardy Kruger.
*Theme- Kindness and help will benefit the weak.*Trivia/location/goofs- German, B&W.
Very early screen appearance for actor, Hardy Kruger.
Some suggested jungle nudity in swimming and dancing.
Many 50's & 60's German character actors are included.*Emotion- A wonderfully naive plot and theme for a foreign jungle film.
It's fairytale story keeps you wondering where the drama will start.
It does and keeps you interested till the final scene.
Simple film with easy virtues..
B-movie that delivers the goods in entertainment value..
LIANE gives the audience more than you'd expect.
Much better than "Greystoke" and much better than most 2010 movies where "stupid" reigns supreme.Of course we expect a sexy blonde with lots of leg; not just for 10- year old boys but for old geezers as well.
Not to give the plot away but there are two short scenes taking place in Hamburg, Germany where the legs get covered up by a dress!
Ugh!Still, the entire movie is strictly G rated in spirit and content.Very nice scenes of the African jungle, lots of animals, including the lake where all the flamingos (usec to) flock.
Hardy Kruger is the handsome young hero who has to contend not only with Liane but with a pretty cute female doctor who's set her eyes on him.The thin plot is never boring and will keep the interest of the kind of audience that loves good movies but wouldn't waste 5 minutes on Kick-Ass or Iron Man 2.LIANE is now in DVD, in color, doubled with another good B movie (about Devil's Island).
Hot female blonde Mowgli?.
"Liane, das Mädchen aus dem Urwald" is a West German German-language movie from 1956, so this one has its 60th anniversary this year already.
But it is really not too accurate to say German-language as all the versions I found of this slightly under 90 minute movie were dubbed in English.
This was certainly done to make the film more appealing to foreign (American) audiences.
And it must have turned out successful enough as several sequels followed in the years afterward.
But for as much as I care, not a single sequel was justified as this film here was extremely mediocre already.
It does not work as a drama, as an erotic film or as an adventure story.
The action is as generic as it gets.
For people who prefer brunettes like myself, they brought in Irene Galter as a young stunning scientist.
Blonde lovers can go for (the late) Marion Michael playing Liane.
The biggest name in the cast, however, is certainly Hardy Krüger.
All in all, the writing here was simply too bad to let me recommend it.
I am not sure who is the one to blame, the original author or the people who adapted her novel.
Watch something else instead..
***SPOILERS*** Blond beautiful and topless, this in 1956 when the Hayes Commission was still in effect, Liane played by German actress Marion Michael has been having the time of her life swinging on vines and living rent free in her jungle tree-house for the last 18 years after she was washed up on the coast of Kenya and adopted by the local Botos tribesmen and worshiped as their jungle goddess.
This all came to an end when she and her pet baby lion Simba was captured by a number of white Europeans, Germans, hunters lead by handsome blond and Aryan, like herself, looking Thoren, Hardy Kruger, and brought back to civilization in Hamburg Germany for study & observation.
It soon becomes apparent that Liane, all the facts about her checks out, is the grand daughter of German shipping tycoon Theo Amelongen, Rudolf Forster, who had given her and her shipwrecked parents up for dead 18 years ago.It's Theo's nephew Viktor, Reggie Nalder, who's to inherited his shipping business who feels that Liane is a threat to his career and does everything to discredit her as being old man Theo's biological grand daughter.
Try as he does all the evidence to Liane's relationship to Theo stands up and Viktor in an act of desperation ends up murdering the old guy and pins the blame of his murder on Liane's manservant Boto tribesman Tibor Teleky, Peter Mosbacher.
It doesn't take long for the smart as a whip Thoren Aka Thor to see through the scam and expose Viktor as Theo's murderer.
That after a wild car chase in the streets of Hamburg that rivals the great car chase scenes in both "Bullet" and "The French Connection" that were in fact made some 15 years later!****SPOILERS**** After all the action in the movie that took place in Hamburg Germany in the end Liane not wanting what the civilized world offers her as well as the late Theo's shipping business is back in the jungles of Kenya with her pet lion Simba swimming in the nude with the now, he doesn't care for civilization either, jungle man Thoren as the film ends. |
tt0045708 | Duck Amuck | The cartoon's title sequence and opening scene suggest Daffy Duck is to star as a musketeer, who boldly acts out an action scene with a fencing foil. As he thrusts the foil and advances, the background abruptly disappears, leaving a plain white screen. Confused by this, Daffy turns to the animator and asks him to complete the scenery. However, instead of a castle from the original scene, the animator paints a farm scene. Daffy returns and starts to repeat his musketeer opening, but quickly notices the different background. He walks off screen and returns dressed as a farmer while singing a version of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm", but a few seconds later, the scene segues into a winter backdrop; Daffy changes into winter clothes and skies through the snow (to "Jingle Bells") and into a Hawaiian setting. Still dutifully, but impatiently, going through the changes, Daffy comes back in Hawaiian garb. After a couple of bars of "Aloha 'Oe (Farewell To Three)" on ukulele, Daffy ends up back in the plain white background.
While Daffy tries to reason with the animator that cartoons should have scenery, he becomes completely erased and upon asking where he was, is redrawn as a cowboy with a guitar. Daffy tries to play it but there is nothing but silence. He requests sound with a sign and is granted with various non-guitar sound effects. Daffy also finds himself generating random sound effects when he tries to speak, and finally regains his voice when he blows his top and shouts angrily at the animator.
Regaining his composure, Daffy demands some new scenery and is given an amateurish line-art cityscape background in pencil. Daffy asks for color, prompting the animator to slap various colors and patterns all over him ("NOT ME, YOU SLOP ARTIST!!"). All but Daffy's face is erased and upon asking where the rest of him was, he is redrawn as a bizarre mismatched animal with a "screwball" flag on its tail. As Daffy walks off (wondering to himself if he wasn't living up to his contract and if he hadn't been keeping himself trim), he becomes suspicious of his new form until the animator creates a mirror and Daffy scolds the animator upon seeing his hideous self ("EEK! You know better than that!"). Everything is erased and Daffy is redrawn again, this time as a sailor. He begins to sing "The Song of the Marines" as the animator draws an ocean scene with an island in the background, but he does not draw anything under Daffy, resulting in him falling into the ocean and surfacing on the distant island where he asks for a closeup, only to have the screen frame contract around him (to which he says "A CLOSEUP, YA JERK! A CLOSEUP!!"), as the camera then zooms up uncomfortably close to his eyes before he walks away, saying to the animator "Thanks for the sour persimmons, cousin."
As Daffy tries once again to negotiate with the animator to have an understanding, the screen frame falls on him. After failing to keep the frame up with a stick, Daffy goes ballistic and rips apart the black background. Now at the end of his rope, Daffy demands "Let's get this picture started", so the camera does an iris-out to black, followed by "The End" slide which Daffy frustratingly pushes off camera, screaming "NO, NO!" as he does so. Daffy suggests that he and the animator go their separate ways and (hoping, against hope, that nothing further will happen) begins a dance routine which is quickly interrupted when the film runs out of alignment, resulting in two Daffys on the screen. They argue with each other and almost start a fight, but one Daffy is erased just as the other throws a punch.
The animator then turns Daffy into a pilot and draws him into an airplane. The duck excitedly flies around until a mountain is drawn in his path. The plane crashes off-screen, leaving Daffy with nothing but the plane's steering wheel and windshield. He "bails" out of the plane's remains and floats downward with his parachute which is replaced with an anvil. Crashing to the ground, a disoriented Daffy hammers the anvil while dizzily reciting "The Village Blacksmith". The animator changes the anvil into an artillery shell which explodes after a few more hammer strikes. Daffy finally snaps and angrily demands that the animator reveal themselves. The animator does, but not before they draw a door around Daffy and close it on him. The camera draws back and reveals the guilty party to be Bugs Bunny at a drawing table, who turns around and says to the audience: "Ain't I a stinker?" | revenge, comedy, psychedelic | train | wikipedia | Chuck Jones' Duck Amuck is his most abstract and funniest cartoon short.
Duck Amuck is Daffy's frustrations of being trapped in an animated short that keeps changing scenery, has him playing a guitar with shooting sounds, fighting with himself in another frame, gets drawn in different sizes and colors, and basically is at the mercy of an unseen animator.
One of my favorite parts was at the changing scenery sequence when, after Daffy changes into a farmer outfit singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" in front of a barn background, it changes into a winter scene with a snow-house as the duck then sings, "And on this farm he had an igloo..." LOL!
One of Chuck Jones' most beautifully crafted short cartoon pieces, Duck Amuck is one of the first (or the first?) cartoons to work the element of the theatre into an animated short.
I'm certain there were other animated shorts from Looney Tunes where a character may have one or twice looked at the 'audience' and asked a question or said a joke, but I'm also certain it wasn't done to such a length as this.
Quite possibly, this is one of the greatest one-joke/in-joke stretches ever put on film.At the start, Daffy Duck thinks he's about to be in a piece as a musketeer- that is, until the background is pulled right out from under him.
By the end he's exasperated, and the joke comes full circle to be totally satisfying.Throughout the short what keeps it so funny on repeat viewings is that the absurdities of each new backdrop and each run-in Daffy keep their validity.
Another plus is that Daffy Duck is a superb character when he's kept on his toes- like when he's put against a city backdrop that looks like it was drawn by a five-year old.
Overall, a classic for its time, influential; on a level that will perhaps get the adults laughing more so than the kids, and for those in youth who discover it for the first time on TV or on the new DVD, it isn't old- this is the kind of sense of humor found on other modern cartoons (Simpsons, for example)..
Duffy (or Daffy) has since this movie always been my personal cartoon favorite.Don't miss this incredible masterpiece, then you will miss one of the best movies ever made!!!Rating: 10 of 10..
There is no story; just Daffy getting "jerked around," so to speak by the cartoonist drawing both he and the background scenery.For example, Daffy, dressed as a musketeer, sword in hand, yells "en guarde," and soon the screen is totally white in back of him.
Daffy stops and asks the not-seen cartoon artist, "Is it too much to ask to make your mind?" Now, he changes outfits again in a flash and is skiing.This goes on and on, and then really weird things happen with the screen and with Daffy as he's erased, redrawn, erased, muted, given his voice back, etc.
The Duck has been a favorite cartoon character of audiences from his inception, but in Chuck Jones' hands, Daffy was at his greediest, all too human like best (worst?).In this cartoon, Daffy Duck is manipulated by some unseen, omnipotent force that keeps changing the scenery, the sound, and even the appearance of Daffy himself, much to his horror.
The other directors, the great Friz Freleng and the unfairly maligned Robert McKimson, never really had the grasp of the new Daffy Duck that emerged in the mid 40's, but he really was a new creation of Michael Maltese and Chuck Jones, only faintly reminiscent of the crazy antics that handlers such as Frank Tashlin, Tex Avery and Robert Clampett portrayed him as possessing.
And so is Daffy Duck subjected to the whims of an offscreen animator, erased, redrawn, his voice changed, everything is done to him except the proper contextualization, which steadily drives Daffy bonkers.
Chuck Jones has to be the greatest Looney Tunes director ever, he directed Whats Opera Doc, Rabbit of Seville and the classic Duck Dodgers, but this surreal masterpiece is his pure genius.
The cartoon focuses around Daffy, who thinks he is in a Musketeer set, then as he progress left, the background fades, leaving only Daffy hiding behind the frame of the film asking where the scenery is.
This episode producers one of the best lines ever said in a Looney Tunes cartoon"Hey Come Here, Come Here, Give me a close up, A Close Up!
In this cartoon an unseen animator is having fun with the Daffy Duck character.
In the end he asks who is responsible and the cartoon has a nice and very funny surprise for us.This classic cartoon shows us the world of animation where everything is possible.
From the very first second you notice the scenery changing behind poor Daffy Duck, you realize this is NOT going to be your ordinary cartoon.
Just when you have finished laughing, yet ANOTHER joke comes on - and of course - you HAVE to laugh again!Recommended for all Daffy Duck and cartoon animation fans!
The plot involves Daffy getting progressively more and more irritated as the cartoon keeps changing.
It's Daffy Duck versus his sadistic animator in one of the all-time greatest Looney Tunes cartoons.
It's one of my top five Looney Tunes shorts and, I think, the best solo Daffy cartoon ever made..
All I will say is the following factors make this a animated masterpiece of the Warner Bros' Looney Tunes history:It's directed by the one and only Chuck Jones (or Charles M.
Jones as credited in some of his hilarious works)The style of animation is just a sight to behold, its funny, colorful and plenty of detail to admireIt's Daffy Duck's leading role (my 2nd favourite fictional character in the series) and the idea of him being tormented by the mysterious animator in many hilarious ways is comedic gold!
Mel Blanc as always gives his very best voice work to make him seem so believableand lastly...Its a 4th Wall Breaker, not just the fourth but many walls are broken in the cartoon universe and the audience Overall, don't miss the chance to see this masterpiece of all time!.
Even as a kid I enjoyed this above most of them.The premise is take an animated character (Daffy) and put him in a situation where the background keeps changing time and place if it was there.
All efforts to convince the animator usually end up in Daffy getting coloured, given a completely different and ridiculous body or other such ways to always make us laugh at his reaction.If you even have the slightest enjoyment of Daffy Duck or any of the other Looney Tunes characters then this one is certainly for you.
Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny are Looney Tunes' most recognized faces.
In Duck Amuck, its Daffy's time to shine or rather get smudged, erased, abused, tormented, and blown!
In a matter of six minutes, Chuck Jones delivers a tour de force short, with full (in) justice given to Daffy's character- be it its arms, legs, stomach, voice, face, even its tail.
When the creator 'erases' Daffy's character, we recognize his distinctive voice, when he gives Daffy an amorphous body, we recognize his bill, and even though his temper reaches boiling point, there is always a quirky touch to it (referring to the 'double duck sequence').The most inventive moment was when the screen literally falls on him and he keeps a stick under it to hold it.
At least some shorts can come up on cartoon channels that tend to break the rules and give life to anything and everything ( in Mickey Mouse, even a steam engine was given life in one short!)Duck Amuck is where Chuck Jones' jackpot struck!
Too often cartoons are just seen as a bunch of random wacky jokes, but Chuck Jones adds another level: character driven comedy.
But but what makes this cartoon really work is the exploration of the character of Daffy Duck.
Chuck Jones was the driving force behind Daffy's change from a hyperactive, insane character who harassed others for no apparent reason into the scheming, easily angered, self centered character he is best known as today.
In Duck Amuck, Jones crystallizes his vision for Daffy's new direction, showing him as a character who wishes to put on a good show for his audience, but is so easily frustrated that everything seems to be working against him.
Likely the funniest Daffy Duck cartoon ever.
("Brother, what a way to run a rail-road.") The animation, the script and the voice work just combine to perfection and it makes Daffy my favorite over Bugs..
It represents the pinnacle on the emphasis on character that made the WB cartoons one of the finest collection of Hollywood animated shorts in film history.
Chuck Jones said he wanted to see if the concept of character as the focus of animation comedy was strong and sophisticated enough for a character like Daffy to carry a film in such a minimalist setting.
Sometimes I wonder why Chuck Jones and Eddie Selzer did not allow Daffy Duck have fun as the secret artist and put Elmer Fudd in hysterically humorous and numerous shots changes as the cartoon in is in progress of being seen.
If Jones and Selzer did create a cartoon with Daffy as the artist and Elmer Fudd the recipient of numerous changes in a cartoon, all three characters, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd would be one and one.
Daffy at Wit's End. There are numerous animated features where the artist takes over the scene, forcing his character to deal with the consequences.
The short-tempered Daffy Duck must improvise madly as the backgrounds, his costumes, the soundtrack, even his physical form, shifts and changes at the whim of the animator.Although I was never big on Looney Tunes, I saw most of them.
This is an exceptionally strange cartoon in that Daffy Duck's character knows and acknowledges that he is a cartoon.
This is by far one of the better Daffy Duck cartoons, for it is witty, inventive and hilarious like a Looney Tunes cartoon should be.
Mel Blanc's absolutely fantastic vocal performance is to be praised too, Daffy was at his manic and cynical best here, and Blanc delivered flawlessly.All in all, as far as I can see there is nothing wrong with Duck Amuck.
This is like, one of my all-time favorite Looney Tunes episodes ever...This is the episode when Daffy Duck is a cartoon character on a blank canvas and the evil cartoonist that controls the activities on the page keeps painting Daffy in humiliating, and sometimes dangerous, outfits and settings.
Very original and enjoyable...probably the reason why Daffy Duck evolved to be my favorite Looney Tunes character ever!
:-) But the whole Looney Tunes cast of characters rocks...definitely one of the best cartoons in history...finally out on DVD!
As things go along, Daffy gets increasingly frustrated with the actions of the animator.I'm a really big fan of Daffy Duck and always feel that he is at his best when he is in his early persona of being manic and wacky.
He is not funny so much as what happens to him is funny, so as a character this is not a good film for him, but I still laughed at the enforced antics of the little black duck.Overall this cartoon has been done by Bugs as well and I didn't really enjoy either of them that much.
It looks good with some well drawn and animated scenes and Daffy does his best to drag laughs out of the action by the power of his reaction to what happens..
In this short Daffy Duck acknowledged that he's a cartoon as he has trouble making himself fit in with various backgrounds being drawn for him.
Daffy gets to show off his impatient and bitter side here as he slowly begins to break down with the cartoon artist isn't doing what he wants and is constantly putting him in the wrong scenes.
In it, Daffy Duck is trying to perform in a cartoon.
The unseen animator continues to change the background, plot, and Daffy.
I also think it is the best Daffy Duck cartoon ever made.
Who else but Chuck Jones could take such a simple premise (Daffy being tormented by an unseen animator) and sustain an entire 7-minute cartoon with it?.
Daffy Duck lives up to his name in this completely wacky cartoon in which he's at the mercy of an unseen animator who puts him through his paces and then some.
It works on every level.The surprise twist at the end reveals who the animator is.Summing up: An essential Chuck Jones cartoon.
I guess I should begin by stating that not only is Daffy Duck my favourite cartoon character of all time but that I genuinely consider him to be one of the greatest comedians of all time, alive or animated.
If pressed to name my favourite cartoon of all time (and there are literally hundreds of candidates), I would have to say Chuck Jones's 'Duck Amuck'.
It's a miraculous achievement which I never tire of seeing.In 'Duck Amuck', Daffy battles with an unseen animator who deconstructs the film around him.
The best part for Daffy fans like myself is that 'Duck Amuck (until its final few seconds) is an entirely one-personality cartoon.
Only Daffy could pull off a solo cartoon like this (as confirmed by 'Rabbit Rampage', an unsuccessful attempt to remake 'Duck Amuck' with Bugs Bunny in the central role).
It's confirmation, if any was needed, of the genius of Chuck Jones and the comedic superiority of Daffy Duck over any of his animated associates..
"Merrie Melodies" animated short, was directed by Chuck Jones, and toys with a similar idea.
Breaking the fourth, fifth and sixth walls of the cinema screen, Jones engineered a cleverly self-referential farce, in which Daffy Duck is unceremoniously "jerked around" by a mischievous animator who doesn't want to adhere to traditional animation guidelines.As the animator regularly switches Daffy's background, sound effects, clothing and physical form, the exasperated cartoon character must feverishly improvise every scene.
'Duck Amuck' really is a marvellous piece of abstract cinema, as Daffy continually speaks, not only directly to his animator, but also to the audience sitting down in the cinema.
Mel Blanc, of course, provides the film's vocal characterisations, and he does an excellent job of translating the incredible frustration that poor Daffy is feeling.Though perhaps not as "laugh-out-loud" hilarious as I've heard many people describe it, 'Duck Amuck' is such a brilliant cartoon that multiple viewings are certainly required.
Much fun is had with the traditional conventions of cartoon animation, such as the definition of a close-up, the perils of a consistently-changing setting, and the trouble that ensues when a Merrie Melody tries to end before the cartoon character is ready to leave.
Chuck Jones remains American animation's brightest spark, and I look forward to enjoying a few more of his entertaining works..
Chuck Jones used to say that the crew at Warner Brothers didn't make cartoons for any particular audience, they made the pictures for themselves.
Those elements--imagination and timing--are what makes Duck Amuck rise above any other cartoon in sheer hilarity, and that includes the other Chuck Jones cartoons (Jones's Rabbit Seasoning comes close, though).
If an alien came down from outer space (other than Marvin the Martian) and wanted to know what an animated cartoon was like, I'd show him, her, or it Duck Amuck, And I've no doubt he, she, or it would be laughing his, her or its xnarf off.
"Duck Amuck" is a classic Daffy Duck cartoon directed by Chuck Jones.
Finally, WB Looney Tunes, especially Duck Amuck was PS.
I'm OK and if you love Looney Tunes and stuff like Duck Amuck, then as far as I'm concerned, we're both OK in that special little safe zone.
In this cartoon, Daffy Duck constantly get's tortured by the animator.
At the end, the animator turns out to be Bugs Bunny.This is a really hilarious cartoon.
It's one of the best Daffy Duck cartoons ever, and also one of Chuck Jones' best.
Can't this Duck ever get that one moment of glory he's been after all these years?It begins as some sort of Robin Hood type story but the animator has fun switching backgrounds so Daffy never knows what scene he is in or where he is.At one point he switches sound effects around which truly drives Daffy mad.
But there was another LOONEY TUNES cartoon where the same thing happened to Bugs Bunny.
This is a 7-minute animated short film from over 60 years ago and it may very well be the most known one including everybody's favorite (non-Disney) duck.
A few people think that Daffy Duck is annoying, including me sometimes, but at the same time he is lovable and fun to watch.
This is one of only a few cartoons in the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies collection where the main character argues with the animator and makes it a hilarious surreal experience.
It starts with Daffy playing a Musketeer ready to do some fighting, but then all the sudden the background disappears, and when Daffy asks the scenery, the animator paints him a farm.
The background disappears, and when Daffy tries to reason with the animator, he is erased, and redrawn as a cowboy with a guitar, with no sound.
Daffy gets his voice back again, and asks for some scenery with no colour, and when he demands some, the animator paints Daffy.
Daffy Duck was number 30, Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies number 20, and Bugs Bunny number 10 on The 100 Greatest Cartoons.
Daffy Duck starts out ready to swash-buckle in a Muskateer cartoon, but is soon left reeling as he can't get the animator to stop fooling with him.
This is a perfectly built cartoon that is my favorite with Daffy Duck. |
tt0120831 | Slums of Beverly Hills | Fourteen-year-old Vivian Abromowitz's family are penniless nomads, moving from one cheap apartment to another in Beverly Hills in 1976, so that Vivian (Natasha Lyonne) and her brothers can attend the city's prestigious schools. Their father, Murray (Alan Arkin), is a divorced 65-year-old who refuses to retire, working as an unsuccessful Oldsmobile salesman whose cars are selling poorly due in large part to the Energy crisis of the time.
Vivian's wealthy Uncle Mickey (Carl Reiner) regularly sends the family money to help them survive. When Mickey's 29-year-old daughter Rita (Marisa Tomei) runs away from a rehab facility, Murray offers her shelter if Mickey will pay for a plush apartment. Vivian must babysit her adult cousin, making sure she gets to nursing school and avoids pills and booze. But Vivian has her own problems: she's curious about sex, likes an older neighbor kid, Eliot (Kevin Corrigan), has inherited her mother's ample breasts, and wants a family that doesn't embarrass her.
Vivian's older brother Ben (David Krumholtz) aspires to a show business career, while her dad aspires to feminine companionship but won't give in to wealthy lady-friend Doris Zimmerman's (Jessica Walter) desire that he send his kids back East to live with his exwife. Vivian's younger brother Rickey (Eli Marienthal) simply aspires to get attention.
Vivian and Rita are close and speak sometimes in their own invented language. Vivian learns that Rita has no desire to attend nursing school and also has no clue as to what to do with her life. Murray attempts to cover up Rita's lack of progress at nursing school, when Mickey asks for progress reports. Eventually, Mickey, frustrated at having to support his brother's family and also learning of their deception concerning his daughter (who is pregnant), explodes during a meeting between the two families, telling Murray he's tired of sending them money. Depressed and dejected, Murray once again packs the kids into his car and they take off. In an attempt to cheer her father up, Vivian suggests that the family stop for steak for breakfast—a ritual regularly shared by the family as a means of cheering themselves up. | comedy, storytelling, flashback | train | wikipedia | Fortunately, we weren't as hapless as the Abramowitz family, who throughout this film are trying desperately to hang onto the ragged edge of the good life.This is one "coming of age" story that you don't need to be a teenage girl to enjoy..
THE SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS (3 outta 5 stars) I figured this was going to be just another silly movie about the trials and tribulations of spoiled rich kids in Cali.
Her dad (Alan Arkin) is a divorced man of almost-retirement-age who has never been able to provide a stable home for his kids and keep dragging them from place to place like nomads (and presumably keeping one step ahead of bill collectors).
In a desperate attempt to make ends meet Arkin takes in his troubled 29 year old niece (Marisa Tomei), charging his rich brother a fee for keeping an eye on her.
Natasha Lyonne stars as a teenage girl growing up in various slums in Beverley Hills, but her family cannot necessarily afford to live in them.
The catch is that they have to watch after their troubled daughter (Marisa Tomei) and make sure that she makes a transition from drugs to a career worthy of their name.That's not spoiling so much, I don't think, because the movie has much more depth than that.
It's a coming-of-age film for Lyonne's character who sees the beginnings of her womanhood, struggles of relationships, and maintaining her family's name and reputation through whatever means possible.It's really touching how the Abromowitzes handle themselves and make each others' experiences memorable.
The aging father (Alan Arkin) is truly memorable in this film for his struggles in finding out an end to poverty and loneliness without his wife.
The Slums of Beverly Hills is a coming-of-age story from the perspective of a young girl.
For a long time, the depiction of the family unit in movies and on television was for the most part a sanitized, idealized representation, from movies like the Mickey Rooney `Andy Hardy' series and William Powell's `Life With Father,' to the totally stereotypical versions presented on TV in such shows as `Ozzie and Harriet' and `Father Knows Best,' which were entertaining, perhaps, but set standards that in reality were simply unattainable; a reflection of real life these movies/shows were not.
Then gradually, all of that began to change; filmmakers evolved and the screen did begin to more accurately reflect the family dynamic in very real terms, for better or worse, and in 1998, `Slums of Beverly Hills,' written and directed by Tamara Jenkins hit the screen, with a depiction of the family unit that's about as honest as it gets.Murray Abromowitz (Alan Arkin) is 65 years old, divorced and raising three kids on his own.
But he's determined that his children, Ben (David Krumholtz), Vivian (Natasha Lyonne) and Rickey (Eli Marienthal), are going to get a good education, and that means keeping them in the best schools.
it goes far in disproving the idea that a family in perpetual crisis must necessarily disintegrate.The story is told through the eyes of Vivian, which gives the film a decidedly personal resonance, as it is obvious that this is where Jenkins' heart resides.
An exceptionally insightful film, it sheds some light on the invisible threads that hold us together and keep the myriad facets of our society connected.What really brings this one to life, though, is the performances Jenkins exacts from her exceptional cast of actors, beginning with Lyonne, who so perfectly embodies the character of Vivian.
This is the pivotal part of the film, and with her `natural' presence Lyonne delivers a convincing portrayal through which she precisely conveys exactly what she's thinking and feeling with a combination of facial expressions, body language and simply the inflection of her voice.As Murray, Arkin gives an extremely affecting and introspective performance, creating a character with whom many in the audience are going to be able to relate and identify on one level or another, as he taps into that sense of not quite being able to figure out how it all works, even after doing it day after day for sixty-five years.
It's a performance that takes into account the inherent flaws of being human; it makes us realize that none of us are perfect, but that it's okay-- we just have to keep trying.One of the finest character actors in the business, indy favorite Kevin Corrigan turns in an effective, understated and unassuming performance as Eliot, the guy with whom Vivian has a `building thing' relationship.
Also giving a memorable performance is Marisa Tomei, as Murray's niece, Rita, who is deliciously tacky and adds some real spice to the film.
"Slums of Beverly Hills" is a movie that captured me right from the start, for several reasons.
This is mainly because the movie is so well-acted, especially Natasha Lyonne gives a very inspired performance and manages to make even the weaker material work.
"Slums of Beverly Hills" is one of those movies that prove you can make something great with no money, because good ideas are totally free.
I thought Alan Arkin was good but didn't like the incest angle too much and didn't think his chararacter was as believable as the ladies'.
I really could relate to this little gem, starring Adam Arkin, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Corrigan, Carl Reiner and a heart stealer named Natasha Lyonne.
He's now 65 years old and every three months or so, uproots his three kids and moves them out of their current slum to go live in another slum, striving mind you to keep them within the Beverly Hills city limits where the "good schools" are.
When her cousin Rita (Marisa Tomei) gets into trouble with drugs and Rita's dad (Reiner) offers to pay Arkin and family to look after her, the family is able to afford a more shall we say "posh" apartment complex.
The little Eskimo kiss shows you how much Viv loves her Pop even though he's majorly messing up on his kids.There are some hilarious scenes in which Viv is introduced to the wonderful world of vibrators, and one realizes that although puberty is a sucky, awkward, rotton time, the discovery of sexuality is in contrast a wonderfully precious and sometimes downright hilarious one.
It hurt just to look at the clothes and listen to the music.I found the movie a perfectly realistic change from the overwrought seriousness and cookie-cutter "family" pieces.I especially liked the dead cat, Rita's "boyfriend", and "It's a building thing."Evocative, scary [in a PVC-upholstered sofa sort of way], redeeming, honest -- I was laughing through my tears..
She directed one of my favorite films from a couple of years ago, "The Savages." No wonder I liked this one as well."Slums of Beverly Hills" is a female coming of age story featuring an appealing Natasha Lyonne, who enjoyed a brief period of productivity in the late 90s and since has seemed to disappear from the scene.
Bright performances are the reason to see Tamara Jenkins' Slums of Beverly Hills, since the situations offered up by the writing consist of the usual comedic complications writers call "quirky" and "zany." Following the nomadic existence of Murray Abramovitz (Alan Arkin), a 65-year-old wash-out father of two teenagers and their kid brother, the movie focuses on Vivian (Natasha Lyonne) the single-parent family's lone female.
Most out of place is Marisa Tomei, who plays the flaky, pregnant, basket case of a cousin who comes to live with the family.
A Funny And Original Story About Growing Up. Slums of Beverly Hills is about a teenage girl named Vivian Abromovitz(Natasha Lyonne).
Vivian can't seem to understand her family and is having a hard time growing up with her father and her two brothers.
Slums of Beverly Hills was a nice little funny and original movie, besides the fact that they could have choosen someone else to play Vivian, because Natasha Lyonne looks like she's in her late twenties.
That is, until the darker side of his existence begins to surface.His eldest child Rita (Marissa Tomei) has found a shaky equilibrium away from home, whereas his younger daughter Vivian (Natasha Lyonne) is finding a more graceful way to balance growing up with her father's nuttiness.Watch as just how Daddy got so screwed up suddenly appears before your very eyes.
The vibrator scene is not to be missed -- you'll never hear "We Got the Funk" the same way again!I've been very disappointed with a lot of the highly-touted indies of the past few years, but "Slums of Beverly Hills" is the genuine article.
'Slums of Beverly Hills' is a disappointing film starring the overrated indie veteran Natasha Lyonne.
And I find it hard to believe that a 14 year old girl (mature for her age or no) would be so blase about getting the loss of her virginity "over with." Maybe I am too young to relate (I was four years old in 1976), but I didn't have any problems connecting with the stories of Shakespeare in Love or Life is Beautiful and I wasn't alive for either of those settings.
The main character is Vivian (Natasha Lyonne); a teenage girl who is curious and insecure about her developing sexuality.
Rita (Marisa Tomei), a flaky emigrant from the east coast enters the picture somewhat later.Though these characters are played by generally fine actors, they are given nothing interesting to do.
We might have felt something for Vivian if she didn't appear in such familiar scenes."Slums" is one of the few films that I think was more accurately evaluated by the general public than critics.
PopCultureThoughts.Com. It's a bit of a shame that director Tamara Jenkins's feature length inexperience shows throughout this movie, because at its heart, there's a great little comedy-drama about the bond among even the most troubled family.
As it is, Natasha Lyonne is perfectly cast and manages to make the entire movie worth watching, and she shares great chemistry with both Alan Arkin and an endearing Marisa Tomei.
Irritating film about a teenaged girl (Natasha Lyonne) who moves to Beverly Hills with her lower-class family which includes two brothers and her wise-cracking father (Alan Arkin).
Her father Murray (Alan Arkin) keeps moving the broke family with her, and brothers Ben and Rickey to avoid paying rent.
This semi-autobiographical story follows a lower-middle-class teenager (Natasha Lyonne) and her neurotic family in 1976 Tinseltown.I love that this had Alan Arkin, a small role for Mena Suvari and a key starring role for Marisa Tomei.
Had Natasha Lyonne actually been that age in the 70's, I think that's exactly what her teen years might've been like.
The plot was a totally funny insight into a dysfunctional single parent family with a hilariously inept but loving father.
The humor is a bit broader than in the above movies listed, but it's still funny (especially the scene with the vibrator), and although Jenkins doesn't always have a handle on the plot, there's a lot of honesty about lower-class people who just want a regular life.Natasha Lyonne proves her performance in EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU was no fluke in the main role of Vivian, whose confusion mirrors her family's.
Though Marisa Tomei was good in a small role in WELCOME TO SARAJEVO, this is her first really good performance since 1993's UNTAMED HEART, showing not only the flakiness that gets her into trouble, but also the uninhibited nature, vulnerability, and strength that make Vivian look up to her and Arkin able to talk to her (and more, in a misguided scene).
Alan Arkin is a hit as the troubled but loving father and newcomer Natasha Lyonne last seen in Everybody Says I Love You hits pay dirt as the perky and feisty Vivian.
The year is 1976,and Vivian Abramowitz (Natasha lyonne)is on the brink of womanhood.But she has more to deal with than her budding bra size.Her dad (Alan Arkin) is broke,her mother is gone,and the family is always moving from one shabby apartment to the next,trying to stay in the Beverly Hills High school district.When Rita (Marisa Tomei),Vivian's wild cousin,enters the picture (after being realeased from rehab),Vivian finally feels she has a fellow bra-wearing friend.Don't let this coming of age premise fool you.This is not a breezy film,but if you're in the mood for a serious look at dysfunction,this family's mysteries will capture your imagination..
Everything is such a generic cliché - a never-do well embarrassing father, a jerk of an older brother, a brat of a little one, a girl who is ashamed of her growing breasts, a junkie of a cousin, blah blah, everyone is so stupid and does such stupid things it hurts, a generic cliché story, distilled by bad and an occasional good joke.
In his mid-sixties, wifeless father Murray (Alan Arkin), moves his family from apartment to apartment escaping rent but staying in the Bevery Hills school district for the high standard educational curriculum.
Natasha Lyonne, Alan Arkin, and Marisa Tomei perform with curiosity and sarcasm, building on a story that is inspiring.
I enjoyed the soundtrack of "Slums of Beverly Hills" a great deal; the title theme is stimulating and colorful, it conjoins the film's humorous tones.
Natasha Lyonne is particularly good, switching from dead pan comedy to poignant and she is warm chemistry with Alan Arkin as her dad.The ending trailed off.
Critics Ebert and Barardinelli both give excellent reviews of "Slums of Beverly Hills." I enjoyed it better than a recent film about a dysfunctional family, "The Royal Tennenbaums." Alan Arkin and Marisa Tomei are superb, as usual, and Natasha Lyonne is perfect as the overly-endowned girl about to start high school (she was actually 19).
Arkin moves his family from one low-rent unit to another, often at 3AM, skipping out on rent, but staying in Beverly Hills, just barely (slums) so that his kids can get a good education..
I love Natasha Lyonne's acting and she plays Vivian wonderfully.
The characters are all hilarious - Alan Arkin as Vivian's father, Kevin Corrigan as the pot-smoking Elliot...I just really think this is a great film.
Slums of Beverly Hills, which should be appealing 'cause of its titlealone, is a coming-of-age film - dare I be another user who calls itthat - of a different flavor.
Although I was sure that I had seen my fill of movies depicting life in the 70's, (I guess it's because no one remembers them!!) but this film isn't over the top with the 70's theme.
Natasha Lyonne is great as Vivian, a budding teenage girl who is getting tired of moving every few months.
Natasha Lyonne had a breakthrough performance and should continue to get movie roles.
The poor finish basically ruined a great performance by Natasha Lyonne, who was almost great enough to make this a good movie.
It contains great performances by Marisa Tomei & Alan Arkin, but it is Natasha Lyonne's movie and she makes the most of it.
This is a funny little movie about growing up when you are a teenage girl and you have to live with your sexuality.
Heavy drug use, Manson worshipping, and weird topless nudity shots also surround the film.The protagonist (Natasha Lyonne) was someone you could relate to, not for her character but in the way the story was narrated.
Although I did find this film entertaining, and I could relate to the time period, since I was also starting my freshman year in 1976, I felt there were some things missing in this story.
