tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2392891072134710712024-03-21T12:00:06.994-07:00Mike's Movie ReviewsA blog in which I review movies that I watch. Old movies and new.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-84115981296722233502012-01-18T10:38:00.000-08:002012-01-18T10:39:01.973-08:00Stop SOPA and PIPA from Censoring the Internet!The internet is under attack! There is legislation being considered that will make our internet as heavily-policed as China's or Iran's, allowing sites to be shut down indefinitely without any due process or evidence of misuse. The internet is the last true democracy left in the US. Click below to help protect it! <br />
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<a href="http://act.demandprogress.org/go/426?akid=1145.1620723.hmfU3M&t=4"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPpY-Kt7ZBXGfP9-a5C5kuL5_f3AwrqeNvXSgJQ2JaJrK5jrMYz0baiAZxByDPFHCcL4NxkHfu11NDw61CwzZpjgCxzDwMKAUKxKbzqcbH-HjuBkLzcaqaGOw8lLX-L5p5ID38i1SJeSH/s1600/NETBUG.jpg"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-91684021550650067712011-09-20T16:13:00.000-07:002011-09-20T16:13:50.683-07:00New Reviews at MovieCynics.comHey all! I have a great new review written, but it's been snapped up by the very intelligent moviecynics.com, who have offered to take me on as a freelance contributor. As a result, I will no longer post reviews here, but at <a href="http://moviecynics.com/">moviecynics.com</a>. For a direct link to my new review for Warner Herzog's hypnotic 'Heart of Glass' (which I'm assured has nothing to do with the Blondie song by the same name) click <a href="http://moviecynics.com/heart-of-glass-1976-new-dvd-movie-reviews/">here</a>.<br />
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Thanks for your readership.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-24653957205578716732011-08-19T12:29:00.000-07:002011-08-21T00:42:06.114-07:00Head (1968)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLT44RNtiEp1Ll-bJJydSAPurdbpUzQ1Stmwh2qV7Oan1ZJZA-TqF4ArZVxLTvJLUl4VwhJsZK5dYlNS8uvvlNqzNGISLAIfdOL5MwaEHxGMWALB3autXRyZR2cEpRQriBfHJFBfRU9Y/s1600/Head" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLT44RNtiEp1Ll-bJJydSAPurdbpUzQ1Stmwh2qV7Oan1ZJZA-TqF4ArZVxLTvJLUl4VwhJsZK5dYlNS8uvvlNqzNGISLAIfdOL5MwaEHxGMWALB3autXRyZR2cEpRQriBfHJFBfRU9Y/s320/Head" width="161" /></a></div>Directed by Bob Rafelson<br />
Written by Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson<br />
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I got "Head" (no jokes, please) as a part of a multi-film set. I was intrigued by what I knew about it, that Jack Nicholson had cowritten and that it was more or less a movie about the music group The Monkees. Not being a big Monkees fan myself, I wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a layered psychedelic experience unlike any other that transcended genre and managed to be both light and extremely head-y. (Sorry, I have a weakness for puns. I know it's no way to get a-head in life *snicker*)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjA6YixYvXb79pMlBKrHs3bQL_WuZsjlgiqpzdkzd8o5AI9MooiXJx6EvBCL2KIA-cbDPyjeLC-Wb2s_Rli7uoS84XYhdygeIzH0_Dg0cGBa3neekTaVVuDZhSDK5UiaGCDRGqIPrS70/s1600/the+band" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjA6YixYvXb79pMlBKrHs3bQL_WuZsjlgiqpzdkzd8o5AI9MooiXJx6EvBCL2KIA-cbDPyjeLC-Wb2s_Rli7uoS84XYhdygeIzH0_Dg0cGBa3neekTaVVuDZhSDK5UiaGCDRGqIPrS70/s320/the+band" width="320" /></a></div>The film contains elements of the following genres at various points: concert film, Beatles'-style "day-in-the-life-of-the-band" video, mockumentary, western, sketch comedy, horror, political satire, adventure, epic, madcap comedy, romantic drama, and a very large dose of psychedelica. But in addition to that, it has subtly clever dialogue ("Nobody ever lends money to a man with a sense of humor"), and is written to reward repeat viewings. It even has a segment that I'm fairly certain is a reference to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">8 1/2</a>, one of my favorite films of all time and another great example of a film that completely obscures the boundaries between reality and fantasy. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYkpSeJZawnDirkIbkXhEs9RlT1batwJHe0zyL6ZbxFocllB1wrd-johJqswaWP4Y2pa1YdLunvadM_E3suY7sHdcp2aAahsVQKxxqZqHKzPiv9MIc_Yr5cKxhu-DpVs2QrKd5iHbVm4/s1600/swimming" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYkpSeJZawnDirkIbkXhEs9RlT1batwJHe0zyL6ZbxFocllB1wrd-johJqswaWP4Y2pa1YdLunvadM_E3suY7sHdcp2aAahsVQKxxqZqHKzPiv9MIc_Yr5cKxhu-DpVs2QrKd5iHbVm4/s320/swimming" width="320" /></a></div>This film is all about distorted reality. The first distortion is the most obvious: drugs. Most of the music sequences are just pretty escapist fantasy scenes featuring combinations of sound and color for people to zone out on psychedelics to. Though members of the band refer to the film as a kids film, the posters at the time of the release emphasized "Not Suitable For Children". At one point, Micky is in a harem, surrounded by dancing girls, smiling widely and smoking from a hookah. In another, the whole band has shrunk down and been sucked into a vacuum where they find a (relatively) giant joint roach, which Micky calls a "zoomer". But the druggiest parts of the film aren't druggy because there are drugs in them, but because they're edited like an acid trip, with lots of color distortion, slow-motion and mirroring effects. I wouldn't advise this film for actual hallucinators though. The latter third gets a little dark and might induce "a bad time". <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHRNBVHgOgFlBW2v0cA4XFmxPWhNLW4qMJNQNPzVOCv8P-SlWdq0xY47PdRzgp7oL1spUAKVJqcOrqaoIFrtFAtUjSmuWs56ei8PiTIEUjspxRM6sx5zayt7nHRd0cO-X4hdVcm8x1uc/s1600/Monkeesmokinghead" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHRNBVHgOgFlBW2v0cA4XFmxPWhNLW4qMJNQNPzVOCv8P-SlWdq0xY47PdRzgp7oL1spUAKVJqcOrqaoIFrtFAtUjSmuWs56ei8PiTIEUjspxRM6sx5zayt7nHRd0cO-X4hdVcm8x1uc/s320/Monkeesmokinghead" width="320" /></a></div>The second distortion of reality in the film is the media itself. Early on in the film, a bank of televisions shows different scenes from different genres as the Monkees sing cryptically "We hope you like our story / Although there isn't one / That is to say, there's many / That way, there is more fun!" The televisions appear to show random assorted material, but on rewatching, every scene shown actually occurs later in the film. Throughout the film, the characters repeatedly find themselves suddenly in a vastly different circumstance and genre than before. They even jump around chronologically throughout scenes of the movie. In one of my favorite scenes (the one that is a reference to 8 1/2), Peter (who is referred to elsewhere as "the dummy" of the group) finds himself in a sauna with a Hindu yogi (in 8 1/2, the main character has a very dream-like discussion with a Catholic Cardinal in a steam bath). The yogi proceeds to explain that the human mind has no way of differentiating between sounds and images and the actual experiences they represent. Therefore images from TV, music that we listen to, things that are part of our cultural consciousness, whether it's cartoons, an opera or footage from Vietnam, all gets interpreted by the subconscious as hard fact, experienced first-hand. The film is like a documentary of the process of the subconscious cycling through the assorted and disparate information it's given. The resulting confusion accounts for part of the film's disjointed plot.