Alan Arkin is in a drama, the brothers and the dope-dealing neighbor are in a comedy, and NL is in one of those coming-of-age movies that has a lesson at the end of it.
Slums of Beverly Hills is one of those movies that can make you laugh and touch your heart within the same scene.The beautiful and talented Natasha Lyonne plays the part of Vivian who, with her brothers and her father (Alan Arkin), skip from one cheap apartment to another trying to stay within the Beverly Hills city limits.
This is an interesting film about a teenage girl whose "nomadic family" is constantly moving around to different motels so that the kids can attend better schools.
The kids may not in fact be stuck in these locations all the time, but the movie makes it seem that they are.The performances, however, are fantastic, and make you wonder why Natasha Lyonne didn't have a bigger career.
But, it's so much more than that.(And for the fellas, you do get to see both Marissa Tomei and Natasha Lyonne topless.) It's a story about a family where the mother is the one who left and the kids are actually staying with the father.
I'm not saying this is a bad movie.....sometimes it's really funny...sometimes, it's touching, and sometimes poignant to the point when you know exactly (more ladies would understand) what 'Vivian' is going through.
Getting back to "Slums of Beverly Hills"; overall, I think a younger crowd (mostly 14-19 year-old ladies) will enjoy this a lot more than anyone.
Vivian stabs her uncle (with great force) in the thigh with a fork because he is being verbally unkind to her father during a meal.The movie portrays the sub-culture with sufficient skill that most viewers will treat much of this behaviour as acceptable in the context of the character's lives.The film has no real plot.
Slums of Beverly Hills-People Make Neighborhoods & Films **1/2.
The father, Murray Abromowitz, moves with his children to California, and moves around Beverly Hills so that his children can get the best education possible.Things really become funny when Marisa Tomei, Murray's niece, comes to lives with the group.The film deals with the various adventures of the family complicated by the drug scene of the affluent neighborhood.Jessica Walter costars as a woman who wants Murray to move in with her since she wants a companion.Carl Reiner and Rita Moreno come in towards the end. |
tt1646114 | Schaste moe | It is summer, and young driver Georgy takes his light truck on a trip to another town with a cargo of flour. He is stopped at a road police post by a pair of rude and corrupt policemen. While they are flirting with the woman they stopped earlier, Georgy manages to grab his papers and leave unnoticed. There he picks up a hitchhiker, an old man who recounts him a disturbing story: soon after World War II, while returning home from the front, a corrupt military officer brazenly robbed him by threatening him with arrest if he did not comply. He later shot the officer in retaliation. Later when Georgy parks his truck and steps out and shortly returns, the old man has disappeared.
Later Georgy meets an underage prostitute. He takes pity on the girl and gives her some money and food, but she is offended by his charity, insults him and leaves.
Later yet, Georgy is lost in the night and decides to camp in the field until dawn. Three locals approach and try to steal from the truck, only to be stopped by Georgy. They distract his attention with some neutral conversation, telling him how one of their friends is a mute because someone killed his father in front of him when he was a child. Suddenly one hits Georgy on the head with a log and he loses consciousness.
The scene shifts to the times of World War II. Early in the war, two Soviet soldiers from a defeated unit cautiously feel their way through the occupied land in the deep German rear. They enter a lone house where lives a widowed teacher with his infant son. The teacher is kind to the soldiers and provides them with much-needed food and shelter. However, the soldiers regard his pacifism and indifference towards the German invaders as treasonous, so they kill him, rob the house, and continue on their way, leaving the child to his own devices.
The scene shifts back to the present. Some time has passed. It is winter, and Georgy lives in the same house that once was the teacher's. The blow has left him feeble-minded and mute. He walks around bearded, dilapidated, with blank stare. The woman living in the house keeps him as a sex slave. Meanwhile, she trades his flour on the local market. A policeman approaches and tells her that Georgy and his truck are searched for, so she better get rid of both. Georgy is beaten by the locals and detained by the police, only to be released the next night when another inmate challenges the lone guard to a fight, beats him unconscious, and unlocks the cells.
The woman sells Georgy's truck and leaves the place, abandoning man in the snowcapped village. Homeless, he wanders the round about, being driven off by the locals, until he collapses from exhaustion. He is found and picked up by the old man whom he earlier gave a ride.
A military van comes to the village, carrying two servicemen tasked with delivering the body of a deceased soldier to his native place. Their daunting task is not made easier by the fact that one of them, an officer, suffers from delirium tremens. Unable to locate the relatives of the dead soldier, they decide to bribe some random people into signing the papers and leave the body to them. They approach the old man, who at first is suspicious but eventually agrees. However, shortly afterwards Georgy walks out of the house to find the old man dead. It is hinted that he may have been axed by the officer, who in his alcoholic delusion mistook him for someone else.
Georgy numbly grabs the old man's pistol and walks out to the road, where he is picked up by a very talkative truck driver, who rambles about the importance of not meddling in other people's affairs. Meanwhile, on the road the same two police officers from the beginning of the movie stop a police major and his wife. When they begin to write him up for a burnt-out headlight, the major attempts to bribe and intimidate them. When this fails and he turns to leave, a fistfight ensues, with the major handcuffed and brutally beaten. To produce two fake witnesses of his arrest, they stop another car, which is the truck with Georgy. They easily threaten the driver into signing the papers, but when they turn to Georgy, he stands silently. A fight breaks out, and one of the policemen pulls out an assault rifle. Georgy instantly shoots him dead, then everyone else. Still clutching the pistol, he staggers out into the dark. | murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0000230 | Cendrillon | A prologue in front of the curtain, suppressed before the premiere, introduced the characters and invited the audience to enjoy the fairy-tale "to escape from dark realities (pour échapper à des réalités sombres)" and to believe in the "fabulous (fabuleux)". The final words of the prologue are repeated at the end of the opera.
=== Act 1 ===
Chez Madame de la Haltière
A large room in the house of Madame de la Haltière with a chimney grate. Servants are busy preparing for the ball. Pandolfe, the second husband of Madame de la Haltière, wonders why he forsook the calm of his country home to marry a selfish countess with her two daughters, and pities the lot of his own loving daughter Lucette (Cendrillon). Madame de la Haltière and her daughters Noémie and Dorothée dress while the mother tells them how to attract the prince's attention at the ball. Late in leaving, Pandolfe resigns himself to accompanying them. Cendrillon enters, singing of how she wishes she could also have gone to the ball. After completing her chores she falls asleep by the warm chimney hearth. The Fairy Godmother and her attendants come in, transform Cendrillon into magnificent clothes for the ball, but warn the girl that their spell will only last until midnight, and that the glass slippers will protect her from being recognized by her family. Cinderella promises to return at midnight, and sets off for the ball.
=== Act 2 ===
The royal palace
At the royal hall, all is excitement, except for the prince who is melancholy. The king reminds him that he must choose a wife. After five ballet entrées where the eligible princesses present themselves to the prince, a heavenly unknown beauty (Cendrillon) enters and enchants everyone - except for Madame de la Haltière and the two step-sisters. The prince and Cendrillon fall in love at first sight but when the clock strikes midnight Cendrillon runs off, as the stunned prince looks on.
=== Act 3 ===
First tableau: The return from the ball
Cendrillon returns to the house, having lost one of her glass slippers in her flight, and relives the charm of the ball. Her fine gown has changed back into a plain dress. She hears the returning family carriage and hides in her room. Madame de la Haltière and her daughters insist that the prince rejected the unknown beauty. Cendrillon is on the point of fainting, when her father angrily sends the other women from the room. Tenderly he promises Cendrillon that they will return to his country home. When he has left, she recalls her mother’s death, and to prevent her father any more pain, Cendrillon flees into the night, to die on her own.
Second Tableau: The Fairies' Oak
Under a magic oak tree in an enchanted forest, the prince and Cendrillon are drawn together by the fairies. An enchanted arbour of flowers blocks their view of each other but they recognize each other's voice and sing of their love. The prince offers his heart to see his beloved. The flowers disappear and the lovers, surrounded by the spirits, fall into a slumber in each other’s arms.
=== Act 4 ===
First Tableau: The terrace chez Cendrillon
Back in Cendrillon's home, Pandolfe watches over his sleeping daughter, who was found months previously by a stream. Cendrillon awakes and her father relates how in her delirium she spoke to him about the prince, the oak and the slipper. Pandolfe convinces her that it was all a dream. Madame de la Haltière and her daughters appear with the news about an assembly of all eligible princesses at the King's palace. As a royal herald summons the princesses to go and try on the glass slipper, Cendrillon realizes that her dream was true. During the march of the princesses, the scene changes.
Second Tableau: A great hall in the palace
Back at the ballroom in the palace the prince recognizes Cendrillon among the princesses. The lovers are reunited and acclaimed by all present, even Madame de la Haltière. All turn to the audience and, out of character, sing that the piece is over and they have done their best to send the audience through "les beaux pays bleus (the beautiful blue countries)". | fantasy | train | wikipedia | Bibbety Bobbety Boo. This is the earliest surviving of Melies super-productions -- the best known one, of course, is his Trip to the Moon -- and the story begins right where Melies can strut his stuff with the appearance of the Fairy Godmother.
Some of the earliest sequences are beautifully hand-tinted.Of greater technical interest is Melies' experimentation with film grammar: he uses a fade to get from Cinderella's garret to the ball.
And of course, there are lots of his combinations of stage and film magic, as mice are transformed into footmen, pumpkins appear out of nowhere and the fairy godmother leaves by being lowered into the stage.
Tremendous fun and far more watchable than any other version through the 1920s.This is one of the many previously lost or infrequently seen Melies pictures that have been made available by Serge Bromberg, David Shepherd and a myriad of other hands in the newly issued DVD set GEORGES MELIES: FIRST WIZARD OF CINEMA.
Required viewing for anyone interested in the history of movies .....
and a lot of fun..
Amazing for 1899.
My score of 10 is relative to other productions during this very early era in film as well as director Georges Méliès' other films.
If you were to compare it to later silent films, then CENDRILLON will come up very, very short due to its very archaic style.
And this type of comparison just wouldn't be fair, as non-stationary cameras, composition and detailed scripts were well in the future.
But, for 1899, this is amazing because it introduces dissolves to go from one scene to another, a plot telling an actual story, as well as actual sets--things not used much around 1900.
Most of the films circa 1900 were dull and short--only a minute or two long and featured people doing horribly mundane things--like feeding a baby or watering the lawn (seriously).Now this story, while amazing for 1899, is not without many problems.
The first portion that set the context for the story seems to either be missing or Méliès just assumed the audience understood it and skipped it.
Also, while the first moments of the film are hand-colored, this disappears very quickly--perhaps it comes from piecing two or more copies together to make this film.
And additionally, at times the people had no idea what to do, so they did some weird things--like have lots and lots of clocks and elves (why?!?!) as well as a somewhat impromptu dance number at the end.
Rough?
Yes, but still compared to what else was out there, this was the best sort of film available...period.
For film historians, this and the rest of Méliès' films are a must.By the way, to see just how far films had progressed, try also watching the 1914 version starring Mary Pickford.
It stands up much better today and is a truly magnificent film even almost a hundred years later..
Cinderella.
Cinderella (1899) *** (out of 4) aka Cendrillon The poor Cinderella gets a visit from her fairy godmother but the fun ends at midnight.
There were earlier versions of this classic story but who better to bring it to life than George Melies?
Melies brings his normal magic to the film and the special effects are pretty good.
The highlight of the film is during the beginning when the godmother shows up and for a brief second we get some hand colored sequences.
The coloring here is a lot better than what we've seen from this period.
Since the film only runs five minutes not all of the story gets shown but the director does a good job at filling the screen with all the high points of the story.
This certainly isn't as good as the 1914 version with Mary Pickford but it's still a winner..
A pretty good adaption of the fairy tale.
There was an adaptation of Cinderella all the way back in 1899.
Who knew?
It's pretty good.
So good in fact that I'm going to go ahead and predict that this is going to be a 100x better than the live action version Disney's releasing.
Anyway, George Méliès manages to tell the story without cutting anything major out.
It has the fairy godmother transforming the mice into knights (I think they were knights) and the pumpkin into a carriage, it has the ball, it has the clock striking midnight, it as the Prince looking for Cinderella, and it has the happy ending we've come to expect from fairy tale adaptations.
All that was accomplished way back in 1899.
If that isn't amazing, then I don't know what is.
The only part I didn't like was the part I didn't understand.
It was the part directly after the clock strikes midnight.
It had Cinderella in her house with all these old guys dancing around with clocks.
I don't know what that was all about, but it doesn't really affect my overall opinion of this short..
Cendrillion is whimsical in nature and more lavish than a glass slipper..
The earliest known adaptation of Perrault's fairy tale.
One of the first films to utilise multiple scenes.
The first use of the "dissolve transition" technique.
And the only film in the 1800s (from what I've seen) to physically convey a story through a cohesive narrative.
Cendrillon was a milestone for both cinema and Méliès.
Granted, you will most likely need to know the source material first as this short film is somewhat illusory for its own good.
And yes, some scenes were unnecessarily long just to showcase the innovative production design, particularly the entirety of Méliès as the genie of the midnight clock (absolutely cuckoo, if you pardon the pun).
However the basic narrative outline is present, with Méliès conveying vital plot points whilst evoking pure imagination.
You just have to give him credit for condensing a story into six minutes, even at the consequence of losing character depth.
The pioneering editing allows the film to have that little additional essence of magic.
The acting was splendidly exaggerative and contemporaneous, where Méliès had to employ a Chief Extra just to manage all of the over extras.
Grand, lavishly designed and quite simply extraordinary.
His first endeavour into narratively-charged films would lead him to create his magnum opus three years later..
One of the first multi-scene productions ever made.
Notice I didn't say "the first multi-scene production ever made", and for a very simple reason: the earliest multi-scene short was actually made a year prior to this one in the form of Robert Paul's "Come Along Do!" from 1898.
Unfortunately, as that short only partially survives as a thirty-second fragment, it is frequently forgotten as such with more recognition given to this Cinderella adaptation.
Early filmmakers had long been contemplating how to accomplish multi-scene story structures, with such shorts as W.
Dickson's "Rip van Winkle" of 1896, but because they hadn't fully discovered the way of going about such filmmaking yet, they'd often just shoot each scene separately as its own film.
In doing so, this would make these multi-scene films into serials (the first ones ever, actually) which really don't qualify as an entire movie.
Attempted story films such as the aforementioned "Rip van Winkle" by Dickson, Georges Hatot's "La Vie et la Passion de Jésus-Christ" of 1898 and even Méliès's "The Dreyfus Affair" (1899, amusingly enough almost right before this movie) all use this technique without creating an actual short.
In fact, because the Méliès serial was made almost right before this, (with his lost film "The Snow Man" separating the two) I have to wonder if Méliès was trying to change the serial way of filming multi-scene stories when he made "Cinderella".The four (or is it five?) scene movie is, of course, still quite short when looking at it today, but at the time six minutes was just about full-length.
It really doesn't seem to cover the entire story, such as the cruelty of the stepsisters (I've looked at the original Star Film Catalogue, and it doesn't indicate that anything at the beginning is missing), so I suppose Méliès felt he had the right to skip a few minor parts.
For what it is, though, it's good.
There are even a few small touches, such as the appearance of Father Time (played by the director himself) the dancing clocks, and the dance scene at the end.
As Frazer points out in "Artificially Arranged Scenes", many of Méliès's multi-scene narratives, such as the apotheosis and said ending dance in here, all reflect the stage productions from that time.
No doubt he felt a theatrical grande finale was in order and that the movie shouldn't just 'end'.
Thus, he was no doubt appealing to audiences tastes in that bygone era.In addition, a small fraction of film (part of the opening sequence) appears to have been hand-colored.
While almost all of Méliès's work in his entire career was colored by Mme. Elisabeth Thuillier, a french colorist who hired about two hundred female workers to paint in each frame on a filmstrip, I've read nothing at all about her having worked on this particular short.
Because of this, I believe the colorized fraction available today is probably the work of Albert E.
Smith's team of workers at Vitagraph, who apparently bought the short to release in America and create colored prints.
I am not sure if the surviving print uses a hand-colored fragment and some black-and-white copies to create a complete short, or if this is one print which was only started and given up on.
If the latter is correct (it may not be since a few seconds of the beginning are black-and-white before the color kicks in) I could see why they gave up so quickly.
Hand-painting was a very tedious process, since a minute of film for Méliès was about twenty meters, and each frame of it had to be colored in.
It's a process even I myself have tried, so far producing poor results, and compared to what I've done the coloring in here is incredibly well-done and manages to stay within the lines.
Too bad they didn't persist in finishing it off.Also, while I mentioned before that nothing at the beginning appears to be missing, I think there could be a bit at the end that doesn't survive.
Méliès's Star Film Catalogue lists the various tableaus, and I perceive that a few are not in the available print.
A tableau listed as "The Wedding" is not apparent, as neither is "Cinderella's Sisters" (which might have featured them pleading for forgiveness as in Méliès's later 1912 version), "The King, Queen, and Lords", "The Nuptial Cortege", "The Celestial Spheres" or "The Transformation".
As Mr. Frazer has pointed out in "Artificially Arranged Scenes", a tabeau meant either a entire scene or an event occurring within a scene.
With "Cinderella", the latter appears to be the case, so there might be only one scene missing that record all these events.
As it is, I have not found any indication between the surviving sections that anything's missing.
Does the procession at the church feature all the ending tableaus that appear not to be there, and each ending tableau is merely a description of the various members in the procession?
If so, where's the said celestial spheres in the procession?
What's the transformation of the second-to-last tableau?
I really have no clue, so the absence of these missing tableaus will have to remain a mystery until further evidence is uncovered.A later version of this movie from 1912, mentioned previously and also made by Méliès, also attempts to capture Perrault's story in a much more detailed way without rushing the events, yet it remains even less known because of being too stagy by the standards of 1912.
I have yet to make a comparison between the shorts, but this will no doubt occur when I get around to writing a review on that version.
As for this one, it's literally the most sophisticated film of the 19th century when it comes to visuals, story, and structure.
This not a serial...it's a full movie, and even proves it when you notice how each scene is connected by a dissolve instead of a cut..
A Nicely Done Rendition.
The Cinderella story is pretty universal.
She is a drudge and her sisters treat her badly.
She wants to go to the ball........well we all know.
What separates this from Melieu's other works is a really nice use of transitions.
There is also a joyfulness.
The story is compacted but we get to see the wedding an a really cool dance scene at the end.
This one is five minutes and Melieu is stretching his muscles..
Dissolving Scenes.
This is likely the most advanced story film of the 19th Century.
In the print available on DVD today, there are four distinct scenes with dissolves as transitions.
The popularity of this film encouraged its creator Georges Méliès to continue making similar longer story films; "Cinderella" is the first of what early cinema historians have termed Féeries (or fairy films), to distinguish them from the generally shorter, less narrative-driven trick films, which Méliès and others also made many of.
Central to the fairy film is, of course, the fairy godmother.
She (played here, as with other such films, by Méliès's lover Jeanne d'Alcy) is the magician-director's surrogate, creating the tricks and manipulating the narrative.
Subsequent Méliès Féeries would be more polished and elaborate, including "Bluebeard" (1901), "Kingdom of the Fairies" (1903) and, to an extent, "A Trip to the Moon" (1902), although it doesn't feature a central fairy godmother.
"Cinderella", however, is an important landmark for getting these story films started.The film is also generally credited as the first to feature dissolves as transitions—a device that has its antecedent in magic lantern shows.
Because of it, many early filmmakers adopted this technique (done in camera back then, by the way), including Ferdinand Zecca and the Pathé Company and, for a while, even Edwin S.
Porter.
Direct cuts didn't become the dominant scene transition until a few years later, once the story film became common and other modern continuity and narrative techniques came into use.
Most films of the 19th Century consisted of a single shot-scene (mostly actualities, which were popularized by the Lumiére Company).
The earliest two-scene fictional story subject I know of was from the previous year, "Come Along Do!" (1898) (only the first scene of this survives today), which is suspected to have used a direct cut.
Dissolves would prove to be too discontinuous of a transition, but they work just as well for the stagy, stationary shot-scene style of narrative introduced by Méliès.
Notably, another early story film pioneer, George Albert Smith, was already experimenting with direct cuts and insert shots in 1899, as evidenced by "The Kiss in the Tunnel".Another relic of its time, the scene after the hour of midnight, in Cinderella's bedroom, sort of features two scenes in one.
There's the dance of the clocks nightmare and then a jump cut to the sudden appearance of Cinderella's stepsisters being in the same room with the prince knocking at the door, for the prince and the slipper scene.
The final scene is also a two-in-one, but not as jarringly disjointed, since it uses theatrical set transitions to reveal the final tableaux, a truly theatrical carryover.
Indeed, this cinematic version was inspired by stage adaptations.Part of the first scene offers a brief glimpse of what this film looked like hand-colored (most of Méliès's films were hand-colored, or offered to be at extra cost, as were many other early films); the rest of the remaining footage survives in black and white.
From the beginning and throughout the short film, Méliès shows off his typical trick effects, mostly substitution-splices (or stop-substitutions) here, in addition to theatrical tricks.
The best part, I think, is the dance of the clocks nightmare, which terrorizes Cinderella.Méliès made another version of Cinderella in 1912, available in the same Flicker Alley set, but that one doesn't have the historical weight of this.
Also, see the Mary Pickford 1914 "Cinderella" for an interesting comparison of clock nightmares.(Note: This film was considered for many years to be partially or entirely lost.
Some sources say the original film was as long as 2,000 feet, which is difficult to believe.
Other historians give the more believable listing of around 120 meters (or nearly 400 feet) (Richard Abel, "The Ciné Goes to Town", gives this length), which seems to be about the length of the film available today, which lasts under 6 minutes.
The print shows its age, with some deterioration, but is quite viewable.).
Thankfully I knew the story..
because if you watch this short film without knowing at all what the Cinderella tale is about, you'd quickly be lost and that's never a good thing for a film.
It needs to tell us a story that we understand and while Méliès manages most of the time to do so, this one proved too big of a challenger.
Visually, however, it's as nice as always with him, especially the hand-colored fairy all dressed in red.
The little bearded man with the clocks implying time runs out was a bit of an oddity.
I'm not exactly certain if he appears in the tale or if it was just one of Méliès' funnily odd inventions.
Good addition in any case.
Most of the aspects of the story are depicted convincingly if you know it beforehand.
One thing though that i really wasn't too fond of was the huge dance near the end.
Should have ended after the weeding IMO.
Still a decent work and you could see Méliès and film industry in 1906 slowly opened up to longer movies.
This was a step ahead. |
tt0439630 | Tau man ji D | The protagonist, Takumi Fujiwara, is a gas station attendant working with his friend Itsuki to buy a car, which they plan to drift on the twisting roads surrounding nearby Mount Akina. Unbeknownst to his colleagues, Takumi moonlights as a tofu delivery driver for his father's store before sunrise each morning, passively building an impressive amount of skill behind the wheel of the family car, an aging Toyota Sprinter Trueno.
Shortly after the story begins, the Red Suns, an amateur racing team from Mount Akagi, challenge the local Speedstars team to a set of races on Mount Akina. Dispirited after watching the RedSuns' superior performance during a practice run, the Speedstars expect to lose. Later that night, the Red Suns' #2 driver, heading home after the last practice run, is defeated soundly by a mysterious Sprinter Trueno, despite driving a much more powerful car. An investigation into the identity of the driver leads to Bunta Fujiwara, Takumi's father. The Speedstars beg Bunta to help them defeat the RedSuns, and he initially refuses, later relenting to "maybe" show up at the race. At the same time, Takumi asks Bunta if he can borrow the car for a day to take a trip to the beach with a potential girlfriend, and Bunta seizes the moment by granting permission (plus a full tank of fuel) on the condition that Takumi defeats the Red Suns driver.
On the night of the race, the Trueno does not show up, and the Speedstars enlist a backup driver for the first run. At the last moment before the race starts, the Trueno arrives. Takumi steps out of the car to the bewilderment of the Speedstars, who were expecting Bunta. He easily defeats the Red Suns driver by utilizing a dangerous technique on the mountain road's hairpin corners.
The Red Suns' embarrassing defeat sets up the plot for the rest of the series: drivers from neighboring prefectures come to challenge Takumi and the "Legendary Eight-Six of Akina" and thus prove themselves as racers. Eventually, the plot moves away from Mount Akina as Takumi becomes bored with racing solely on that road. He joins an experimental racing team formed by the disbanded Red Suns and challenges more difficult opponents on their home courses in the pursuit of his dream to be "the fastest driver out there". | atmospheric | train | wikipedia | Therefore this review's point of view will be from the cinematic experience, and there will be no comparison on how true it stays to the manga/anime.Despite all the star power in the film, from teeny boppers Edison Chen and Shawn Yue, to veterans Kenny Bee and Anthony Wong, this still remains a Jay Chou vehicle (pardon the pun).
Jay stars as a petrol pump attendant who by day works at a petrol kiosk, and in the wee hours of the night, helps his tofu selling dad deliver tofu in an old Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno using a route that traverses along a winding Mount Akina.Naturally, with his 5 years experience, he intimately knows the terrain, and gets faster each time, until a group of street racers set their sights to conquer the route.There will definitely be comparisons with Hollywood's The Fast and The Furious series, starring Vin Diesel/Paul Walker.
The races in itself might seem repetitive, as the highlight seemed to be focused on its title - the "drift" technique, being used ad-nausem, but having different drivers challenge each other on the one and only route breaks the monotony as you root for your favourite to come out tops.Given this is Jay Chou's debut movie role, it is difficult to critique if his acting skills are up to mark, as his lead character Takumi Fujiwara is a nonchalant man of few words.
Chapman To, as usual, brings across the rather light hearted moments, and Anthony Wong as Chou's dad, a veteran race ace who finds solace in the bottle and having a penchant for dozing off.Perhaps the only flaw about the movie was the sappy romance between Jay and his Japanese co-star.
I haven't read any Initial D manga, and frankly, hadn't heard of it until a friend asked to watch this movie, thus cannot comment on the accuracy of the story.
When an unintentional race brings him to the notice of the racers, his life changes as he has to field numerous offers to actually see who is the best driver.Based on a Japanese comic and cartoon, Initial D is a live action Chinese film thats broken box office records across Asia.
I'm not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing, but seeing how many fans of the source material are unhappy with the film I would say its a good thing.Flat out I liked this movie.
It's pretty fun to watch and you just have to wonder who the stunt men are or if they brought in Japanese drift legend, Tsuchiya on to the set for some of these shots.Unfortunately that's the only thing that is good about this movie.
In the movie, this character talks about how he's a racing god and when he loses and wrecks he asks his poor father to buy him an even faster car (GTR) so that he can rematch and wreck that one too.
If you're a fan of the anime don't expect to hear your favorite eurobeat tracks or Move songs.Overall I was bored, only paid attention during the races and got utterly perplexed by the ridiculous ending sequence where the people are celebrating.
Also I'd like to point out that not only is a 3 car race unfair, I've never seen a race with 3 cars in Initial D or any mountain race scene in any movie!Next time try not to squeeze so much crap in..
Based on a long running comic series by Shuuichi Shigeno, this all star cast Hong Kong movie puts on screen what's on the comic's volume 1-15 ( Part until Takumi joins Project D ).Takumi Fujiwara (Jay Chou) is a high school student who lives with his single father running a tofu shop.
The original comic states that the story is occurring sometime in the '90s time frame, and the cars appearing in this movie also reflects this fact.I wonder if China these days are following the Hollywood style casting that casts compatible astrological sun sign actors in the leading role.
The movie has a world of its own that's completely different from the TV anime series, and in some ways more exciting due to the interaction between the stars, and the actual driving that takes place on the road.
any movie you see with an all-star cast means only one thing; publicity without any depth in the film.While I applause the director's effort of trying to imitate some of the out of this world angles used in the animation, there is nothing in this film which suggests it has been properly written or related to the original drawings of the manga writer himself.An all star Hong Kong cast (except Anne Suzuki) + venue in Japan + actors and actresses speaking in 3 different languages (which eventually was dubbed) is weird enough and to spice up the ridiculous plot, the Hongkies made Takumi's father a drunk and a child abuser.
If I hadn't known better, I thought Itsuki Tachibana (Chapman To) was the lead because he was the loudest and the director paid too much time in his character developing which is totally unnecessary.I felt ashamed knowing I once admired the director and he screwed up such a beautiful and exciting story and the fact that I was a big Initial D fan didn't help.
Makes you think that the beats are just placed there as a requirement rather than a catalyst to the car races.Finally, would I recommend anyone to watch this film?
So when I heard that there was this movie (Initial D) about drift racing popular with Japanese teenagers and it had been adapted from the Manga story, I was interested, and courtesy of Moviesville, I got to see it.Movie The movie itself is good, it's quite comic in places which could be traced back to its Manga origins, and unfortunately this takes away from the story because it does present itself as having a serious underside.Something that surprised me about this movie is there isn't that much racing.
Mixing unusual camera angles, some CGI, and smooth stunt driving, you end up with every race scene being exciting and visually rich.The pace of the movie is quite back and forth.
It's understandable considering the group that the movie is aiming towards, but you can't help but feel a little bit of growing up could have been applied to the story.The romance thread is interesting, and brings a dimension to the character of Takumi.
Perhaps this was a deliberate move in order to retain the connection with the story's roots, but he just seems to get in the way of events.Jay Chou playing the lead of Takumi, don't have that much to say, and although this reflects a troubled teenager, it does quickly get grating and you can understand why his Father wants to kick him into action!Picture Presented: 2.35:1 The picture is very sharp and clear, this is particularly noticeable during the racing scenes which mainly occur at night.
It looks like a lot of work has gone into making this DVD look good.Audio Presented: DD5.1:EX \ DTS:ES During the racing the sounds are really good, you can hear the engines changing gears and over revving, and when the camera is near the car the LFE kicks in well.
They are there, you just have to watch rather than listen...unless of course you can speak Chinese.Overall It's an okay movie, but where it excels are in the racing scenes, superb drift racing which has been filmed really well using some interesting techniques, camera angles and a little CGI.
This was exactly like the anime, and was a great touch.People might slam Jay Chou, but I thought he did a good job in this.
Considering there are at least 10 Initial D soundtrack CD's out in Japan, I can't believe they didn't realize how popular the music is.The music in the film is best described as "Chinese rap/R&B" I guess, which really hurt the feel of the movie in my opinion.As synonymous the anime is with the music, I can't help but think what it would be without it.
Which now that I think of it, pretty much sums up this film.If they were to make an Initial D anime series with music similar to this movie's soundtrack, I wonder if I would like it as much.I just might feel the same way about it as I do this movie, in that it's a nice reminiscent film somewhat faithful to the original, but nothing to get really excited about.If you're not a fan of Inital D or of import racing, there's not much for you here..
The film has an impressive pedigree, being directed by the duo of Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, and written by Felix Chong, the trio having worked together previously on the mega hit (and soon to be Hollywood remade) "Infernal Affairs" trilogy.Based on the Japanese manga by Shuichi Shigeno, "Initial D" follows the (literally) downhill adventures of tofu delivery teen Takumi (Chou), who spends his school days in a daze about the flirty Natsuki (Anne Suzuki, "Returner"), his afternoons working at the gas station of best bud Itsuki (Chapman To), and his nights delivering tofu for his hard drinking (and narcoleptic, one presumes) dad Bunta (Anthony Wong).
Merely a "Jay Chou" star vehicle and a disappointment to both manga and racing fans.
France has had minimal success with Blood the Last Vampire and Even Japan has trouble making a anime adaptation that not only stays true to the original source but is a good movie in its own right(deathnote was very true to the original but turned out like a cheesy, convoluted B movie).With a cast of A list actors, a veteran director and the promise of a blockbuster hit that would satisfy all, Tau Man Ni D(initial D) looked to be the one to buck that trend.
It would have been a lot more believable to either set the story in hong kong or at least dub over the actors with a Japanese voice track.Even as a stand-alone story, barring any comparisons to the original manga and anime, Tau Man Ji D would still be a mediocre film.
It lacks the kinetic sense of energy that made other racing films like Fast and Furious: tokyo Drift such fun to watch.
They even tried to use CGI for one very obvious crash scene, but the crappy computer generated car looked very fake against the photo-realistic background.The only reason for Tau Man Ji D's possible success in Asia was the cast and Jay Chou.
Aside from Jay Chou fans, followers of the manga and lovers of good racing movies would do well to look elsewhere..
I personally think this movie is more a promotional tool for Jay Chou's new songs and for Pepsi.It is merely a shorter version of the original Initial D series.
concerning the movie, i'm disappointed with the story, a lot of things were changed (e.g. ryosuke and nakazato were never friends, itsuki were never the son of the gas station owner and etc.), there were a lot of characters missing in the movie like Keisuke, Kenji and one of the most important characters in the show...Iketani (who showed Takumi the secret world of street racing).
Despite (or maybe because of) all this, INITIAL D: DRIFT RACER turns out to be a very middling type of film, although it is a damn sight better than the most execrable the genre has to offer (SPEED RACER).Still, INITIAL D does deserve credit for making repeated scenes of cars racing on the same stretch of road throughout interesting, but the car chases are merely perfunctory and hardly the best thing about this.
The characters are far more realistic and their motivations more believable than in an average FAST AND FURIOUS film, for example.There are welcome supporting roles for Edison Chen and Shawn Yue, who at least have the movie star charisma that Chou lacks, and Anthony Wong is a welcome presence as ever in a comedic supporting role playing Chou's dad.
INITIAL D: DRIFT RACER is hardly a good film but it passes the time well enough for fans of Asian cinema, even if it is a film I'd never want to watch again..
Some changes are certainly questionable (Itsuki as the son comes to mind) but the removal of characters (Iketani, Keisuke, etc.) ensures that an uninitiated viewer wouldn't be overwhelmed or confused by some unnecessary characters.Most important, however, is that by placing emphasis on the parallels between the lives Bunta and Takumi, the movie has given Initial D a dramatic edge that may have been diluted in the long-running manga.
Without revealing too much, it suffices to say that the movie becomes a story of a Takumi realizing that the things he loves may not be able to co-exist, and whether he likes it or not he'll have to make the same choice his father made so many years ago.
Many fans were upset that the inclusion of the final scene was placed so far ahead of where it belongs in the original story, but in retrospect, it belongs exactly where it should.Of course, the movie is hardly perfect, and here are some of my biggest gripes as a hardcore Initial D fan:-The music has its nice moments but the soundtrack as a whole should have been played up more and given more consideration, as that is arguably one of the strongest aspects of the Anime.
Like It. I think this movie is good, it kinds of with Japan anime (surely because it is taken from Japan manga).
I realize adapting and compressing a long-running comic and anime series into about 2 hours requires some cuts and changes, but this result of a film is vomit-inducing.My biggest issue in this movie comes with the writing--characters have been completely changed in terms of abilities, personality, and relationships (This is where the possible spoilers come in, I NEED to list some of these things to warn you).
The only way i could watch this movie to the end would be with a Japanese dub where i can at least make sense out of the characters.So my conclusion: Initial-D fans should never see this movie..
What makes it a bit unique is the simple fact its set in Japan, a very picturesque prefecture, it feels more realistic being in Japanese (subs) and the race sequences are gritty looking.In that sense the movie is better than its US counterparts (just like Tokyo Drift is the best of the 'FnF' franchise).
The movie ends on a bit of a flat note I think but other than that its a decent street racer flick which should satisfy anyone who likes this sort of thing.
Like most of the reviews said, the ONLY good thing about this movie was the driving and the cars.
The cars were also almost exactly modified and painted like the anime, which I thought was pretty impressive.As for the movie, they pretty much threw the first three stages of the anime in a blender, pureed it to a bloody pulp, farted in it a few times, then poured half of it in a cup and dumped it on a film reel.(Spoilers/Things that ruined the movie) They make Bunta a complete drunken good for nothing jerk, yet ends up showing up at one of Takumi's races..Somehow they found a way to make Itsuki even more annoying.Itsuki and Kioshiro are combined as one character and Yuichi (gas station boss) is his dad..Keisuke is written out of the script and replaced by Takeshi of the Night Kids..Kazumi (Itsuki's love) is a steady worker at the gas station..Kyoichi (Evo III driver) wrecks his car by driving off of Mt. Akina and crashes it similarly to the ending of Tokyo Drift..ALL the races take place on Akina..
This is based on the Manga comic book...I am a comic book fan but Manga is something I haven't quite become interested in, yet...I hope to read some very soon...Anyway..Takumi is a normal boy who one day accompanies his racer friend to a race...Takumi's friend loses horribly...Later that night, Takumi grabs his own car and beats the guy who beat his friend....Suddenly all the top racers want a piece of the ordinary boy who delivers tofu...I like the story...But I don't know how much is true to the comic...There was some humorous scenes that had me in stitches...But overall the film failed to excite me...The race scenes weren't very good..considering the quality of Hollywood race movies...(This is coming from someone who watches 'World Cinema' avidly)...I understand the need for the camera style and shots...and that they tried to bring a comic bookish style to the film but it just frustrated me...I kept thinking the DVD was freezing in places...LOL...I didn't see the need for Shawn Yue's character or Edison Chan's...The lead actor fails to show that burning passion that makes a driver ride fast and drift.....
they really should have rewrite the whole thing.BTW, the missing of Takashi Keiske is a major turn off too...---CONCLUSION--- I believe the Jay Chou fans would enjoy this movie just for the fact that he's the main character here.
i love the anime/manga, but i like the movie.
if you really really really like the anime/manga, don't expect too much, but if you haven't seen it, you'll probably really like the movie(if you like cars and not just ones that look cool)..