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sD9eR7vQSX8ggjqwyjeBwO2yuIy1vzvyLWsUtALPfEcITeupQveC8RXyyiN_yR94zi242kxil1AyQtvCmcAnqOqKXOD-PBRhecGfELkW8g5ta3fB5GO2vuL781BjIkmujIJjzLNjj4g/s1600/blackbox" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sD9eR7vQSX8ggjqwyjeBwO2yuIy1vzvyLWsUtALPfEcITeupQveC8RXyyiN_yR94zi242kxil1AyQtvCmcAnqOqKXOD-PBRhecGfELkW8g5ta3fB5GO2vuL781BjIkmujIJjzLNjj4g/s320/blackbox" width="320" /></a></div>The film industry itself is depicted in the film as a giant, dangerous factory full of uncaring middle managers who continually usher the Monkees into a large, black steel box. The film makes it seem like the Monkees are indentured servants to their director, label and even fans. They express frustration with a lack of creative control. Repeatedly throughout the film the Monkees try to rebel against the process of making the film itself, walking off the set and busting through the fourth wall in a jaded attempt to find reality again. In the mockumentary filmmaking portions the Monkees are treated like a disease by the other cast and crew in craft services ("I can't eat with those damned kids around" "Those guys are just awful" "Well if it isn't God's gift to 8-year olds"). In one scene, after a successful live performance, the Monkees are literally torn to shreds by their adoring fans.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYD7glZUa0yP58_3QK88vAP6tN-Y_nuW9wGfIY2grPI7dFSjhm9RI-ZYxyQ7xRdVp-qGGTTPaEVeK8G63u7wOGZ05tJEFVPDL-w9qEBezviJJ8I7k_PEiVp1uuPi9LS43ejmjc6IMG1I/s1600/being+directed" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYD7glZUa0yP58_3QK88vAP6tN-Y_nuW9wGfIY2grPI7dFSjhm9RI-ZYxyQ7xRdVp-qGGTTPaEVeK8G63u7wOGZ05tJEFVPDL-w9qEBezviJJ8I7k_PEiVp1uuPi9LS43ejmjc6IMG1I/s320/being+directed" width="320" /></a></div>Apparently most of this stuff was based on the real life making of "Head". According to the Wikipedia page for the film, the band brainstormed the plot of the movie with writer Jack Nicholson and writer/director Bob Rafelson one weekend while consuming copious amounts of marijuana. When they learned they weren't receiving any writing credits for the film, all of the Monkees (save the drummer, Pete) walked off the set and refused to act again until the terms of their contract were renegotiated. The cast and crew of the film really did hate the Monkees, and regularly left Craft Services en masse to avoid eating with them. And due to the Monkees' habit of wandering off of the set between shots, a large, black box was constructed with a heavy steel door to act as their personal waiting room in between takes. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkv_iOYw5a2h6LHztJ6ungkRsZsHqnbeevBRGt6tyT7qaylXnQXWbzCrCCmtOO-pnCnfLnElDKXLnIOppt3QBPDjM8keLZS2fXZmgLnkeb61uZ-J3BnWR7h2ogXfnr8Zk6M0pRGyvOvo/s1600/onset" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkv_iOYw5a2h6LHztJ6ungkRsZsHqnbeevBRGt6tyT7qaylXnQXWbzCrCCmtOO-pnCnfLnElDKXLnIOppt3QBPDjM8keLZS2fXZmgLnkeb61uZ-J3BnWR7h2ogXfnr8Zk6M0pRGyvOvo/s320/onset" width="320" /></a></div>If the process of filming weren't hard enough on the group, the film's critical reception at the time of its release was ice-cold. The Monkees effectively alienated the fan base they'd built on their clean-cut family-friendly images from their popular TV show while completely failing to draw in a new hip, adult audience. Only in retrospect did this film find the turned-on, groovy audience it was looking for, finally attaining its well-deserved cult status with college students and the art house crowd many years after its initial release.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NZ8PB1zBv5S5xDsVOyE5edG8nJvM38t6Qpg9wDe1BJylQsDoGWF8NbDrEQsNXEy1k_AMIFTazssv1D4sOT3xMwOqTLYH8sjHN72tpB5BvYycs6O0v2h3BLywyJhyphenhyphen1EHqtwc9lTFSLg4/s1600/zappa+cameo" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NZ8PB1zBv5S5xDsVOyE5edG8nJvM38t6Qpg9wDe1BJylQsDoGWF8NbDrEQsNXEy1k_AMIFTazssv1D4sOT3xMwOqTLYH8sjHN72tpB5BvYycs6O0v2h3BLywyJhyphenhyphen1EHqtwc9lTFSLg4/s1600/zappa+cameo" /></a></div>So what does "Head" have to offer modern day groovy guys and gals? Monty-Pythonesque humor and transitions, a strong anti-war message (still pertinent today), groovy psychedelics, a film about filmmaking (which I personally love), random cameos ranging from Jack Nicholson (blink and you'll miss it) and Annette Funicello to Frank Zappa (pictured above), and more zany antics than the average Beatles' film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisG4c9p9GxAnZYretGK7DVNIGYuSFjwXDPpHGUwP0FDFk_lZDpQoz3p-qteF5ieq8JQTWfCqtItfT67PaJLu9pwkHykjERKHarSCwtZv3DEw3JD0O2PPra9ZSgjysk2gGcCI436v3Wew/s1600/Pete" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisG4c9p9GxAnZYretGK7DVNIGYuSFjwXDPpHGUwP0FDFk_lZDpQoz3p-qteF5ieq8JQTWfCqtItfT67PaJLu9pwkHykjERKHarSCwtZv3DEw3JD0O2PPra9ZSgjysk2gGcCI436v3Wew/s320/Pete" width="320" /></a></div>As for my favorite Monkee (based on the film), I would have to pick Pete. He's the warm-hearted simpleton who lets an ice-cream cone melt down his hand rather than throwing it away because "There are starving Chinese". He's called "the dummy" of the group, but watch him closely. He will ultimately become the most enlightened one. The most fun Monkee to watch would be Micky, who energetically manhandles a Coke machine when he comes upon it in the desert only to find it empty. He later blows it up with a tank. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYD7glZUa0yP58_3QK88vAP6tN-Y_nuW9wGfIY2grPI7dFSjhm9RI-ZYxyQ7xRdVp-qGGTTPaEVeK8G63u7wOGZ05tJEFVPDL-w9qEBezviJJ8I7k_PEiVp1uuPi9LS43ejmjc6IMG1I/s1600/being+directed" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_6FEogKBiIS0iJKPe-L1BtxlGi9Kj54banVIIaWmkOjwkJ5_-OajCDj1Qs0JzgcVKE87IB7HyKwbt6lP2HJAWYsU-YXFRjvbReA9wt5pt8k9BnyMghYvPSvh5YyucxPuvMEz9q1iCPQ/s320/cocacola" width="320" /></a></div>I gave "Head" (no jokes, please) a 9/10. If you are a fan of mystery, horror, suspense, documentaries, dramas, love stories, concert films, westerns, sketch comedy, action, or any of the other genres this film encapsulates, chances are this film will have something for you. So light up some.... incense, and get ready for a groovy trip back in time...<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="240" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xjx9ga" width="360"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjx9ga_head_shortfilms" target="_blank"></a> <i> <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/VideoDetective" target="_blank"></a></i><br />
For those of you interested in "Head" (no jokes, please) and other American cinema from the late 60's and early 70's, I highly recommend the <a href="http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/769-america-lost-and-found-the-bbs-story">American Lost and Found: The BBS Story box set</a>, available on DVD and Bluray. The set includes "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063049/">Head</a>", "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/">Easy Rider</a>", "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065724/">Five Easy Pieces</a>", "<a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Drive, He Said</a>", "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067699/">A Safe Place</a>", "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067328/">The Last Picture Show</a>", and "<a href="http://www.blogger.com/">The King of Marvin Gardens</a>". This and other recommended viewing below: <br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003ZYU3SC&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00000JRUQ&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002U6DVQM&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003WKL6X0&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-82745310032284291882011-02-23T15:23:00.000-08:002011-03-17T09:17:42.884-07:00Support my film, "In a Grove" in an online movie trailer contest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dBYTgN0eu-DVheYK_xCQBK6wwHebl0YEawRP0JAb83o00GRmUBgRvJLhgNRN1S51KGblc3kVXZEJfjVpAb_5cXkfT3Sh5u1kAb6DNG7d05d598vWpVOmPkJvMFzScLq-zQVER8SOl6o/s1600/In+a+Grove+Movie+Poster+4.4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dBYTgN0eu-DVheYK_xCQBK6wwHebl0YEawRP0JAb83o00GRmUBgRvJLhgNRN1S51KGblc3kVXZEJfjVpAb_5cXkfT3Sh5u1kAb6DNG7d05d598vWpVOmPkJvMFzScLq-zQVER8SOl6o/s320/In+a+Grove+Movie+Poster+4.4.jpg" width="212" /></a>I have entered two trailers for my newest film, "In a Grove" in a filmdemic.com indie movie trailer contest. My entries are currently in third and fourth place, ratings-wise. Please support my movie by registering for the contest site and rating and commenting on my trailers. With your help, I can make it to first place!<br />
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It's easy, it takes less than 5 min, and it won't cost you a thing. All you have to do is click on <a href="http://reeldemic.com/filmcontest/members/studboyslim">this link</a>, click the "Register" link in the upper right of the screen it takes you to, create a username and password to register as a rater / reviewer on the site, and rate and comment on my trailers! <br />
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The contest ends TONIGHT at 9PM, so victory is within grasp. For people who want to do even more to support us in this contest, send your friends a link to this article or post it on your facebook to spread the word. You can also "like" my film on Facebook (see facebook link-->). The more help I can get, the better my chances of winning and getting some publicity for my movie. <br />
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If you want to go above and beyond to support my filmmaking career, check out my previous efforts on amazon.com:<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001JAH8DM&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001NXBZIE&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001O9BGUO&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-43070092980731924362010-05-31T21:54:00.000-07:002010-05-31T21:56:10.924-07:00The Free BoxThere's a Portland-based web comedy show that's dangerously close to being discontinued by it's very talented cast and crew for the simple reason that it's not profitable to give away great comedy for free. "The Free Box" has been entertaining denizens of the World Wide Web since Drew Hicks and Jon Meyer started the show a few years back. Since then the show has grown considerably in scope and the laughs have grown proportionally. Fans have been clamoring for more new episodes, but are you actually willing to support the show with your greenbacks? If you are, you are in for a treat. "The Free Box" has set up a "pledge" system through <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/943883832/the-free-box-a-portland-based-web-series">kickstarter.com</a> in order to raise funds to continue the show. In addition to the great feeling you get supporting young people with boundless talent and potential, "The Free Box" is offering prizes as well. A 5$ pledge will get you a bumper sticker of the show's most memorable catch-phrase: "We ran out of dish soap". Larger pledges mean more and larger prizes, up to whole seasons of the show on DVD. Big-money pledgers (500$-1000$) get the cast and crew of the show to write and perform a song commissioned by you and to make it into either a music CD or a music video DVD. It's an all-or-nothing pledge system, meaning that if the boys and girls from "The Free Box" don't reach their 5000$ pledge goal, those who have pledged aren't charged. But the real tragedy would be if we allowed this great show to die. Money is the "magic dust" that makes great TV and movies possible, so please sprinkle some of that magic dust on <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/943883832/the-free-box-a-portland-based-web-series">"The Free Box"</a>!<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002DGS0RY&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
The season 1 DVD includes hilarious commercials from the creators of the show (including the "Junk in the Box" short that became the show's logo). "What'd you expect?" This set and each of the smaller prizes are awarded for kickstarter.com pledges of 50$ or more. 100$ pledges get the as-yet unreleased season 2 DVD as well as all the smaller prizes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-68437609261377979102010-05-01T22:48:00.000-07:002010-05-02T11:54:48.763-07:00"A Nightmare on Elm Street" (2010)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ovZf_xx0xm4U-FuEdQlqTCMhSJ7Yrse8mx4Jxr-f1uUwXfmyMHVxFEIcc-zEb24rXHYXq7vCORFuX01eEpJ1vGzUd__GqRFagfA8EWKfYNMscaa4RDzhvwDI8i9huy64W3HiojNaAII/s1600/a-nightmare-on-elm-street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ovZf_xx0xm4U-FuEdQlqTCMhSJ7Yrse8mx4Jxr-f1uUwXfmyMHVxFEIcc-zEb24rXHYXq7vCORFuX01eEpJ1vGzUd__GqRFagfA8EWKfYNMscaa4RDzhvwDI8i9huy64W3HiojNaAII/s320/a-nightmare-on-elm-street.jpg" /></span></a></div>Directed by Samuel Bayer<br />
Written by Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer<br />
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Rated R for strong bloody horror violence, disturbing images, terror and language.<br />
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Alright movie fans! My new full-time job has prevented me from reviewing as many films as I would have liked this last week and a half or so, but this one was just too big to keep under my fedora.<br />
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The newest installment in the famed series "A Nightmare on Elm Street" restarts the series at it's dark beginnings, expanding on events that were only mentioned briefly or alluded to in the original "Nightmare" movie.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz90fD99LcZ4cQEAcx-AyC00N7zyHKiKf_LxUBSuOHV0eFST7Vop4s_H8n0itcOymmvZ72yLqDlq1Cu6CuWyh21yaiBRJTQg1l3D39D6DOs8b-l9kD2-sZVJLi90zldiU_NPf1C6NQ62w/s1600/freddyfedora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz90fD99LcZ4cQEAcx-AyC00N7zyHKiKf_LxUBSuOHV0eFST7Vop4s_H8n0itcOymmvZ72yLqDlq1Cu6CuWyh21yaiBRJTQg1l3D39D6DOs8b-l9kD2-sZVJLi90zldiU_NPf1C6NQ62w/s400/freddyfedora.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The teenaged children of Springwood are being stalked in their dreams by an eerie man in a striped sweater, fedora and a glove with knives for fingers. The film opens at the Springwood Diner, where Nancy (the hero of the original), Kris (her best friend) and Quentin (Nancy's boyfriend) watch horrified as one of their friends commits suicide with a steak knife while screaming that he's being attacked. I felt like this was a fairly solid opening. The initial dialogue in the diner is a little contrived as it's obvious main purpose is to quickly introduce the main characters. The death scene however, is a great first kill for Freddy. Because witnesses saw the boy kill himself there are no supernatural loose ends that might merit further police investigation. In other words, a death that the parents of the community can mourn as a tragic fluke without worrying enough about their own children to do anything about it. A perfect start to a new "Nightmare".<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwH3Z66wbhLW2ejWNhVtcdi9Q2nxVTJTJVVEu2Ba_7S5T_Ho46uAyiQ3fn6I4XZdmqBYhEvIyMYWtdKAn39JzyV_OzpfkQN5buos5VklJ-MVO8ehoQxklK2bsZS9wL-6ZRDXgeojFn7IY/s1600/diner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwH3Z66wbhLW2ejWNhVtcdi9Q2nxVTJTJVVEu2Ba_7S5T_Ho46uAyiQ3fn6I4XZdmqBYhEvIyMYWtdKAn39JzyV_OzpfkQN5buos5VklJ-MVO8ehoQxklK2bsZS9wL-6ZRDXgeojFn7IY/s400/diner.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, almost perfect. One of the big problems with this movie is acting. For the first third of the movie, I thought that Nancy (played by no-name actress Rooney Mara) had some kind of speech impediment or learning disability. She speaks like she's having trouble breathing and looks like she's zoned out on some heavy medication. I blame "Twilight". Those terrible "glam-pire" movies have sullied what it means to be a horror movie heroine. Instead of tough, passionate and resourceful, like Heather Langenkamp's original portrayal of Nancy, Mara's version of the character is frail and waif-like, bookish and brooding. It sickens me to draw a comparison between such a good series and such a bad one, but in her worse moments, Mara's Nancy seems like a carbon-copy of the hideous and reprehensible character Bella from the "Twilight" series. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71xFmcXIyGUgCdm_hNPyBgQqcegeJt5N76mWlxIoUxyp1BRdmK5Jazw21QHrm8I549nnJPJj5IbBb3A3mvKm91NYJKmwdDKbMEzLtO_a-NV3MvxoN-vkir-t3XD2bm1-QmaCl4imrvfw/s1600/Heather+Langenkamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71xFmcXIyGUgCdm_hNPyBgQqcegeJt5N76mWlxIoUxyp1BRdmK5Jazw21QHrm8I549nnJPJj5IbBb3A3mvKm91NYJKmwdDKbMEzLtO_a-NV3MvxoN-vkir-t3XD2bm1-QmaCl4imrvfw/s200/Heather+Langenkamp.jpg" width="145" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ddECcO6SPXMNvv_aJN6M2xg1y3kQXLQJ-gL3l1sn4Le7r9mEHqbSy6efynsOKhONx65PHQWCkfcLKtOGWGUq75DROs2SXfDKTBnUKwYRNs9L4yAnzPpFXTIY_tCwSf70GoUss4OS0Bo/s1600/rooney-mara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ddECcO6SPXMNvv_aJN6M2xg1y3kQXLQJ-gL3l1sn4Le7r9mEHqbSy6efynsOKhONx65PHQWCkfcLKtOGWGUq75DROs2SXfDKTBnUKwYRNs9L4yAnzPpFXTIY_tCwSf70GoUss4OS0Bo/s200/rooney-mara.jpg" width="98" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPszVnVcnXFde9RbN_0uKSeDg-Wi1ssTnLvaXCUT3ELRL9tR-Zp9UOh2HRDmNlrY2ALpZshvL3lDju6M-0vfqXuWrUq0VvkR4cu_qQN3FOixzmJzWVMrYeZRwide8Vr4BaBVjJ-pp8lrs/s1600/bella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPszVnVcnXFde9RbN_0uKSeDg-Wi1ssTnLvaXCUT3ELRL9tR-Zp9UOh2HRDmNlrY2ALpZshvL3lDju6M-0vfqXuWrUq0VvkR4cu_qQN3FOixzmJzWVMrYeZRwide8Vr4BaBVjJ-pp8lrs/s200/bella.jpg" width="124" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The devolution of horror heroines (left to right): Heather Langenkamp as Nancy in 1984, Rooney Mara as Nancy in 2010, and Down's Syndrome Bella.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In all fairness to Rooney Mara, even Heather Langenkamp was a terrible actress when she first stepped into Nancy's shoes. The key difference between their performances is that Heather knew how to scream and act frightened. Mara's acting in the remake was of such a low intensity that it almost seemed like Freddy Krueger was an annoying ex-boyfriend who won't stop calling; obnoxious but ultimately harmless. How is the audience supposed to be afraid of the villain when the heroine is so lethargic?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_r2SjPPNi8bvDzxID-i8UdmO1gyPHSDBSvpT73JAN0iKxsanfWIUhHFR5jI9cFuRyD6FuIq4zYExfQT05hUMlyrNerdTj35e8TbaDJahBUa3Qp-rZT8qBndFCaxTJbfakVit8D1bXZQ/s1600/nancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_r2SjPPNi8bvDzxID-i8UdmO1gyPHSDBSvpT73JAN0iKxsanfWIUhHFR5jI9cFuRyD6FuIq4zYExfQT05hUMlyrNerdTj35e8TbaDJahBUa3Qp-rZT8qBndFCaxTJbfakVit8D1bXZQ/s400/nancy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story of this new "Nightmare" film is actually very good. The writers have taken characters and situations from the original and re-imagined them in a modern setting, with an increased focus on Freddy's back-story (which was only alluded to in the original). In the original "Nightmare", Nancy's alcoholic mother reluctantly reveals that Freddy Krueger was a perverted school janitor who killed (and possibly molested) little children. "...the lawyers got fat and the judge got famous, but someone forgot to sign a search warrant in the right place and Krueger was free, just like that." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The parents of Springwood corner Krueger in an old abandoned boiler room where he had taken kids to do terrible things to him, and set it on fire with him inside, killing him and ultimately turning him into the vengeful dream demon we all know and love. In a deleted scene from the original "Nightmare", Nancy's mother goes further to reveal that all of the main kids who are being targeted by Freddy had older siblings who Freddy had killed when he was alive, but when the kids were too young to remember. Watch the deleted scene here:<br />
<object height="300" width="380"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lm9hVhTvbxU&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lm9hVhTvbxU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="380" height="300"></embed></object></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My idea of the perfect "Nightmare" origins story would be a portrayal of Freddy when he was murdering the first batch of kids as a living man. The film would chronicle all of his alleged kills (around 20) and end with his fiery death at the hands of the town's parents. They could even use this deleted footage from the original (touched up digitally so it looks shiny and new) as a way to tie the new prequel to the original. The new "Nightmare" didn't take this path, but rather tells a story that weaves parts of the original into something new. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknVJIdnroWoRmF0X5EeniXrEF2H3q-AlrB9bgK1CM4vsjT_LeS9dhpGLkpMWv4YDHB89amxyjhEeMmeYmSWmf3WPeFWeJyKw7WqqYYOmpUmG-i3JwF2ngyMtV-Tjrlt6J8gq9FTVLmHw/s1600/fred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknVJIdnroWoRmF0X5EeniXrEF2H3q-AlrB9bgK1CM4vsjT_LeS9dhpGLkpMWv4YDHB89amxyjhEeMmeYmSWmf3WPeFWeJyKw7WqqYYOmpUmG-i3JwF2ngyMtV-Tjrlt6J8gq9FTVLmHw/s400/fred.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the new film, Krueger is not killed for killing children, but for allegedly molesting them. He seems more sympathetic in the new film because the parents choose to kill him without even trying to let the law handle him. In the first flashback dream sequence, we see him chased into an abandoned warehouse(?) by the angry parents. As they set the fire, Freddy looks scared and is screaming "I don't know what you think I did". All in all, we're set up to question whether or not Freddy was ever really guilty of the crimes he was killed for.<br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3C7nyfPNk3WiQ4__0FLP8g7Lw3IQpL8q0LUxGdceUvRLllYK_Syj3KTY7fAmikwyULi08VrSXcymdV3WRtRPNjIEltp8vFbk78zjlALFLwaW8V3D7CiNZNBuNOxvEfENA9jdT-nMXEU/s1600/rotating+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3C7nyfPNk3WiQ4__0FLP8g7Lw3IQpL8q0LUxGdceUvRLllYK_Syj3KTY7fAmikwyULi08VrSXcymdV3WRtRPNjIEltp8vFbk78zjlALFLwaW8V3D7CiNZNBuNOxvEfENA9jdT-nMXEU/s400/rotating+room.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRVOd2yT4jvJZ9KiOxFHshwu2ut9b4HbyFKUUw-cRPbbaiOdViiwBtG-O2dNFWYaCvI9QKwDiTVGtpdRDua53jVKn8mBS1UKUqfRNgs77uNuHn6ZudOCRE6rlYQmpUFIxpPfsrmNkYKU/s1600/kirs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRVOd2yT4jvJZ9KiOxFHshwu2ut9b4HbyFKUUw-cRPbbaiOdViiwBtG-O2dNFWYaCvI9QKwDiTVGtpdRDua53jVKn8mBS1UKUqfRNgs77uNuHn6ZudOCRE6rlYQmpUFIxpPfsrmNkYKU/s400/kirs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether or not he's a child molester, Freddy is pissed and out for revenge on the kids whose "stories" got him killed. Killing is clearly what Freddy's best at. The kill scenes are pretty solid, and are mostly recreations or homages to the fantastic death scenes in the original "Nightmare". Some of the classic visuals have been redone fairly well. Kris' death scene is a more brutal homage to Tina's death scene in the original. Her terrified boyfriend watches in horror as she's thrown against the ceiling and walls by an invisible force. While it lacks the charm of the "rotating room" special effect in the original, it's a scene that will make fans of the original smile. Certain other effects from the original are worked into the remake in a different context than in the original. Some scenes, like the bathtub scene are almost shot-for-shot.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbNyssyMM1ULK8xFoX9Fyg7WPo1pqliThcnx3PnAVEvW_yIoafz4K3MkjfrhpqCYyDNPGLKyXU_ll7OroNF9_6mpR9Cop5RMrhqC_1EiFxAMM0fRBxtfDv695O7Vo5AgMruAnZqQunm0/s1600/bathtub1984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbNyssyMM1ULK8xFoX9Fyg7WPo1pqliThcnx3PnAVEvW_yIoafz4K3MkjfrhpqCYyDNPGLKyXU_ll7OroNF9_6mpR9Cop5RMrhqC_1EiFxAMM0fRBxtfDv695O7Vo5AgMruAnZqQunm0/s400/bathtub1984.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_kGE3RvBhV3xB7K0bDjNIgXLIqhDqtLbj7-KpkYi07udBjb6ElEqfMbAflB_tBfM4umazU7-lt8x378nilXTD-vh62mswoiw65PtktkkwsguJw8wC6bPnHjX3j0T90LQQQTG3V9t8VE/s1600/bathtub2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_kGE3RvBhV3xB7K0bDjNIgXLIqhDqtLbj7-KpkYi07udBjb6ElEqfMbAflB_tBfM4umazU7-lt8x378nilXTD-vh62mswoiw65PtktkkwsguJw8wC6bPnHjX3j0T90LQQQTG3V9t8VE/s400/bathtub2010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What Jackie Earle Haley fails to do well is be scary. The makeup artists were supposedly using real burn victims as the inspiration for Freddy's new face. What these talented professionals came up with looks like a cross between Voldemort and Two-Face. Freddy's new, reptilian look is in no way creepier than Freddy's face in the original. I didn't even like the "updated" Freddy face in Wes Craven's "New Nightmare" (perhaps the best of the "originals"), but at least it bore a stronger resemblance to his old face. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kME9uJaTxVWqR9w4hBQoXgJtkpDzi9I-uQFm6Iv8rd0e1opNu4QIFbXWa8f8Y5uxAB6HYHKvcLvMHfgEfslKPBBNrZzuwojhUl20iA3Ybq2zhjiLc3GWBjr_n7fjvlGf1K2OLC6RF58/s1600/classicfreddy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kME9uJaTxVWqR9w4hBQoXgJtkpDzi9I-uQFm6Iv8rd0e1opNu4QIFbXWa8f8Y5uxAB6HYHKvcLvMHfgEfslKPBBNrZzuwojhUl20iA3Ybq2zhjiLc3GWBjr_n7fjvlGf1K2OLC6RF58/s320/classicfreddy.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYbZBOExfTyhyphenhyphenxQCCB35gRRf9kjxYRnC0_1VJanjr8uGELRdy-HvuLRrilKEmdkVrHlGOnVEXs9tpT0X_nAii2ZYPUPudrhNegrtSn0WD827Sp13OF88kwE1Shc_dkpLkgXL93flOUyk/s1600/freddy+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYbZBOExfTyhyphenhyphenxQCCB35gRRf9kjxYRnC0_1VJanjr8uGELRdy-HvuLRrilKEmdkVrHlGOnVEXs9tpT0X_nAii2ZYPUPudrhNegrtSn0WD827Sp13OF88kwE1Shc_dkpLkgXL93flOUyk/s320/freddy+closeup.jpg" /></a></div>Another big mistake with Freddy this time around is that he's over-featured in his own movie. In an effort to provide fans with the maximum amount of fan-service, Freddy all but juggles and does tricks for peanuts. He's practically got more lines in this movie than Nancy, and the lines he does have are mostly bad puns and one-liners. While Robert Englund's Freddy did have his share of one-liners, they only got really cheesy in the sillier "Nightmare" sequels (like when he says "Welcome to prime-time, bitch!" while shoving a woman's head into a television screen). The original was so scary because like "Alien" and other great horror films, the villain was barely seen or heard. The lines he did have were creepy and unsettling, and most importantly didn't sound like he was rehearsing for a stand-up comedy act.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43Ox4L3XTsqivjc-Jv8HRfCajcodBGalCaUMXenL7xVC3jxSeDFjKCsZZJsc1NN7kCaQEOFthrHA-N8iqrFSKt33THKUQbi4JrQS7HWNO7P0A_4UCYf_FJBbOMLue5zsVsjFA9S43oCc/s1600/freddyfog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43Ox4L3XTsqivjc-Jv8HRfCajcodBGalCaUMXenL7xVC3jxSeDFjKCsZZJsc1NN7kCaQEOFthrHA-N8iqrFSKt33THKUQbi4JrQS7HWNO7P0A_4UCYf_FJBbOMLue5zsVsjFA9S43oCc/s320/freddyfog.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Freddy in "Nightmare 1" is also only seen fleetingly, in part, from a distance, through fog, in the dark or indirectly lit. The overall effect is that we never get a very good look at him and our imaginations are allowed to go crazy. Freddy has more than a few close-ups in the new "Nightmare", and is often well-enough lit that his make-up and attire seem more garish and carnivalesque than creepy. While I have many friends who laud Jackie Earle Haley for his portrayal of "Rorshack" in "Watchmen", I can only say that he made a decidedly sub-par Freddy Krueger. Like George Lazenby, the oft-forgotten actor who played James Bond for a single movie after Sean Connery abandoned the role, Haley has a very hard time filling the shoes of his predecessor. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtM_4xoy0TEs1Zyra1XbPA7J0KxdSwr1hmHBw6m-ap2jzQKvi2HjGJaALcveJMOW0Fh05Fsk-CXUP4t7tDnLsNrt8MFI56YiPFP3zOzY0Z3MSiMcbbgTuav1b6ckAfOhl8GC-IsJ_589s/s1600/freddies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtM_4xoy0TEs1Zyra1XbPA7J0KxdSwr1hmHBw6m-ap2jzQKvi2HjGJaALcveJMOW0Fh05Fsk-CXUP4t7tDnLsNrt8MFI56YiPFP3zOzY0Z3MSiMcbbgTuav1b6ckAfOhl8GC-IsJ_589s/s400/freddies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd give the new "A Nightmare on Elm Street" an 8/10. The "Nightmare" series has been fairly consistent in one thing: the odd-numbered movies are good, the even ones are terrible. This has held through the first eight movies (with "Freddy vs. Jason" as the last bad one), and it holds true for number nine as well. Overall, this is a solid entry in the series. It is true to the feel of the original without being overly derivative. While the lead actors were mostly disappointing, Rooney Mara grew on me a bit towards the end. It's not Shakespeare, but it's an entertaining homage to one of the best horror films of all time.<br />
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The first eight films have been recently released in these cheap 4-film packs. Only the odd-numbered ones are good, but even the even-numbered ones are entertaining. If you're a "Nightmare" newbie, stick to the first four. If you like 'em and feel adventurous, check out five through eight.<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001DJLD1W&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001DJLD0S&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span></span></span></span><br />
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</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-85118878705824451262010-04-16T23:34:00.000-07:002010-04-16T23:44:26.280-07:00Mike Bazanele's "In a Grove" Teaser TrailerThe very first sneak-peak at my new short film "In a Grove", which is based on the Ryunosuke Akutagawa short story of the same name. Other adaptations of this story include Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon" and the Star Trek: TNG episode "A Matter of Perspective". The story is so popular in Japan that it's title "In a Grove" (Yabu no Naka) has become a common idiom for a situation in which no conclusion can be drawn because evidence is insufficient or contradictory. I'm very pleased with how this trailer turned out. While the teaser trailer includes only black and white footage, the final film will alternate between black and white and color. The haunting acid-western theme used in the trailer was graciously furnished by Little j and Ed Wrzesien. Enjoy!<br />
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<object height="310" width="387"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9KYIbqdSkiQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9KYIbqdSkiQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="387" height="310"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-77639490697904016862010-04-14T14:29:00.000-07:002010-04-14T14:29:37.581-07:00Shutter (2008)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj-hBw6gX5L_IYPz1goAw1aUYwVWTbntSAW-CHy4lVBeHjow59-iUy9i663ETQ56Mzy0HbtC6H5iHUQWXt6vOegOr1EZedntfBrD-FyxbNN7kREAkVdTbTN2v2sxu1KEnPwM8x-27jPM/s1600/shutterposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj-hBw6gX5L_IYPz1goAw1aUYwVWTbntSAW-CHy4lVBeHjow59-iUy9i663ETQ56Mzy0HbtC6H5iHUQWXt6vOegOr1EZedntfBrD-FyxbNN7kREAkVdTbTN2v2sxu1KEnPwM8x-27jPM/s320/shutterposter.jpg" /></a></div>Directed by Masayuki Ochiai<br />
Written by Luke Dawson<br />
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Rated PG-13 for terror, disturbing images, sexual content and language.<br />