The other thing I watch is because it was based on the Anime "Initial D" and I really like that show too.
I recommend the people who haven't watch this movie should, because it will make you change your mind about Initial D because of the race they are so real.
Also i like the end when Takumi (Jay Chou) waits for his girlfriend and sees her coming out of the car with another guy and he now believes his friend hat told him about that. |
tt0438097 | Ice Age: The Meltdown | In the opening scene, Scrat, the saber-toothed squirrel climbs a glacier to bury his acorn, but accidentally opens a hole in it, causing water to spurt out. The world of ice is slowly melting. The creatures of the Ice Age are all shown enjoying themselves on slides and pools made by the melting ice; among them the three protagonists of the first film: Manny, Sid, and Diego. Sid opens a small day camp, where none of the younger creatures take him seriously, nor do Manny and Diego, which leaves Sid seeking a daring deed. Fast Tony, a local con artist is claiming that the earth will flood and that the bark and reeds which he sells are needed to stay alive. Manny dismisses the idea, but is distracted when he sees that Sid will try to high dive from a giant waterfall; as Manny goes with Diego to the top of the waterfall to save Sid from his act of daredevilry, suddenly the ice under Diego's feet begins breaking, causing him to bolt in fear, this also made Sid figure out that Diego is afraid of the water. The herd figure that the pleasant weather has caused the ice shelves to melt, and it is kept from destroying the valley only by the glaciers, which have formed a dam.
A lone vulture warns the animals that a giant tree can act as a boat and save them if they make it to the end of the valley within three days time, and all soon set out to find it. As the animals begin their journey, Sid sings three songs to tease Manny about Mammoths being "extinct". During the evacuation, a glacier which contains two sea reptiles from the Mesozoic era, Cretaceous and Maelstrom, breaks off.
When Manny briefly is separated from them, Diego and Sid encounter two cheeky opossums named Crash and Eddie who drive them nuts by playing Whac-A-Mole with them. Manny is still worried about being the last mammoth alive and his family, who had been killed by humans, but is surprised when he encounters Ellie, a female mammoth who believes she is an opossum and Crash and Eddie's adoptive sister. Sid invites her to tag along with the group to escape the flood, and she brings her brothers. After a dangerous encounter with Cretaceous and Maelstrom while crossing a pond, Sid prompts Diego to encourage him to admit and face his fears - Diego insists that "fear is for prey", so Sid points out that Diego is behaving as if he is the water's prey. They discover an area which Ellie recalls as the place where she was adopted. She finally realizes she is a mammoth and also expresses her suspicions about how different she was from other opossums. Despite this bonding moment with Manny, she distances herself from him when he suggests "saving their species". Ellie and Manny ultimately make up when they must co-operate to save the group when the ground cracks under their feet. Sid is kidnapped by a tribe of mini-sloths who believe Sid to be a god. Sid lights a fire for them, and believes that he has finally found respect, but they plan to sacrifice him by tossing him into a volcano. Sid narrowly escapes. The next morning, Sid tells the others his experience but none are convinced. They find a field of hot geysers, which separate Manny, Sid, and Diego from Ellie and her brothers when they argue about which way to go through it.
When the flood comes, Manny saves Ellie from drowning as she is caught in a cave (due to falling rocks), while Diego overcomes his fear of water to save Sid, Crash and Eddie from drowning. Cretaceous and Maelstrom arrive, but due to Manny's quick thinking, they are finished off by a rock which falls on them, killing them both. The other animals are at the mercy of the water currents. Meanwhile, Scrat climbs up the glacier and at the top sticks the acorn he has into the ice. This forms a crack in the glacier, which widens into a fissure, diverting the flood and saving the animals. Scrat is then washed away. In the final scene, a herd of mammoths shows up, but Manny and Ellie decide to remain together anyway, taking Sid, Diego, and the opossum brothers along. Sid encounters the mini-sloths again - they believe Sid stopped the flood and invite him to be their leader. Diego, surprised to see the mini-sloths are real, convinces Sid to stay with the others, reluctantly admitting that Sid is a vital part of their 'herd'.
The epilogue shows Scrat having a near death experience after falling into the fissure. He enters a heaven full of acorns. Suddenly, he finds himself torn away. He unhappily wakes up, having been resuscitated by Sid, who he proceeds to viciously attack. | romantic, comedy, entertaining, flashback | train | wikipedia | Similar to the first Ice Age, the promotional material for the sequel was out in the theatres way in advance, and courtesy of the Scrat character too, up to its usual antics of getting to that elusive acorn.
Here, Scrat opens the movie, and emulating the style of the first, he provides most of the laughs, also as an intermission from the actual scenes from the main cast.Our gang of prehistoric animals are back - Manny the Mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano), Sid the Sloth (John Leguizamo) and Diego the Sabre-tooth Tiger (Denis Leary).
Along the way, our trio meets up with another trio of characters, who were added to expand the cast, featuring 2 Possums Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), and another, but female, mammoth (Queen Latifah).Needless to say, Manny's still anti-social, and Diego can't get along with those rascal possums who get on his nerves, and Sid's the "philosopher" ever providing the laughs.
Just little phrases and actions the characters do is hilarious!Ice Age: The Meltdown follows the animals on their journey to find dry land when they discover that their lives are at risk if they stay put due to the ice melting.......there are some little adventures and discoveries along the way though!If you have seen the first one you will like this and in case you are wondering......he is still trying to get his nut!I think it is a must see for all ages, not just children..
Leary's Diego is not the showiest turn, but he also has some great moments.In addition to the principals, the possums and the mini sloths are welcome arrivals, and there are some wonderful moments of nutty entertainment, as now computers can portray some truly wacky moments, such as the Berkeley-inspired moment in the sacrificial fire pit and the vulture "food" numbers.This film is a throwback to what made classics such as "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and The Beast" work: solid acting and a good writing base.
At first, "Ice Age: The Meltdown" looks like the inevitable sequel to the famous 20th Century Fox animated blockbuster, trying to cash in the success of the previous movie.
That alone is an achievement in its own right.After some years living in peace in a new pack, our old friends Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), Manny the Mammoth (Ray Romano) and Diego the Sabertooth tiger (Dennis Leary) discover that the ice is melting and a flood will cover the valley they now call home.
Scrat, the nut-obsessed squirrel is back too in his constant quest for his lost nut, giving slapstick humor of the finest type in every scene he is in.It is always hard for sequels to live up to the expectations, specially in family-oriented animation films, but director Carlos Saldanha and his team manage to make a funny movie that never gets boring or tiresome (something vital as it is a movie mainly oriented for kids).While probably the story is not exactly original or complicated, writers Peter Gaulke and Gerry Swallow make up for it with good character development and funny one-liners that fit the movie tone very good.
Two new characters, the young possums Crash (Sean William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck) are a welcomed addition to the family, as well as Ellie (Queen Latifah), the lost mammoth.Ellie, Manny and their relationship is a very important subplot in the movie, and one that was perfectly handled by the director and his crew.
While Diego's subplot was also interesting and served as basis for very good jokes, it didn't had enough screen-time; a shame in my opinion, but overall the movie was very good.To summarize, fans of the first "Ice Age" won't be disappointed by "The Meltdown", and sure the movie will give laughs to both kids and their parents.
I did think the original 'Ice Age' was a better movie, but this one is pretty good..
Queen Latifah is also really good as Ellie, the mammoth that thinks she is a possum.I did think the original 'Ice Age' was a better movie, but this one is pretty good..
Personally I like the Ice Age films better than the two Shrek movies which I find HIGHLY overrated.
Manny the woolly mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano), Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), and Diego (Dennis Leary) the saber-toothed tiger embark on yet another journey in "Ice Age: Meltdown, "the sequel from the 2002 blockbuster by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. This time, ice is melting and a great flood is threatening to drown all animals in the valley in three days, much to the delight of vultures who are keen on having a buffet with the bodies of those who will be unfortunate enough not to outlive it.
It still follows up from the first one, but all in all it feels that there wasn't enough material to hold a full-length movie that the character of Scrat has been given more screen time even if what he does trying to get his acorn doesn't advance the plot at all, albeit helping the film reach barely an hour and a half.
While this movie still does manage to amuse from time to time, on the whole the plot feels more obligatory and jokes seem to be a little bit more blunt.That's not to say "Ice Age: Meltdown" is a total waste because it does still have a few aces up its sleeve.
This time around the three friends Manny, Sid, and Diego must join their newly formed herd to escape the valley they are living in, as the ice is beginning to melt, and threatens to flood the valley.Like last time, there is no grand plot here (the first being based on another journey, this time to return a child to its family), and it merely serves to introduce new characters and create laugh-out-loud situations for the trio to overcome.
It has increased the fear factor somewhat the group have to evade two nasty looking sea creatures that have been thawed out by the melting ice, and these scenes, although thrilling, can be scary for younger viewers.Ice Age: The Meltdown keeps its individual style of animation; at times crossing between its general cartoon-look and then throwing in some genuinely brilliant effects the underwater shots in particular, and also the effect of the animal's fur after they leave the water are very nice.
Since the first film was so self contained, there was no real need for a sequel (besides the need for more money ) and this review seemed like a perfect opportunity to chastise the greed of big film studios.Well after watching the film i can report that they'll be no ranting here- Ice age 2 is a pleasantly entertaining and funny film with with some stunning character animation.Much like the original , ice age 2 meanders along a series of set pieces and visual gags and doesn't out stay its welcome.
Fan favourite scrat the squirrel returns for more hilarious, futile attempts to get his elusive nut and there are some clever innuendos for grown ups.However while its entertaining, it has the same problems of the original (a: its a bit too safe b: Its very predictable ) with the addition of some new ones- namely the new characters .Not only are the new characters not interesting but the possum brothers both reach a scrappy doo level of annoyance.Ice age : the melt down is a cash in for sure, but its a funny and entertaining one ..
Full of stereotypes like: good vs evil, the shy male that tries to conquer the heart of the hysterical stupid but cute female, the endless nonsense jokes that try to light the heavier moments, the deep fears that are always defeated in the end of the film by saving a friend, the classic "go after her" in the end of the film after the hero has rejected her in the first place, the funny stupid character that no ones believes when something huge happens to him and so many more.
The original "Ice Age" was a good, not great, movie and I figured that the sequel would be more of the same.
However, Ray Romano's voice 'talents' appear to consist solely of reprising the same annoying character he portrayed for nine years on "Everybody Loves Raymond" (yes, if you were to close your eyes during scenes where Manny is speaking, you would almost swear that you were listening to a whining middle-aged man trying to combat his pushy, know-it-all wife.
Just go to a electronics store chain and see how often this DVD is played as a "demo" to show off new TV sets.Story-wise, what is a bit different from the first movie - and this was fine with me - was more lines and scenes featuring the two funniest characters: Scat, the squirrel and Sid The Sloth.
He had far more screen time in this movie.Meanwhile, John Leguizamo has almost all the funny lines in the feature story as "Sid." I lost track how many humorous things he said, but he just makes everyone laugh out loud during this film.We also get a lot of adventure in here as the ice is melting in the area the animals live and the have to get out the valley before the dam breaks and they are all swept away in a huge flood.
this time around there isn't much of one, and the story and characters were a major part of what made "Ice Age" work - Sid and Diego are sidelined here in favour of Manfred's worrying about his being the last mammoth on Earth (a feeling the first movie handled far more movingly in the cave drawings scene than in this entire flick), with Diego's fear of water seemingly thrown in when the writers remember they have to do something with him.We won't talk about Sid being the Fire King.
Or most of the songs.The movie also fudges a bit with the thawed-out predators pursuing our heroes on their journey to escape the flood; even though they actually do kill one of the animals they never really emerge as much of a threat (compare them to Sharptooth in "The Land Before Time," with which this shares the basic premise) - and when you think about it, not since "Casper" has a film aimed so much at younger viewers had such an obsession with death, what with one key scene involving a deceased mammoth and the threat of extinction looming over all their heads.
Sid, Manny and especially Diego remain engaging, and the vulture voiced by Will "Gob Bluth" Arnett really deserved more time; John Powell's score is one of his better efforts (although I still prefer David Newman's work on the first film - pity he didn't return); and Scrat has considerably less difficulty stealing the movie than he has in hanging on to his nut (I shamelessly confess to being more gripped by his travails than by the main story).
Ice Age: The Meltdown is the standard sequel, more or less of the same but just not as equally fun.The movie is about how the ice is melting and it will soon create a massive flood, leading to the possible deaths of thousands of animals.
The mammoths just didn't seem like that great of a couple, Sid and Diego was missing that comical spark, Manny didn't have as many good one-liners, and the rest of the animals they run into just weren't as funny (The Dodos from the first one was a hoot).
He's especially funny with Sid. If you enjoy the Ice Age films, I also recommend The Land Before Time adventures.
But in spite of that I thought "Ice Age: The Meltdown" looked really funny and different, and because cartoon films are almost always amusing in some way.
See also Shrek 2 and 3) but it provides enough jokes along the way to cadge a few laughs, and I guess little kids might like the possums and their antics even if the adults tire quickly.Ice Age 1 and 2 are basically road movies, the three animals must get from Point A at the start of the movie to Point B by the credits.
I won't tell you the story but I will say this.It is worth the $6.50 to see it.If you have not seen the first one yet I recommend seeing the first Ice Age to follow along better.Same great story line with the same humor and charisma that some movie sequels lack.
Starting with expectations I didn't really expect the world from this movie, just the same lovable characters (all the characters are back including some great new ones), a whole lot of PG rated jokes and maybe one or two really funny moments, peppered with a few emotional moments that are the staple of such films.And this movie met every one of those expectations and in some cases even exceeded them.Also this is ONE of the rare sequels that are as good if not better than the original and that in itself makes this movie extra special.The animation of this movie is top notch and save for the fact that they make the fire and water too realistic in some scenes it had the perfect feel of a old fashioned cartoon film.The acting is superb and besides the earlier characters this movie introduces 3 great characters namely a scamming armadillo (jay Leno at his best) and two over-smart possums.
I didn't seem to care to much for Ellie the mammoth (queen latifah has become way to monotonous i knew it was her without even seeing the credits).The background score of the film is great and certainly adds to beauty of this film.The jokes are hilarious and extremely well thought of, with a liberal dose of jokes that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and a few select jokes that will seem funnier to adults.
So, the animation is superb in this sequel to 'Ice Age', however it unfortunately falls into the same trap of the first film - having a formulaic story and children's level jokes next to the visual delights.
I will point out now however, if you haven't seen Ice Age 1 then it's a good idea to see that before this one; you will still find this film good and funny, but I think by seeing the first one you will understand the characters a lot easier.
Just in time for the end of the classes, ICE AGE 2: THE MELTDOWN starts out the summer season with such a sizzling meltdown of fun and laughter.In this sequel of the highly successful and enjoyable animated comedy "ICE AGE", Manny the woolly mammoth, Sid the Sloth, and Diego the Saber-tooth Tiger, along with Scrat the Rodent are back, continuing their adventurous life during the Earth's Ice Age. But this time, their little peace is alarmed when they found out that there is a big meltdown that is about to happen and that it may cause a catastrophic flood that can wipe them off the face of the Earth.
The film is directed by Carlos Saldanha whose credits include animated features "Robots" and the first "Ice Age" movie.I was surprised to see the theater packed with kids and families on a Wednesday evening screening.
Yet somehow, Ice Age: The Meltdown forgets about it when its attention is diverted back to the main story, which is unappealing to begin with.Like in Toy Story 2, new characters are introduced to the original pack of Manny, Sid and Diego, but they're one step away from total nut jobs and are generally not very likable characters.
On their way they meet Ellie a large mammoth that offers Manny hope for the future if only she didn't think that she was a possum like her "brothers" Crash and Eddie.Although I thought Ice Age was an OK film I must admit that I assumed any sequel would be one of those "no star voices" affairs that go straight to video sale and wondered why they bothered to follow up such an unremarkable film.
Ice Age the Melt Down is a great animated family film.
The film includes the main 3 characters from the first movie, these being Sid, Manny and Diego, and we get some new great characters who are funny, including Ellie and her 'brother' possums.
This movie lived up to the standard created by the original Ice Age, and kept the humour coming.The old characters, and of course the new ones interacted well and the clips of Scrat chasing his acorn were inserted just at the right times.
Manny is delighted until he realizes that this particular mammoth thinks its a possum.The animation has improved greatly from the original.This is filled with laughs.Wise words from the delightful Sid and slapstick humour from Scrat this is a funny movie.You maybe disappointed if you expect this to live up to sequels such as Shrek 2 or Toy Story 2.Nevertheless i recommend that you see it and form your own opinion.I give this movie 6/10 as i was quite disappointed with too many characters that you don't get to learn enough about to form a complete opinion..
The characters were unfamiliar to me, except for Scrat the squirrel which I have seen for almost half a year now through constant advertising.Scratt was easily the best part of the film, his little chase of the acorns worked quite well and meshed in well with the plot near the end.But the rest of the cast wasn't quite as enjoyable, although I liked Sid and could personally relate to how he never got any respect from his friends and companions.Diego was funny and sarcastic, though I felt he didn't get enough screen time.
Her character wasn't annoying at all, and sometimes I completely forgot it was HER voice.The plot is simple: The ice age is coming to an end and everything is going to melt and the animals need a new place to go or they'll drown. |
tt0387575 | Seed of Chucky | Six years after the events of the previous film, Glen, the kind and benevolent son of Chucky and Tiffany, has a nightmare in which he murders a little girl's parents. In reality, he is living a life of embarrassment and abuse as a ventriloquist's dummy. After being forced to perform and locked inside a cage, Glen sees Chucky and Tiffany on TV and realizes that he is their son.
Desperate to know his parents, Glen tracks Chucky and Tiffany down to Hollywood, where they are first shown killing a man who is dressed as Santa Claus for a movie. He manages to escape his abusive owner, hitch a ride on a truck, and mail himself in a box to California. He wakes up in the prop room of Jennifer Tilly's horror film, including the Chucky and Tiffany dolls. Glen uses a voodoo amulet to bring them back to life. When Chucky (voice of Brad Dourif) finds out that Glen is his child, he faints. However, Tiffany (voice of Jennifer Tilly) is delighted and hugs her child. Chucky and Tiffany argue over whether Glen is a boy or a girl, due to his lack of genitals (though he is evidently a male). Chucky decides to continue labeling him as a boy, while Tiffany labels him as a girl, calling him "Glenda."
When a puppeteer Tony Gardner begins taking Tiffany apart, she and Chucky decapitate him with a piano wire, leaving Glen shocked and horrified. Jennifer Tilly sees the beheaded body and calls the police. Chucky, Tiffany, and Glen ride home with her in a limousine. Glen, having witnessed his mom and dad kill the puppeteer, asks them why they murder others, as he feels that violence is bad. Chucky replies that it helps them to relax, but Tiffany, feeling parental responsibility, agrees and forces Chucky to join her in an attempt to stop killing people for the sake of their son. Chucky only pretends to agree, crossing his fingers behind his back hoping to get Tiffany to shut up.
Jennifer tries to get a role as the Virgin Mary in Redman's directorial debut, but after he tells her that she isn't right for the part, she invites him over to her house. Chucky and Tiffany make plans to transfer their souls into Redman and Jennifer. Jennifer and Redman start to make love, only for Tiffany to knock them out. While they are unconscious, Tiffany inseminates Jennifer with Chucky's semen.
Chucky leaves and takes Glen with him. After driving Britney Spears' car off the road, killing her, they proceed to go to a photographer's darkroom. The photographer, Pete Peters (John Waters), had taken pictures of Tilly kissing Redman, and of Chucky masturbating. When Peters turns around, he notices Chucky is gone. Peters slowly walks around his lab looking for Chucky, who was hiding on a shelf. As Chucky was about to plan his attack, Glen tries to warn Peters that Chucky will kill him, only for Peters to bump into a shelf, causing a jar of acid to fall into his head and accidentally kill himself. Chucky, overjoyed with pride, believes Glen did this on purpose and takes a picture to celebrate, much to Glen's and Tiffany's dismay.
Jennifer awakens the next morning, realizes that she is pregnant and claims that Redman is responsible, though he denies this. Angered, Tiffany kills him. The next day, Jennifer is horrified to find herself with a fully pregnant belly. The voodoo magic that fuels the killer dolls has also accelerated the pregnancy. Jennifer is captured by Chucky. Her chauffeur, Stan, serving as Chucky's replacement body due to Redman's death, is also captured. Jennifer's assistant Joan (Hannah Spearritt) tries to help her, but she is brutally killed by Glenda, Glen's murderous alternate personality, whose soul shares Glen's body. Tiffany discovers this and smacks Glenda to bring back Glen, who is horrified at what has happened.
Jennifer gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl, and it is then that Chucky has an epiphany. After years of being an infamous killer doll, Chucky finally accepts his circumstances. Disturbed, Tiffany rejects Chucky and resolves to take Glen with her. Chucky tries to throw a knife at Tiffany, but Stan jumps in front of it to save her, causing him to be stabbed in his chest, and he tells Jennifer that he loves her before he dies. The police arrive, forcing the dolls to flee. Jennifer is rushed to the hospital but claims she wants to see her babies. Tiffany drugs Jennifer and begins to possess her, but Chucky breaks in and kills Tiffany with an ax. Before Tiffany dies, she tells Glen to not make the same mistakes his mom and dad have made. Glen, devastated by his mother's death, finally snaps and challenges Chucky to a fight. Jennifer throws Chucky's axe to Glen, and Glen impales Chucky in his chest. Chucky assumes it's Glenda again, but Glen reveals that it's actually him, finally able to kill in revenge for his mother's death. As he says this, he brings the axe down, dismembering Chucky limb by limb, calling him "Daddy" and asking if he's proud of him, finally. Chucky actually is, and he congratulates Glen right before the final, fatal blow. Realizing what he has done, Glen suffers an emotional breakdown, and Jennifer comforts him.
Five years later, at Glen and Glenda's birthday party, a nanny quits her job because Jennifer's daughter Glenda scares her. Jennifer lets the nanny quit, only to kill her when she turns away. Jennifer's eyes glow green, revealing that Tiffany was successful in possessing Jennifer's body. Glen has one more birthday present to open, an anonymous gift. When he opens it, Chucky's severed arm springs up to grab him, Chucky's maniacal laugh is heard as the screen goes black. | violence, comedy, gothic, murder, adult comedy | train | wikipedia | He not only makes the fifth take on Chucky feel fresh- a major accomplishment in itself for any series that has gone on this long- but shows a flair for satirizing movie clichés (a certain object flies upwards towards the camera at one point and it's a gas considering how overused that shot has been in action movies of recent years)and has a strong visual sense- check out the floor of Jennifer Tilly's foyer for an unexpected laugh.
It isn't married to tired in jokes- save for one great one for B-Movie fans- the name of Chucky and Tiffany's child- which I will leave you to discover for yourself.
'SEED OF CHUCKY' is perverse, absurd, disgusting and fun as all hell.Anyone who goes to see a CHUCKY movie expecting a horror film is not living in reality.
Go to see this in the proper frame of mind and you won't likely be disappointed.---My only serious criticism would be that this whole movie stars spoofing themselves (John Malkovich, Neal Patrick Harris, etc., and now Jennifer Tilly and Redman) has been played out.
The ending will surprise even the loyal followers of Child's Play saga.The director has the opportunity of create the most delirious story of Chucky to these days, and he also pay homage to some of his favorite films.
I haven't seen a Chucky film since the first one, but with Jennifer Tilly "playing herself" and with John Waters in the cast, I figured I'd give this a chance, and I'm glad I did.
While Chucky (Brad Dourif) and his wife Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) and their child Glen/Glenda (Billy Boyd) are entertaining, the film is really a vehicle for Jennifer Tilly, playing "herself", in other words, an exaggerated version of her public persona.
Definitely better than Child's Play 3, but I liked it less then the original, part 2, and "Bride of Chucky" My Grade: C Eye Candy: Stephanie Chambers gets topless; we also see Tiffany's doll parts.
It has nothing to do with Child play, yes there is a doll name Chucky, but has not same to is as the previous.It is not an horror movie, is just so ridiculous, but not ridiculous as in funny.
Just a plain dumb movie, not worth watching.I was almost stopping the movie at 36 minutes in, but watching the movie finish does not made it better.I see my self of fan of the Chucky series, but I do not like this fifth movie in the series.You could easily skip this movie, go re watch one of the previous instead, even the four which also movie a bit way from the horror genre to comedy genre work much better than this one..
He accidentally resurrects them, and they try to transfer their souls to the body of Jennifer Tilly and Redman."Seed of Chucky" is a funny and very gore black humor comedy.
Chucky the killer doll (voiced by Brad Dourif) and his wife Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) are back from the dead thanks to their pacifist son Glen (voiced by Billy Boyd).
For the fifth film in the franchise, they head to Hollywood when they learn that a movie is being made about them, and of course, Chucky and Tiff go on a Hollywood style murder spree, which forces their son to try to stop them.What was once a promising franchise is now kind of a joke to watch.
Even the death scenes are a bit disappointing.Second, Seed of Chucky is actually more of a comedy than a horror film.
Ronny Yu's Bride Of Chucky, while very gory, simply was not a horror film at all - an entertaining black comedy that was ridiculously over-the-top, yes, but not a horror.Now, fifth time around, series creator Don Mancini steps behind the camera, cranks the bad taste all the way up to eleven and delivers the most intelligent dumb film you've ever seen.
He rips out all the stop signs with such carefree abandon and directs with such hedonistic pleasure that you can't help pity other directors who take their own material far too seriously.The child born at the end of Bride Of Chucky (voiced by Billy Boyd) has been picked up by a gruff English new age traveller and made to act in a fake-ventriloquist circus show, thanks to his bizarre doll-like appearance.
He knows he's not normal, suffers terrible nightmares of killing and slaughter and is eager to find his real parents.In Hollywood, a new movie called Chucky Goes Psycho, starring Jennifer Tilly, based on the Chucky urban legend is in production and when the young orphan sees a behind-the-scenes clip of what can only be his real mum and dad on TV, he escapes to Tinseltown to find out why they abandoned him.
Obviously Tiffany is partial to Jennifer Tilly's body and Chucky aims to switch places with rapper/actor/director Redman who is planning a new Jesus Christ movie.
Bloodthirsty dolls Chucky and Tiffany meet their offspring, a freakish, sexless goon, and each take turns making life hell for actress Jennifer Tilly (sending up herself, but not looking very happy about it).
Well, I just recently saw the Seed of Chucky, I've come a long way with these films and may I say what a pleasure it was that this movie sequels at least ended with a good bang.
The plot is a bit much to explain.I just loved how despite the fact that Tiffany, Chucky, and Glen/Glenda were dolls, they actually had real family problems like any other family would.
I enjoyed Seed Of Chucky because it was a lot more entertaining than "Bride Of Chucky" with Tiffany and Chucky knowing that they are parents, Jennifer Tilly being admired by Tiffany and of course, having an offspring in the family named: "Glenda".
And soon, Tiffany knocked Jennifer out and tried to transfer her soul into her body and suddenly, Chucky appears kills Tiff with an Axe. After that, there was an entertaining action scene with Glenda fighting his father with ninja style and it was ended with Glenda hacking up Chucky with an Axe.A few years later at Glen's birthday party, Jennifer Tilly's housekeeper Fulvia ( Rebecca Snatos) was complaining about the Tiffany doll looking at her because, she found her so intimidating and suddenly, Jennifer bashes Fulvia with the doll , laughs, and her brown eyes change to blue.
You can't say I don't enjoy horror comedies or Chucky movies,hell Bride of Chucky was hilarious in my opinion.Seed is a failure,an absolute failure of a movie.Don Mancini the man who created Chucky and wrote his scripts for 17 years,who ingrained one of the most beloved horror icons into pop culture wrote and directed an absolute mess of a movie.Frankly I think Seed would have worked much much better if this whole Jennifer Tilly plot was dropped.Wes Craven created an inspired idea with his New Nightmare,the problem is it never has really died.I've even heard rumors of a Halloween following this Movie within a Movie set up being planned.The reason Bride of Chucky was so well is because it was original.The Tiffany character added a lot to the Chucky series creating one of the most funny Horror/Comedy hybrids ever.The Tiffany character was over-the-top which was why she worked so well.I never thought I'd say it but this is the precise reason Seed of Chucky fails,Tiffany overshadows Chucky the true star.Chucky''s son/daughter Glen or Glenda doesn't add anything at all,the whole gentle doll thing fails.The movie has some redeeming qualities but they are two far between.I laughed hard when Chucky has some father/son time with Glen/Glenda,and of course Chucky and Tiffany watching the Martha Stuart trail.I know Don Mancini can make a great horror comedy but this plot just didn't show his potential.I look forward to Child's Play 6 which should have the Tiffany character eliminated..
I loved this other part from the Chucky series and this time he has a son and/or daughter in the family plus it was directed by Don Mancini,the writer of the Chucky series did the movie,wow.He did a good job on this fantastic sequel he did with Brad Dourif and Jennifer Tilly on the other part of this.And the son/daughter voice Billy Boyd,the guy from the Lord of the Rings Trilegy.All thanks to his voice on part three on the Lord of the the Rings because of his singing he was in Seed of Chucky because it sounded like a childs' voice.He and the rest of the gang was great in this movie,and the rapper singer in this movie was Redman,I know some of his music and he is now in this horrormovie.And two other wonderful actors John Waters and Hannah Spearrit,great parts in this movie.And I sure you 100% that this movie was fabulous just like part 4 on the Chucky series.Keep on making more Chucky movies so there can be two Trilegy of the Chucky Collector movies..
Seed of Chucky is a parody of its self, this series, depending on your outlook of the original has either degraded, or in my opinion improved to a satirical look at excess and self mockery.It is over the top and lots of fun,gore without scares.In a nut shell: Glen/Glenda discovers his parents are Chucky and Tiffeny, he goes to Hollywood to be with his family.Brings them back to life on the set of the new Chucky movie staring Jennifer Tilly, and from there things get funnier.Good effects,Jennifer is a blast and very self mocking,and Chucky denounces his desire to be human.
When he sees a film is being made about his killer doll parents, he decides to pursue them.When Glen gets to the movie set, he uses the famous voodoo chant to turn a replica Chucky and Tiffany doll to life.
Now, the 3 dolls go on a killing spree.Tiffany wants to transfer her soul into Jennifer Tilly's body (who plays herself and also provides the voice of Tiffany, and coincidentally provided the voice of Tiffany in the movie-within-the-movie about Chucky and Tiffany); Chucky wants to transfer his soul into Rapper Redman (playing himself also); and Tiffany plans on getting Jennifer Tilly pregnant with Redman's child, and upon accomplishing this, Glen will have somewhere to transfer his soul.Without giving too much away, the film has some funny moments, including Chucky and Tiffany's argument about how they shouldn't kill so much around their child, Tiffany's "Rome wasn't built in one day" phone conversation, Tiffany calling Jennifer Tilly fat (who plays her) and a downright hilarious Britney Spears scene.This film is great for what it tries to accomplish.
"Seed of Chucky" isn't the strongest of the movies in the "Child's Play" franchise.
But there is no doubt about the fact that it was Brad Dourif and Jennifer Tilly who carried the movie all the way.Director Don Mancini had cut down on killings in "Seed of Chucky" compared to the previous movies, and instead putting most of the focus on the dysfunctional relationship between Chucky, Tiffany and their odd son Glenn.While it is still an entertaining movie, it was just lacking the elements of the early years in the franchise, and you can say that "Seed of Chucky" sort of is a light variant of the "Child's Play" movies.
I watched it again and now I find it a decent sequel to the series but out of all 5 films, this would have to be my least fav, but never the less, it could have been more worse.Chucky and Tiffany are put onto a TV show and then their son/daughter, Glen/Glenda finds them and uses an emblem to set them back to their evil ways.
Glen/Glenda just wants to be a family but his/her parents seem to be out of control.That is the part I loved about the film the most: the family issues, a son/daughter just wants to be a family and Chucky just continuous his homicidal rampage and Tiffany tries her best.
The film was successful at the box office, leading to Seed of Chucky six years later.Glen, the child of possessed dolls Tiffany & Chucky, heads to Los Angeles where he resurrects his parents.
At the same time, Tiffany decides to give up serial killing for the sake of Glen's future, something that doesn't sit well with Chucky.Seed of Chucky is perhaps one of the better Child's Play films out there, mainly for director Don Mancini's expert writing skills (he wrote all the films in the series).
So the three set a plan to take over the body of a b-grade star Jennifer Tilly and director Redman, but Tiffany wants to give up on violence and hopes Glen/Glenda and Chucky will join her.
This outing Chucky feels like a lesser figure with most of the attention on Tilly and their child Glen/Glenda who's voiced by Billy Boyd.
The film is not great, but it's far from awful.'Seed of Chucky' seems like it wants to make joke out of everything with a lot of things totally missing the point and the film after awhile just lost its way for me.
But, if you like a fun movie with some gore thrown in, then this is for you.Chucky and Tiff's child, Glen/Glenda, finds his parents in Hollywood.
Demented." Writer-director Don Mancini, creator of the original "Child's Play," fills the screen with stylized carnage as an abandoned doll named Glen, working as a ventriloquist's dummy, makes tracks to find his real parents, who just happen to be Chucky and Tiffany.
Now, even though I am only 14 years old I have seen all of the Child's Play movies and I think this one is great even though I'm more of a fan of the old filming.
I don't really know what they were going for here, except perhaps more of the same stuff from other Chucky films, so there are a lot of references to other horror films/cult films ("Glen or Glenda", "Rebel without a Cause") but this only goes so far.The whole thing with having actors play themselves is somewhat interesting, but if you're going to make Redman a film director and call him "Redman" even though Redman is not a film director but a rapper, I don't see the point.In fact, in general, I really don't see the point.
It seems that since that movie, the Chucky series is aiming more towards the dark comedy side of things, much like such films as Re-Animator or Return of the Living Dead.
Six years after Tiffany (voiced by Jennifer Tilly) gave birth to a baby doll at the end of "Bride of Chucky", the offspring who was taken by a ventriloquist (Keith-Lee Castle) whom the offspring would later be called Glen/Glenda (voiced by Billy Boyd) who is basically transgendered when it has two souls of different sexes in him/her, as he/she discovers where his real parents are especially Chucky (voiced by Brad Douriff) are in Hollywood on the set for a horror movie called "Chucky goes Psycho" where Jennifer Tilly plays herself besides voicing Tiffany.
Tiffany comes up with a plan to impregnate Jennifer Tilly with Chucky's semen so that she can give birth to a baby, so that way Tiffany can transfer her soul into Jennifer as Glen/Glenda can transfer his/her soul into the baby and Chucky can find a human male host for the soul to be in.Co-starring Redman with cameo by John Waters, this 5th installment of the franchise which is written and directed by Don Mancini is terrible but not as god-awful as the 6th and 7th movies.
but at least it's an ambitious and wickedly creative mess.Some time after the events of the last film, the living-doll child (voiced by Billy Boyd) of Chucky (voiced by Brad Dourif) and Tiffany (voiced by Jennifer Tilly) has been kidnapped by a "punk ventriloquist" who exploits him for fame.
After seeing the inanimate bodies of his parents on the news, being used as props for the production of a horror film based on the "urban legend" of Chucky the killer doll, the child escapes and makes his way to Hollywood.
Jokes start to seem forced around the time Chucky murders a Britney Spears look-alike (that's not spoiling anything, don't worry) and a paparazzi photographer played by the delightful John Waters begins making non-stop wisecracks while stalking the Tilly residence.
and Jennifer Tilly cant act, she looks like hysteric woman (she is screaming during the whole film).but there are some good situations - when Chucky kill somebody (interesting murders and sometimes very funny)glen will "water" his trousers.i am praying to producers wont make another Child Play like this.
The son (voice of Billy Boyd) of Chucky (voice of Brad Dourif) and Tiffany (voice of Jennifer Tilly) is (somehow) playing a dummy in England.
Director and writer Don Mancini wrote all the other "Child's Play" movies--his last ("Bride of Chucky") was GREAT but he drops the ball on this one.
The special effects that have the dolls moving and talking are incredible; Billy Boyd is actually hilarious with just his voice; Tilly (wisely) doesn't take her role too seriously; Dourif is great (as always) playing Chucky; there are a few very funny in jokes for horror film fans and Steve Lawton is really hot in his small role.
Jennifer Tilly returns again as the voice of Tiffany doll but she's also playing herself this time, which is pretty fun.
The direction was also poor, Ronny yu did a better job with bride of Chucky (a movie i really enjoyed,if not for the voice of Brad Dourif, very exciting good music and Jennifer Tilly was good in that.) I also really liked the child's play movies (all of them), especially the third.
Third: how ridiculous was it to have Jennifer Tilly play herself and be the voice of Chucky's bride.Finally: What the heck was Redman doing in the movie?
She's starring in a film production about Chucky and Tiffany, the two animatronic dolls are going on a rampage in the movie. |
tt0219519 | Auggie Rose | Life insurance salesman John Nolan (Jeff Goldblum) goes to the liquor store where he witnesses the fatal shooting of Auggie Rose (Kim Coates), an ex-convict on his second day as a stock boy. Auggie was returning from the back of the store with a bottle of wine John had requested – since the only bottle out front had a torn label – and he surprised the robber, who shot him in the stomach. John tries to comfort him, riding with him in the ambulance, but Auggie dies at the hospital.
Feeling responsible, and offended that the police show little interest in investigating and finding Auggie's next of kin, John finds out everything he can about Auggie, who was just released from prison after serving 20 years for armed robbery. Decker, the LAPD officer investigating the case (Richard T. Jones), warns him to back off. However, John becomes more and more engrossed with Auggie and disconnected from his own life, causing strain with his live-in girlfriend, Carol (Nancy Travis). After finding a stack of letters, he discovers that Auggie had a Southern pen pal named Lucy (Anne Heche) who is coming to meet him for the first time, unaware of Auggie's death, and is due to arrive the next day.
John tells his secretary, Noreen (Paige Moss), that he is taking a leave of absence. When John goes to meet Lucy, she greets him as Auggie, and he decides to pretend to be him. He lives in his apartment and starts a relationship with Lucy, and even applies for jobs as Auggie, getting a job as a stock boy at a small market. He meets ex-con Roy Mason (Timothy Olyphant), who knew Auggie through his cellmate but had never met him. Roy asks John to help him rob the L.A. Transit Authority, which he says has $200,000 in cash daily and only two guards. John says he will consider it.
John trades in his Volvo for a motorcycle to complete his look. He happily spends his days at the market and nights with Lucy. Unbeknownst to him, however, both Roy and Decker are suspicious and tailing him. Roy retrieves John's business card from his Volvo at the dealership. Roy goes to John's office and sees a photo of him on the wall. He confronts John in the lobby of Auggie's apartment, and says he began spying on him when he didn't eagerly accept the transit heist, and that he had asked around and learned Auggie was dead. He accuses John of killing him to take his identity, which John denies, and Roy says he thinks John must be working some kind of life insurance scam. Roy threatens to tell Lucy and John punches him. Roy says he even knows about Carol before he leaves. John later gives Roy a forged insurance policy in Auggie's name worth $100,000 with a blank beneficiary, and tells him to take it and go away.
John continues to have dreams and flashbacks to the shooting, including dreams in which he is in Auggie's place and gets shot after coming out with the bottle of wine. Lucy confesses to John that she got married to someone she didn't love after she started writing Auggie, but that the marriage had been annulled after four months after her husband found all of the letters to Auggie. She says she felt she had to tell him because he was so much more than she thought he would be. John decides to tell Lucy the truth. Devastated, she leaves.
John decides to officially end his life as John Nolan, selling his half of the business to his partner, Carl (Casey Biggs). As he leaves the office, he runs into his partner with a couple, whom he recognizes from the market. They ask his advice about the plan Carl recommended, and John tells the husband, "I think you should go home and make love to your wife and pray that nothing bad happens, and ask yourself each day, 'if it were to end right here right now, would it be enough?'" John even has a headstone put up for himself with the inscription "Free at last." He informs Decker about Roy's plan to rob the Transit Authority, and Roy is arrested for violating his parole while trying to cash the life insurance policy.
John goes back to work at the market. He is sent to the back to retrieve a bottle of wine and pauses, coming out cautiously. Instead of a gunman, he sees Lucy, who greets him with, "Hi, Auggie." | neo noir, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0035360 | Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake | The story is set during the reign of King George III, in Bristol, England, where young Benjamin Blake (Roddy McDowall), son of the deceased Baronet of Breetholm is taken from his commoner grandfather, gunsmith Amos Kidder (Harry Davenport), and forced to serve his vengeful uncle, Sir Arthur Blake (George Sanders). Arthur inherited the title and land from his brother Godfrey, and fears that Ben may not have been born out of wedlock and might claim his inheritance. He compels the boy to become his ward and bonded servant, giving Arthur life-and-death power over the lad. Ben runs away to his grandfather, but rather than force the old man to live a life on the run, returns to Breetholm, vowing to endure whatever he must in order to one day prove himself a "true Blake" and recover his birthright.
Ben, now a young man (Tyrone Power), has fallen in love with Isabel (Frances Farmer), his cousin and Arthur's haughty and scheming daughter. Arthur discovers the relationship and thrashes Benjamin with his fists, knowing that he dare not resist. Ben confronts Arthur that night, but is threatened with jail for breaking into his room to assault him, a hanging offense. Ben flees arrest but his grandfather is imprisoned for helping Ben escape. Ben stows away on a ship bound for the South Seas, where he can make his fortune, prove his claim, and release his grandfather from prison. Ben is forced to join the ship's crew, but joins shipmate Caleb Green (John Carradine) in jumping ship at a Polynesian island. There he wins the trust of the native islanders, finds fortune (pearls), and takes a new love, a native girl he calls "Eve" (Gene Tierney). When a Dutch ship happens by, allowing them to fulfill their ambitions, Caleb discovers that the idyllic life in the islands is worth more than the pearls they have amassed, but Ben remains true to his vow and his imprisoned grandfather.
With their combined treasure, he returns to England under an assumed name to prove his birthright with the help of noted "man of influence," Bartholomew Pratt (Dudley Digges). Ben is betrayed after he goes to Breetholm to see Isabel, and is convicted by jury for the earlier offenses. Just as his death sentence is about to be pronounced, he is saved by Pratt, who proves that no crime was committed by showing that Ben's father and mother were married aboard a ship to India, and that "Sir Benjamin Blake" was in law the rightful baronet at the time. Ben discovers that it was Isabel who betrayed him and also repays the beating he received from Arthur. He emancipates the bonded tenants of Breetholm and divides the estate among them, deeding the manor house to his grandfather. Ben then returns to the Polynesian island to live out his life with Eve. | revenge, sadist | train | wikipedia | Those who claim Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift were the screen's all-time most beautiful couple apparently have never seen Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney.
George Sanders (looking amazingly like John Wayne in the early scenes) has one of his most brutally villainous roles and he plays it without flinching, this is no character you love to hate, he's one scary SOB.
This major 1942 film is also notable for giving breaks to two actresses who had been brushed off by many in Hollywood, the troubled Frances Farmer who plays Sanders' daughter (and Power's first love) and early talkie star Kay Johnson, making a very rare appearance, as Sander's wife.
Piper Laurie said of Tyrone Power, "Tyrone Power was Saturday afternoon at the movies." "Son of Fury" surely must have been one of those films that young people flocked to see on a Saturday afternoon - an island adventure starring one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.Power costars with a great cast that includes George Sanders, Frances Farmer, Gene Tierney, Roddy McDowell, and Elsa Lanchester.
He and Power would fight on screen again in "Solomon and Sheba." Power collapsed while he and Sanders rehearsed a sword fight and died very shortly afterward.Son of Fury, of course, is the type of film at which Power excelled, and there would be many more period pieces to come before his contract, interrupted by the war, finally expired.
Georgian Cad. Done a year before Tyrone Power went to war in those lovely South Sea Islands depicted here, Son of Fury is the film adaption of a best selling novel of that period, Benjamin Blake.
He puts him to work in the stable.As McDowall grows up to be Tyrone Power, he gets a thing for Sanders's daughter Frances Farmer and she him.
In fact Son of Fury is distinguished because of Power's involvement with two of the great screen beauties, Gene Tierney and Frances Farmer.
Tyrone Power's break out film was Lloyd's of London, also set in Georgian England and also having George Sanders playing a Georgian cad.
Perhaps because of the charm of past times, as a rule the characters are very nice guys, even the villains, like in "Son of Fury": who is really able to detest George Sanders?
The four leads- Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, Frances Farmer, and George Sanders are perfect in thir roles.
SON OF FURY is a truly enjoyable if somewhat underrated adventure.Dashing Tyrone Power stars as Benjamin Blake who for many years vows to avenge himself against his cruel and tyrannical uncle(brilliantly portrayed by George Sanders).And so Benjamin sets forth on an adventure to the south seas to find his fortune.He is accompanied by Caleb Green(John Carradine).Together they find more than they expect in a remote pacific island when Ben falls head over heals for a local native girl which he calls Eve(played by the extaordinaraly beautiful Gene Tierney).
This film also features the late Frances Farmer before her tragic ordeals began and also Elsa Lanchester who aids Power and Harry Davenport as Ben's kind hearted grandfather.A great saturday afternoon movie with all the right elements of a classic adventure.
Some may remember Kenneth Anger taking this lush film's title and gender-bending it a bit to give his Frances Farmer chapter in "Hollywood Babylon" its tabloid tone, but this is truly a great movie (outside of the fact that it features not one, but two Tinseltown beauties who, in Anger's salacious words "drank at the well of madness") ...
Farmer, after a string of uneven pictures, is relegated to a supporting role here, but actually fares better than leading lady Gene Tierney because 1) her role is far more complex and 2) her on-screen chemistry with star Tyrone Power is much more palpable.
To see Farmer surrounded not only by the likes of such A-list talent as Power and Tierney, but a stellar George Sanders and very young Roddy McDowell is to get a glimpse of what might have been.
Well, all this DOESN'T go exactly as planned and Power meets a beautiful native girl played pretty convincingly by Gene Tierney.
...George Sanders would still have style (Ray Davis,"Celluloid heroes") Treacherous,diabolical,suave,cynical,sadistic ,but with a lot of class ,a touch of aristocracy ,an infinite refinement and a zest of noblesse oblige,Sanders was the villain of that era ;To see him play opposite dashing Tyrone Power is once more cause for celebration.Add Gene Tierney and it is a dream come true;too bad the actress's appearance does not exceed 20 min,but Power has nevertheless plenty of time to teach this Tahitian girl some elements of Shakespeare's language.Power portrays the proud hero ,whose wicked uncle takes to his home (the young man's home in fact)to make him a stable lad.This lord has stolen everything from his late brother but the nephew is not prepared to accept it.He is abetted by his grand pa and a crude girl with a golden heart.Very entertaining and the scenes where Power and Sanders play together are just a joy.Hasn't the ending got something from Rousseau or Thoreau?.
And he's at his darkest in the early scenes of SON OF FURY, where poor RODDY McDOWALL must do work as a stable boy for his cruel and mean spirited uncle.Later, when McDowall grows up to be TYRONE POWER (now that does strain credibility a bit), he finds romance on a desert isle with GENE TIERNEY and he seems to have found paradise.
That alone stretches credibility again, but the plot is the thing.We follow Power back to London again to be reunited with his lady love (a beautiful FRANCES FARMER) and resolve his problematic relationship with sneering Sanders.It's the kind of costume epic made for someone like TYRONE POWER, the sort of tale that played on the fantasies of young men who wanted to do the sort of adventurous wandering that he does, especially if someone like Gene Tierney was still waiting for his return.It's absorbing all the way, full of dark menace whenever he has to confront GEORGE SANDERS, in one of his best jobs as a sarcastic villain.
Gene Tierney makes one of her first and best appearances of a sort she could never repeat, Tyrone Power is here still on top, and George Sanders makes a typically unsympathetic bully with bravura.
It's the story of Benjamin Blake (played as a child by Roddy McDowell and later by Tyrone Power) who after being orphaned at an early age, is cheated out of his title and inheritance by Sir Arthur Blake (George Sanders), his sadistic uncle who keeps him as a bonded servant.Ben escapes and stows away to a remote island in the South Pacific at a time when travel was a lot more difficult than dropping into Harvey World Travel or hitting the Trivago App on your iPhone.
This was her last movie before her life fell apart.The second is Eve, the native girl Ben meets on the island played by Gene Tierney.
Not just darkly handsome, you felt there was depth to his characters, and he could wear a Regency top hat and coattails as though he was born to the era.For anyone who loves movies of the golden age, the fact that the film stars George Sanders is reason enough to see it.
The film features brilliant characterisations right down the cast list, and Alfred Newman contributed a vibrant score drenched in salt air and the aroma of the South Seas.You don't have to be a film buff to enjoy "Son of Fury", but it adds to the enjoyment if you know something of the stars and the filmmakers.
Nasty uncle's daughter (Farmer) secretly loves Blake, who ends up shipping out and eventually lands on a Pacific island full of friendly natives.
Great character actors support Power and Sanders, including John Carradine as a fellow ocean voyager, Harry Davenport at Ben's grandfather and Dudley Digges as Ben's quirky barrister.
Son of Fury is a fun movie featuring George Sanders, Frances Farmer, Gene Tierney and Tyrone Power.
(I think censors believed they were evil.) Supposedly Power was having affairs with both Farmer and Tierney during the making of the film which must have kept him busy.Otherwise, a slight but interesting historical/romance with a disinherited hero (Power), his evil relative (Sanders), and final revenge..
'Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake' sounded like my kind of film.
It is inviting enough to see especially Gene Tierney, George Sanders and Elsa Lanchester in any film, to see them in the same film along with Tyrone Power, Frances Farmer and Harry Davenport is enough to get anybody excited.
'Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake' turned out to be a very well done and entertaining film.
This is a shame because 'Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake' does deserve to be better known and more widely available, and some of the cast actually give some of their most interesting and best work here (especially Tyrone Power and George Sanders), with such talent on board that is reason enough to see it.Didn't find an awful lot wrong actually.
The story is a slight one and can be predictable in places.Also thought that Tierney's character was underused and underdeveloped.However, 'Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake' is a gorgeously photographed film and while the locations may not be exactly authentic they are still handsome.
Regardless of whether Tierney is believable as an island girl (personally don't think she is, somewhat too glamorous), she still charms and is entrancingly beautiful, making the most of too little screen time.Farmer makes just as much of an impression with more to do and with the more interesting role, and really gives it her all to both icy and poignant effect without being cold.
In the movie, Roddy McDowell plays Ben as a boy while Tyron Power plays him after he grows into manhood.
His information proves to be correct, and they soon harvest a fortune in pearls to free themselves from their past stations.However, while on the island, Ben meets and falls in love with one of the island natives, whom he calls 'Eve' (Gene Tierney).
SON OF FURY, The Story of Benjamin Blake (20th Century-Fox, 1942), directed by John Cromwell, based on the novel "Benjamin Blake" by Edison Marshall, stars Tyrone Power in one of his finer adventure movie roles of his career.
The one with the least amount of time and most poignant of all comes from Elsa Lanchester, coming off best as the kindly barmaid who "was born in jail." Frances Farmer, in her last screen performance before personal tragedy took its toll, is exceptionally good as Power's initial love interest, though it seems rather odd for his Benjamin Blake to have a romantic interludes with his own cousin!
The scene where she's taught English from Benjamin is almost reminiscent to a Tarzan movie, only in reverse.Of the supporting male players, the bearded Carradine in striped shirt could very well be a character right out of "Treasure Island," but there's no question about the scene stealing George Sanders.
And George Sanders does a great job as well, and in 1947, to once again perform with Gene Tierney in one of my favorite movie classics "The Ghost And Mrs. Muir".I'll have to say this movie looked like it was quickly made to get to the theaters!
it is worth watching for the sheer fact that to have a film with both Gene Tierney and Frances Farmer in is pretty damn unusual!
He vows to return to a waiting Frances Farmer (Isabel) and to settle his own score with Sanders.The four main actors/actresses in this film had tragic outcomes in their lives and this is interesting in itself - the two main female leads spent time in mental institutions.
Turning to the male cast, it is George Sanders that excels as the villain of the piece and John Carradine (Caleb) plays a likable buddy for Tyrone on the island.
Farmer looks quite lovely in the picture and is probably her best remembered role.Ty Power is in his element as the young Benjamin Blake in the early part of the nineteenth century seeking restitution after being cheated out of his proper inheritance by his roguish uncle (Saunders).
After some time he meets and falls in love with a beautiful Polynesian girl (Gene Tierney).
He hires a lawyer (Dudley Diggs) who clears his name (in an excellent courtroom scene) and restores his rightful inheritance much to the chagrin of his uncle resulting in a well staged fist fight between Power and Saunders (an interesting analogy - some 15 years later in a fight scene with the same two actors while filming "Solomon & Sheba" (1959)- Tyrone Power would die on set from a massive heart attack.
He was only 44 years old!) SON OF FURY ends with him returning to the island and taking up where he left off with the native girl.This is my only complaint about the movie - the casting of Gene Tierney as a Polynesian native girl!
A charmingly innocent historical adventure, with a great cast of character actors (as well as Tyrone Power).
During the reign of George III, Benjamin Blake (Tyrone Power) is thought to have been born on the wrong side of the blanket, leaving his father's rich, titled inheritance to Ben's wicked uncle, Sir Arthur Blake (George Sanders), now baronet and the master of Breetholm Manor.
There are many other memorable characters...Elsa Lancaster as a prostitute with a heart of gold, another cliché but Lancaster turns the woman into someone we hope has a future...Dudley Diggs, so ripe and forgotten now, as the lawyer Bartholomew Pratt and Benjamin's deus ex machina...Frances Farmer, beautiful and calculating, who lets us know when she's aroused by breathing through her mouth...Harry Davenport as Ben's aged grandfather, kindness itself...and Roddy McDowell as young Ben. He was one of the best of Hollywood's child actors and is completely believable here.
Benjamin grows up to be a handsome young man, and now, as played by Tyrone Power (riding high on the success of 1940's "The Mark of Zorro"), after several violent turns with his uncle, flees to Polynesia to make his fortune.
Entering into a pearl-diving endeavor with fellow sailor Caleb Green (an untypically likable John Carradine), he makes his pile, falls in love with a beautiful native girl who he dubs Eve (Gene Tierney, in her seventh film), and returns to Bristol to claim what is his.
But many surprises await him on his return...."Son of Fury" is a marvelous adventure film, given the A-list treatment by 20th Century Fox. It features handsome production values, rugged direction by John Cromwell (father of modern-day actor James), and a beautiful score by Alfred Newman.
Young Ben Blake (later played by Tyrone Power) lives with his grandfather until his uncle George Sanders wants him, but only because Ty is the rightful heir to George's brother's and Ty's father's estate.
If you want to see an old-fashioned film with an epic feel to it and a lot of fun, then discover "Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake.".
The tale of a man who starts poor, goes away to a South Pacific Island in order to seek rare pearls (for wealth), plotting his return to London to claim the estate and title that he's been cruelly denied and is rightfully his, to do so, using money to fight, to exact his revenge, but in the end give it all up to return to the Island and the heart-melting Eve (Gene Tierney) (for love) is beautifully told and tremendously touching.The great strength of this movie is its sharp observations about the great fraud of the class system, human rights, and what's really important in life.
Yes the film Son of Fury --story of Benjamin Drake has always been one of my favourite films since I first saw it at age 14 in 1942I always liked adventure films where our hero starts off as a young lad, grows up under adverse conditions, has romances,runs away from a tyrannical uncle, Finds romance & wealth on a tropical Island paradise, goes home, vanquishes the uncle & returns to the tropic island & his lady love.That is basically the story line of this movie, John Cromwell directed this from the screenplay by Philip Dunne (both have extensive famous credits to there names.) This was adapted form the novel Benjamin Blake by famous(at that time) novelist Edison Marshall..Darryl F Zanuck produced this film himself (he ran & owned the studio 20 th.
Roddy McDowell (billed as Master Roddy McDowell) played him as a 12 year old.The beautiful Gene Tierney (one film away from her STARRING roles) was the island girl he falls in love with.
The ill-fated Frances Farmer (in her last major role) is the uncles spoiled daughter.John Carradine (he was making films for about 8 yrs already) plays sailor who befriends our hero.
The full blooded, lusty historical adventure "Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake" was the last of six films that John Carradine teamed with good friend and sailing buddy Tyrone Power.
The story opens some years earlier, with 'Master Roddy McDowall' playing the young orphaned Ben, quietly living with gunsmith Amos Kidder (Harry Davenport), his maternal grandfather, until the unwelcome arrival of his uncle, Sir Arthur Blake (George Sanders), who has carefully tracked down his nephew because Ben is the rightful heir to the estate of Breetholm Manor, following the death of his father, Arthur's brother Sir Godfrey.
I enjoyed this film a lot -- Tyrone Power is absolutely in top form in the role of the title character, Benjamin Blake, a man robbed of his inheritance and accused of being a bastard by his father's brother, the villainous Sir Arthur Blake as performed in high style by George Sanders.
Gene Tierney is the real love interest in the film, somewhat ridiculously cast as a native island beauty.
An entertaining tale of Tyrone Power, cheated out of his birthright by the villainous George Sanders. |
tt0419843 | In the Land of Women | Carter Webb (Adam Brody) is a young, soft-core writer living in Los Angeles whose young, starlet girlfriend Sofia (Elena Anaya) breaks up with him. Carter pleads with her to stay, but she leaves.
When Carter goes to his mother's home in order to reclaim an item, he sees his mother crying in the living room. She explains that her mentally unstable mother, Phyllis (Olympia Dukakis), claims that she is dying – though her doctor cannot find anything fatal. Carter's mother tells him that she will be leaving for Michigan to take care of Phyllis. Carter offers to take his mother's place as caregiver for his grandmother, explaining that he wanted to get out of the life he was currently living and write a biographical story he has been working on for the past eleven years. Though his mother objects to this decision, he ignores her and flies to Michigan.
Outside, Carter finally arrives. He knocks on the door with a cheerful remark, and Phyllis, obviously forgetting her own grandson, slams the door on him. After a quick negotiation, she lets him inside. Phyllis reveals that she has been starving herself the past three weeks, and Carter sees that all of the food in her home has gone stale. After a few brief phone calls with his mother and his boss, Carter begins to clean up his grandmother's home.
When Carter takes out the trash, Lucy, who is smoking on her roof, watches him. He drops the trash, and Lucy begins to snicker; hearing her laughter, Carter turns toward her, and she hides in the shadow of the roof. Sarah hears the noise and comes outside with her dog, Bozo, and warmly introduces herself to Carter. They have a brief talk before Lucy's friends arrive loudly down the road and Sarah goes back inside. Lucy and Carter meet, and she asks Carter not to tell her parents that she smokes. He agrees, and takes a cigarette from her before she leaves.
The next morning, Sarah arrives at Carter's doorstep, bringing cookies and offering for him to walk with her. They walk around the neighborhood, talking about their lives. Carter eventually mentions Sofia, wondering about his love for her. Carter thinks about his relationship, and decides that it really wasn't true love. He explains that he has written love letters for Sofia, pouring out his affection in these epistles. Carter believes that the letters contain his best work.
After Sarah returns home, she sees that Carter is heartbroken and needs someone to take his mind off Sofia. She asks Lucy to ask Carter out on a date. Lucy bitterly refuses, calling it "lame" to ask someone out from across the street that she doesn't even know. Sarah's husband agrees and Sarah abruptly leaves the room, frustrated. She goes to her bathroom, filling a small cup of medicine to subdue her pain. Her husband follows her, trying to assuage the situation by insisting that Lucy will apologize and ask Carter on a date.
The next day, Carter decides to go on a run. While running, he has flashbacks of all the memorable times he had with Sofia: their meeting, their first kiss, and so on, until it finally leads to the breakup. When she utters the word "goodbye" once more, Carter runs into a tree and passes out. When he wakes up, he sees Lucy standing over him. She gives him a ride home and then asks him out. Carter tells her to ask her parents if they would allow her to take him out on a school night, as they normally would not. Lucy, confused, agrees, and goes back inside.
Meanwhile, Paige (Makenzie Vega) and Lucy (Kristen Stewart) Hardwicke, who live across the street from Phyllis, are returning from school. Lucy's mother, Sarah (Meg Ryan), calls Lucy to the kitchen. She hesitantly tells Lucy that she has found a lump in her breast, a possible sign of breast cancer, and is to see a doctor in the coming days. Lucy, shocked, wants to come with her mother when she receives her results, but Sarah quickly refuses.
Shortly thereafter, Sarah invites Carter on another walk. This time, she leads him into a small patch of forest. She admits that her husband is having an affair and that she does not love him – at least not the way Carter loved Sofia. They hug and leave to run errands together. They share an awkward moment of both having something to say to the other; Carter begins with the declaration that Sarah's husband is "out of his mind". Sarah smiles, and dismisses what she has to say. Eventually, the two deepen their friendship and later, when she tells him she is sick, they kiss each other.
Carter also goes to the movies with Lucy and Paige. He finds out that Sofia has been dating Colin Farrell. Afterward, Lucy brings Carter to a football field because he was curious about the typical high school experience. There she confesses that she is sort of dating the high school quarterback Gabe, who is arrogant and cocky, but that they have not kissed yet. They also talk about Gabe's best friend Eric who seems to be the opposite of Gabe; soft and shy. She also confesses that she knows her father is having an affair, but believes her mother does not know.
She claims to be more upset with her mother than her father because her mother is cold and more interested in her image than the truth. Lucy later finds out that Gabe could not wait for Lucy and hooked up with her best friend. She convinces Carter to come to a party with her because he is older and mysterious. During the party, Gabe tries to fight Carter, but Eric steps in saying that Gabe is the one who screwed up. After the party, Carter and Lucy share a kiss which Sarah sees. She tells Carter to leave Lucy alone and to never speak to them again. Afterwards, he slips her a letter.
Lucy goes to see Carter who tells her that he is not the guy for her and that if she thought about it, she would realize that she would know who he is. Sarah gets her cancer treatments and it is revealed that everything will be all right. Sarah and Lucy talk and start to heal their relationship. As Lucy drives home from the hospital, she stops to see Eric who she realizes is the guy Carter was referring to. Sarah finally reads Carter's letter which, though similar to a love letter, winds up being more of a "thank you" note.
Carter comes downstairs to find his grandmother has died but does not immediately call the hospital. Instead, he goes outside for some air and meets up with Sarah. She apologizes and they are able to end their friendship on good terms.
The story closes with Carter back in LA at the diner where Sofia broke up with him. He is writing, presumably a script, about his grandmother. He talks to the waitress and seems to be getting on with his life without Sofia. | romantic, flashback | train | wikipedia | This film is getting a 9 based soley on the completely misleading promotion.I went into this expecting a love story between Carter Webb (Adam Brody) and Lucy Hardwicke (Kristen Stewart).
So he decides to go to Michigan to live with his grandmother (who is by far the best and most interesting character) and ends up becoming really close to the women across the street.While it was moving, touching, and all that good stuff, I left the theater with one thought in my mind.
While still fantastic, you should expect a film about real people (with many flaws and weaknesses that humans have, like the inability to to stand up for themselves) not a movie like "She's All That" where the two young, good-looking people fall in love with an epic romance.That is not this film.
More than anything, I think Kasdan touchingly pleads for compassion in our relationships that is decent and forgiving.Carter Webb (Brody) is a soft core erotica writer, who is dating beautiful movie star Sofia (gorgeous Elena Anaya).
Part of the time it is quirky film e.g. soft-core porn writing is the occupation of the main character, his grandmother is insane in a comedic way but not really funny in any sense, 10 year old girl who is very sophisticated and does yoga etc.
He is a talent to watch.Soft porn writer Carter Webb (Adam Brody in a very fine performance) lives in Los Angeles near his depressed mother (JoBeth Williams) and has just been dumped by his actress girlfriend Sofia Buñuel (Elena Anaya).
Once in picturesque Michigan Carter deals with his lovable but eccentric grandma and meets the across the street neighbors - mother Sarah (Meg Ryan in fine form), daughters Lucy (Kristin Stewart) and the younger Paige (Makenzie Vega), and errant husband Nelson (Clark Gregg).
Jon Kasdan (son of filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan) makes a most auspicious directorial debut with "In the Land of Women," an utterly charming and winning indie comedy/drama marked by interesting characters, complex relationships and delightful performances by a first-rate cast.When his fashion-model/actress girlfriend dumps him without warning, a "soft-erotica" writer by the name of Carter Webb leaves his home in L.A. to spend time with his eccentric grandmother in suburban Michigan.
A 26-year old who hasn't been able to grab a hold of anything meaningful in his life thus far, Carter finds his world becoming even more complicated when he makes the acquaintance of a mother and daughter who live across the street from where he's staying.The beauty of Kasdan's screenplay is that we never know where the story is going to take us at any given moment.
But it is Meg Ryan as Sarah Hardwicke, the full-time housewife and mother, who truly excels in her role, turning a potentially two-dimensional character into a multi-faceted woman of surprising depth and emotion.
Finally, Olympia Dukakis seems to be having the time of her life playing an attention-seeking, doddering old woman who may not be quite as out of it as she wants others to believe she is.As director, Kasdan takes full advantage of the bucolic Michigan setting (though it is remarkably lush and green for October), as Carter and Sarah take long, leisurely strolls around the neighborhood, getting to know one another and establishing a lasting relationship.Like them, the movie is not afraid to take its time laying out its storyline and revealing the hearts of its characters.
In the Land of Women is an interesting look into the lives of several people who live in a small Michigan suburb.Carter (Adam Brody), who happens to write scripts for pornos, has just been dumped by his famous actress/model girlfriend, and decides to go live with his grandmother in Michigan to get over it.
It ultimately falls so horribly short of both it leaves you wondering what genre it is supposed to fit in.In the Land of Women is a story about a young porn screenwriter (Adam Brody) from LA who has just been dumped by his actress/model girlfriend.
What continues from there is a brief melodrama of Adam Brody struggling with feelings for Meg Ryan, Lucy, and his ex-girlfriend.The script had two major problems, the first being there was almost zero character development.
The director definitely did not help, or make use of the wonderful cast he had.The acting was good, but because of the poor character development and script; it hurt the performance put out by Adam Brody and Kristen Stewart.
It's unfortunate that some solid acting performances were wasted on a terribly written story, IMHO...There was very little continuity and it was utterly implausible some of the exchanges between characters...Came off like a bad episode of the OC or some other network 'drama'/soap...Meg Ryan isn't bad but we never understand how she suddenly interacts with a stranger nevermind how easily she reveals so much about herself...Same applies to the daughter played by Kristen Stewart whose talents seem wasted to me in this film...The father in this movie might as well not have been in the film as he was never present even when he was on screen...Terribly miscast, IMHO...The youngest daughter seemed to be a solid actor as well...Loved seeing Olympia Dukakis in her role, funny as always.
Not only is there no character development but the plot is ludicrous is an outrageous and mortifying attempt to grab watchers with horribly executed plot twists that did nothing but ruin any chance at the movie having any sense of taste or quality whatsoever...Im not sure what made me more sick, the fact the guy was crying through half the movie, a brutally ignorantly written script, or the terrible use of dramatization to emphasize just about every god damn thing that happened in the movie whether its petting a dog, or talking to a waitress...I cannot even begin to explain the clichés within the movie and how poorly executed they were, whether its long walks that "touchingly" lead the main character to mess around with the wife and mother in a family, the writer's attempt to surprise the watchers failed MISERABLY when the daughter proceeds to make out with Adam Brody and completely take a plummet with the plot into the utter depths of hell, the grandmother dies?
oh my god i couldn't have foreseen that, wait no it was an obvious expectation, but of course is over dramatized, and the daughter with amazing artistic abilities painting made me want to shoot myself...including a sad attempt at a happy cheesy lame ending and finishing of a horrible drastically scarring plot..oh and the young girl falls for a kid who's acting could only be compared to the acting quality of a half dead emu, horribly awkward and it just makes you want to look away..
I love Meg Ryan films, but this was probably the first time I found myself pitying her character, and I saw her as almost weak and unfortunate.This movie did have its high points, I loved seeing the interacting between Webb and the younger Hardwicke girls on their "date," and some other moments between Carter and his grandmother.Yet, was totally let down after watching Lucy and Carter's "relationship develop." I suppose that this movie wasn't totally supposed to be about the relationships between Carter and Sarah, and Carter and Lucy, but more about the growth of the mother/daughter relationship, as I came to learn later.I thought the hype for this movie was overrated, and I was actually let down by some of it, but I do see that Adam Brody has a lot to offer in the future, and I can see him doing great projects now that he seen more in the movie capacity..
Brody is an appealing actor and can be razor-sharp when given an appropriately sized role like his smarmy turn as a Hollywood studio assistant in 2006's "Thank You for Smoking", but Kasdan makes him a mopey presence here with little latitude for revealing any emotional complexity.He plays Carter Webb, a 26-year old LA-based writer who specializes in soft porn (a plot point that isn't explored too much).
"It's a big world out there; it's messy, chaotic and it's never what you'd expect", Carter (Adam Brody) tells Lucy (Kristen Stewart) in a crucial moment of "In the land of women".
There's a big chance that teenager fans of Adam Brody (Seth Cohen, from the series "The O.C.") end up disappointed by the movie, which contains a little girl that's precocious in her way of seeing life, a girl who doesn't know what she wants and a mother who's dealing with a big issue.
A writer of soft porn movie screenplays (how's that for original?), Carter decides to visit his grandmother (a hilarious Olympia Dukakis) and, while he takes care of her, probably figure out what to do with his life and maybe write what he always wanted to and never could.
While there he touches the lives of the Hardwicke women, Sarah, the mother, Lucy, the eldest daughter, and Paige, the youngest.I think what I love most about this movie is how it's not a conventional romantic comedy.
Meg Ryan also does wonderfully as the mother, as well as Adam Brody as the main character, Carter.I would suggest searching for this movie on cable, record it, and give it a try when you have a quiet moment.
Carter Webb (Adam Brody), a young, attractive writer of softcore porn films, is at a restaurant one day when his equally young and famous girlfriend Sofia (Elena Anaya) reveals that she no long wants to see him, sending his life into an utter tailspin.
Across the street from Phyllis are three women: a single mother named Sarah (Meg Ryan), who is potentially suffering from breast cancer, and her two college-age daughters Paige and Lucy (Makenzie Vega and Kristen Stewart).Carter's plan for a quiet, restful vacation becomes disrupted when he realizes that as long as he's in Michigan, his stay will be dominated by females, particularly Lucy, whom he takes a liking to early on in his stay.
Despite this, Carter winds up connecting with the whole family, discovering Sarah's potentially cancerous breast lump and realizing that suffering is often the precursor to finding comfort in life and one's situation.This is the story of In the Land of Women, the first cinematic effort by Jon Kasdan, who would later go on to write and direct the incredibly natural and almost poetic romantic comedy The First Time.
However, especially with this genre, which often has its writer/director walking on eggshells throughout the entire project, the bare basics for storytelling isn't going to cut it.Starring: Adam Brody, Meg Ryan, Kristen Stewart, Makenzie Vega, Olympia Dukakis, and Elena Anaya.
the cast is perfect - fragile Adam Brody , delicate performance , rich in nuances ,of Meg Ryan, Kristen Steward in a nice role and admirable Olympia Dukakis as grandmother, key - character for a movie about vanitas vanitatum.about real things as result of self definition.
In the Land of Women its a great little movie.I say little because it doesn't deal with anything too serious or profound, its just about human relationships,family dynamics and people in general, which happens to be my favorite kind of movie.Adam Brody plays Carter,a young soft-core porn writer who after a break-up with a famous actress uses his grandmother poor health state as an excuse to get away from L.A. and everything he knows in hopes of healing his broken heart and find some peace.He moves to suburban Detroit to take care of her and in the process he meets the Hardwicke family who lives across the street from his grandmother's house.
First he bonds with the mother(Meg Ryan), and then with the daughter(Kristin Stewart) making an impact in in their lives and in the end he changes his own life as well.This charming independent movie is about ordinary people and the everyday life and some of the struggles and pains people go trough.Adam Brody was great although he always seems to be playing his character,Seth, from The O.C. I didn't mind it because it worked but I wonder if he's capable of doing something completely different,same thing goes to Kristin Stewart,she did a terrific job but she played once again an insecure and somewhat damaged character.
I wish that I could say that this is a cute piece of whimsy, a moving commentary upon the perils of love, life, family, and coming to terms with the knowledge that we all must, eventually, die - some sooner than others.Except this movie was spoiled for me first and foremost by Meg Ryan's casting as Sarah, Mom to Lucy(the radiant Kristen Stewart), the potential love interest for Carter(the capable Adam Brody, reprising his usual character), who has returned to his Grandmother's home after years living in Los Angeles, to run away from a bad break up with his movie star girlfriend, Sofia.
First, her role is at the emotional heart of the film, and she never captures those moments.This might be caused, and is certainly contributed to, by the second problem - her freakishness makes it impossible to fully commit to the fictional world, because every time she is on camera, the only reaction possible is "Ohmigawd - that's freaky!", which reminds us we are watching Meg Ryan, not Sarah.If the movie had overcome this disaster, would it have worked?