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"Shutter" is one in a long line of recent Hollywood remakes of Asian horror films. Though I haven't seen the original "Shutter" (2004, Thailand), I feel like the American remake is a respectable addition to the "Asian horror remake" genre. Asian horror fans will appreciate the frequent homages to the "classic" Asian horror films, most notably "The Ring" and "The Grudge". Beautifully photographed and well-acted, "Shutter" is more than just another horror rehash.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwGkxwrM50tODFuzYHiHrHwc9ba3goRQPqFFXMucmp3kAF-yw9MG51mXtBTa4haL1tV3TpM7YibXQzSumTwDLE4soFy6PoWRhQEjrRlI-0idGpvWlqs3KXbrgJ8rt-pimkhO_dhgVGjY/s1600/shuttermarriedlife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwGkxwrM50tODFuzYHiHrHwc9ba3goRQPqFFXMucmp3kAF-yw9MG51mXtBTa4haL1tV3TpM7YibXQzSumTwDLE4soFy6PoWRhQEjrRlI-0idGpvWlqs3KXbrgJ8rt-pimkhO_dhgVGjY/s320/shuttermarriedlife.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The story starts with the wedding of Benjamin and Jane Shaw (Joshua Jackson and Rachael Taylor). While Joshua Jackson isn't my top pick for a horror lead, he does well enough as a newlywed photographer with a dark past. Rachael Taylor is pitch-perfect as the "blond Asian horror remake survivor girl", joining the proud ranks of fellow "survivor girls" Sarah Michelle Gellar ("The Grudge") and Naomi Watts ("The Ring"). Taylor is beautiful and vulnerable as a new bride being called away to Japan for her husband's work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2uKpWCDurL_72Xpxm_NHryNfDvo-Pu8aXtXIIHKQP2BrU2TbtSs81_oYqvBPZcMu4i0REoRBZpM9nZzZ9aeB03aLfuw12UR4bB7ryyl-mGvlqz9hSgFbfX4rMOxjoz58oRnpHzbLDoA/s1600/shutterghost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2uKpWCDurL_72Xpxm_NHryNfDvo-Pu8aXtXIIHKQP2BrU2TbtSs81_oYqvBPZcMu4i0REoRBZpM9nZzZ9aeB03aLfuw12UR4bB7ryyl-mGvlqz9hSgFbfX4rMOxjoz58oRnpHzbLDoA/s320/shutterghost.jpg" /></a></div>In the car on the way to their Japanese honeymoon, Jane accidentally hits a strange woman who appears suddenly in the road. Jane loses control of the car and it crashes. As she's sitting in the wrecked car, Jane sees the woman she hit sit up and look at her creepily. By the time the police and ambulance have arrived, there's no sign of the strange woman, and no evidence that she was ever there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98_v2SPHTwtbqsrB6Za3_4fDMrM5tbNgOUj3KjHhDm4_PYKqekzjz3M3QR1458ZJ7skkq1Kq80quhHPp0hd5e1_ZI5pJfKu81X9CUI6033pAVNoPQL0LxDrzQCLxM7KLzH8FEHQIzsho/s1600/shuttertokyo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98_v2SPHTwtbqsrB6Za3_4fDMrM5tbNgOUj3KjHhDm4_PYKqekzjz3M3QR1458ZJ7skkq1Kq80quhHPp0hd5e1_ZI5pJfKu81X9CUI6033pAVNoPQL0LxDrzQCLxM7KLzH8FEHQIzsho/s320/shuttertokyo.jpg" /></a></div>Disturbed by the experience, Jane tries to enjoy her honeymoon but is still haunted by the image of the girl on the road. Ben has been suffering back pains since the car wreck, but is otherwise no worse for the wear. He starts his job at a big Japanese company where everyone seems to know and like him. Ben has worked in Japan previously, though Jane is visiting for the first time. Jane is a little uneasy about how friendly Ben is with his female Japanese co-workers, especially his sultry and aptly-named secretary Yoko. Ben also has two crass, womanizing male coworkers named Bruno and Adam that immediately make Jane uncomfortable. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhIQJbXrM0HXNeOZe7d3ZOhnfV6Xs-uOQxC4o2leh23TAb6QaU4bhvySlLZH8ncV6JLIB59yJhGmOeDLXd1SZVLbDXHmX1zJGoSFBVMfkIJ_XB2ZRjXDxE-sVwY5K5uRWCCl7BzYhSrY/s1600/shutterfriend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhIQJbXrM0HXNeOZe7d3ZOhnfV6Xs-uOQxC4o2leh23TAb6QaU4bhvySlLZH8ncV6JLIB59yJhGmOeDLXd1SZVLbDXHmX1zJGoSFBVMfkIJ_XB2ZRjXDxE-sVwY5K5uRWCCl7BzYhSrY/s320/shutterfriend.jpg" /></a></div>While Ben sets to work on a big Fashion photo shoot, Jane shows herself around the city. Disturbed by some phantom images on her honeymoon photos, Jane has Yoko take her to the publisher of a "spirit photography" magazine. Yoko explains that the Japanese are very interested in supernatural phenomenon. While most "spirit photos" are faked using computer editing effects, some are thought to be the result of actual spirit activity. Yoko's friend tells Jane that Polaroids can't be faked. The simple shutter action and self-developing format make it impossible to insert an image artificially into a Polaroid picture, therefore spirit images on Polaroid film are considered to be authentic. Back at the fashion shoot, Ben is having problems with phantom images too. He thinks he sees a girl on the photo set, but when he looks again she's gone. When the film from the shoot is developed, Ben finds that every photo has been ruined by faded ghostly images. Ben assumes that the camera must have been damaged by the car crash, but Jane suspects something darker is at play.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcLLWGNyf-PyBSXzNdLCIxpgrlcKbIJs0h3yfP2jVVPQ571aJysY68tM8hAK6288dY-ObpfJZJqqprXVbjAfs5Uk0PAKiX1g3RaGlb-sKmZZ2WCql2-jGOH9L6IrSPUrxixru_iJdPl8/s1600/shutter_camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcLLWGNyf-PyBSXzNdLCIxpgrlcKbIJs0h3yfP2jVVPQ571aJysY68tM8hAK6288dY-ObpfJZJqqprXVbjAfs5Uk0PAKiX1g3RaGlb-sKmZZ2WCql2-jGOH9L6IrSPUrxixru_iJdPl8/s320/shutter_camera.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Jane notices that in the photos from the fashion shoot, all of the phantom images point to a certain corner office in the building Ben works in. Borrowing a Polaroid camera from Yoko, Jane sneaks into the building to look for the dead girl. The office in question turns out to be the "International Office", where Ben, Bruno and Adam work. Jane uses the Polaroid to "scan" the room for the ghostly girl. When she gets a glimpse of the ghost, Jane panics and starts to run out of the office, but a picture falls off of the wall, startling her. It's a group picture of several of the International Office's employees, including the ghostly girl whose name Jane learns is Megumi Tanaka. On the back of the photo is a stamp that reads "Photo Taken by Benjamin Shaw".<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPx0S7_aSBIGOfOy9xPpeSwHyPcrGE5ae8stfERLRe5C8j9L-0tTWso-CC1P4u4M88MmNBt2XtFOqPvETkBLf-2Ck20mI8H2skjRpZh5G2z5cn8Pt0J4OsBFvcLyXDeZpGRnuuXehpVw/s1600/shutterjacksonandghost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPx0S7_aSBIGOfOy9xPpeSwHyPcrGE5ae8stfERLRe5C8j9L-0tTWso-CC1P4u4M88MmNBt2XtFOqPvETkBLf-2Ck20mI8H2skjRpZh5G2z5cn8Pt0J4OsBFvcLyXDeZpGRnuuXehpVw/s320/shutterjacksonandghost.jpg" /></a></div>Jane is furious to discover that Ben had been lying about knowing Megumi. He reveals that she is actually his ex-girlfriend. They had been dating steadily for a while when Ben was in Japan several years ago, and when he decided to break it off, she became depressed and started stalking him. Ben says that he asked Adam and Bruno to talk to Megumi about it and that he hasn't seen her since. When Adam and Bruno both die mysterious, gruesome deaths, Ben worries that he's next. Newly armed with the identity of their phantom stalker, Jane and Ben rush to Megumi's abandoned apartment to find out what happened to the intense, quiet girl.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuL7lIxLPitticMRpDMmjp2GvP1qkNaNUlTC_TAILMGAuXF4gBpfYS8xXele9IFz0PwVKrOF6yMRZyFZBWYUG6hauqaxB9KLY8kph_HxexOXflg_32GS7SCWyK_Y6tCLEJj18oOQSKxVI/s1600/shuttercorpse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuL7lIxLPitticMRpDMmjp2GvP1qkNaNUlTC_TAILMGAuXF4gBpfYS8xXele9IFz0PwVKrOF6yMRZyFZBWYUG6hauqaxB9KLY8kph_HxexOXflg_32GS7SCWyK_Y6tCLEJj18oOQSKxVI/s320/shuttercorpse.jpg" /></a></div>I give "Shutter" an 8/10. It's too derivative of other Asian horror films to be a truly great film, but it follows the formula lovingly. A few instances of noticeably computer-generated effects brought the overall visual quality down, but most of the film is beautifully shot and well-edited. I particularly enjoyed the twist at the end, in which the true reason for Megumi's wrath is revealed. The end also features one image that is both original and creepy-as-hell (bonus points if you post a comment that describes the scene I'm talking about). Of course I use the term "original" loosely, as "Shutter" is a remake itself. All-in-all, this fine contribution to the remake genre makes me yearn to watch the original Thai "Shutter" (review to come?).<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0019X3YX2&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000LPS3B2&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00005JLTK&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0007YXQEG&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000AWYOGE&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000I0RNYI&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-20512784513065896712010-04-12T17:33:00.000-07:002010-04-12T21:13:51.853-07:00I Bury the Living (1958)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzF0uDw72-D0ajGJZj3VOHV_xSKdD2StbDnjDkOw8CZJvEx536KEPbUfLakMsrBF9b2cpdazH5Enh14nuD4DONyvjudhvJE5449ew7qOFrnZjunQXCQOdF-gVCckrSqkXpmq23odLGUc/s1600/IBuryTheLivingposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzF0uDw72-D0ajGJZj3VOHV_xSKdD2StbDnjDkOw8CZJvEx536KEPbUfLakMsrBF9b2cpdazH5Enh14nuD4DONyvjudhvJE5449ew7qOFrnZjunQXCQOdF-gVCckrSqkXpmq23odLGUc/s320/IBuryTheLivingposter.jpg" /></a></div>Directed by Albert Band<br />