The publicity of In the Land of Women makes this movies seems as a typical Hollywood romance,but the film is not like that.I still do not know if that's good or bad.Director Jon Kasdan(do not confuse him with Jake Kasdan,director of the very fun movie Orange County-both are sons of acclaimed director and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan)could not find a solid structure for this movie which is a collection of nice scenes and emotive moments but without connexion,structure or satisfactory resolution.The cast is well chosen on their characters:Adam Brody is very fine as the main character,Meg Ryan shows conviction in her role,Kristen Stewart managed to combine juvenile immaturity with intelligence and Mackenzie Vega is also pretty good on her role.The script does not know what to do after introducing the characters.For one sight,I like that Kasdan did not choose the easy way to show a romance but,for the other sight,the absence of a narrative focus and the relationship between the characters are irrelevant.The moments of emotional connexion between them are good but they do not feel as a part of a process.They simply exist.If that was a creative decision from the director,I imagine his intention was to have a completely natural and realistic tone.After all,life is not divided on chapters and the emotional evolution of the characters is similar than in the real life:unpredictable and not always nice.But,in the context of a movie,I think the spectator has to feel the direction of the story.I enjoyed the separated parts of In the Land of Women:they are fun and nice.But the whole is empty and not too satisfactory.I recommend In the Land of Women because it's fun and it never bores.But the film is mediocre..
maybe it was the life-threatening struggle of breast cancer, struggle to bring yourself to write a genuine honest letter and script, or come to your senses of about which nice person to trust, Brody, Ryan, and Stewart's characters were offered a chance for redemption.I felt that the softcore porn was a good symbol of the not beautiful and dishonest written projection this guy had on women which nicely evolved to the "beautiful thank you" and "Pandy: the unlovable, self destructive bear", Even though the acting was good, the messages and situations were almost too forced and made it unbelievable.Overall, this movie touched on many stages of our life where we may be tempted to run away into disillusion.
However, it's kind of cool to finally be surprised in a movie, unlike the normal predictableness that has become Hollywood.Adam Brody did an extremely exceptional job of playing a guy that didn't know where he was going in life, in the meantime taking care of his grandma, who was convinced she was dieing.
It's disappointing to me to see such a great film as In The Land of Women go so unnoticed when compared to other films out right now.This movie is a superb story about a man, Carter Webb (Adam Brody) who gets dumped and moves in with his grandmother (who thinks she's dying).
(Cancer: can a story like this go anywhere unsentimental with that?)From his weepy intro when he gets the gate from Sophia in a diner, Carter is nothing but a teddy bear, so it's appropriate that the novel he finally completes has "teddy bear" in the title.The "land of women" in question consists of Ryan and her character's two daughters, an inarticulate, put-upon teenager (Lucy: Kristen Stewart) and a prematurely wise younger sister (Paige: Makenzie Vega).
Directed and written by Jon Kasden, The Land Before Time -- excuse me, got my movies confused -- In the Land of Women stars Adam Brody as Carter Webb, a softcore-porn writer who, after an emotional break-up with his model girlfriend Sofia(Elena Anaya), decides to move in with his grandmother (Olypia Dukakis), an aging woman who thinks she's dying.
Also a movie that brought him, Meg Ryan and Kristen Stewart all together is worth a shot to me.The plot is simple, but it's beautiful to see the way people change and react over different problems in life, like love, illness and death.
I do not watch commercial TV so I have not seen these actors in any roles that I remember.Another SPOILER alert, I see no reason for Meg Ryan's character to develop breast cancer, these scenes were not needed.Adam Brody's character is supposed to be a soft porn writer, this point is not mentioned again.The running time is 92 slow minutes.The area in the Midwest where this was filmed looks nice & thats about the best thing I can say about the movieratings ** (out of 4) 59 points (out of 100) IMDb 5 (out of 10)_. |
tt3687310 | Criminal Activities | Four young men invest borrowed money in a company guaranteed to return their venture capital tenfold or more. It does not seem to trouble them that the privileged information on which they are acting was derived from insider trading. Two little things go wrong. The company suddenly folds under the pressure of federal scrutiny and their financial benefactor turns out to be a high-powered mobster.
The mobster named Eddie (John Travolta) offers them a way out of their awkward situation. They are to kidnap and hold a man for 24 hours before turning him over to Eddie and his two-man wrecking crew. This action will clear their massive debt with him, and everyone will cheerfully go their separate ways. But a couple more annoying little inconveniences crop up. One of them is that the kidnap victim is related to an underworld kingpin who offers a two million dollar reward to the first one to recover his nephew. Another is that the four kidnappers are now required to collectively murder their victim before being allowed to leave the building alive.
Adding to these contingencies is the fact that things are not at all what they seem. Perceived motivations may turn out to be vastly different from actual motivations. What at first seemed patently predictable is anything but. | murder | train | wikipedia | It's the small things that can make an average movie turn in to a good one and this did that for me.
The writing and characters have clear influences from Tarantinos Pulp Fiction, Guy Ritchie's Snatch(and others) and the ending is quite "Usual Suspect's" type but so what if we've seen it before, it still works.
For it's budget I'm happy with what I saw.Too much of movies these days throw money away in effects and other useless crap, they still haven't learned that a billion dollars worth of effects won't make a bad script good.
Not to mention the twisting revelation at the end feels rather abrupt and might too far fetch, although it's still decent due to the outlandish nature.Criminal Activity works on parts where the acting and satire are strong, but it does try to overreach with few others distracting stints like a greedy mobster..
Criminal Activities has a good cast for talent in the main roles with Michael Pitt, Dan Stevens, Christopher Abbott, Rob Brown, Edi Gathegi and John Travolta.
So the kidnapping plan is set in motion with the four amateurs and although it hits a few snags they eventually get the kidnapping completed and they keep the mob hostage tied up for their loan shark waiting to get the green light to let him go.What follows is about 60 minutes of continuous blather by all cast members including a whole lot of four letter words that rhyme with the word "PUCK".
Most sensible film goers would at some point get up and ask for a refund but since I purchased the Blu Ray I chose to bear with the directors master(less)piece and although I was becoming very irritated with the endless blather of totally useless dialogue by the six main characters which I assumed was necessary to fill an otherwise empty void to completing a 94 minute movie I hung in there and I was rewarded with a better than average film end.I don't want to spoil any film goers surprise ending or personal experience with Criminal Activities but to summarize the film in three acts I would rate: Act One (1) with a "C" rating, Act Two (2) with a "D" rating, and the final act, Act Three (3) with a "B+" plus rating.
So if you can hang in there through a pretty boring middle half of the film with a lot of useless four letter word dialogue you may be pleasantly surprised with an above average decent film ending..
It is hard to buy Travolta as a mob boss, but this is a decent one time watch movie although nothing all that amazing.
"Sometimes what looks like a dead end to a dire situation can be an opportunity." After meeting at an old classmates funeral four friends begin to reconnect.
All the guys proceed well but the actors, including the scene-stealing, acquit themselves quite amusingly, as does director Haley, who also plays one of Travolta's henchmen.
Working from a chatty script not as cleverly hatched as it likes to think it is, Haley whips it into something decently entertaining even as you begin thinking about how truly great "Get Shorty" and Travolta's Chili Palmer were midway through those double-crossing criminal activities.
This film contains some dark humor and a surprise twist ending, but in my opinion it's barely a grade B-movie.
We've seen many similar type movies over the years, so, to me, this one came across as rather a "poor cousin" in comparison to some of the others that are named by several reviewers on this site.This is one of those films that if I revealed too much about the plot details I would be writing too many spoilers, so let's just say all is not what it seems on screen.
However, when the reasons for what's occurring are revealed it just seemed quite flimsy to me.This movie marks the directorial debut of acclaimed actor Jackie Earle Haley, who also is excellent in a supporting role here.
Robert Lowell also makes his screen debut as the scriptwriter.All in all, the film is not going to win any awards, but I was interested enough to want to know how it would all turn out, even though some of the journey was a bit painful.
I felt that this film was well thought out and for a guy who is generally pretty good at figuring out twists in a film this one was successful in tripping me up.This is not a big budget film by modern day Hollywood standards but felt it was casted very well and very entertaining.
The 4 dumb criminals, Zach (Michael Pitt), Noah (Dan Stevens), Warren (Christopher Abbott) and Bryce (Rob Brown), really didn't have a clue about kidnapping but they were stuck in an impossible situation after borrowing $200,000 from mob boss, Eddie (John Travolta).
After a bad investment, they end up owing Eddie $400,000, so to pay there debt, they have to kidnap Marques (Edi Gathegi), who is the brother of a gangster who has kidnapped Eddie's niece.
When the storyline unfolds, you soon realise that all is not what it seems, in a Usual Suspects type of way but I do have to watch the movie again to truly understand the major twist.
The acting isn't bad from the whole cast, especially Edi Gathegi and Michael Pitt but the professionalism from John Travolta, makes the rest of the cast look quite amateur.
The character that I really liked throughout the film was Jackie Earle Haley, who also directed the movie, so he really gave his all to this project.
It's not in the same league as Usual Suspects but it's a watchable movie which isn't bad for the directors debut.
Watchable!Round-Up: I first saw Jackie Earle Haley, 54, in Little Children, we're he played a paedophile and was extremely creepy, and since then he has starred in some big movies like All The King's Men, Semi-Pro, Fragments, Watchmen, where he played Rorschach extremely well, Shutter Island, Lincoln, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Dark Shadows, Parkland, Robocop and the upcoming London Has Fallen.
As for this movie, I think the ending was extremely rushed and a lot of the scenes with the 4 kidnappers were average.
He was lucky to get such a diverse cast, who all brought something different to the project but I would have liked to have seen more from Travolta and Haley, who were the best thing in the movie.I recommend this movie to people who are into their crime/drama/thrillers starring John Travolta, Michael Pitt, Dan Stevens, Rob Brown, Jackie Earle Haley and Christopher Abbott.
He wants to talk to ALL of us!"John Travolta standing in the middle of the cover in a "Pulp Fiction" -like pose and according to the brief description he has something to do with the mob.
He's flanked both by Michael Pitt, who I saw recently playing in the grandiose films "I origins" and "Rob the Mob", and by the alertly looking Dan Stevens.
Directed by Jackie Earle Haley, "Criminal Activities" from 2015 is about four high school friends - Zack, Noah, Warren, and Bryce (Michael Pitt, Dan Stevens, Rob Brown, Christopher Abbott, who meet up after the funeral of their friend Matthew.
It's so distracting.The director, Jackie Earle Haley, hands in a good performance, as do Pitt, Edi Gathegi, Pitt, and Stevens..
I always enjoy watching John Travolta in any movie from his beginning many years ago.The ending with all the twists and turns leaves you with the feeling there should be a follow-up in the near future.Great casting for this movie especially with the up and coming actors Rex Baker and Tyrone Jenkins..
Michael Pitt, fresh out of Boardwalk Empire and Hannibal, was great-- top notch actor; Rob Brown was excellent; Dan Stevens was also excellent; Chris Abbott was good; and as I said, Travolta was amazing.
And people pay money to be subject to this?!This is a bad movie, so bad that I consider it one of the unimportant signs that we are coming to the end of the world.Do not waste your precious time.
His Film will Probably have You saying this isn't the first time for this Type of Thing.
Haley plays a Glib and Aloof Mob Enforcer and John Travolta is in one of His Slumming Roles with Bad Makeup, but Manages to be an Anchor of Sorts for the Young Turks and Their Concern with High School Camaraderie and Current Girlfriend Fidelity.It's a Scattershot Story with some Intrigue and Interest, not a lot of it Works but some Things Do and it is Worth a Watch for B-Movie Fans, and Tarantino Rip-Off Spotters.
The Ending may be more Complex than Needed, but it Feels like the Filmmakers think that the Overly Twisted Wrap Up makes this Something Special.
You never quite know what's coming around the corner, which is refreshing; I watch A LOT of films and I normally have a good idea of what's going to happen.
If you like QT, you'll love this movie, and the end is GREAT!!
The end could be better if it takes sometime to describe the strategy better.John is fine as last years of his career, but the director should explore his talent a bit more.I expected a longer action in this movies.]But it is fine if you just want to see some actors making the best they could.As I commented before, some more know actors would improve this move performance, once there is a good role play behind.thanks for the opportunity of watching it based on IMDb comments..
And even then, with each scene that he is in, you spend more time looking at his glued on hair piece than following the movie.Essentially the plot is 4 guys get mixed up with the mob and incur a large debt.
To wipe the debt clean, they're forced to kidnap some guy for the mob boss (Travolta).At the end of the movie, there's a 'The Usual Suspects'/ 'Now You See Me' style twist, and that is all explained thoroughly at the end.
Whilst I think the twist is convoluted enough to make it not predictable (the last 10 minutes of the movie is needed to explain the twist), at the same time it is not all that surprising or satisfying when revealed.
The big surprise Usual Suspects twist ending is so convoluted that I really didn't understand where the money came from even if it was satisfying to learn that the victim of bullying was really the one in power all along.
I watched this because of the John Travolta and Jackie Earle Haley connection as I've enjoyed much of their previous work.
Four friends become four dumb criminals when a huge investment deal turns sour and realise that the money for the investment came from an underworld criminal boss who wants his money back.Noah (Dan Stevens), Zach (Michael Pitt), Warren (Christopher Abbott) and Bryce (Rob Brown) are offered a get out deal by mobster Eddie (John Travolta) who wants them to kidnap a rival gangster Marques, because he has kidnapped Eddie's niece and he would later wipe the slate clean.Gerry (Jackie Earle Haley) is a henchman for Eddie supposedly trying to locate Eddie's niece.
In the meantime Marques plays with their heads that causes tensions.Jackie Earle Haley directed the film as well as appearing in it.
"Criminal Activities" represents the directorial debut of Jackie Earle Healey, who also plays a featured role as Gerry, a dispassionate and hard-as-nails enforcer for mobster Eddie (John Travolta).
Simply brilliant and one of the most interesting finish to a film since "now you see me" the story of a group of friends who take out a loan with the wrong person (travolta) and cant pay him back so they have to end up doing a job for him, yes this story/plot has been done a number of times but this one stands out as it is a bit of a slow burner but the acting in this is brilliant with a hint of the dark comedy that you got in films like "in bruges and seven psychopaths" criminal activity is one of those low budget ($7million) indi films that surprise you and with a big name like travolta its a added bonus.
If there is one criticism, and I'm guessing this is where the low ratings come in its that the production quality could have been better.While the acting is good, some of the scenes feel a little too stifled and not tight enough.
The only way they can clear there debt is by kidnapping a member of another organised crime unit, and holding them for 24 hours.But things are not what they seem.......The makers have obviously been inspired by the likes of Boiler Room and Reservoir Dogs, and while it's always a risky move to try and impersonate the likes of Tarantino, Jackie Earl Haley has done a decent job with his film.Character wise, the film offers nothing new.
And this time the guest star is one John Travolta.Don't be fooled by the one sheet, the mans hardly in it, but when he is he makes the film all the more watchable, but for two reasons.Firstly, he's brilliant in these sort of sarcastic roles, the one where the bad but has the swagger, and knows he can't do no wrong.
Imagine him as Castor Troy in Face/Off mixed with his performance in Swordfish, and you have him here.Secondly, what on earth has he done with his face and hair?Once the main plot is implemented, it's a war of nerves for the group of fellows, as they start to bond with the victim, and in turn, the victim begins to play them off each other, and tensions rise.What saves the film from mediocrity is the ending, and showing us the set up with the pay off, it makes for quite entertaining viewing.That, and the soundtrack is stupendously over the top.So it's nothing special, it's funny in places, Travolta steals the movie from everyone, and it never once threatens to challenge the grey matter.Perfect for a cold winters afternoon..
This is an O.K.movie a little elevated by the performances of the actors.The story feels like it's been done before.
But all the reveals and twists come nicely placed and make sense at the end of the movie.It's a good action/thriller but it misses to much production value to ever be great.Easy comparison would be "bone tomahawk" which feels like it's been done with the same sort of formula.I think it is good for the indie movies and this just delivers more than usual.Also fair to say that this is more a thriller than an action flick.Some of the scenes also feel a little dragged.Definitely worth a watch.Just don't expect block buster material.Okay!.
and this move ends up cleaning up after itself for the last ten minutes of the movie EXPLAINING which dick did what so that we could see that nobody gets a good deal.....
There's no faulting the performances or the work of actor Jackie Earle Haley in his directorial debut, but the problem with this one is the lack of likable characters and the clichéd nature of the plot.
From early on you get the impression there is more to the story than meets the eye, and indeed there are numerous sub plots, this is not a movie to watch casually.The various twists and turns for the most part come totally out of the blue, but slowly combine to explain each other gradually, pulling you further in till the final ending which I must admit came as a total surprise to me...and ultimately left me with a big smile on my face and a movie that I fully enjoyed..
With a great cast and a decent script - why was I not captivated by this from the start?Thrillers in cinemas over the past few years have been so lame that I didn't expect a twist at the end.
BASIC OUTLINES.The first 30 minutes of the movie i didn't know how to feel, I was not liking some of the characters but not because of acting persay.
All these other reviews with low rating i'm guessing they got the basic concept and didn't look deep enough into the script to actually appreciate the way they ended the movie/played it out in the beginning.
I highly suggest this movie if you enjoy clever plot twists and some good acting( Not all the actors did a great job but 90% did)..
Unfortunately, it fails on all three levels of a crime saga, action picture, and dark humor.John Travolta is good as a mob boss who appears to be the center of convoluted crime story.
Their scheme backfires, and they are now confronted by Travolta's mob boss for payback time.There are too many stretches of the film that are poorly paced and thin on action.
Behind the camera, Jackie Earle Haley does make the movie look fairly good despite his limited budget (the photography, for one thing, is quite good), but seems trapped otherwise by the script, such as with the final twists near the end, which he is unable to make them make much sense to the audience.
Not Clever Enough to Pull it Off. Even The Usual Suspects wasn't clever enough to pull off a surprise ending but the house of cards built in that film was so interesting and so fun that by the time you realized what had happened the lights were already coming on in the theater.
I liked the kidnapped guy, the two bald henchmen, and Travolta's character.
The film was Jackie Earle Haley's directing debut and a pretty fine job he made of it too.
Noah borrowed the money from the mob and Eddie (John Travolta) wants his money with interest.
Then at the very end the film twists in multiple ways which frankly I didn't see coming.Travolta looked like he is using Botox and his hair looked like it was plastic. |
tt0040613 | Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House | Jim Blandings (Cary Grant), a bright account executive in the advertising business, lives with his wife Muriel (Myrna Loy) and two daughters, Betsy (Connie Marshall) and Joan (Sharyn Moffett), in a cramped New York apartment. Muriel secretly plans to remodel their apartment. After rejecting this idea, Jim Blandings comes across an ad for new homes in Connecticut and they get excited about moving. Planning to purchase and "fix up" an old home, the couple contact a real estate agent, who uses them to unload "The Old Hackett Place" in fictional Lansdale County, Connecticut. It is a dilapidated, two-hundred-year-old farmhouse. Blandings purchases the property for more than the going rate for land in the area, provoking his friend/lawyer Bill Cole (Melvyn Douglas) to chastise him for following his heart rather than his head.
The old house, dating from the Revolutionary War-era, turns out to be structurally unsound and has to be torn down. The Blandings hire architect Simms (Reginald Denny) to design and supervise the construction of the new home. From the original purchase to the new house's completion, a long litany of unforeseen troubles and setbacks beset the hapless Blandings and delay their moving-in date. On top of all this, at work Jim is assigned the task of coming up with a slogan for "WHAM" Brand Ham, an advertising account that has destroyed the careers of previous account executives assigned to it. Jim also suspects that Muriel is cheating on him with Bill Cole after Bill slept at the Blandings alone in the house with Muriel one night due to a violent thunderstorm.
With mounting pressure, skyrocketing expenses, and his new assignment, Jim starts to wonder why he wanted to live in the country. The Blandings maid Gussie provides Blandings with the perfect WHAM slogan, and he saves his job. As the film ends, Bill Cole says that he realizes that some things "you do buy with your heart." | satire | train | wikipedia | The perils of buying and building a house have not changed (although the prices certainly have!)It's a delight to watch three seasoned professionals (Grant,Loy and Douglas)play against each other so well.
The Blandings, a 'typical New York family, on about 15,000 a year', decide to leave their four room apartment in the city and buy a 'dream house' in rural Connecticut.Of course, this being a comedy, you know it won't go smoothly (you get a good clue as well from Melvyn Douglas' laconic narration here and there, as the Blandings' long-suffering lawyer, and Mrs B's high school sweetheart).
ham.My particular favourite scenes involve Myrna Loy, perfect as Mrs B, instructing which colours of paint each room will have; and a little room at the top of the house which regularly traps Grant inside.
The film opens with Bill Coles (Melvyn Douglas) telling a story about how his best friend--make that client--Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) and his family are tightly packed into a small New York apartment, with not enough closet space and way too few bathrooms.
Once he's purchased the house, bills and frustration pile up incessantly as everything that can go wrong with the building of Jim's 'dream house' goes wrong.One of three collaborations between Grant and Loy, this is a charming little comedy--not very taxing, with no real great message, but a great way to spend an hour or two.
Every little problem that pops up for the Blandings renovation project--including petty jealousy and an ad campaign for 'Wham'--seems to bring together everything that *could* go wrong with building a new house but makes it believable and an enjoyable watch.
Some people who eat out all the time use their ranges and dishwashers as storage places because the closets are already full!Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, a great comedy writing team from that era, saw the potential in Eric Hodgins novel, whose hero, Jim Blandings, can't stand the cramped apartment where he and his wife Muriel, and two daughters, must share.Jim Blandings, a Madison Ave. executive, has had it!
Cary Grant and Myrna Loy are well-suited to this kind of material, and the script provides good dialogue and some amusing situations for them and the rest of the cast to work with.This is certainly of particular interest to anyone who has ever faced either the kind of home-buying experience that the Blandings family goes through, or one of the many other similar experiences that life offers.
The movie helps to point out some of the basic absurdities all of this, while providing some good humor.The two sub-plots - the one with Melvyn Douglas and the other with Grant looking for the new slogan - are worked in rather resourcefully, so as to parallel some of the basic themes of the main story about the house, while also providing comic complications in the main plot.Grant has the knack of making the wildest situations seem believable at the time, and even somewhat sophisticated.
In Manhattan, the American middle class Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) lives with his wife Muriel (Myrna Loy) and two teenage daughters in a four bedroom and one bathroom only leased apartment.
Jim checks the information with other engineers and all of them condemn the place and sooner he finds that he bought a "money pit" instead of a dream house."Mr. Blandings Builds his Own House" is an extremely funny comedy, with witty lines and top-notch screenplay.
Cary Grant is hilarious in the role of a man moved by the impulse of accomplishing with the American Dream of owning a huge house that finds that made bad choice, while losing his touch in his work and feeling jealous of his friend.
Jim (Cary Grant) and Muriel (Myrna Loy) Blandings live in a Manhattan apartment with their two daughters and Jim is an advertising executive.
So Jim and Muriel think it would be nice to live in the country on a big lot and buy - not sight unseen so much as site uninspected by professionals - a house in Connecticut that has been standing since the Continental Congress.Unfortunately, every engineer who inspects it says it is a wonder of the modern world that it has not fallen down on its own, but of course it is not going to do that and make the Blandings' life easy, so they have pay to have it knocked down.
From the windowless bedroom, the logistics problems of getting to and from work - Mrs. Blandings read the train schedule wrong, getting trapped in the upstairs closet, to being forced to move before the house is ready - as in not having windows - this thing is hilarious on so many levels.Jim Blandings' panic grows with the mounting bills, the misunderstandings that cost him thousands, and the ad campaign he must come up with to keep his job and have a chance at ever paying for any of this.
As a cinematic art form it is highly entertaining; and with major stars like Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas...
I know I did.Mr. Blandings, a New York ad executive, decides to move his family to the Connecticut suburbs and build himself a nice house there.
Yet only a short distance away, a few days later, the basement of his house-to-be floods!Cary Grant and Myrna Loy give believable performances as the harried Blandings couple overwhelmed by problems they never imagined, and Melvyn Douglas is even better as Blanding's lawyer and family friend.The only caveat is that social attitudes have changed a lot since 1948.
One of Cary Grant's most enduring comedies is Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.
Still Cary was making a good living in the advertising field even though he was having a devil of a time trying to come up with a slogan for ham with the brand name of Wham.What made this film so popular was the housing shortage of the post World War II years.
If you can imagine the Charles's moving to the country and William Powell having the headaches Cary Grant does, the film would still work just fine.Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House still works well as comedy because the situations are universal.
This film is no "guilty" pleasure.Three wonderful sophisticated leads actors - urbane Melvyn Douglas; bemused Cary Grant; daffily determined Myrna Loy - complement each other and a memorable team of characters.My favourite scenes - "It means we gotta blast" and "Miss Stellwaggen" and "This little piggy".Love it..
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House offers one particular way comedy might have developed.Ad man Jim Blandings, along with his wife and two daughters, are living in a nice but way too cramped New York City apartment, as one day he gets the bright idea that it might be fun to realize his dream of building a house in the suburbs.
Lead players Cary Grant and Myrna Loy plays Mr. and Mrs. Blandings to perfection; while Melvyn Douglas is fine as their pragmatic lawyer friend, who often has to bring up unpleasant topics, such as how the real world works.
Cary Grant is uncharacteristically grumpy throughout, Myrna Loy plays the little doormat wife to perfection and Melvyn Douglas is slyly humorous as their lawyer and friend.
Cary Grant, an advertising executive who makes $15K a year, wants to move his wife and two kids (and a sass-and-sweetness black maid) to the country, but building a new home rather than buying one proves to be a costly headache.
Myrna Loy doesn't have much to play as Grant's wife (she drawls out a few funny lines in her calm, cool-headed manner), but Melvyn Douglas out-acts them both as "a friend of the family" with a small crush on the Mrs. Director H.
Cary Grant and Myrna Loy put in a first rate job as Mr. and Mrs. Blandings along with Melvyn Douglas as the friend and former puppy love of Mrs. Blandings.
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House may be the best Frank Capra/Preston Sturges movie neither man ever made!
Portraying middle class New York couple Jim (Cary Grant) and Muriel Blandings (Myrna Loy) trying to build a house in Connecticut, this flick has something for everyone.Grant is his usual flippant self, while Loy does quite well as merely a wife.
The pitfalls of building a home are well chronicled and became the basis (loosely) for the more modern Tom Hanks vehicle, "The Money Pit".If you like good old fashioned comedy without the cursing and the gratuitous sex, this movie is a must see..
As much as I like Hanks, "Pit" was a pale imitation.Having just built an addition on my house, I can honestly say that there were moments when watching Grant & Loy in "Mr. Blandings" not only kept my sanity, but showed me that some things never change...
Otherwise, the film was a delightful joy and just perfect for a cheering up on a rainy day or after a hard one.The best thing about 'Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House' is the cast.
The comedy is sparkling in wit, pointed and full of sophistication, the social commentary is interesting regardless of how of the time it is and whether it holds up or not (was enjoying myself and invested in the film to care) and there is a depth that makes it easy to identify with the situation when it is a scenario that is relevant today.Story-wise, 'Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House' is slight but is never less than absorbing and there is enough going on to not make it too simple, neither does it get over-stuffed or too complicated.
Jim and Muriel Blandings (Cary Grant and Myrna Loy) are crowded in their NYC apartment with two children and a live in maid (???) and decide to buy a place in the country.
Few films of the late-40's are further from that noir cycle or more attuned to the coming consumer decade than this sassy little comedy.Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) works as an ad-man on Madison Ave. where in his little daughter's words-- he sells things to people that they don't need, at prices they can't afford.
Cary Grant and Myrna Loy are perfectly cast as a middle class couple who want to build the house of their dreams.
Cary Grant wants to take himself and his family out of the quickly-paced New York City and move to Connecticut where he'll have a larger house constructed to his specifications, along with what he hopes is a better lifestyle.
Grant shines in this delightful comedy with hidden sophistication...Yes, its dated, but view it as a charming fairy tale, and you cant go wrong...Myrna Loy is a riot in the scene with the paint samples, but a bit too cold as Mrs. Blandings...Irene Dunne did the Lux Radio Theater version with Grant and brought to Muriel an essence of daffiness to enhance her role as Grant's foil...Melvyn Douglas plays the lawyer/best friend to perfection...Grant very gracefully went from playboy/hero in the 30s to husband/dad in the 40s, and looked like a dreamboat at all times...definite 8/10....
It's a movie that's tailor made for Cary Grant.If you are familiar with him,you know that a comedy of errors involving the construction of a "dream house" that has Grant as a star is a winner from the get go.He is on fire here with the charm that is typical of him,and adding Myrna Loy as support was a genius idea,and it is evident that the entire supporting cast worked just as hard to make the film funny as Grant and Loy did.The humor and reactions are dead on perfect.There's just something about movies made in the 40's.It seems great films were churned out almost effortlessly throughout the entire decade,Mr. Blandings has a prominent place among them..
(Cary Grant) With his wife Muriel (Myrna Loy) in tow, they seek advice from their friend and lawyer Bill Cole (Melvyn Douglas) and wind up trading their New York Apartment and buy into a home in the country.
Frustrated sharing the bathroom and lacking a drawer for his socks, Manhattan advertising executive Cary Grant (as Jim Blandings) moves to a Connecticut country home with his lovely wife Myrna Loy (as Muriel) and their two cute daughters.
Future "Tarzan" Lex Barker makes a good impression and should have been stranded alone with Loy overnight, instead of Mr. Douglas.******* Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (3/25/48) H.C. Potter ~ Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas, Reginald Denny.
This movie, however, somehow survives the natural attrition of time and still entertains in all aspects despite its age.I am not sure if it's the clever script, the wise direction, the pacing, or the storyline but Mr. Blandings 1948 touches every base, involves and entertains without any need to retrogress one's tastes or standards.I've seen the leads in other movies and they were fine, but this is an exception.It isn't ranked very high on the list of great comedies but in my opinion it is superior as a work to The Philadelphia Story and the other also excellent comedies of the period.This movie works on many levels and despite my expectations (that I would have to condescend to enjoy it), I found that it exceeded them.There are many great scenes in here: the well digging, the cupboard, the breakfast in new york, the love scene, the drive, the bathroom scenes, the list goes on...and on.This is just a great movie that shines above all the remakes and truly shines in its own right as a great piece of film making.Even more than 50 years later...Definitely recommended..
Cary Grant and Myrna Loy are Jim and Muriel Blandings, and they have two daughters.
Jim Blandings (Grant) and his wife Muriel (Loy) have lived in their four-room Manhattan apartment for the better part of fifteen years.
Why not take the plunge?Since the existing structure is pretty much falling apart and not worth saving, the Blandings finally decide to purchase the property, tear down the house, and build their dream home (hence the title of the movie).
BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE ends in smiles and laughter.Though there were plenty of entertaining moments in the film, I thought it could have done with a bit more comedy.
Cary Grant was an actor with incredible comedic timing and in this film his performance seems a little bland.
As we meet Jim Blandings and his wife Muriel for the first time they are thinking of improving their living conditions, by trying to swap their confined New York City apartment for a lovely home out in the peaceful country.
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream HouseThe key to buying a fixer upper for your family to move in to is to not buy a fixer upper at all.Unfortunately, the advertising executive in this comedy got suckered into buying this money- pit.Fed up with the cramped confines of his crowded New York apartment, Mr. Blandings (Cary Grant) makes an executive decision to move his wife (Myrna Loy) and their daughters to a palatial Connecticut homestead.Blandings' dream house, however, becomes a nightmare when he must demolish the structure and rebuild anew.Compounding Blandings' situation is a new account and suspicion that his wife's having an affair.An overview of the tribulations attributed to renovating, including the toll it takes on marriage, Mr. Blandings' Dream House is both hilarious and frightening.However, the hardest part of renovating any decrepit country home is getting the squatters to hold off on their defecating until the kitchen's been retiled.
Having no frame of reference here (not read the book myself), I can't say if this adaptation to the screen does the source material justice, what I do know is that the film is charming, very funny in places, yet lacking in any sort of originality.Really it's probably down to the cast that the film still holds up today as an entertaining viewing, Cary Grant and Myrna Loy (the Blandings) team up again for the third time, with Melvyn Douglas stealing the picture as the wry and causticly funny friend, Bill Cole (the character arc written in to add a bit of spice to proceedings).
Having grown tired of the rat race and cramped living conditions of New York City, Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) finds a property in the country for his wife and children.
What makes this movie so special is the three main actors - Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas.
Although the two films have their moments, both are not as good as BLANDINGS, which was based on an autobiographical novel of the same name.Jim Blandings and his wife Muriel (Cary Grant and Myrna Loy) are noticing the tight corners of their apartment, which they share with their two daughters Joan and Betsy (Sharyn Moffett and Connie Marshall).
"Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" is a witty, charming little domestic comedy starring one of my favorite actors: the unforgettable Cary Grant.
His character - Jim Blandings, Manhattan advertising executive - lives with his lovely wife Muriel (Myrna Loy) and their two daughters in an overly cramped apartment.
Basically Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) and his wife Muriel (Myrna Loy) and two kids live in a tiny New York apartment, and they decide to buy and build their own "dream" house, easier said than done.
Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) made fifteen thousand dollars a year as a New York City ad executive, and managed to keep a maid on that salary!
William Cole is a lawyer who narrates the story of how the Blanding family have been living in their cramped New York City apartment and how Mr. Blanding had dreamed of moving out into the country to their own house.
Sure, an occasional good comedy will come along, but they're becoming rarer all the time."Mr. Blandings Buildings his Dream House" shows what 1940s Hollywood was capable of, and it's just screamingly funny.
Jim and Muriel Blandings (Cary Grant and Myrna Loy) decide to build a house in the Connecticut suburbs. |
tt0025981 | When a Man Sees Red | As described in a film magazine, after a long sea voyage, Larry Smith (Farnum) comes home to find his sister (Bower) dead, the victim of some unknown person. Shortly after his mother (Drew) dies of a broken heart, Smith sets sail with a determination to wreck vengeance upon the murderer. Unknowingly he has become a mate to Captain Sutton (Nye), the man who ruined his sister. At a South Sea port Smith meets Violet North (Carmen), known as the Painted Lady. Smith falls in love with her and proposes, but she will not marry him because of her past, and the next day sails away with the rest of her party. Logan (Robbins), one of the "dogs" on Sutton's vessel, was a witness to Sutton's attack on the Smith girl and for this reason Sutton sails away leaving Logan on shore alone. Logan meets Smith and tells his tale. Logan and Smith search the islands for a trace of Sutton. When a storm rises and Violet, aboard a yacht, is tossed onto the island occupied by Smith. Sutton also comes ashore on a boat. Thirst for revenge seizes Smith and he attacks Sutton, who dies in the fight. Violet nurses Sutton back to health and sanity. | romantic, depressing | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0265651 | Ripley's Game | Tom Ripley is involved in an art scam in Berlin, partnered with Reeves, a thuggish British gangster whom he orders to remain out on the street as the deal takes place. A violent argument breaks out in which Ripley kills one of his "customers". He gives the money to Reeves but keeps the artwork for himself, curtly informing Reeves that their partnership is over.
Three years later, Ripley is extremely wealthy, living in a lush villa in Veneto with his wife Luisa, a beautiful harpsichordist. Invited by a neighbor to a party, Ripley has a pleasant time until he overhears the host, Jonathan Trevanny, insulting his taste and making a guarded reference to his questionable past. Ripley briefly confronts him, then sullenly leaves the party.
Reeves resurfaces, much to Ripley's annoyance, asking him to eliminate a rival mobster. Remembering the slight, Ripley recommends that an amateur be hired to do it – Trevanny, a law-abiding art framer who is dying of leukemia. Reeves offers a bewildered Trevanny the job. He turns it down at first, but can't resist the money, which he could leave to his wife, Sarah, and son, Matthew, upon his death.
Trevanny goes through with the job, a hit in Berlin, which he assumes will be a one-time-only assignment. Reeves has other ideas, however; he blackmails Trevanny into taking on another assassination, this time a much more complicated one on a train.
Trevanny panics and freezes up on the train, but Ripley intervenes in the nick of time. After the two of them dispatch three hoodlums in the toilet, Trevanny forms an uneasy friendship with Ripley and returns home. He then vainly attempts to persuade Sarah that the money he suddenly possesses is the result of visiting a hospital in Berlin and volunteering for an experimental drug trial.
The mobsters' associates come to Italy seeking revenge. They storm the villa and kill Reeves, leaving his body in the boot of their car. Ripley has set traps for them, however, and terminates each, with Trevanny's increasingly eager assistance.
Trevanny comes home to find two more thugs holding his wife captive. Ripley spots the killers' car outside in the bushes and doubles back in time to save the day, but in the end Trevanny sacrifices himself to save Ripley from a wounded assassin. Genuinely puzzled by Trevanny's selflessness, Ripley tries to give Sarah her husband's share of the blood money, but she only spits in his face in reply. That night, Ripley attends Luisa's concert as if nothing has happened, but smiles briefly at the memory of Trevanny's sacrifice. | violence, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1318516 | The Jailhouse | Small town, the American dream. A blue-collar family living the idyllic rural lifestyle. Nothing is out of place except for the lack of white picket fences and the old jail that occupies the second floor of their century old home. Seth Delray (C. Thomas Howell) knew the possibilities before he moved his wife and two kids into the old jailhouse, but the Sheriff assured him that it would be an act of God to put that place back into service. Times are tight, and it was just too good of a deal to refuse. That is, until the county jail caught fire. The Sheriff hands were tied and he had to put the displaced inmates anywhere he could find iron bars with a locking door. The Delray's were his only option. For Seth the worst wasn't the locked up criminals above his living room, it was the mortal fear in his children's eyes, the piercing cold looks from his wife. The deep, dark creeping recognition that something had happened there, something terrible, something that would rip his soul with a hundred year old hands. | haunting | train | wikipedia | Not all that spectacular and pretty unremarkable.
While his new house is repaired after a storm, a cop is forced to live below a haunted jail with inmates of the overcrowded nearby prison but slowly becomes possessed by the former guards and begins to torment and brutalize the inmates, forcing them to rise up against him.Not really as great as the plot sounds since the possession is really only hinted at and then figured out through the actions taken, despite the fact that it's never directly stated but rather implied, meaning that this one has just a long amount of time with nothing all that interesting going on.
The attacks are brutal and bloody, but because we spend a lot of time with the inmates rather than the cop, lowering the film even more so and making it harder to get into.
That, as well as a last-act twist that just makes the entire film a pointless endeavor and is utterly infuriating all the more-so lower it even more and makes it almost worthless.Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
haunted (jail)house thriller.
A haunted (jail)house horror/thriller, bearing some resemblance to "The Shining." Although, of course, Billy Lewis isn't Steven King, who wrote "The Shining, and C.
Thomas Howell, who stars in "The Jailhouse," isn't Jack Nicholson, who starred in "The Shining." Nevertheless, Howell carries the picture pretty well,he's in almost every scene.The film's a low-budget indie made in southeastern North Carolina.
According to an article in local newspaper, Wilmington Star News, writer-director Billy Lewis was inspired by existence of creepy old jail house in Burgaw, N.C.; wrote and made film around jail,in which it is more or less the villain.
Produced by Heath Franklin,locally cast, aside from Howell.
A short, tight, quick film that moves pretty well, is not as bloody and gory as most films in this category: no brains splashed all over the place, nor eyes hanging out.
I was able to get into it pretty quickly.
Think it might do well, even in non-English speaking markets, the plot can be followed easily enough without the understanding of English..
Horrible.
Was this supposed to be a comedy?
I just wanted every single one of these morons to die..
In Colton, Deputy Seth Delray (C.
Thomas Howell) is hired by Sheriff Hooper (Phillip Troy Linger) and he temporarily moves with his wife Grace (Siri Baruc) and their two children to an old jailhouse while the constructor Calvin (David Schifter) repairs their house.
When the local prison has a problem, six inmates are transferred to the soundproof jailhouse that is considered cursed and is located on the second floor of the house.
Seth finds the badge of the former sheriff that was murdered in the jailhouse and soon he is possessed by an evil spirit and starts killing the inmates."The Jailhouse" is a movie where the lead character performed by C.
Thomas Howell is a rip-off Jack Nicholson in "The Shining".
The plot begins like many other possession movies, with a family man being possessed by the former jailer.
However, the plot point makes the movie pointless and senseless.
However, the plot point makes the movie pointless and senseless.
My vote is four.Title (Brazil): "Detenção do Mal" ("Detention of the Evil").
Tedious indie.
GHOST CAGE is another cheapo indie about a haunted jail cell.
The story plays out in two different time periods, separated by centuries, with a modern owner finding himself possessed by the spirit of a predecessor.
A down-on-his-luck C.
Thomas Howell shows up for a story devoid of scares, wit and warmth; instead, it's just another tedious indie. |
tt0028709 | Charlie Chan on Broadway | While Charlie Chan and his number one son, Lee, are aboard a New York-bound transatlantic liner returning from Germany in their previous adventure (Charlie Chan at the Olympics), they have a run-in with a mysterious woman, named Billie Bronson, who secretes a package in the trunk of the Chans. After the liner docks, Chan and Lee are met at the pier by Inspector Nelson and two rival reporters, Joan Wendall and Speed Patton. Bille, having left the country hurriedly a year ago when sought as a material witness in a political scandal, has returned to "blow the lid off the town." She follows the Chans to their hotel and attempts to regain her package from the trunk, only to be interrupted by Lee. She then goes to the "Hottentot Club", where "candid-camera night" is in full progress, followed by Lee. Already present are Joan and Speed. Billie is mysteriously murdered and Charlie is summoned from a police banquet in his honor. Present in the room with the body are club manager Johnny Burke; club dancer and Burke's girl-friend Marie Collins and the two reporters. While seeking a motive for the murder, a second killing is discovered in Charlie's hotel room, the package is missing from Charlie's trunk and it is realized that it must have contained her diary. Charlie neatly puts together a few scattered clues and then springs a trap to confirm the identity of the killer. | mystery, murder | train | wikipedia | This time out, Charlie and #1 son, played as affably as ever by Keye Luke, are aboard a ship soon to dock in New York.
A woman aboard stows something in #1's luggage and tries getting it later in Chan hotel room.
Anyway, you get the usual good stuff you would find in most Chan films: a good mystery(I didn't figure this one out), some nice comedic touches with Chan's sayings and his by-play with his son, solid character acting from the likes of Luke, Donald Woods, Joan Marsh, etc..., and a look back at what New York was like in the late 30's.
Another really well done, atmospheric, Warner Oland/20th Century Fox Chan film.
Then in New York, the Hottentot Club is the main setting along with the hotel Chan and other notables stay at.
Edward Bromberg, Harold Huber in his best Chan role, Leon Ames, Marc Lawrence, Donald Woods, Louise Henry and Joan Marsh.
Much of the action takes place in the Hottentot Club and the only dance is of a tropical variety that is more reminiscent of Charlie Chan in Rio or Panama.Warner Oland is at the top of his game playing the famous Chinese detective.
Harold Huber does a fine job as Inspector Nelson and proves less silly than we'd see in future films.This must be considered one of the best..
Snappy Warner Oland as Charlie Chan murder mystery set at sea and in New York.
Oland's slowness in this film is complemented by good direction from an old hand, a total of five writers, and a great supporting cast.
I suppose that Joan Woodbury's dancing was all the rage at the time.Plot involves diary that if published will cause a great deal of harm to a lot of people: `No poison more deadly than ink.' Lots of misdirection with an obvious suspect and another who it appears will be actually guilty: `Murder case like revolving door, when one side close another side open.' In the end, the police and Chan trap the killer but not until Chan reveals clues that the viewer cannot have been aware.
Racial slurs against Orientals remain in the series with the New York Police Band playing `Chinatown' in honor of Chan's arrival.
Charlie Chan gets to work investigating all the suspects with (mostly unwanted) help from "Number One Son" Lee. This is a fun entry in the series helped by a great cast.
Edward Bromberg, Joan Marsh, Leon Ames, Marc Lawrence, and Douglas Fowley all offer good support.
The Good & Bad Of 'Charlie Chan On Broadway'.
The title of this Charlie Chan flick is a misnomer because Broadway doesn't play a part in this film.
Yes, we are in New York City for part of the story, but the scene isn't Broadway but "The Hottentot Club."This Chan story has the normal assortment of interesting characters.
It didn't think Charlie's proverbs were up to snuff in this one but his repartee with Number One Son (Keye Luke) was fun to hear, as always.Louise Henry, a woman who has a diary that everyone is after in this murder-mystery, has one of the prettiest faces I've seen in a Chan movie.
However, on the opposite side, Harold Huber as "Inspector Nelson" is one of the more annoying ones I've seen.Overall: good, and another in the series that I am still hoping to see on DVD..
Billie Bronson returns to New York from Europe to blackmail Johnny Burke (a former flame) with her diary with contains information that the police would love to have in order to put Burke in the slammer.
Billie hid the diary in Charlie's luggage and also plans to try to sell the diary to newspaper editor Murdock, while two reporters at Murdock's paper, reporter Speed Patten and photographer Joan Wendell, try to score an exclusive piece with Billie at Burke's nightclub, but after a meeting with Burke and girlfriend Marie Collins, Billie is found murdered in Burke's office.
Charlie and Inspector Nelson rush to solve the case (with Lee also trying to work the case much to his father's enjoyment) where they find out that the person who also murdered Billie also stole the diary.
Nelson arrests Burke on the circumstantial evidence, but has to turn him free when it doesn't pan out, but Charlie brings all the suspects in to present the murderer.
This Chan entry seemed a lot better when thinking about it some time later, maybe one reason why is Huber's character (as well as the actor himself) is annoying as hell.
The script plays more like it came from Warner Brothers with the nightclub and gangster motif, but it is good for its genre and film series.
A young woman, Billie, puts a package in a trunk belonging to Charlie Chan.
Nightclub singer Louise Henry returns to New York as it turns out with Warner Oland and number one son Keye Luke on the same boat.
Excellent reason for people wanting to do her harm.In addition to Warner Oland investigating to help Inspector Harold Huber of the NYPD, reporter and photographer Donald Woods and Joan Marsh are trying to scoop each other to please city editor J.
Edward Bromberg who has a big interest in this case.I'm kind of divided in terms of my feelings about Charlie Chan On Broadway.
But the casting will throw you off.Oland and Luke do some good work here helping clear up a pair of homicides of some people society won't miss unless you're a fan of Henry's singing..
Mae West said in one of her films: 'Keep a diary, and one day it'll keep you...' And that most CERTAINLY goes for the diary of a young lady, Billie Bronson, who's just arrived on the same steamer with Charlie and Lee Chan back in New York after a year - because she had to go in hiding when it was found out then that Billie, who's acquainted with almost all of Manhattan's big-time mob, had kept a very detailed diary about all the ongoings in New York's underworld, which of course, if revealed to the public, would mean the ruin of most of the city's gangsters...No need to say that she's got to hide the extremely explosive - and valuable - little book in a safe place; and since she'd been followed even back on the steamer by a guy who was obviously after it, and since she happened to get acquainted with famous Charlie Chan there as well...
what better place could there be than Charlie's hotel room in New York?
She manages to place it there - but she doesn't manage to escape her own fate: while obviously bargaining with some of the people mentioned in her diary for a very high price for the evidence, she herself pays the highest price: she is shot in the office of the manager of one of Broadway's famous-infamous nightclubs, the 'Hottentot Club'.Very soon, of course, we get to know a whole bunch of suspects: except for 'Hottentot Club' manager Johnny Burke and his girlfriend Marie, who, as it turns out, had taken Johnny away from Billie, and in addition is the wife of the mysterious guy on the ship, who also keeps on searching for the diary, but is soon murdered as well - in Charlie's hotel room!
Then there's newspaper editor Murdock, who also had his reasons for bargaining for the dangerous diary, and his ever-present employees, reporter 'Speed' Patten and photo reporter Joan, and shady Buzz Moran...And this time, after LOTS of dangerous adventures in the 'asphalt jungle', Charlie arranges a real 'classic' gathering of all the suspects in order to reveal the killer...Absolutely PERFECT in every aspect, from the formidable cast to the direction that catches marvelously the atmosphere of old Manhattan 'where the underworld can meet the elite' (like it says in "42nd Street") to the classic, ingenious 'whodunit' story, this is one of Charlie Chan's VERY best, and MOST entertaining cases!.
Charlie (Warner Oland) and Number One Son (Keye Luke) investigate a murder at NYC's Hottentot Club.
The murder investigation doesn't even begin until halfway into the film.The murder plot itself is only mildly interesting, and relates more to city mobsters than to anything having to do with "Broadway".
Production design, however, is quite good, at least by Charlie Chan standards.
And we have the usual Charlie Chan aphorisms.The identity of the murderer is not hard to figure out, owing to poor film direction.
Some of Charlie's logic about who the murderer is, is not consistent with the film's plot.
And there's very little suspense in this film.Except for the production design, especially at the Hottentot, I found this particular Charlie Chan mystery to be disappointing.
Warner Oland and Keye Luke star in "Charlie Chan on Broadway" in this 1937 film also featuring Donald Woods, Joan Marsh, Louise Henry and Harold Huber.
Chan (Oland) is on board ship with #1 son Lee (Luke).
Murders are the result, and Chan and Lee are on the case.There's not much of Broadway in this film except a couple of shots of Times Square, but it's fun nonetheless.
Oland is a good Chan; he's younger than Sidney Toler, another Charlie, and Keye Luke is very likable as Lee.These movies are politically incorrect today, but they're entertaining and a great reminder of what ethnic populations had to endure if they were involved in films or even watching them.
I can never get upset with a Charlie Chan film, they're all simply classics.
That being said, I already have a bias in favor of the Chan series so my review may be tainted.In this Chan outing, Charlie (Oland) and #1 son Lee (Keye Luke) find themselves hot on the trail of the murderer of an infamous ex-mob lady Billie Bronson (played by the sultry Louise Henry).
Added to the fray is her missing diary which contains secrets that could blow the lid off of New York's underworld.
We have the usual Chan formula, with a fast-paced, New York twist.
You have the usual suspects (who more often than not turn out to be not guilty) and the big surprise ending where we learn who the real killer is.
I can honestly say I didn't see it coming.The things which separate this film from others in the series are the hectic New York setting and a few very interesting characters.
But boy this movie sure is a wild ride and it ended up being one of the Chan films I like to watch over and over.Be sure to see this one soon and enjoy.
Charlie Chan and #1 son Lee get mixed up with a mysterious woman on board a ship bound for New York.
She hides a small package in Chan's luggage to make sure it gets to New York safely.
Shortly after arriving in New York, the woman is murdered in an office at the Hottentot Club.
Charlie Chan on Broadway is yet another very solid entry in the Chan series.
Warner Oland and Keye Luke are as good and entertaining as ever.
It completely caught me off guard.BIG TIME SPOILERS If you've seen enough of the Charlie Chan movies (or any other detective type movies from the 30s and 40s), there are a few absolutes you can generally count on.
That's not the case in Charlie Chan on Broadway.
END OF BIG TIME SPOILERS Overall, I'm very pleased to have discovered a "new" Charlie Chan film.
Pretty typical of the later Warner Olan films from the Chan series.
I enjoyed CHARLIE CHAN ON Broadway but also have to admit that there isn't much new or special that sets it apart from all the other later Warner Oland films from the Charlie Chan series.
It has all the usual elements--the assistance (whether wanted or not) of #1 son, plot twists and clever "Chanisms"--the clever aphorisms Charlie makes during the course of the film.
So the film isn't a disappointment nor is it particularly distinguished.The plot involves a gangster's moll who is killed just before she reveals mob secrets.
Despite the movie making it look like the mobsters Burke or Moran did it, I found this plot much easier to unravel than most when I noticed the exact same clue that Chan did when he gives a summation of the case at the end of the film--so it's not one of the more baffling mysteries of the series.Decent acting, plot and dialog--this is yet another fine Chan film.
It just happens that the murders happened in the Broadway neighborhood, so don't expect anything like CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA..
"Charlie Chan on Broadway" is somewhat of a misnomer, since most of the New York City action takes place far from the bright lights of the theater district, and instead are presented in the setting of the Hottentot Club, a premier night club run by mobster Johnny Burke (Douglas Fowley).
The film begins aboard an ocean liner, where we observe Burke's former flame Billie Bronson (Louise Henry) conceal a package in the Chan luggage; it turns out to be a diary containing information on mob rackets, and there are plenty who would pay dearly for it.
When Billie turns up dead in the Club, along with her shipboard tail Tom Mitchell (Marc Lawrence), the hunt is on for the killer.Keye Luke is on board again as Number #1 Son Lee, and Harold Huber joins the Chan series as Police Inspector Nelson, quick to jump to conclusions based on partial evidence.
Quite a few characters are placed at the center of the mystery, including newspaper reporter Speed Patten (Donald Woods), photographer Joan Wendall (Joan Marsh), and New York Bulletin Editor Murdock (J.
Of course, Burke is a prime suspect, along with henchman Buzz Moran (Leon Ames), but editor Murdock arouses suspicion when he arrives early for an appointment with the murdered Billie, as his newspaper would have the inside scoop on the diary's secrets.With crafty precision, Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) unravels the case based on evidence provided at the Bronson crime scene in mobster Burke's office - a photograph of the murder victim's location with it's effects, and the subsequent discovery of missing elements from the photo.
All of this sleight of hand casts suspicion on the main suspects - both Burke, and his current girlfriend and nightclub dancer Marie Collins (Joan Woodbury), who believes Billie's return from self imposed exile is a threat to her relationship with Burke.The final revelation of the killer's identity is typical of Chan films - reporter Speed Patten is involved in the mob rackets, and his access to the other suspects places him at the center of the action.
The diary has enough information to put him and his cronies away for a long time, and ultimately, it does, as the Oriental Detective lays out the missing pieces of the case for the viewer.Warner Oland would go on to portray Charlie Chan only one more time for an adventure in Monte Carlo, before his untimely death shortly after from bronchial pneumonia.
Charlie suspects foul play.NOTES: Number fifteen of the sixteen pictures made by Warner Oland in the series, and the third of five (four with Oland and one with Toler) directed by Eugene Forde.COMMENT: A lively entry with a great cast that will particularly delight Harold Huber's vast legion of fans.
***SPOILERS*** Warner Oland in his next to last film as Hawaiian master detective Charlie Chan gets involved in a double murder while attending a banquet in his honor by the New York Police Department as it's gust of honor.
This has to do with mob moll Billie Bronson, Louise Henry, who after coming out of hiding in Europe was found gun down at the notorious mob hangout the Hottentot Club that her mobster boyfriend Buzz Moran, Leon Ames, ran.Charlie as usual is hampered by hi #1 Son Lee, Keye Luke, who among other things that made pop's job difficult was looking through the keyholes at the hotel, The Cartlon, that the two were staying at.
It's a wonder he didn't get his head slammed by someone in the place opening up a door or being arrested by the hotel detective as a peeping Tom or Lee. As Charlie soon discovered the murder victim Billie Bronson's body was moved and evidence stolen when he was shown a photo of the murder scene.
This lead Charlie #1 Son Lee as well as NYPD Police inspector Nelson, Harold Huber,to Billie Bronson's hotel room where there was discovered the body of murdered hoodlum Thomas Mitchell, Marc Lawrence, who's been following Billie all the way to NYC from far off Europe.***SPOILERS*** As it soon turned Billie had an explosive diary that she was going to use to blackmail members of the New York city police as well as well placed New York politicians and businessmen who were involved with the town's criminal element who was paying them off to look the other way.
No mystery remains unsolved with Charlie Chan around-even on Broadway!.
One of Warner Oland's last appearances as Charlie Chan was this short and sweet mystery where Charlie happens to be involved in the smuggling of a diary intended to be used for blackmail.
The blackmailer (Louise Henry) is all of sudden murdered and Chan must gather all the clues he can to find the killer.
This gets Number One Son (Keye Luke) involved, which of course, isn't a shining light in pop's eyes.
The Oriental sleuth Charlie Chan(Warner Oland) rides a bumpy sea to attend a police testimonial in New York City.
When the chanteuse is murdered, Charlie and Number One Son Lee(Keye Luke)join Chief Inspector Nelson(Harold Huber)in piecing together clues to find the killer.
This film moves at a good pace and is typically true to the Charlie Chan formula.
I guess I am too because it occurs to me I have a towel from the Benjamin Franklin Hotel in Philadelphia hidden away with the rest of my loot.I haven't gotten to the climax yet so I don't know if Charlie Chan and Enumerated Son get to Broadway to see a show or not. |
tt3025994 | Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright | The Mystery Inc. crew head to Chicago for a talent show, called Talent Star, hosted by Brick Pimiento, where songwriting duo Fred and Daphne are finalists with some high hopes. Upon arrival, they learn that the opera house which the show will be held in is being terrorized by a Phantom, who is intensely lauding one of the finalists to win, Christine, a spoiled girl whose noisy parents are no more polite than her. Fred and Daphne also befriend one of the finalists, Emma Gale, a violinist. Not to be left out, Scooby and Shaggy decide to show Pimiento a juggling act, which they are betting will take the contest by storm. However, after Pimiento states his belief that ‘juggling stinks,' throughout the film, the two continually approach Pimiento and show him numerous terrible impromptu acts.
Not long after checking in for the talent show, the Phantom appears in the opera house and Fred, Daphne and Velma attempt to catch him using the surveillance cameras, but are unsuccessful due to the Phantom’s ability to seemingly appear in multiple places at once. While being chased briefly by the Phantom, Shaggy and Scooby notice the Phantom had a strange lemon scent and afterwards, the gang split up to search for clues. Fred and Daphne meet the owner of the opera house, Mel Richmond. They learn from Richmond that a Phantom once terrorized the opera house thirty-five years ago when it was a disco.
The dress rehearsal commences the next day. Fred and Daphne meet Emma’s parents, who are hoping to get the prize money to save their home from bankruptcy. During the dress rehearsal, the Phantom sabotages most of the finalists’ acts, leaving Christine, Emma, and Fred and Daphne as the only contestants left. Due to these attacks, Fred and Daphne decide to use themselves as bait to lure the Phantom out. The gang manage to track down a Phantom, only to find it is the original Phantom from the 70’s, a man named Steve Trilby. Steve admits to the gang that he vandalized the opera house during the 70’s, due to his hatred over disco music, but that now he only goes into the opera house to get food. The gang return to the stage to find the Phantom setting fire to the opera house. With the help of Steve, they catch the Phantom, who is revealed to be Mel Richmond. However, the gang learn that Richmond isn't the Phantom they are after when they hear the Phantom threatening to destroy the place unless Christine wins.
Later that night, using Emma as bait, the gang manage to capture the Phantom, who turns out to be Christine’s father, Lance. Afterwards, however, Shaggy and Scooby find out that Ottoman is also the Phantom, when they see him putting on lemon-scented hand sanitizer. They rush to Ottoman’s office and find a magazine about the Soap Diamond, which is on display at a mineralogical center nearby. They quickly realize Ottoman ordered all the police to patrol the opera house so that the mineralogical center would be unguarded. They rush to the mineralogical center and find Ottoman running out of the building. Ottoman trips and drops the Soap Diamond, which Scooby catches. Ottoman pursues the gang toward a drawbridge, where Fred tricks him into jumping into a barge filled with garbage, by replacing the diamond with a dog bone. Ottoman is arrested and the gang goes back to the opera house, after being informed that Fred and Daphne are doing a tie-breaking performance against Emma.
The gang arrives back in time for Fred and Daphne to do their tie-breaker performance. The performance takes them in the lead of the voting chart, however, when they realize what it would mean if Emma lost, they decide to tell some of Shaggy and Scooby’s cheesy jokes, which enables them to lose enough votes, allowing Emma to win. At the end of the show, Velma plays the footage which shows Pimiento putting on the Phantom costume. Pimiento admits that he used the Phantom to boost the show’s ratings. After Pimento is taken away, Steve wraps up the show. | horror, flashback | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0244870 | Uzumaki | Uzumaki follows a high-school teenager Kirie Goshima (五島桐絵), her boyfriend Shuichi Saito (斎藤秀一), and the citizens of the small, fictional Japanese town of Kurôzu-cho (黒渦町, Black Vortex Town), which is cursed by supernatural events involving spirals. As the story progresses, Kirie and Shuichi witness how the spiral curse affects the people around them, causing the citizens to become obsessed or paranoid about spirals. Eventually Kirie is affected by the curse as well, when her hair begins to curl into an unnatural spiral pattern, drains her life energy to hypnotize the citizens, and chokes her whenever she attempts to cut it off. Shuichi is able to cut her hair and save her. The curse continues to plague the town, until a storm conjured by the curse destroys most of its structures. The only remaining buildings are ancient abandoned terraced houses, which the citizens are forced first to move into, and then begin expanding as they grow more and more crowded.
Kirie and Shuichi devise a plan to escape Kurôzu-cho, but when they attempt to escape, their efforts are unsuccessful. After returning to the town, they discover that several years have passed since they left, as time speeds up away from the spiral. The other citizens have expanded the terraced houses until they connect into a single structure forming a spiral pattern. Kirie and Shuichi decide to search for Kirie's parents, which brings them to the center of the spiral. At the center, they fall down a pit, within which they discover the corpses of Kirie's parents and an ancient city completely covered with spiral patterns. Shuichi urges Kirie to move forward and find a way to stop the curse, but she replies that she does not have the strength and wishes to stay with him. The two embrace each other, and their bodies twist and wrap together as a result of the curse. As they lie together, Kirie notes that the curse ended at the same time it began, for just as time speeds up away from the center ,it freezes at the center, and concludes that the curse is eternal, and all the events will repeat when a new Kurôzu-cho is built where the previous one laid. | dark, cult, violence, horror, flashback, insanity, psychedelic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0234805 | Die Stille nach dem Schuß | In a letter left for her friend Tatjana, fugitive Red Army Faction terrorist Rita Vogt (Bibiana Beglau) relates the story of her life.
During the 1970s, Rita and her fellow urban guerrillas carried out armed robberies, kidnappings, and various other attacks in West Germany, as part of their campaign of armed struggle against the capitalist system. During a visit to Paris, Rita is asked by a local police officer for her license. In response, she flees, the French police officer pursues her into a parking ramp, and Rita fatally shoots him.
Later, following a prison break which involves the murder of a West Berlin corrections officer, Rita and her comrades flee, via the Friedrichstraße train station into East Berlin. As the German Democratic Republic has signed conventions against terrorism, the East German secret police, or Stasi, is reluctant to help. The Stasi's chief, Erich Mielke (Dietrich Körner), disagrees. In a conversation with Stasi officer Erwin Hull (Martin Wuttke), Mielke expresses sympathy for the RAF's terrorist attacks against West German and U.S. targets, which he compares to his own similar activities during both the Weimar Republic and the Nazis. He orders Agent Hull to assist them unofficially.
Hull arranges a safe house for the fugitives and secretly trains them in the use of military hardware. As Rita watches her comrades training in the use of Rocket-propelled grenades, she is visibly horrified.
That evening, Hull boasts that the RAF has "to break laws; we can make them". He explains that those who wish to retire from armed struggle will be given new identities so that they can start a new life in the GDR. The group's two women, Friederike Adebach (Jenny Schilli) and Rita, accept the offer, much to the shock and horror of the men.
Hull's then prepares Rita for her new identity and coaches her on a fictitious "legend", or backstory, that becomes her new "truth". Once the "legend" is constructed and memorized, Rita is given a menial job at a Volkseigener Betrieb clothing factory. Explaining that she is a West German, who voluntarily emigrated across the Berlin Wall, Rita shocks her co-workers, who have never heard of such a thing.
To their further shock, Rita takes "solidarity" cash collections for the Sandinistas at face value and willingly donates large amounts of money. Disgusted, Rita's coworkers explain that the donations actually go to the East German government's coffers and that the claims about helping Nicaragua are just a confidence scam. Rita's patronizing response sickens her coworkers, who ostracize her.
Only her depressed and alcoholic co-worker Tatjana (Nadja Uhl) develops a friendship with her. They bond deeply, Rita helps Tatjana toward sobriety, and even begins a lesbian relationship with her. Then a television announcement about the RAF from West Germany stops Rita short during a birthday party. Not only has her former lover been killed during an RPG attack against a NATO base, but the West German media continues to broadcast her as a hunted fugitive. The next morning, a co-worker tells Rita that she recognizes her from the broadcast and vows to expose who she is. In response, the Stasi promptly relocates her, allowing her only a brief, painful goodbye to Tatjana.
Her next residence and workplace, "Legend Number 2", is a children's day care center. While on vacation on the Baltic Sea, she gets to know and falls in love with a student, Jochen Pettka (Alexander Beyer). Despite her cautiousness, it becomes ever more difficult for her to hide her past. After she becomes pregnant, Jochen asks her to marry him and to travel with him to an event in the Soviet Union. Agent Hull, however, tells her that this is impossible, as it will cause the Stasi's ties to the RAF to leak out. Explaining that the increasing unrest may soon topple the GDR, Hull urges Rita to have an abortion—implying that her child will be better off.
During a choral performance, Rita notices Friederike Adebach among the choir's participants. Now married with a child, Friederike is suffering under the Communist system, and bears it with grudging resentment — the same emotion seen on the faces of other GDR residents throughout the film. Rita and Friederike's reunion is sullen and they part unceremoniously.
Soon after, Rita reveals her past to Jochen. Deeply sickened, he breaks his ties to her.
In 1989/90 the GDR collapses. As Western consumer goods flood in, Rita is visibly disgusted and horrified. Ignoring her coworker's contempt for her opinion, Rita lectures them about how they "will never have it this good again."
Soon after, the Stasi is disbanded and its weapons are confiscated. Agent Hull informs Rita that he can no longer protect her. The news of her presence has gotten out and the GDR's Volkspolizei, or Vopos, will soon be coming to arrest her. In response, Rita expresses outrage that capitalism "has no borders". After watching news footage of Friederike's arrest and extradition to West Germany, Rita goes on the run.
Meanwhile, after years of imprisonment by Agent Hull merely for knowing about Rita's presence in the GDR, Tatjana is finally released and joyously runs to Rita's flat. Upon her arrival, she is grabbed by a group of plainclothes Vopos, who ask, "Are you Rita Vogt?"
Attempting to flee to the People's Republic of Poland by motorbike, Rita is asked to show her ID at a Vopo checkpoint. In a deeply ironic moment, Rita accelerates, clearly expecting the East German policemen to chase after her like their predecessor in Paris. Instead, a Vopo raises an AK-47 and riddles Rita with bullets. As she falls dead from the motorbike, Rita's voice is heard in voiceover: "THAT'S EXACTLY HOW IT WAS. MORE OR LESS." | avant garde, murder | train | wikipedia | Volker Schlondorff reminds us that he's still a terrific director and really has gone back to his roots with this film.
Hollywood would have ruined this film by making Rita sympathetic.
Schlondorff's film and its portrayal of Rita is unflinching.
Very strong film by a great director and acted by a great talent in Beglau..
Maybe it's the cultural specificity of the piece, but somehow Volker Schlondorff's "The Legends of Rita" fails to hit the right emotional chords, where essentially the film's humanism-over-politics thematics want to evoke in the audience.
Don't get me wrong, "Rita" is an excellently crafted film, subtle and never forceful.
The film succeeds above and beyond expectations in its depiction of the latter years of the GDR, portraying an ideologically bankrupt nation whose environments and inhabitants seem to be caught in a state of limbo.
Good political film that could do with a better English title.
'the legend of rita' is an unfortunately choice of title when compared to the German 'die stille nach dem schuss'.
The film is about how members of small armed revolutionary groups come to terms with what remains of their lives ('die stille') between/after periods of action ('dem Schuss'), not principally about one person, let alone their 'legend', even if there is only one character who is continually present.Since the group in question hides out for a period in the ddr, a number of occasions arise in which the politics of armed guerillas and that of the ddr are compared, and both appear a long way off the kind of broad participatory socialism they are often mistakenly taken to aspire to.
The exchanges between the main stasi officer and rita about the role of violence and the state are particularly priceless..
The Legend of Rita is about the lives of some young terrorists from West Germany who dreamed of making radical changes in the lives of people using violent means.
It describes the tumultuous lives of these people especially their stay in East Germany by focusing on a particular person who is the film's protagonist.
As events in the life of a terrorist are shown in a rapid succession without bothering to concentrate on one particular aspect, 'The Legend of Rita' takes the form of an entertainer as it distances itself too much from the radical stance viewed in hardcore political films.
It appears that the director Volker Schlöndorff has sweetened his film to such a large extent that even East German secret service agents appear as if they were some kind of nice gentlemen with nothing but loads of goodness in their hearts.
As a festival film, 'The legend of Rita' won some important prizes namely silver bear and best actress price shared by Bibiana Beglau and Nadja Uhl during Berlinale 2000.
this film is about a fact discovered after the changes of 1989, namely that the remaining unfound RAF terrorists have been hidden in the DDR.Schlöndorff has considered many details very well.
the ending is very stupid and easy, like often in Schlöndorff-films, i regret to say.
but still i think every German interested in his country's history (and i believe it is the duty of Germans to interested in it!) should watch this movie in order to also consider this last "east"-chapter of RAF terrorism.
Rita is a woman of a thousand disguises: some adopted for her terrorist roles in the West, some given to her by her Stasi handler in the East, and some adopted to cope with the jarring dissonances that people experienced under Communism.The time is never right for Rita.
Rita's refusal saves her life, of course.I found the moral questions that a politically engaged citizen of either of the former two Germanies had to face were brought out better in The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum, but Rita has many lovely moments..
THE LEGEND OF RITA by director Volker Schlöndorff offers an intriguing look at East Germany's role in the international revolutionary political movements of the 1970's.
Rita is a member of a radical underground group that evolved from the American Civil Rights/Black Power/Anti-Vietnam movements of the 1960's.
It's almost a running gag in the film that no one who lives in East Germany can believe that anyone would chose to live there.
Although for a variety of reasons Socialism clearly was usurped by Capitalism by the early 90's, Volker Schlondorff has crafted a film that is a kind of a thoughtful advocacy for the positive aspects of a more collective political system.
THE LEGEND OF RITA is a terrific film of the Thriller Genre, yet perceptively makes political points without becoming a polemic..
"The Legend of Rita" follows the activities of a young female idealist who runs with a small band of second rate terrorists in West Germany just prior to the end of the Cold War, goes straight, and hides under assumed identities (the legend).
A well crafted, technically good Euroflick, "...Rita", equally split between character and story, puts the audience in the awkward position of having to root for a terrorist with only a marginally interesting story to tell.
Schlondorff has no strong sense of what to make of his terrorist characters.
Rita is idealistic but her personal life is pulled in rather conventional bourgeois directions.
The film points to the paradox of idealistic murder and suggests that society has no ability to appreciate the complexity of such a character, but why should it when even a work of art like this film is unable to explore what's inside its title character.
Die Stille nach dem Schuss (2000 - Volker Schlöndorff): **¾.
Drawing parallels with real members of the RAF far-left militant group and events of the 70s and 80s in Germany, Die Stille nach dem Schuss depicts the relationship between the terrorist organisation and the East German Stasi through the eyes of an individual.
Rita is shown to be unique in her unconditional love for the supposed values of her adopted homeland, standing in stark contrast to her fellow citizens, all of whom refuse to have the wool pulled over their eyes.
The film lacks both the style and thrills of Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (2008) or any real sustained drama.
Just when it seems the stakes are to be raised in Rita's personal life, the narrative moves on too soon..
The Legend of Rita, this movie's English-language title, is not as hokey as it initially sounds.
"Legend" was the term used by the East German Secret Police (the Stazi) for the cover stories created to disguise the identities of West German terrorists who had been secretly granted asylum in the East.
The German title, Die Stille nach dem Schuss (literally The Stillness after Rapid Action), is a German phrase that sounds fine in its original language but is too abstract for colloquial translation of a film that is, among other things, an effective thriller."Schuss" in the original title refers to the bank robberies and killings shown at the beginning of the film and "Stille" to the subsequent life, east of the Berlin Wall, of Rita Vogt, a member of a terrorist cell determined to change the world by violent action.
Eleven such individuals from West Germany, did, in fact, find refuge in the East, but only on condition that they live peacefully as ordinary workers and have no contact with one another.
Director Volker Schlöndorff says, in a lengthy audio commentary that accompanies silent images from the film on its Kino Video DVD, that "the episodes are authentic but the characters are somewhat fictitious." The "somewhat fictitious" Rita is assigned two identities during her years in East Germany.
Initially, she works in a textile factory and develops a passionate friendship with an East German woman.
His astonishment and rejection make their separation easier.Things change for Rita with the fall of the Berlin Wall and approaching German reunification.
Preferring tragedy to capture or a life in hiding, she steals a policeman's motorcycle, drives it through a border post, and is shot and killed by a guard.The reason for East Germany's granting of asylum to West German terrorists is not entirely clear, either in the film or in real life.
The closest the film comes to an explanation occurs when the members of the Red Army cell meet with their Stazi minder for a bratwurst barbecue at a pleasant rural villa.
East Germany has signed the Helsinki Convention against harboring terrorists and has no interest in supporting what Lenin called "infantile Leftism." Cell members are given a choice of transportation to a third world country or remaining in East Germany.
A Stazi executive at the barbecue suggests that a longing for lost revolutionary romanticism underlies the East Germany policy.Another aspect of the film is its portrayal of everyday life in East Germany.
It does this more completely than either Good Bye Lenin (2003) or The Lives of Others (2006) although these are, in many respects, excellent movies.
According to Schlöndorff's commentary, West German viewers found the portrayal of East German life insufficiently harsh but former Easterners thought it exceptionally accurate.I seldom give movies 10 ratings but, for The Legend of Rita, I can find nothing that should have been done differently.
Rita's story is one of the most moving films I have seen in a great long while.
It reveals some of the true story of terrorism through the life of one West Germany's notorious RAF terrorists.The world is at war with itself.
Rita is one of a group of ten in West Germany.
They do what they can as long as they can with GDR (East German) support.
Rita finally loses the vocation and wishes for a normal life - as a working class person - in GDR.
She loves twice as a civilian and loses everything on both occasions as a consequence of her former identity.The collapse of the wall ends any possibility of a conventional life for her.