Written by Louis Garfinkle<br />
<br />
Unrated<br />
<br />
"I Bury the Living" was a pleasant surprise. In spite of the cheesy title and sensationalized movie poster, "I Bury the Living" actually turned out to be a surprisingly modern thinking-man's (or woman's) horror film.<br />
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Richard Boone stars as Robert Kraft, a department store owner whose business interests place him next in line to be the chairperson for the Immortal Hills Cemetery. Though he doesn't want the position, Bob quickly finds himself being shown around the Cemetery manager's shack by the thick-brogued Scotsman groundskeeper Andy McKee (Theodore Bikel).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-jI0sAZUuhL2mSIrQ7Y_uI1QjKdYnnPsGsKymZVULpWY-REVdg1MF4DNLJhE3fyDrfKw0w_Ai_Eow1yonSUOzUd5oZk3loRwBMLrpQziVmg2ZrqPh83W1s5tZWi2foKJ6Bw7JeSTzic/s1600/iburyliving-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-jI0sAZUuhL2mSIrQ7Y_uI1QjKdYnnPsGsKymZVULpWY-REVdg1MF4DNLJhE3fyDrfKw0w_Ai_Eow1yonSUOzUd5oZk3loRwBMLrpQziVmg2ZrqPh83W1s5tZWi2foKJ6Bw7JeSTzic/s320/iburyliving-a.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bikel and Boone as Andy McKee and Robert Kraft (left to right)</span></div><br />
Andy shows Bob around the groundkeeper's hut. The two key fixtures here are a heater that doesn't work and a creepy wall-mounted map of the cemetery grounds. Andy explains that the plots with white pins stuck in them on the map indicate people who have reserved grave plots but are still living, while the black pins denote graves whose owners have died and been buried. As they are talking, a couple of young newlyweds come to buy a pair of adjoining plots. The groom explains that his inheritance will only pay out after he's bought a plot each for himself and his wife at Immortal Hills Cemetery, which I personally thought was an oddly morbid stipulation. Robert sells them the plots and puts some pins in the map to reserve their plots for them, but he accidentally marks them with black pins instead of white.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6iteXON5GKtKUdwiKhx4Z4egQiTBwIBH9flukEiQtcbfnHFf63las7rU9R_yLADvp_NYRuLDSkAFCr7tYbS6_JbtCsTG0rDqrssdCm9QguNDFeR14m-vpCsUzm1BV7pJo7Zw_sXnR048/s1600/i-bury-the-living-drexel's+pins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6iteXON5GKtKUdwiKhx4Z4egQiTBwIBH9flukEiQtcbfnHFf63las7rU9R_yLADvp_NYRuLDSkAFCr7tYbS6_JbtCsTG0rDqrssdCm9QguNDFeR14m-vpCsUzm1BV7pJo7Zw_sXnR048/s320/i-bury-the-living-drexel's+pins.jpg" /></a></div>When Robert receives word a few days later that the young couple has died in a car crash, he begins to suspect that the map has some kind of supernatural powers. Half-disbelieving, he sticks a black pin at random into one of the plots on the map, removing the white pin that had been there before. When the owner of this plot turns up dead too, Robert becomes convinced that there is some kind of dark sympathetic magic at play. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EgASb3gJXlaG7IE7PJKHuo0xzPMSe0wgB1gFblTtCRilDpzR49bHpw8e7moaz_VYZKBH-2JYJdG31PewVsClWlFhaEnH8-OWFgKa9t5R9-efkIqwJaVoPe1K4QoUF6F0mNhocB0GxeY/s1600/iburythelivingcopandreporter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EgASb3gJXlaG7IE7PJKHuo0xzPMSe0wgB1gFblTtCRilDpzR49bHpw8e7moaz_VYZKBH-2JYJdG31PewVsClWlFhaEnH8-OWFgKa9t5R9-efkIqwJaVoPe1K4QoUF6F0mNhocB0GxeY/s320/iburythelivingcopandreporter.jpg" /></a></div>Robert tries to tell his story to the cops, who receive it with cynicism and disbelief. The police are convinced that Kraft is just superstitious and that the deaths are coincidental. They cannot claim wrongful death without any evidence of such. Robert tries to tell his coworkers on the board at his department store about the map, but they tell him he's just paranoid. In order to put his mind at rest, Kraft's coworkers arrange a "test" of the map's powers. They choose a random person who has a plot at Immortal Hills, and get Kraft to replace the white pin with a black one. The board members promise that if anything happens to the owner of the plot, Kraft can resign as chairperson at the cemetery with no questions asked.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDWXKrAwjvPNOaQ3dHeB_2x7DqzvZYRteoOszjEwy7iS9SXGDLtgvS9zYpNy23HKr6kJtH54QqgZSb6BOj-zUnOHMYQVz1idlj5fiqwjo8qeoJ6w33Cq9gh1JqrNd1F2IczIoxJ8scd4/s1600/iburylivingmap1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDWXKrAwjvPNOaQ3dHeB_2x7DqzvZYRteoOszjEwy7iS9SXGDLtgvS9zYpNy23HKr6kJtH54QqgZSb6BOj-zUnOHMYQVz1idlj5fiqwjo8qeoJ6w33Cq9gh1JqrNd1F2IczIoxJ8scd4/s320/iburylivingmap1.jpg" /></a></div>Of course something DOES happen to the man in question, but Kraft is beginning to realize that the map can't be killing people on it's own. Some of the Kraft Department Store board members have been chairpersons for the cemetery before Robert, and they reported using the wrong pin color on the map many times with no mishap. Robert begins to suspect that it is not just the map that is killing people, but that something dark within himself is turning the map into a deadly weapon. <br />
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Kraft's fellow board members tell him that he can resign if he wants to, but now Robert is too obsessed with the map and his dark powers to back out. He insists that he stay at the cemetery, so that no one else will use the murderous map. Though they are uneasy about the most recent death, the other board members propose a final test. Robert will place black pins in the plots of his fellow board members, including his uncle George, to prove once and for all that the curse isn't real. Robert protests, knowing that the black pins could mean death for his coworkers, but they insist. When all three men die, one by one, Robert is left the sole surviving member of the board. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWA-LbCGUHZZHDUbTHBbhSQrf_XoEWIs5LQ782HXJ-ZK2lcns3XKSaEyrL_t9gryZABIBWXPRn5Jh7ErV6jwLlO8_krQdOKgEnUx6PJbwzpNpgnGMhg_YME7uH4lxj1-0nA1BDts1ciY/s1600/iburyliving-sweatyphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWA-LbCGUHZZHDUbTHBbhSQrf_XoEWIs5LQ782HXJ-ZK2lcns3XKSaEyrL_t9gryZABIBWXPRn5Jh7ErV6jwLlO8_krQdOKgEnUx6PJbwzpNpgnGMhg_YME7uH4lxj1-0nA1BDts1ciY/s320/iburyliving-sweatyphone.jpg" /></a></div>At this point, enough people have died that even the police are willing to entertain Kraft's outlandish theory. They bring their own test to Robert: Put a black pin in the map on the plot of someone who is young, healthy, and currently in France. Robert tells the police plainly that to do so would mean the man's death. They accept responsibility for any consequences of their test, and force Robert to pin the plot. They reason that the other deaths all occurred in an isolated area, and that a death so far away would establish the range of the map's "powers". After doing the deed, Kraft calls Paris to talk to the man, only to be told by his wife that he's passed away.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNYSItDGfXQNHd0Cok0z6drCItFTB-jNz0jpr07uSRWH9XE3aUgKMbS_auTSmc2VVYGWW2y6a50YM7mI8qeuq9iwVMhyphenhyphenPCeeL-AjqxHaZJNClKebRF9EdmJn1w0ST8wwwrjUF4Vf7npc/s1600/IBuryLivingMap2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNYSItDGfXQNHd0Cok0z6drCItFTB-jNz0jpr07uSRWH9XE3aUgKMbS_auTSmc2VVYGWW2y6a50YM7mI8qeuq9iwVMhyphenhyphenPCeeL-AjqxHaZJNClKebRF9EdmJn1w0ST8wwwrjUF4Vf7npc/s200/IBuryLivingMap2.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpH0QysGO083vxCYPw5wwlBbU8Q0RkELwy18IOFE_BITef9O0TGisYM3tfS-HCPTH88Xs_RY7cqar_9Z2BUQYJxyH0yMXnYf24dZflgvCTRBJW9V0nTORzk1C06_IO80HaN25LTVflmw/s1600/iburythelivingmap3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpH0QysGO083vxCYPw5wwlBbU8Q0RkELwy18IOFE_BITef9O0TGisYM3tfS-HCPTH88Xs_RY7cqar_9Z2BUQYJxyH0yMXnYf24dZflgvCTRBJW9V0nTORzk1C06_IO80HaN25LTVflmw/s200/iburythelivingmap3.