Unlike her fellow GDR citizens, Rita knew the consequences of reunification and the destruction it would wreak on East German communities and lives.
But when Rita sees another former comrade arrested she must make a run for it.The final shot is tragic and beautiful of the collapse of a motorcyle on a rainstrewn country road.The image of Rita and her struggle for a better world will stay with me for a long, long time.
With the events of September 2001, it may be a decade before anyone can make such a film on this subject.The images are beautiful, if relatively conventional.
Frankly the story is better told well in the conventional language of good cinematography.
One of the key personalities in the film is their Stasi handler Erwinn.
The Red Army Faction (RAF) was a self-described, communist, anti- imperialist urban guerrilla organisation based in the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).
These were young people, many of them college students, who felt both a guilt about and sympathy for Third World nationalist revolutions; revolutions they believed, were the vanguard of a world revolution which would eventually sweep the 'fascist imperialist' States away.Che Guevara captured what Schlöndorff is attempting to portray in his film concerning the mental spirit of these German student, revolutionary romantics when he reflected on his own audacity and political commitment: "At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love.
We must strive every day so that this love of living humanity will be transformed into actual deeds, into acts that serve as examples, as a moving force." Action and audacity were the Red Army Faction's (RAF) strong suit.
"The Legend of Rita" (original German title "Die Stille nach dem Schuß" ) is set in the divided Germany of the 70s.
Rita is a young fearless romantic in love with a left-wing revolutionary, one Andreas 'Andi' Klein, a guy who is more or less the leader of an RAF group which she is a part of.
These revolutionaries naively explain their robberies in terms of 'anti- imperialist' politics : Yes, out loud, to customers as they clean out the capitalist bank vault and cash drawers, with weapons drawn.Adrenal rush and surprise hit one in this film from start to finish.
From jail breaks to motorcycle chases, to life behind the Iron Curtain, the film comes at you again and again with images you've been brainwashed to feel uncomfortable with.
As many, many of the New Left, Rita and her fellow RAF members are motivated to take violent political action in order to assuage a deeply felt guilt about being born in First World privilege.
Rita's boyfriend is one of them and when this happens, love dies.
Rita is a lover first and a revolutionary second.
Rita wants mutual love more than anything else and as she learns more about the duplicitous mendacity of the coldly calculating political apparatus in both the East and West, she comes to the realisation that political States are always ready to opportunistically sacrifice their oft repeated, propagandised moral goals and callously toss human lives on the scrapheap for political gain.
As a result, she grows closer to the only person who ever measured up to her romantic expectations, an East German woman named, Tatjana.Volker Schlöndorff has directed a master portrait of a political situation, a time and a place which is quickly disappearing down the 'memory hole'.
Not only are the West German RAF, with their Ton Stein Scherben albums and sneering hatred for bourgeois complacency critically and sympathetically examined; but the 'actually existing socialism' of the DDR of that era is laid bare as well.
East Germany is portrayed realistically, down to the last idiosyncrasy, from the near empty roads, to the Radeberger Pilsner, to the workers' apartments in those large, multi- storied college dorm-like buildings in urban East Berlin.
Rest assured, the film's honesty extends across both sides of the East/West border.
Far from revolutionary or socialist, most of the citizens of the DDR are portrayed as being quite conservative, endorsing whichever police are in charge of the political State.
The point is hammered home at the end of the movie, when the fall of the Wall in 1989 is portrayed; a time when Rita and her audience are supposed to come to the realisation of just what die Stille nach dem Schuß entails..
Certainly she is the little orphan Annie of Marxism-Leninism, and we see the DDR though her eyes (which may explain why the sets are so clean.) In a possible defence of her radicalism, may I say that the Bundesrepublik Deutchland(West Germany)was very much a conservative, yet apolitical state for the first 20 years of it's existence.
You can't live in the `50's forever, and when the 1960's wafted in, people like Rita were silently raging for change.
Okay, so I was really primed to love "The Legend of Rita".
Rita is a member of a radical group of German urban guerrillas somewhat based on the Baader-Meinhoff gang and somewhat based on the Hash Rebels.
She is aided by the East German Stasi, who see as normal people doing a job they believe in, rather than as the Stalinistic secret police we're told to believe they were.
We see East Berlin as a difficult place to live.
It's an objective film.Second of all, it's a film where the main character is a woman driven by her ideological convictions AS WELL AS her loves and desires.
Her political convictions and dedication to leftist revolution are what give her strong character and is not her Achilles heel.The film follows Rita as a young member of a radical group in '70s Berlin.
After killing a cop during a police chase, she creates a new identity and lives a normal life in the East.From there the film follows her life and the end of the Cold War (World War III).
And for revolutionaries around the world, including people like Rita many of whom were turned over to the invading right wing bureaucrats, it was a palpable defeat..
A credible film about terrorism and the Bolshevist state.
The film "Die Stille nach dem Schuss" has the problem, that the audience can neither identify with the characters nor with the society.
Some of the characters are German city guerrillas and thus loose cannons, not much different from violent criminals.
I have read the book Der Baader Meinhof Komplex by Stefan Aust (670p.), which is a leading work on the subject.
Even in Utrecht, my residence, a constable was killed by a RAF member, in a situation similar to the French officer from the film.
In fact this region had always been the most conservative part of Germany, so that the contempt for former terrorists in the film is probably authentic.
I don't know whether former RAF members had happy lives in the GDR.
Unfortunately, the endings of the Schlondorff films that I have seen (Die verlorene Ehre der K.
If you are interested in GDR life or social films, consider seeing my other reviews..
"Die Stille nach dem Schuß" or "The Legend of Rita" is a German movie from 2000, so this one will soon have its 20th anniversary.
The film runs for 100 minutes roughly and tells an entirely fictitious story about former West German terrorist and how she lives under an alias in the GDR.
I personally really wanted to like this movie here, but it was very difficult to end up appreciating.
The script is not a revelation either, but making a fiction film about the days of RAF Germany (or the years after) is something we don't see too often and Schlöndorff's and Kohlhaase's experience certainly shows in terms of subtle moments, but also the showy ending for example.
I just really wish they could have cast another lead actress here as Beglau does not have what it needs to carry this film from start to finish as she is in basically every single scene.
What I didn't like about this movie was the ending. |
tt0054190 | The Plunderers | Unruly cowboys Rondo, Jeb, Mule and Davy ride into town. They can't pay for their drinks, so Sheriff McCauley jails them for a night. Then they refuse to pay clerk Ellie Walters at the general store, and take rooms at Kate Miller's hotel.
The rancher Sam Christy is asked for help. He is an American Civil War hero, but has lost an arm and is tired of fighting. When the cowboys beat up the saloon keeper and McCauley is killed by Jeb, however, Sam offers to do what he can.
He is ambushed by the cowboys at the ranch, beaten and his horses stolen. Ellie tends to him and they kiss. In town, Davy is upset by what's happening and wants the cowboys to leave. Ellie is attacked by Rondo, who then comes at Sam with a knife. Ellie shoots him. Sam then kills Mule in a fight and shoots the fleeing Jeb. He allows the remorseful Davy to leave town. | murder | train | wikipedia | Juvenile Delinquents!.
Juvenile delinquency was a very hot topic in the late fifties and early sixties.
The new scourge of civilization, rock and roll, had transformed the younger generation into rebels who wanted to cast off the repressive rules by which they were expected to conduct themselves.
The burgeoning post-war economy was removing the fear that had formed so much of the older generation's embracement of responsibility and the ever-quickening pace of materialistic progress was making any prospect of boredom anathema to the young.This certainly didn't go unnoticed by the establishment who were understandably alarmed by what appeared to be a rise in youthful disrespect and hedonism and the war of the generations was taken fairly seriously for a while.
Hollywood quickly realized that this was a very sexy and saleable topic for entertaining the masses and began churning out dramas of rebellious youth by the boatload.
By 1960 (the year this film was released) these rebellious youth movies were becoming pretty repetitive as far as contemporary settings went, so it was a darned good idea to take the issue and transfer it to a different time - the old west.It worked rather well, I think.
Westerns tend to be fairly simple story lines for the most part anyway, so bringing an aspect of modern juvenile delinquency into the western was novel enough to spice up both tired genres a little.
I watched it on the late show when I was on a baby-sitting gig and it made my night.
Held my interest all the way and I enjoyed repeated viewings of it over the next couple of years.It's well acted by all.
John Saxon has a great time playing the quietest but most dangerous gang member and Jeff Chandler gets to be a bad-tempered hero.
As a small and relatively simple movie with a social message geared to the time of its release it's not really an 8 now, but I think it deserves a little better rating than it has here so I've given an extra point or two to help raise the average and I don't think that's the wrong thing to do at all.
It's a decent piece of entertainment..
Captain Sam - A Phantom..
The Plunderers is directed by Joseph Pevney and written by Bob Barbash.
It stars Jeff Chandler, John Saxon, Dolores Hart, Marsha Hunt and Jay C.
Flippen.
Music is by Leonard Rosenman and cinematography by Eugene Polito.Trail City, and 4 delinquent cowboys ride into town with attitude and carefree abandon.
The Trail City residents - spineless, all except one man.
That man is Civil War veteran Captain Sam...War didn't just destroy his arm.The few critical appraisals and reviews that exist for The Plunderers are keen to associate the picture with other notable pictures released previously, which in this instance is something of a curse when they happen to be well revered classics.
The four young delinquents here are not dashing dandy types, the makers make every effort to put their failings as human beings up at the front of the portrayals.
These are young men, out of their depth, even spineless, but of course the town doesn't know this as they are too busy cowering in the shadows.The messages are obvious in the play, but Pevney doesn't use his sledgehammer to enforce those parts of the narrative.
It's perhaps no surprise how things pan out with Chandler's embittered war veteran, as he wrestles with both his conscience and his disability, but Pevney has a good knack for slow burning the atmosphere to bring rewards for film's finale.
Chandler, in his last Western, is suitably broody, Hunt and Hart are beauties to behold, while of the bad boys it's Saxon as a diabolical Mexican - with scary eyebrows - and the only one who is old enough to shave, who strikes the highest villain chords.Elsewhere there's a great musical score provided by double Academy Award Winner Rosenman, very much akin to something that the moody Twilight Zone episodes would use.
It also at times has the feel of the score Alan Silvestri would rustle up for Predator some 27 years later.
Polito's photography is crisp, where in conjunction with Pevney's camera angles and lighting techniques keeps the claustrophobia factor high in this one location setting.Crackerjack!
A dandy of a black and white Oater waiting to be discovered by more Western fans.
Some People Are Born Leaders.
As a player Jeff Chandler had several westerns to his credit most notably Broken Arrow where he got an Academy Award nomination.
His last film in the western genre is The Plunderers where he's cast as a crippled Civil War veteran who is forced to lead his town of Trail's End in taking a stand against four juvenile toughs.Some people are born leaders and like it or not in tough situations the job falls to them.
John Saxon, Dee Pollock, Ray Stricklyn and Roger Torrey all come to town and start essentially pushing people around.
They beat up bartender James Westerfield and later shoot down sheriff Jay C.
Flippen who is a tired old man who should have retired from that job long ago.
Flippen is symbolic himself of this post Civil War Texas town.Chandler is a former cavalry leader in the Civil War and he's like Lucas McCain in The Rifleman, the one in the town the people look up to in a moment of crisis.
He's as tired as any of the rest of them and just wishes they would ride away, but when that doesn't happen despite his physical limitations Chandler steps to the plate.There is a lot of criticism of The Plunderers with some saying this is just a modern juvenile delinquent story set in the west.
That maybe so, but what was Billy the Kid for instance if not a most murderous juvenile delinquent.
This film is a harbinger of the Young Guns films or the Lee Marvin classic, The Spikes Gang.
The only difference is that the punks aren't glamorized here.
I swear all that was needed was for Sal Mineo to be cast as one of the punks.The Plunderers was done for Allied Artists which we know was formerly Mongram Pictures.
Back in their day they did their share of B westerns and the sets were used most notably for The Cisco Kid movies.
The Plunderers is a great deal above the quality of those horse operas and it's one of Jeff Chandler's better latter day films..
Predictable but interesting western version of "The Wild One".
Better-than-usual western has interesting premise: Four young cowboy-hoodlums take over a sleepy town population 50.
The whole thing looks and feels like a Twilight Zone episode (black and white) without the fantasy.
Two gorgeous women, Delores Hart and Marsha Hunt; a fair performance from Jeff Chandler; and vivid portrayals by the relatively unknown youngsters including a promising one by John Saxon.
Sleazy early 60's B-Movie fun of the Juvenile Delinquent genre..
A classic black & white western.
The Plunderers are four youngsters who come to a peaceful little western town without any money.
Actually they're no gunfighters at all but enjoy staying there getting all for free and watching how they can get the people more and more frightened.
Onearmed Jeff Chandler wants to stay out of trouble but is increasingly convinced that something must be done to help the citizens against the troublemakers.
Lovely Dolores Hart is the daughter of the local store owner and the Mexican youngster Rondo, played by John Saxon, pays a lot of attention to her.
The dramatic final scenes include an unusual fight with knives.
This is a classic black-and-white western from 1960 highly recommended.
You can easily find resemblances to Brando's 1954 motorcycle movie "The Wild One"..
Noir western on a fear atmosphere of shadow of ruthelessness against the weakest in name of foolish revenge those didn't has nothing with,psychological plot where shown where can take a group of young men strong together,but didn't nothing if was alone.....B wersten which was the last one of Chander in this genre,the young actor Ray Stricklyn as Jeb gang's leader was nominatet by Golden Globe awards as best supporting actor.....look at the old drunk man who came together the gang,a interesting character and how he had behavoir changes aftewards!!Resume:First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD-R / Rating: 7.
Excellent little known western.
I am surprised this isn't a better known western.
It's a moody and sparse western that follows 4 young men who turn up in a little town and take it over.
It's an interesting story as I imagine that there were quite a few towns with aging populations that were vulnerable to being taken over by gangs looking for an easy life.
The acting is generally good although I was particularly taken with the lead actor Jeff Chandler who seemed a little stiff (he sadly died a year or two after this film).
The gang are pretty good portraying a quiet menace.
Only one went on to have a long movie career, John Saxon as Rondo.
The back up cast are all solid and the stunning Dolores Hart adds some welcome glamour.
Although this isn't an action packed film thanks to a nice script it manages to hold your attention throughout.
There is a great air of tension built up as the gang terrorize the town.
The ending is maybe a little predictable but still nicely done.The Plunderers is worth catching for lovers of the western genre..
Trouble comes to town..
Four young hoodlums ride into a tiny town of 50 and the terror begins.
The townsfolk are too old to really fight back and their only hope is for a man(Jeff Chandler)with only one useful arm to take them on.
Predictable, but interesting.
Chandler is supported by: John Saxon, Dolores Hart, J.C. Flippen, Marsha Hunt and Ray Stricklyn.NOTE: Hart gave Elvis his first screen kiss in LOVING YOU(1957).
Hart entered a convent in Connecticut in 1963..
Terrific Movie became "The Incident" from Western Town to NYC Subway car.
I liked the Plunderers.A group of PUNKS ride into town and show the Cowardice Citizens a thing or two.
This is NOT an unusual occurrence in life.trying to mind his own business is the One-Armed Civil War hero played by Jeff Chandler.He's lives in this town that has disgraced and ostracized him,when the line is drawn,he comes to his heroics.
Interesting piece,that later became "The Incident" a 1967 movie on the NYC Subway with this time only 2 Punks showing the cowardice of the Subway riders.
Naturally the Town Re-makes the Chandler character their hero "Again" and he rides out AGAIN.
Not a lot of people are aware of this little gem.
I have a thing for Low Budget westerns that take place in more or less 1 location,which brings even MORE excitement..
There is an underlying tension running through this movie from the first frame.
Relationship tension between the residents, tension between the group of strangers and tension between the strangers and residents.
I'd have liked to of seen 5 minutes at the beginning of the movie showing what the 4 strangers had been up to prior to them arriving at the town, it was briefly mentioned in the text but not in sufficient detail for me and I couldn't help wondering why they were sticking around as only 2 people in the entire town seemed to be under the age of 50.
Jeff Chandler as the hero with only one working arm smoldered his way through the movie and although very watchable, never seemed to get out of second gear.
Some nice use of angles by the director and a couple of very effective lighting shots particularly one with a swinging lamp in the bedroom.
It was 75 minutes of waiting for the inevitable showdown but was still extremely watchable..
"Bad Day at Black Rock" Meets "The Wild One".
"Away All Boats" director Joseph Pevney's "The Plunders" looks like a cross-between of "Bad Day at Black Rock" and "The Wild One." Basically, leading man Jeff Chandler is cast as Sam Christy, a former Civil War officer who has lost the use of his left arm.
The loss of that limb--he still retains the entire arm--serves as a metaphor for his loss of courage.
Like the one-armed Spencer Tracy hero in "Bad Day at Black Rock," Sam is sullen and filled with self-pity.
He lives alone on a ranch with nobody to take care of him and his relationship with a hotel owner has gone sour.
Four young cowpokes ride into the meager town of Trail City.
They resemble the juvenile delinquent characters on motorcycles in "The Wild One." In fact, the opening narration sounds like the cautionary words in the Marlon Brando epic because the narrator contends that it could happen to any town.
These punchers are fresh out of Dodge City where they blew their wad in no time and don't have two-bits between them.
Tired and ornery, they see Trail City as a place to square accounts for the raw treatment that they received in Dodge City.
They start out by refusing to pay for a bottle of whiskey at the local saloon and the town sheriff hauls them into the hoosegow.
They spent the night in jail and agree to leave peaceably until they get out.
Initially, they take $73 worth of clothes from a mercantile store and follow that up by getting a free room in the hotel.
Nobody has enough courage to curb their wanton urges and the local sheriff buckles under pressure.
Finally, they shoot the poor man down in the street, collect all the firearms in town and settle back into the saloon.
By now everybody in town is quaking in their boots at the sight of the vandals.
Mike Baron (James Westerfield of "The Sons of Katie Elder") refuses to serve them in his saloon and William 'Mule' Thompson (Roger Torrey of "The Nun and the Sergeant")batters him into submission.
Afterward, Sam Christy bucks heads with them and the biggest of the four roughs him up.
Sam exits town and decides to have nothing to do with the quartet of hellions.
Eventually, the young daughter of the local storekeeper, Ellie Walters(Dolores Hart of "King Creole")prompts Sam to take another chance at the foursome.
Sam rallies the rest of the townspeople and they stand together and whip the hellions.
Sam takes on the Goliath-like Mule in a knife fight and Ellie turns a six-gun on the romantically inclined Hispanic gang member, Rondo (John Saxon of "Enter the Dragon") when he pulls a knife on Sam. In a showdown on the street, Sam guns down Jeb Lucas Tyler (Golden Globe nominated actor Ray Stricklyn of "The Return of Dracula")as the rowdy twenty-year old charges down the street blasting away with two guns.
Sam convinces the rest of the townspeople to let the last one, Davy (Dee Pollock of "Kelly's Heroes") ride out with the memory of the event to haunt him forever.Clearly, "The Plunders" is a morality yarn that pits old against young, weak against strong, and cowardly against brave.
Joseph Pevney's taut, bottled-up direction and Bob Barbash's tip-lipped, intelligent script make this 93-minute pressure-cooker thriller worth watching, even though it's pretty predictable.
Meaning, you know that Sam Christy is going to lick these young, immature hellions.
Mind you, "The Plunders" isn't top-drawer entertainment, but it qualifies as above-average thanks to uniformly fine performances and contemplative pacing.
Saxon looks like he is giving a warm-up act for his treacherous bandit in the 1966 western "The Appaloosa." Saxon has a moment before he dies at the hands of Dolores Hart when he talks about the prejudice that he has experienced as a Hispanic at the hands of whites.
As usual, Chandler plays a stern, taciturn man who has to have his cage rattled before he shows his true colors.
The only flaw in his performance occurs during a fight at his ranch with one of the plunders.
Dolores Hart is around for good looks and everything appears appropriately dusty..
"The Wild One" Goes West!.
"The Plunderers" is essentially Marlon Brando's "The Wild One' (1953) in a western setting.
Four youths having been run out of Dodge City, happen upon a sleepy little town in the middle of nowhere.
They are led by Jeb Tyler (Ray Sticklyn) a young man with a chip on his shoulder.
Riding with him are the hulking "Mule" Thompson (Roger Torrey), the Mexican Rondo (John Saxon) and Davy (Dee Pollock) the youngest of the gang.The gang sees an opportunity to take over the town when they are shown little resistance when they refuse to pay for their drinks from saloon owner Mike Barron (James Westerfield), for their new clothes from store owner Jess Walters (Vaughn Taylor) and for their hotel rooms from hotel owner Kate Miller (Marsha Hunt).Town sheriff McCauley (Jay C.
Flippen) tries to reason with the gang but is unsuccessful.
The town then turns to one-armed civil war hero Sam Christy (Jeff Chandler) for help.
At first he refuses to get involved despite pleas from former girl friend Kate and the store keeper's daughter Ellie (Dolores Hart).
Rondo has eyes for the young Ellie but her heart it seems belongs to Sam.Eventually, Sam agrees to help leading to a confrontation with the gang and.............The film has fine cast but curiously John Saxon, who is billed second over the title, has only a secondary role here.
Jeff Chandler gives a fine performance as the one armed reluctant hero although Dolores Hart seems a little too young for the grey haired Chandler.
Ray Stricklyn is a little James Deanish as the chief baddie.
Veterans Jay C.
Flippen and James Westerfield stand out among the supporting cast.I guess by now every one knows that Dolores Hart left the glamour of Hollywood and her fiancé to enter a convent where she remains to this day.Not to be confused with the 1948 film of the same name. |
tt0024481 | Queen Christina | Queen Christina of Sweden (Greta Garbo) is very devoted to her country and the welfare of her people. As queen, Christina favors peace for Sweden. At one point in the film, she argues for an end to the Thirty Years' War, saying:
Spoils, glory, flags and trumpets! What is behind these high-sounding words? Death and destruction, triumphals of crippled men, Sweden victorious in a ravaged Europe, an island in a dead sea. I tell you, I want no more of it. I want for my people security and happiness. I want to cultivate the arts of peace, the arts of life. I want peace and peace I will have!
Christina, who first took the throne at age six upon the death of her father in battle, is depicted as so devoted to both governing well and educating herself that she has spurned any kind of serious romance or marriage despite pressures from her councilors and court to marry her hero-cousin Karl Gustav (Reginald Owen) and produce an heir. One day, in an effort to escape the restrictions of her royal life, she sneaks out of town, disguised as a man, and ends up snowbound at an inn, where she has to share a bed with also stranded Spanish envoy Antonio (John Gilbert) on his way to the capital. After befriending, and upon revealing that she is a woman, then sharing the same bed, the two fall in love; however, she still has not revealed that she is the queen. After a few idyllic nights together, Christina and Antonio are compelled to part, but Christina promises to find him in Stockholm – which she does, when the Spaniard presents his embassy to the Queen, whom he recognizes as his lover. Antonio is angry as he has come to present an offer of marriage from the King of Spain to Queen Christina and feels that his loyalty to the king has been compromised. She makes clear that she will not accept the king's proposal, and Christina and Antonio patch up their differences.
When Count Magnus (Ian Keith), who wants the Queen's affections for his own, riles up the people against the Spaniard, Christina abdicates the throne, nominating her cousin Karl Gustav as her successor while declining to marry him. She leaves Sweden to catch up with Don Antonio who has just left for a neighboring country, but she finds him gravely wounded from a sword duel he had with Magnus, which he lost. Antonio dies in her arms. She resolves to proceed with her voyage to Spain where she envisions residing in Antonio's home on the white cliffs overlooking the sea. | romantic | train | wikipedia | Greta Garbo is the controversial "Queen Christina" in this beautiful 1933 film directed by the great Rouben Mamoulian, responsible for the resplendent 1941 "Blood and Sand" and many other films.
Queen Christina was educated as a man at her father's directive so she could take over the throne, and she supposedly, as in the film, had some sort of relationship with her lady-in-waiting, Ebba.
Later on, she tried to become Queen of a couple of countries and became involved with a Cardinal, to whom she left her estate when she died at the age of 63.Here, Christina travels as a man and ends up sharing a room with an envoy of the King of Spain, Don Antonio (Gilbert), who becomes her lover.
The scenes at the inn apparently wiped out any concern for Christina's kissing of Ebba (Elizabeth Young) on the lips earlier!The acting is superb, particularly from Garbo, Gilbert, and Ian Keith (Magnus).
Keith was a little known character actor, yet he was an accomplished stage performer who was very impressive in film - he can be seen as Joan Blondell's drunken husband in "Nightmare Alley." As for Gilbert, what a shame - a wonderful, attractive actor who plays Antonio with great wit and intelligence.
One of silent cinema's greatest pairings, Greta Garbo and John Gilbert starred together one last time in Queen Christina.
This is a movie with several good points, but "Queen Christina" is most of all notable for the outstanding performance by the great Greta Garbo, in a role that is perfect for her.
There are good settings and a good story, with the rest of the cast also mostly performing well, but Garbo's terrific performance grabs the viewer's attention and holds it for the entire film.The story is very loosely based on the historical Queen Christina, who ruled Sweden in the mid-1600's.
The historical character was interesting in her own right, but the movie adds a clandestine love affair with a Spanish ambassador that serves as a catalyst for questions about Christina's identity, duty, and perspective.
This longing I cannot suppress!" (Greta Garbo as queen Christina) On December, the 26th, 1933 Rouben Mamoulian's great production about the Swedish queen was released.
Greta Garbo (1905-1990), a Swedish actress already famous for her roles in silent movies and some sound films, like Anna Christie (1930), was cast to play the main role by Rouben Mamoulian for the first time in her new contract.
But, like with most other films, history had to be interpreted to the need of the audience of the 1930s.The movie is mostly famous for dealing with Christina's desire for personal happiness and love affair between Christina and the Spanish ambassador Don Antonio De Pimentel (John Gilbert).
Greta Garbo performed in many movies, including ANNA KARENINA (1935), LOVE (1927), MATA HARI (1931), CAMILLE (1936), and in all of them, she was perfect; but this role is her ultimate masterpiece.
I recently purchased the Greta Garbo DVD collection and the first film I watched was "Queen Christina".
The script, though simplistic in its portrayal of Queen Christina's life (the reason I gave this film one star short of a perfect 10), is full of interesting dialogue, which is endlessly quotable.
Like Lawrence of Arabia or Vertigo, "Queen Christina" needs to be restored to its former glory and re-released on the big screen, so a new generation can discover and appreciate this underrated movie..
Garbo's queen sacrifices power for a man, true, but only because she understands that she can't have both and must have love, that Sweden will still flourish without her, and that to fulfill her deepest needs as a human being she must accept the inevitable cost.
He handles the role quite well, and the mutual affection of the pair is palpable.At least one poster has questioned whether the implied homoeroticism of several scenes in this film really exists -- the kiss between the queen and her lady-in-waiting, the "No Chancellor...I shall die a bachelor" line, the reaction of Antonio's servant about him staying in bed all day with "the other gentleman." S/he is wrong -- it's definitely there.
Few times the face of an actress has been more fascinating that in this movie.With a great and ,sometimes,pictorical direction ,Mamoulian directed Greta Garbo like the great star she was.The movie have a great plot and unforgettable shots.For example,the queen in a dark room,walking like a ghost ,or the final shot with inexpressive Garbo's face.I saw this movie when i was a child and it's one of my favorites.Visual style is like Eisenstein or Griffith movies and the whole movie is the perfect combination of art and great spectacle(this is unusual).I love this movie ,I think is one of the few movies that is really perfect.A truly masterpiece for all times..
Queen Christina displays the perfect example of what film glamour used to be and how good Greta Garbo can be.
Even though Queen Christina's romance can be seen as far-fetched, its dialogue gives the film great emotion that just pulls you in.
...She looks so weak and so frail That's why she tried to be so hard , But they turned her into a princess And they sat her on a throne, But she turned her back on stardom Because she wanted to be alone.(Ray Davies,"Celluloid heroes" ,1972)"Queen Christina" is my favorite Garbo movie and I must not be the only one to be fond of it."Queen Christina" is the story of the actress herself ;the queen abdicates as the star would do eight years later.Like the queen leaves her people weeping they cried a river over the star.Christina is a modern character,ahead of her time,tired of war and who takes love over marriage of convenience ,who protects arts ,notably literature (funny how she loves Molière and his "Précieuses Ridicules" ).One should note that,even if it's not mentioned in the movie,she did come to France where she visited courtesan Ninon de Lenclos ,then imprisoned in a convent because of her "scandalous" life .Like Garbo herself,she was a legend in her lifetime and she would die an enigma to the word,like king of Bavaria ,Ludwig der Zweite ,who lived three centuries after her and who was a bit like her.The scene at the inn has been plagiarized many times since.Garbo's androgynous beauty works wonders ."A handsome young lord such as you cannot sleep alone tonight,can he?" .Definitely not..
John Gilbert, Garbo's true love in real life, plays her beloved in this movie.
"Queen Christina" (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1933), directed by Rouben Mamoulian, a historical account of a Swedish queen as portrayed by the reigning queen of MGM, Greta Garbo, in one of the most prestigious films of her career.
Best known for its outstanding photography and visuals, including the legendary closing shot of Garbo's face, "Queen Christina" is most notable for the reunion of Garbo and her most popular leading man of the silent screen, John Gilbert, at her request, in their only sound film together.
In spite of Garbo's presence and rising popularity, and Gilbert's appearance during his declining years as an actor, the two continue to perform magic together as they did in their initial pairing, "Flesh and the Devil" (1926), but with this, their fourth together, following "Love" (1927) and "A Woman of Affairs" (1929), "Queen Christina" turned out to be their last.The story, mixing fact and fiction, starts with a prologue set of 1632 where King Gustavus (C.
The next scene moves forward to the next decade with Christina (Greta Garbo), an attractive young woman who detests wars, wanting peace for her people.
Going on a two day holiday by coach, and dressed as a young man so not be recognized, Christina encounters Don Antonio De La Prada (John Gilbert), an Ambassador of Spain whose carriage has broken down along side the road.
Jealous over Christina's attention towards Antonio, Magnus makes every effort in destroying their relationship while Christina intends on abdicating her throne.A 1933 release, "Queen Christina" gives the impression of having been produced a few years later due to advance film technology and impressive underscoring, but while it further improved Garbo's stature in Hollywood, it failed to bring new enlightenment in Gilbert's career.
As for Garbo, with few more highly popular film roles to her name, she would retire by 1941, with "Queen Christina" remaining one of the fondest memories to her list of movie credits and crowning achievement, thanks for the directorial style of Rouben Mamoulien having brought forth some great highlights, namely the Garbo-Gilbert love affair at the inn; Garbo silently drifting about and memorizing the room with Gilbert saying more with his observing eyes than with spoken dialog, just to name a few.Featured in the supporting cast are Elizabeth Young, in a Maureen O'Sullivan-type performance, playing Ebba, Christina's lady-in-waiting; C.
Aubrey Smith as Agge, Christina's valet who has one big crying scene; Georges Renavant (The French Ambassador); and Akim Tamiroff appearing briefly as Pedro with one amusing bit at the inn.Regardless of production looking more 1933 than 15th century in regards to Garbo's headdress, obvious makeup and eyelashes that didn't exist at that time, "Queen Christina" has a lot to recommend, due to its fine story telling that picks up greatly during its second half, brief battle scenes and bloody dueling with swords between Don Antonio and his advisory.
Costume design is good, the story is very good, and the performance is excellent.Greta Garbo (Qeen Christina) is a strong woman who primarily follows the human values and listens to his heart.
If memory serves me right, the chemistry was present in everyday life.I really liked the "relaxed" content, excellent acting by Greta Garbo and little implicit lesbianism in her character.Queen Kristina" is a classic melodrama in which I enjoyed the most part..
Both a dramatic and (surprisingly) lighthearted look at a woman caught between true love and her duties, with Greta Garbo and John Gilbert superb as the star-crossed lovers.
Backed by Rouben Mamoulian's stunning direction, Queen Christina is very loosely based on the life of the 17th century queen of Sweden, who inherited the throne at the age of 6 while her country was steeped in the Thirty Years' War. When she becomes an adult, the story focuses largely on her torrid love affair with the Spanish ambassador Antonio (John Gilbert).
So naturally, she said "I want to play the queen of Sweden." John Gilbert does his part as a Spanish noble who falls for the Queen, and he is good, but this is Garbo's show all the way.
Aubrey Smith and a pre-fame Akim Tamiroff as Pedro, seen weeping with palpable emotion in the final scene.All in all, while not a great talkie, Queen Christina is at least a good reminder of the silent screen's glories.
This film follows the reign of 17th century Swedish monarch Queen Christina, from her ascent to the throne at age six to her abdication twenty-two years later.
The screenwriters take wild liberties with history in order to turn the film into a romantic epic but that's beside the point.Greta Garbo is the unquestioned star of the picture and she gives a standout performance, successfully portraying the queen as formidable yet feminine.
Queen Christina was one of the most impressive and one of the most personal films of Greta Garbo.Her inc edible beauty mixed with a Swedish historical theme, lesbian subtext (one of the first films at the time) and her previous lover John Gilbert, makes this film not any special, but inc edible!
You can remember Garbo as a silent-star.You can remember her as Anna Christie.But you can never forget her as Queen Christina.It's one of Rouben Mamoulian's masterpieces, maybe the first and the last.
I believe it's more wishful thinking on the part of some people than anything else.What the film DOES have plenty of is Greta Garbo at her best, and some splendid sets and cinematography.
(Apparently Christina abdicated for religious reasons, like converting to Catholicism, rather than for love, as it seems she never had any.) While the drama is melodrama, as was the style of the day, it doesn't get too thick, the way these old movies often do.
You have to wonder about the possible lesbian overtones of that, and the promise that the two of them would "go away to the country for two or three days" In any case, this film should be seen by all who enjoy old movies, and all who like Greta Garbo..
It's also too much focused on one issue for that; Queen Christina's love life.It's a very well made and good looking movie.
Had no idea if I was going to like this film, however, I have seen Greta Garbo films over the years, I feel this is one of her best performances of her career.
Greta plays the role as Queen Christina of Sweden and the film shows her as a little girl being lifted up to sit on the throne.
There are some very funny scenes in the film where Garbo dresses like a man and winds up sharing a room with a King of Spain, (Antonio) who does not realize he is sleeping with the Swedish Queen.
One of the most erotic scenes I've ever seen in movies takes place in the inn, where Garbo and Gilbert are snowed in.
Antonio: The basis of all morality in a sentence.Director Rouben Mamoulian has directed some of my favorite pre-code films, and really brought out the strength and charms of his leading ladies doing it: The Song of Songs (1933, Marlene Dietrich), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931, Miriam Hopkins), and Queen Christina (1933, Greta Garbo).
This was pretty dopey, but apart from that, she was just fine and the rest of the cast were first-rate.Interestingly enough, since this was technically a "pre-Code" film, the action and dialog were amazingly racy--with Garbo kissing her lady friend full on the mouth, having a lot of allusions to cross-dressing and a whole lotta fornication--with Greta and John Gilbert sharing a bed just after they met!
When Garbo's movies are talked about, it's always Camille and Ninotchka (which are both wonderful) but no one talks about Garbo's Queen Christina, a film that has been pretty much ignored.
And so, we see Garbo, as Queen Christina of Sweden, in the most haunting last images in movie history...standing, with her beautiful face ("like paper.
I admit I have to see more of Greta Garbo's films, but from what I have seen I do consider her a beautiful and wonderful actress.
In one of her most famous, not to mention one of her best, roles, Garbo plays a 17th century Swedish queen who falls in love with the Spanish ambassador sent to deliver a message from his king.
I also liked her in Anna Karinina but I don't consider it as a favourite like I do Camille and Queen Christina.John Gilbert, from her silent days, gives a very good performance too as the ambassador Christina falls in love with and shows great chemistry with Garbo, while the supporting cast give strong performances too particularly Ian Keith in a very slimy turn as Magnus.Garbo is not the only reason why I love Queen Christina so much though.
The story focuses on her trials as a monarch and her eventual romance.Greta Garbo gives the principal performance of interest as Queen Christina herself.
Even though this film is hardly the story of the real Queen Christina of Sweden it is still a wonderful showcase for the talents of Greta Garbo.Young Christina as played here by Cora Sue Collins before she grows up to be Garbo assumes the throne of Sweden after her father Gustavus Adolphus is killed on the battlefield of Lutzen in the Thirty Years War. As this was his only legitimate child, Gustavus Adolphus instructed that she be brought up with the advantages of being a man had.
Garbo's Christina is a fascinating mix of both feminine and masculine qualities, and the actress dominates the screen as the Queen who lives for her beloved country, yet would rather abdicate than give up true love with her Spanish lover (John Gilbert).I have only seen two Mamoulian films (the other being "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde") but he surely has to be one of the greats of the 30's; he got the camera moving again in the early talkie period and both films have a sort of decadent touch to them.
How ironic that back to back I saw what I considered to be the weakest Garbo I've seen ("Anna Karenina"), and the best, "Queen Christina." This is truly one of the great Hollywood films and the finest performance Garbo ever gave.
Christina is one of the great gender-bending characters in film history, referring to herself in masculine pronouns to having what could be mistaken as the body of a man; just look at those incredibly broad shoulders Garbo possesses when they are exposed.
Greta "The Great" Garbo still in another memorable, mesmerizing performance in this 1933 film.
In the movie, Queen Christina (Greta Garbo) is an austere and unconventional monarch, dressed in man's clothing and riding and hunting with her trusty servant Aage (C.
Directed with a loving feminist slant by Rouben Mamoulian, the movie follows the rise and abdication of Christina, the first Queen of Sweden who ascends to the throne at the age of five when her father is killed on the battlefield.
He is Antonio (Garbo's real-life lover John Gilbert), a visiting Spanish Envoy who is delighted by this "young man" and they spend a delightful evening getting to know one another.
It is inevitable that she will have to make that choice but for me the strength of Queen Christina doesn't lie in the third act – though it contains the most famous final shot in movie history – rather in Garbo's confident performance as a woman for whom life is one discovery after another. |
tt0090567 | 52 Pick-Up | Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) is a successful industrialist living in the suburbs of Los Angeles whose wife Barbara (Ann-Margret) is running for city council while he is having an affair. Harry is confronted by three blackmailers demanding $105,000 for a videotape of him and his mistress, Cini (Kelly Preston).
Because of his wife's political aspirations, he can't go to the police. Harry's lawyer advises him that paying the blackmailers won't likely make them go away, so he refuses to pay. The three criminals up the ante by murdering Cini, capturing the killing on videotape and framing Harry for the murder, demanding $105,000 a year for the rest of his life to keep the evidence they have on him under wraps.
Harry opens his financial records to one of the blackmailers, Alan Raimy (John Glover), the ringleader of the group and who also has a background in accounting. Seeing that their mark owes money to the government and cannot afford the $105,000, Raimy agrees to accept Harry's counter offer of $52,000, at least as a first payment. Harry then turns the blackmailers against one another, putting his wife's life in grave danger in the process.
A stripper, Doreen (Vanity), helps Harry, is assaulted by Raimy's accomplice, Bobby Shy (Clarence Williams III), who then kills their third partner, Leo, believing he has betrayed them. Raimy successfully ambushes and kills both Bobby and Doreen, then kidnaps Harry's wife and sedates her with a hypodermic needle. In the final scene, Harry brings the $52,000 ransom and also gives Raimy his sports car, which explodes after Raimy turns the key. | neo noir, murder | train | wikipedia | Who could forget the wake-up call he gives Vanity with the giant teddy bear?After dealing with the initial shock of realizing what he's up against, Scheider turns the tables on these creeps and takes control of the situation, that is until Glover goes after his wife!
It's scary to think that the adult film industry probably has more than a few characters like Glover's running around out in L.A. looking for trouble.
"Hey sport, have a nice day!"This film has plenty of shootouts, cool cars, great dialog (like the line in my opening statement), and decent acting.
It stars Roy Scheider, Ann-Margret, John Glover, Vanity, Clarence Williams III, Robert Trebor and Kelly Preston.
The three weasels played by Glover, Williams and Trebor are in turn slimy, menacing and a twitchy neurotic, an off-beat trio suitably framed by Frankenheimer's sleazy and cold world.
Frankenheimer may not be as proud of this film as others but it is an effective thriller full of blackmail, murder, sex, drugs, and real porno actors appear in sleazy parts.
During the 1990s films based on Elmore Leonard's work tended to be more lighter and less sleezy and serious like for example, Get Shorty(1995), Jackie Brown(1997), Touch(1996), Out of Sight(1998), and the made for TV movie Pronto(1998).
Roy Schieder does great job as the leading character and special credit's got to go to John Glover who plays sort of a naughty psychopath.
Closer inspection reveals the team behind this hard boiled thriller to be underrated director John Frankenheimer ('The Manhurian Candidate', 'Seconds') and crime fiction master Elmore Leonard.
Roy Scheider is solid as usual as a blackmailed businessman who decides to fight back, and Ann-Margaret surprises with a strong portrayal of betrayed wife.
But the real stars here, and what makes this movie essential viewing, are the brilliantly realized bad guys - John Glover, Clarence Williams III and Robert Trebor.
Ann-Margret, Roy Scheider, and John Glover are perfectly cast and provide deep character portrayals.
It's one of Frankenheimer's best and most underrated films and it's easily the best Elmore Leonard adaptation to date (and if you are scratching your head thinking "but I loved GET SHORTY" you need to be punched in the face).
In my opinion, no one captures the "feel" for Leonard's characters better then John Glover in 52 PICK-UP.
Long sections of the movie revel in every gamy, seamy nuance of this tawdry subculture- cheap voyeurism dressed up as "realism."Finally, we have our protagonists: Harry ("Mitch") Mitchell (a Korean War vet, tough as nails, etc.- so tough he has not one but two nicknames; you can imagine all the other clichés that attach to this character) who we are asked to believe is really a good-hearted, honest businessman who made one mistake, played with by-the-numbers machismo by Roy Scheider, previously so good in "The French Connection," "Jaws," and "All That Jazz." And his wife, who, when Harry finally tells her about the affair (he has to- the blackmailers have upped the ante in a horrible way that implicates him in things far worse than adultery- to say more would be a spoiler), doesn't care about the human cost or potential victims but only about how it may affect her political ambitions.
Maybe they should take another look at classic noir, whether 1946's "The Big Sleep" or 1974's "Chinatown" or 1941's "The Maltese Falcon." All have sleaze and human ignobility galore, but all also have sympathetic protagonists whom we root for in spite of their flaws.The redeeming features of this film are the performances of John Glover, Clarence Williams III, and Robert Trebor as the three blackmailers.
Lean, mean and explosively dangerous sordid thriller (with a noir vibe) by director John Frankenheimer and penned by gritty crime writer Elmore Leonard who's details plaster in an authentic charge.
Instead of giving in to the blackmailer's demands, he sorts out to play their games which lead him and his wife in to uncertain turmoil.But in the end what makes the film are three prominent bad guys; John Glover (charismatically manipulative scumbag), Clarence Williams III (coldly intense) and Robert Trebor (seamlessly twitchy).
I didn't know that Elmore Leonard was the author who's book this story is based off of and that's entertaining since I am a fan of his work and it makes sense since this movie/story fits his line of literary work.When I had first seen the coming attractions for this movie which must of been around 1987 (I was ten) I remember they emphasized the part where "Bobby Shy" came out the closet with a ski mask lunging for the main character.
Anyway by seeing that small tid bit was really small to a much bigger movie, and I had lost interest in seeing it but I was young so what the hell did I know.Years later, I watched this movie again and must say that it's very good and it's a shame that with movies such as this, 'To Live and Die in LA' and 'Carpenters Big Trouble in Little China' shows that even in the 80's, the critics sway public opinion so much that real art isn't appreciated when it's freshly shown.I like this movie because despite the typical story plot, the movie revolves around all the characters.
Based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, 52 Pick Up is a thriller based on blackmail and murder.
The film is directed by John Frankenheimer, who previously made his mark on the thriller genre with the likes of The Manchurian Candidate and Seconds.
52 Pick Up doesn't exactly stand alongside those films as part of Frankenheimer's best work; but this film delivers an entertaining and easy to follow plot, fleshed out with interesting characters and a nicely sleazy atmosphere.
But Harry has decided that he doesn't really want to give $105,000 of his money away to blackmailers, and so instead he tries to pit them against each other in the hope that the group will implode and save him from having to pay out.The plot we have here has a number of different sides to it, but it never feels overly complicated thanks to the way it usually just focuses on one or two points.
The film benefits from a good cast, which is headed by Roy Scheider in the lead role.
The support cast is also good and features John Glover in the most interesting role, as well as the likes of Ann-Margret and Clarence Williams III, as a delightfully sadistic character.
Having just seen this film again recently, I recalled how much I had enjoyed it when originally released.It has all the edge and quality of plot and characters one expects from Elmore Leonard stories.
And the characters, performances are all believable, realistic - with a lot of the chilling aspects required by the plot, but none are gratuitous or exaggerated beyond what would be logically expected.Roy Scheider is more anti-hero than a one-dimensional heroic character, and John Glover is superb as the main villain, and carries-off the tough assignment of being both charming and menacing - sometimes separately, and sometimes simultaneously, a tough assignment for any actor.The remaining cast, including Ann-Margret, Clarence Williams III and Kelly Prestin are excellent, as well.The ending does not disappoint, and the the whole presentation combines the techniques available when made with a total feel like one of the "noir" genre of the 30's and 40's..
What is unique about this picture is the way Roy Scheider turns the tables on his nemesis John Glover and company by outwitting them at their own game.
Vanity/Ann Margret/John Glover fans: SEE THIS MOVIE!.
The only thing irritating was the way the bad guy called our hero "sport" all the time, and his wife "slim." However, that criticism aside, what a great film.
Just watched 1986's little known drama film "52 Pick-Up" which is based on well known author Elmore Leonard's novel the film entertains well with suspense and action a good tale of corruption and greed which sets off a chain of events in a dirty game of blackmail and sex.
Set in Los Angeles a well to do business man Harry Mitchell(Roy Scheider of "Jaws" fame)has it all money, big house an elegant socialite trophy wife(played by the classic Ann Margret).
Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) is a wealthy specialty manufacturer in L.A. with beautiful wife Barbara (Ann-Margret) running for city council.
Cini and her friend Doreen (Vanity) are porn strippers under the thumb of Alan Raimy (John Glover) and his underlings Bobby Shy (Clarence Williams III) and Leo Franks (Robert Trebor).
If any character is underwritten, it is the protagonist and his wife, who just seem boringly bland and familiar, but that is sort of inevitable in these types of movies where everything hinges our needing to identify with the victim.The film is entertaining as any other genre piece of the era, by far one of the better crime dramas of the Eighties, and easily the best of Cannon's direct-to-video cheapos.
John Frankenheimer directed Roy Scheider and Ann-Margret in "52 Pick-Up", about an industrialist whose affair leads to severe consequences.
Mired as the characters are in a world of sleaze, there's sort of no nice way for the story to progress."52 Pick-Up" continues the string of serious movies in which Ann-Margret started appearing in the '70s ("Carnal Knowledge", "Tommy", "Magic").
There is good sleazy violent noir content in this film, but I feel that to be in the excellent bracket that the casting of Harry could have been done better (no disrespect to the great Roy Scheider).
The film felt short, even with the long running time, and I think could have taken some more fleshing out.But you really can't forget the sleaze, like the deliciously pervy scene of Harry taking photos of Doreen in the nudie parlour..
****SPOILERS**** Ridicules film about blackmail murder and kidnapping that's so unconvincing due to the uneven plot and unbelievably bad acting of the three jerks involved in, or trying to pull off, the "Perfect Crime" that's about as "Perfect" as a baseball player going 0 for 100 at the plate and batting .000.Successful businessman Harry Mitchell, Roy Scheider, is being blackmailed by the three hoods, Alan Leo & Bobby, John Glover Robert Trebor & Clarence Williams III, for cheating on his wife Barbara, Ann-Margaret,who's running for city councilwomen in LA on the Mark Arveson, Doug McClure ticket for DA.
The only problem with that is that we later find out that these three bozo's threw the video tape and in all probability the gun away into the polluted city river.Harry smartly plays the hoods off against each other by making them think that their cheating each other out of the $52,000.00 in blackmail money and has them cancel themselves out, except the top hood Alan who was saved for the movie's flaming ending, in the process.
At the time this movie came out, Roy Scheider already looked an old man - especially seeing him now, starts me wondering what's his age now, anyway.
The lurid descent into the slimy universe inhabited by the villains gives the tale an effective edge; for one thing, ringleader Alan Raimy (John Glover) runs a porno movie theatre.
Porn aficionados will note the appearances of stars like Ron Jeremy, Sharon Mitchell, and Jamie Gillis during the party scene.The film does admittedly go on a little long but it keeps its grip thanks to the acting and Leonards' enjoyably sordid tale.Eight out of 10..
Too in the sleaze department we have some weird happenings, like Glover making his own pornographic movie, filming two female hotties getting in on, before they're rudely interrupted by a not so happy and betrayed Bobby Shy. Each scene works in a tight and constant chain as the next.
I taped 52 Pick-up years ago off TV and was looking at it again and now I must have the DVD, uncut and uncensored.You know the plot synopsis by now, but watch the electric interaction between the characters Mitchell, Raimy, Leo and Bobby.
John Frankenheimer's adaptation of Elmore Leonard's 52 Pick-Up provides the right sleazy atmosphere in this compelling thriller.
This is the one where Roy Scheider is blackmailed by the villainous trio of Robert Trebor, Clarance Williams III, and as the ringleader, John Glover.
The title refers to the amount in thousands Scheider is supposed to pay but he has other plans...Directed by John Frankenheimer from a screenplay co-written by Elmore Leonard on whose book it's based on, this was a very absorbing thriller even with the somewhat cheesy '80s score tacked on.
Is it possible that the same director made "Mandchurian candidate","Seconds" and "birdman of Alcatraz"?All that made those works unique,fascinating and timeless classics has disappeared,slowly but inexorably.There were commendable works at the end of the sixties "the gypsy moths " and "I walk the line" (which featured Johnny Cash's famous song).But the seventies were disastrous ,with the eventual exception of "black Sunday" which is at least entertaining."52 pick-up" quickly leaves the political subject -the originality of which is the fact that the politician is the wife-for the broader horizons of the thriller.But the screenplay which was sometimes praised is nothing but the usual menu:crimes (the girl's murder verges on snuff movies),blackmail,baddies (gays?),and a listless Roy Scheider ;so listless in fact that it's absolutely impossible to believe he 's able to fight against his blackmailers.The pictures are ugly,Ann-Margret is wasted and her relationship with her husband is hardly sketched.What about choosing 'Mandchurian candidate" instead?.
52 Pick Up finds Roy Scheider a successful industrialist with a gift that keeps on giving copyright finds himself the victim of a blackmailing trio of John Glover, Clarence Williams, III, and Robert Trebor.
The villains are an interesting lot (if broadly played) and leads Roy Scheider and Ann-Margret both do commendable work.
Frankenheimer brought together an amazing cast with great performances by Roy Scheider as the hero of the story, Ann-Margret as his wife, John Glover as one of the villains, and Kelly Preston as Scheider's mistress.
Roy Scheider is blackmailed by a trio of degenerates led by John Glover in a tour-de-force psycho role you have to see to believe.
There is a great snuff movie subplot, a horrible but hilarious filmed monologue from Glover, and achingly funny villain turns from Clarence Williams III and Leo Franks (what an actor he is!) Jost Vacano's camera-work is amazing at times, as is Gary Chang's metallic, vibrating score.
Ann Margret turns in a memorable performance, too, so play close attention to her first scene with Glover ("Nice rack!").
Add to this an array of exceptionally well-drawn characters and some really snappy dialogue and the end-result is a top class crime thriller that will probably surpass the expectations of most people who see it.Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) is a successful businessman whose affair with a much younger dancer turns sour when he goes to her apartment and is held at gunpoint by three masked men who show him a videotape which contains some very graphic evidence of the nature of his relationship with her.
52 Pick-up is a film that successfully combines those wonderful noir elements of seedy neighborhoods, coldblooded killers and a no nonsense script.The story begins with the obviously troubled marriage of Harry and Barbara Mitchell (Roy Scheider and Ann Margret).
Little known Robert Trebor excellently portrays Leo Franks, a whining, pathetic loser who is simply not in the same league as Alan and Bobby.On a visit to his mistress, Harry is intercepted by the trio who show him the film they've made of him and Cini.
It's a gritty no holds bared thriller, with lots of shocking and cool scenes, plus i really liked the characters, and John Glover and Roy Scheider are absolutely fantastic in this.
John Frankenheimer does a very good job here, giving the film a disturbing and gritty feel, keeping it unpredictable at all times, and he kept the film at a great pace!.
John Glover is EXCELLENT as the main villain, he was extremely menacing, funny,unpredictable, and was great in the final scene!, i also loved his dialog.Vanity is gorgeous!, and is fine with what she had to do.
Successful self-made married businessman Harry Mitchell (a superbly steely performance by Roy Scheider) has an adulteress fling with sweet'n'sexy young stripper Cini (the gorgeous Kelly Preston).
Harry's blackmailed by a trio of scummy low-life hoods -- sleazy porno theater manager Raimy (a splendidly slimy John Glover), antsy strip joint owner Leo (well played by Robert Trebor) and crazed pimp Bobby Shy (a frightfully intense Clarence Williams III) -- who have videotaped his affair with Cini.
Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) attracts three scumbags (John Glover, Robert Trebor, and Clarence Williams III) to blackmail him.
Fans of Elmore Leonard novels may be impressed with "52 Pick-Up." Sadly, I am not impressed.Typical of Cannon Films, the story wallows in sleaze and unintelligible character motivations.
He has to entangle with blackmailers of the slimiest kind who will not stop when he outwits them, taking all of them on a journey of intrigue around the Los Angeles basin where nobody seems to end up being the winner.You certainly won't forget John Glover in this movie, having already played many slimy roles on screen.
52 Pick-Up. Three sleazebags(John Glover, Robert Trebor, and Clarence Williams III) blackmail a wealthy businessman(Roy Scheider) after recording him having an affair with one of their girls.
What ensues is a game of cat and mouse between Harry and Alan(Glover), Leo(Trebor), and Bobby(Williams III) ending as these thrillers often due, in bloodshed.
John Frankenheimer directs a story by Elmore Leonard where we must spend time with some pretty unsavory people and, while we might not condone Harry's own actions, can forgive him of his transgressions because Alan, in particular, is so completely vile and repulsive, that his affair seems minuscule in comparison.
While Ann-Margret's role isn't as noteworthy, the cast, especially Glover and Williams III, is excellent.
Unfortunately, Roy Scheider's Harry Mitchell comes off in the film as a sexy, handsome Uebermensch dancing through his problems without even working up a sweat. |
tt0283139 | White Oleander | 15 year-old Astrid Magnussen (Alison Lohman) is living in Los Angeles with her mother, the free-spirited artist Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer). Since her father left before she was old enough to remember him, Astrid depends heavily upon the care of her passionate but largely self-centered mother.
Ingrid's current relationship with a writer named Barry (Billy Connolly) ends when she discovers he is cheating on her with younger women. Ingrid murders him with a poison made from white oleander. Ingrid is arrested and sentenced to life in prison, leaving Astrid under the care of the state of California.
Astrid is sent to live with foster mother Starr Thomas (Robin Wright), a former stripper who is a recovering alcoholic and born-again Christian. They initially interact well, with Astrid being baptised into Starr's church. However, Ingrid is appalled at her conversion and subtly manipulates Astrid against her foster family. Astrid begins an affair with Starr's live in boyfriend Ray (Cole Hauser), which drives Starr into drinking again. After a loud argument with him, she runs into Astrid's room in a drunken rage and shoots her in the shoulder. The other children beg her not to tell who shot her, so Astrid pretends she has no clue.
Astrid spends some time recovering in a hospital before being moved to a violent group foster home. After fighting with some girls, she strikes up a friendship with fellow artist Paul Trout (Patrick Fugit).
Eventually, Astrid is placed in the care of Claire Richards (Renée Zellweger), a former actress, and her producer husband Mark (Noah Wyle). Claire is a sweet, affectionate woman who forms a close bond with Astrid. One day, Astrid comes home to find a letter from her mother to Claire. She confronts Claire only to find out that it has been going on for a while and that they plan on meeting. Claire accompanies Astrid on a visit to Ingrid in prison. The jealous Ingrid exploits Claire's low self-esteem and suspicions over Mark's fidelity, much to Astrid's outrage. During a bad argument with Mark, she agrees to send Astrid back to try and save her marriage. After a tender conversation where they cuddled in bed together, Claire unexpectedly commits suicide, devastating Astrid.
Astrid visits her mother to inform her of Claire's death, that she was returned to MAC and that she will never visit her again. Paul is still there and tells her that when he turns 18 that weekend he will move to New York. He asks Astrid to accompany him but she refuses.
Astrid passes up better foster parent candidates and chooses to live with a Russian immigrant, Rena (Svetlana Efremova), who treats her foster children as cheap laborers for her swap meet business. During her time with Rena, she becomes colder and colder with her appearance matching her insides. She is approached by her mother's attorney (Kali Rocha), a woman taken in by her mother's charm. She offers Astrid anything she wants in exchange for lying for her mother in court since her mother has benefactors. After refusing, Rena tells her that she's stupid to do so since a car and art school cost money. She then offers her to be her partner in their business since she has nowhere better to go. When Astrid refuses, Rena tells her to use her mother like her mother wants to use her.
Astrid visits her mother, astonishing her with her appearance. She is no longer blond, but has black hair, harsh makeup and dark clothes. Astrid realizes Rena was right and demands answers about her past in exchange for testifying that she killed Barry in self defense. Astrid hammers her with questions about Barry, her father, Claire and who Annie was. Ingrid admits to leaving her with Annie for around a year and that her father came looking for her when she was 8, but Ingrid turned him away for leaving them 7 years before. Ingrid claims she would take all she has done back, but when Astrid begs her to not make her testify, she refuses.
Astrid goes to a comic book shop looking for letters from Paul. He soon shows up by bus in Los Angeles with her waiting for him. He accompanies her to her mother's trial as she waits to testify. The courtroom lets out and a curious Astrid goes to see what is going on. She questions her mother's attorney and finds out that she was instructed her to leave her alone. Her mother spots her in the courtroom and they stare at one another as she is led away. Gutted, Astrid stares out the window as her mother is taken back to the bus to return to prison. Paul asks what happened and she exhales that her mother let her go.
Two years later, a once again blond Astrid has created a life in New York City with Paul. She is last seen tending to her art; suitcases depicting all she has been through. As she passes them, she closes each, stating she will never visit the horrors they contain again. | cruelty, murder, violence, flashback, melodrama, romantic | train | wikipedia | Ingrid Magnussen (Michelle Pfeiffer) puts her daughter, Astrid (Alison Lohman), in the center of her artwork but pushes her to the perimeter of her reality.
Janet Fitch won rave reviews in 2000 for this novel; screenwriter Mary Agnes Donoghue did not match Fitch's brilliance, but turned a weighty narrative-both in terms of content and size-into an admirable film blueprint.Director Peter Kosminsky and accomplished actresses Pfeiffer, Robin Wright Penn, Renée Zellweger, and newcomer Lohman used this blueprint to create a gripping film that both readers and nonreaders of the original text will appreciate.Pfeiffer is as cool and controlling as she is stunning even in prison garb, and her mastery of personality subtleties deserves acclaim.
Ingrid Magnussen is not as perfect as she thinks, and her love is as poisonous as the white oleander.Stereotypes cheapen some of the film's richness and choices made to avoid an `R' rating sap some of its strength, but overall the film is as compelling as its sad and truthful characters..
The mother/daughter relationship her character has with Alison's is probably the most unconventional i've seen in a film, and that's what makes it so compelling.
;)All I really have to say is, if you want to see a movie with strong performances throughout and an excellent story that will leave you fully satisified (and personally touched) when you leave the theatre, this one's for you.
Strong performances by Lohman, Penn, Zellweger and especially Michelle Pfeiffer in a faithful adaptation of Janet Fitch's novel.
Although not a perfect film by any stretch (too many things happen without any seeming rationale behind them and some of the most important plot points are too vague), White Oleander still kept me intrigued, thanks mainly to the great performances by Pfeiffer (extraordinary in her restraint - brilliant characterization), Renee Zellweiger (achingly vulnerable here) and the extremely talented Alison Lohman (who's in nearly every scene and never hits a false note - and the fact that she sort of looks like Kirsten Dunst doesn't hurt either).
A lot of critics are saying the film is too melodramatic or not 'weepy' enough, when in fact I found the movie's greatest strength (along with the performances) to be in how UNmelodramatic it is; there's a lot of restraint taken in the scenes that could have played like an afternoon soap, and I also appreciated how the film DIDN'T wind up as a tearjerker but rather took a grittier approach by portraying Astrid as an ultimate survivor in her sad and lonely journey toward independence..
Stunning performances by Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman give the film its power.
"White Oleander," adapted from Janet Fitch's best-selling novel, is hard and edgy about the bond between single mother and daughter, letting us see the reality of a strong artistic mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) tyrannizing her gifted daughter (Alison Lohman).
After murdering her lover, mom goes to prison and daughter goes on an odyssey of self discovery in foster families, reminiscent of Burt Lancaster's episodic journey in John Cheever's `The Swimmer.'In the first home, Robin Wright Penn's fundamental Christian presides over a frenetic household but reveals the sweet chaos of people who really love each other.
Lohman finds loving understanding with Patrick Fugit, another artist in her life, but one without an agenda.It's been a while since I've seen as good a job at depicting the effects of a strong but flawed mother on her strong but impressionable daughter.
Her psychic search for her absent father serves only to exacerbate the matter.Pfeiffer does her best work here-- beautiful even in prison, she plays an ugly soul capable of the worst emotional tyranny over her sensitive, intelligent daughter, played with heart-breaking insight by Lohman.
This was an excellent movie, very emotional and moving.Michelle Pfeiffer looks more like she belongs in a beauty contest than in prison.
Based on the same-titled novel by Janet Fitch, White Oleander tells the story of a teenage girl (Alison Lohman) struggling to survive in foster homes while her free-spirited mother (Michelle Phieffer) is in prison for having murdered her lover with the poisonous flower 'White Oleander'.
It is a complex story of the relationship between a powerless girl and a loveless mother that, in spite of its cheesy sounding premise, manages to avoid all clichéd Hallmark moments and project quite a lot of heart in doing so.White Oleander sees Alison Lohman in a superbly bruised and fragile performance as Astrid Magnussen and we follow her through her struggles, both to bond with her mother and to survive in foster cares.
All developments in her life feel natural and genuine, for example seeking the affirmation of an older man (Cole Hauser) in one of her foster homes, and putting herself into a strangely Lolita-like situation -- and this part is viciously well-handled and more effective than any other teen girl/older man jail bait situation I have ever seen.The film stars a wide variety of blondes, Michelle Phieffer, Alison Lohman, Robin Wright Penn and Renée Zellweger in different parts and they all feel appropriate.
Both Lohman and director Peter Kosminsky come out of television work, and for Lohman, this is her breakout film into Hollywood (she was in a Ridley Scott movie after this, and then played the young Jessica Lange character in the fabulous "Big Fish" a couple years later).
Two of her foster mothers are given juicy roles that are played with conviction--Robin Wright Penn as a born again floozy, Renee Zelwegger as a needy but caring actress out of work--and her biological mother is played with icy slipperiness by Michelle Pfeiffer.
However, on other fronts, he accomplishes quite a bit.When her mother goes to prison for a violent act of vengeance, young Astrid, the protagonist of "White Oleander," floats from foster family to foster family.
From her beautiful but selfish mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) to the allegedly "saved" but jealous Starr (Robin Wright) to the kindly but ill-equipped Claire (Renee Zellweger), Alison Lohman's Astrid seems to have nowhere safe to turn.The film's poster says almost all that needs to be said about the plot and theme of "White Oleander." The poster displays the faces of the four leads; all four are blonde, all four look beautiful, and each face seems to meld into the next.
While not given much screen time to flex her always exciting acting muscles, Robin Wright fleshes out her Bible-thumping mother with just enough humanity to make her believable; the character stands as a bit of a stereotype, but Wright at least gives it emotional resonance.
Astrid (Lohman) enjoys this place at first, but she and Wright Penn's boyfriend Ray (Cole Hauser; in a performance that made him a star) fall for one another.All around well worth the time and energy in seeing it, White Oleander is and remains one of my favorite films.7/10; 3 of 4 stars..
I think Lohman's acting steals the show, away from Pfeiffer, Zellweger and the rest (though everyone was good, especially Robin Wright Penn and even Rena, the foster "mom" who makes her sell her own clothes).
The performances are wonderful - Michelle Pfeiffer is just terrific as Ingrid, the artist/mother arrested for murdering her cheating boyfriend, and Robin Wright-Penn and Renee Zellweger are great as foster mothers who take in her daughter.
But the real revelation of this movie is the daughter, Astrid, played brilliantly by Alison Lohman.
This movie follows the story of Astrid Magnussen, whose life is turned upside down when her mother, Ingrid Magnussen commits murder.
Both are told entirely from the point-of- view of this central character; Melinda (Kristen Stewart) in "Speak" and Astrid (Alison Lohman) in "White Oleander".
Instead of a focus on the relationship between an imprisoned mother (Ingrid-played Michelle Pfeiffer) and her abandoned daughter, the film is about Astrid's journeys; her physical travels around the Los Angeles area to different foster care situations and her internal journey from dependency to independence.
The blondes are out in force as Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger play two of Astrid's foster mothers.
I sincerely wish she was doing roles like this in the late 80's and 90's; Michelle Pfeiffer is brilliantly cast; if you read the novel by Janet Fitch, you will agree.The story is sad, but I did not find it to be a "bitter pill" as one post indicated; it is simply about the life Astrid (Alison Lohman) has experienced with her mother.
One only needs to visit a local counseling center to see the accuracy, and brilliance of the set decoration, as well as the director's (Peter Kosminsky's) sense of despair,brilliantly translated to film, that someone like Astrid would feel.That aside, Astrid recollects many other thoughts about her mother; in the end she still loves her; life is not black and white; I will not give away any other parts of this story, you must rent or buy it; The cinematography is beautiful, and the cast is well chosen; Robin Wright-Penn is very believable; a foster mother living in a trailer-park (born-again Christian).
Renee Zellweger plays a one-time foster mom, also trapped in a world of her own.The primary role of Ingrid Magnussen, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, deserves special mention.
Ms. Pfeiffer does not play the ingénue, or innocent femme fatale; she is a strong, difficult personality, which compelled me to read the book immediately after seeing this movie.
If you listen to the narrative at the beginning of the film as Astrid describes her mother's beauty, Michelle is PERFECTLY cast.
I have never seen a movie that was as good as the book and White Oleander is no exception.
This movie would not have worked had it not been for the brilliant performances of Michelle Phiefer (haunting as the tortured artist) and newcomer Alison Lohman who is completely convincing in her role, she is definitely an actress to be watched.
Before Alison Lohman's character goes to Claire's place (Zellwegger's), she endures lots more than what the movie shows.
Claire was just a short episode in the movie too, which was wrong.On the plus side the acting was great, Pfeiffer; beautiful but with that dagger glare; Wright Penn as the white trash hypocrite; Renee as the insecure actress and Alison Lohman as a girl going through foster homes and living in her own prison.
It's how I felt about White Oleander really...It's so hard to say why I wouldn't include this in my list of favorite movies, as the acting is phenomenal (in particular by Lohman) and the pace is perfect as situations slowly unfold for young Astrid, whose dad left early and whose mother kills her boyfriend and is sentenced for 35 years to life.Astrid then has to stay in several foster homes, but this isn't going well either, as she gets involved with the 'dad' in the first family and her second foster mom commits suicide.This is where the story loses some of it's touch as Astrid is adopted for the third time by some Russian woman and she's getting really involved with the Patrick Fugit character, it just wasn't as interesting as the situations in her first foster home.
I know that most of the comments about her have been incredibly favorable, but I had a problem accepting the fact that she could even kill a fly, let alone her lover.The other two big names: Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger come out much better because they aren't treated the same way as Ms Pfeiffer.
White Oleander is the story of a teenage girl shuffled between foster homes while she attempts to understand her relationship with her mother and her own troubled past.
In a dazzling performance, Alison Lohman plays Astrid, the young girl who starts her pilgrimage through a series of foster homes when her mother is incarcerated for murdering a two-timing lover.Michelle Pfeiffer plays the troubled mother, a bohemian artist who is clearly not your typical suburban soccer mom.
The heart of the story is mother and daughter trying to reconcile their troubled relationship as Astrid moves from one foster home to another with the occasional stop at the juvenile detention facility.
From an ex-stripper (Robin Wright Penn) to a loving actress with bipolar disorder (Rene Zellwegger), Astrid's experiences in the LA foster care system open her eyes to her own inner strength - and her toxic relationship with her mother.
The PG-13 rating omits some of the more mature parts of the story, like Astrid's sexual relationship with 40-something 'Uncle' Ray, her friendship with Olivia Johnstone, an elegant black woman who moonlights as a prostitute, her foster mother Amelia, who starves her daughters, and so on.
Intense, powerful adaptation of Janet Fitch's 1999 bestseller, with a superb central performance by Alison Lohman as Astrid, daughter of the convicted artist, her mother, who claims to have raised her child as a strong, willful, independent girl--or is that just how the mother sees herself?
Lohman's fragile character amusingly assimilates her own personality to each new foster family she goes to stay with--three in three years--hardening her heart along the way, but expanding her awareness of the secret early turbulence she endured at the hands of her mother, the poisonous white oleander.
Mary Agnes Donoghue's screenplay, while patchy in spots (particularly in regards to mother Michelle Pfeiffer's legal affairs), carries us right along on Astrid's rocky path to becoming an adult, while director Peter Kosminsky handles all the changes in her young life with incredible sensitivity and deeply-felt emotion.
It is a crying shame that she dropped out of the filming scene - she has since returned, but there should have been more from her back in those days.Michelle Pfeiffer is the quintessential actress of her time, she is the very symbol of grace, elegance and female desirability amongst people with a taste for the better things in life.
.But for fans of Michelle Pfeiffer, a must, and if you want to see a pretty young girl who is, like, charmingly droolworthy, albeit in a very, very innocent way, look no further than Alison Lohman.Ooh, and I am THE South African fanatic when it comes to Robin Wright thanks to her glorious stint as Kelly Capwell in SANTA BARBARA, and you have to go and spoil my memories of her...!
Astrid Magnussen (Alison Lohman) is a sweet sensitive Californian girl with her dominating artistic unconventional mother Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer).
I enjoyed the parts played by all great actors here, as Michelle Pfeiffer, Renee Zellwegger, Anna Lohman, Tom Fugit and many did a decent and very good job, which is obvious.
Well, some may call it not a very faithful adaptation of Janet Fitch's book in the sense that it fails to capture the smoothness of the gradual change in Astrid's mind, but that's really impossible I think when you fit the story in a two-hour movie.
I think this is really superb film-making.Alison Lohman gives a wonderful breakthrough performance as Astrid.
I was blown away by this film and wondered why I haven't heard more raves about it.I particularly enjoyed Alison Lohman's performance - she was amazing, so natural and so moving.
And her transformation, the way her character developed, even the way her appearance changed as she entered each new environment was so believable.I also enjoyed Renee Zellwegger and Robin Wright Penn's performances and Patrick Fugit - not so keen on Michelle Pfeiffer, her acting style jarred, particularly against the performance of Alison, but that could be just me as I am not a big fan of hers.This movie was just great, moving and tragic but very watchable and absorbing, lacking in mawkish sentimentality.
Alison Lohman really does a marvelous job in portraying the feelings and emotions astrid is going through and michelle pfifer plays an intriguing, frightening, sharp, hauntingly stunning and beautifully disturbed character flawlessly.
Although White oleander is a beautiful movie, the book holds much more of a story and raw emotion, Overall, the movie moved me in many ways and will always be one i'd strongly recommend..
Alison Lohman is superb as Astrid, capturing the character'schameleon-like personality perfectly.
Lohman and particularly Pfeiffer give outstanding performances as an innocent daughter and hard-nosed mother who are split apart when they are both put in prison, one physically and one mentally - Pfeiffer goes to jail for murder and Lohman is stuck in foster care.It's easy to forget how great Pfeiffer is at playing bad guys (Batman Returns anyone?) but here she reminds us what made her great.Lohman is a star in the making, never resorting to OTT hysterics in what could have been a bad movie of the week about foster care.
While Michelle Pfeiffer's unsympathetic role as Astrid's Mom was dead-on, it was Renee Zellweger's portrayal of a fragile actress (also a foster Mom), who gives Astrid "the best day" of her life, that just broke my heart.
Just like 'White Oleander' was a way better book,with lots of details, than the movie.
The story is fasinating and the actors are performing as never seen before.I never saw Alison Lohman in a movie.
She did such a great job that it wasn't until after the movie that I realized that this girl had just held her own against Michelle Pfeiffer, Renee Zellwegger and Robin Wright Penn!
White Oleander is, of course, the story of young Astrid, the daughter of the talented and wickedly beautiful artist, Ingrid.
Astrid Magnussen (Alison Lohman) is a lone teenager whose Mother (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) is convicted of murder.
It is not a bad movie by any means, but the character-driven plot that worked so well in the book feels a bit too disjointed and claustrophobic on film.6/10.
Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman carry this film along with the help of Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger.
Zellweger, playing the part of one of Astrid's foster mothers was also excellent.
alison lohman, michelle pfeiffer, robin wright penn, cole hauser, renee zellweger and patrick fugit are superb.
Zellweger gives a sweet and solid performance and Wright Penn is perfect as white trailer trash and play two of Estrid's foster mothers. |
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