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At this point, Kraft's mental disorientation begins to be reflected in the editing. Stylish transitions and surprisingly modern editing techniques herald in Kraft's mental breakdown. The map seems to grow and distort, nearly filling Kraft's office. As he stares at the map, Robert realizes that if he has the power to take lives with the black pins, he should also be able to reverse the process with the white ones. Robert replaces all of the black pins of the people who'd died with white ones, and then lights a fire in the middle of the room and locks himself inside. But the fire burns out without catching the building ablaze, and Kraft suffers some smoke-inhalation, but is otherwise unharmed. Rushing out to the graves he'd marked, Robert is horrified and amazed to discover the graves empty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpH5wlgrkUmAejSeIw1UpUun3eCB2M8I73N_qUFbpRFBOXaAAzEtqoYG6xV6y2KAIj9F9XD6K4FOY9N92bq28D2nwkX7ra60N1mcrNWaHteGLgg_GFFR8RQpNt4dgCBrddzFOI6sX_SPs/s1600/iburythelivingmckee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpH5wlgrkUmAejSeIw1UpUun3eCB2M8I73N_qUFbpRFBOXaAAzEtqoYG6xV6y2KAIj9F9XD6K4FOY9N92bq28D2nwkX7ra60N1mcrNWaHteGLgg_GFFR8RQpNt4dgCBrddzFOI6sX_SPs/s320/iburythelivingmckee.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Richard Boone at first struck me as a rather boring choice for the lead, but as the film progressed, he performed some powerful scenes that gradually earned him my respect. Theodore Bikel lays on the thickest Scottish accent I've ever heard, but gives an overall good performance as the disgruntled groundskeeper. I was very impressed with the way this film took full advantage of it's catchy premise. Everyone who learns of the map's power feels the need to test it for themselves, each "test" resulting inevitably in a death. The idea of a supernatural killing tool falling into the hands of a normal guy reminds me a lot of the manga/anime series "Deathnote", in which a smart high-schooler finds a notebook which allows him to kill anyone just by writing their name in it. Like "Deathnote", "I Bury the Living" takes a simple premise and then systematically explores all the different possibilities that this premise allows for. While the deaths in "I Bury the Living" are eventually found to be non-supernatural in origin, the dark psychology behind Kraft's assumption of guilt, and his hallucinatory descent into madness are what I found fascinating about this film. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVMYpuJAggAam4jBrHDHTwtFUSZ6FLQvxygd8fydq8m4r1Que4uvtDQeXn4nEmjLsiLYbq-AB4I7zJpL95Qi8PWnG8rvZ34TO-dd2Uf6802xaeozgQQqA-vvhKMTDl_Ok7PUVLXLmc5s/s1600/iburyliving-e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVMYpuJAggAam4jBrHDHTwtFUSZ6FLQvxygd8fydq8m4r1Que4uvtDQeXn4nEmjLsiLYbq-AB4I7zJpL95Qi8PWnG8rvZ34TO-dd2Uf6802xaeozgQQqA-vvhKMTDl_Ok7PUVLXLmc5s/s320/iburyliving-e.jpg" /></a></div>I give "I Bury the Living" a 9/10. It is a surprisingly well-done b-movie that is in many ways ahead of it's time. Many of the transitions and editing techniques are so modern and stylized I'm surprised this film wasn't considered for any visual editing awards. The film features fine acting all around (with an extra pat on the back to Robert Boone) and the music is appropriately moody. For an evening of thrilling fun, watch "I Bury the Living" with a friend or two and a six-pack of good beer.<br />
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<br />
Directed by Jesus Franco<br />
Written by Dietmar Behnke and Jesus Franco<br />
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Rated PG for implied violence and disturbing imagery.<br />
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Jess Franco's "Count Dracula" is a special kind of vampire movie. For one, it's the last portrayal of Dracula by longtime Hammer Horror film star Christopher Lee ("the Horror of Dracula", "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave", "Drink the Blood of Dracula", "Dracula A.D.1972", "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" and others). Though Franco's "Count Dracula" wasn't produced by Hammer, the directer lured Lee back to the role with the promise that, for once, this Dracula film would be a faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel. While there are a few significant deviations from the plot of the novel, overall Franco's "Count Dracula" is the closest film adaptation to Stoker's original novel. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IZcufXUW-3RFIMNo7TFcsVja7wuHlmNuwIA3fK9EmmUi-K3aZlaCrIVNhh8hZJTipRD0-Eji0T56KbJBL9JW5FS5oy1gF_wco4BZWcbCdFAgEhOIbRIz61askjVxd0FURIdE3U0H99E/s1600/draculahorrorlee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IZcufXUW-3RFIMNo7TFcsVja7wuHlmNuwIA3fK9EmmUi-K3aZlaCrIVNhh8hZJTipRD0-Eji0T56KbJBL9JW5FS5oy1gF_wco4BZWcbCdFAgEhOIbRIz61askjVxd0FURIdE3U0H99E/s200/draculahorrorlee.jpg" width="100" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTU4ZOIh4-nnuLEigFwPLH9MymQDMPcjpxjw8EN16S8ZOzmETZwvdZrcn8jaPOsSRXhr9bwe9MG-iGcBsfvT7dbgNYBz7z7XT-s-ejb2v2-5gjqHeZu8t5kkUTb_KTD6m4qqhLxzDPZbk/s1600/jfdrac_dracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTU4ZOIh4-nnuLEigFwPLH9MymQDMPcjpxjw8EN16S8ZOzmETZwvdZrcn8jaPOsSRXhr9bwe9MG-iGcBsfvT7dbgNYBz7z7XT-s-ejb2v2-5gjqHeZu8t5kkUTb_KTD6m4qqhLxzDPZbk/s200/jfdrac_dracula.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Christopher Lee in "the Horror of Dracula" and Franco's "Count Dracula" (left to right) </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the biggest differences between "Count Dracula" and other Dracula movies is that Dracula appears old, grey-haired and mustached, as he is described in Bram Stoker's book. Bela Lugosi's heavy-accented, clean-shaven, youthful interpretation of Dracula had been so deeply engrained in our cultural consciousness that it took forty years for Stoker's original vision of Dracula to make it to the big screen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tMA0QArYl6iF1eNQvBEzfjQeDyV_-QvleFLc8XWEubfgo01K-G5qgoWzHz06SSGLzzMh_3xetGDVFgZs-8fHBNZAoo-3AyKjjb8tKO5H0k7azYxGSprO4BPfX0V8AH33TZKzfZSAsbA/s1600/countdracula-lee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tMA0QArYl6iF1eNQvBEzfjQeDyV_-QvleFLc8XWEubfgo01K-G5qgoWzHz06SSGLzzMh_3xetGDVFgZs-8fHBNZAoo-3AyKjjb8tKO5H0k7azYxGSprO4BPfX0V8AH33TZKzfZSAsbA/s320/countdracula-lee.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Dracula welcomes Johnathon Harker (Fred Williams) to his secluded castle to go over documents pertaining to Dracula's purchase of a large London estate. Harker quickly notices something is not quite right at castle Dracula. The count looks suspiciously like the shrouded coachman who drove Harker's carriage to the castle. By the time Dracula gives his "...children of the night. What music they make..." speech, it's safe to say that Harker is majorly creeped out. "Count Dracula" includes the often passed-over part of the story that deals with Harker's stay in Dracula's castle. This includes a sequence with three hot female vampires who live with Dracula at his castle (Dracula always has multiple ladies. It's just how he rolls.), and a scene of Harker escaping his locked room by climbing out a window on a narrow ledge. Both scenes are very cinematic and intense in the novel, but they're usually discarded in film adaptations. After finding Dracula sleeping in his coffin, Johnathon takes a panic-fueled dive out of a window, reawakening in Van Helsing's Hospital in London (In the book, he's rescued by some Swiss nuns and nursed back to health, THEN sent back to England).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Iw1jzCjxU5X1YJFMoFQSWDhHOjEGocTMmjM-wSpogDbn8cOsEnEp-b2OwvVVhCcOP83hCPU6uedNvZq3mlTQTk4TrdM_ND2Nak6NHmRZnHoKL54K-JnPI_F0RBezHh4JCmd4Ot9hIVE/s1600/countdracula-lucy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Iw1jzCjxU5X1YJFMoFQSWDhHOjEGocTMmjM-wSpogDbn8cOsEnEp-b2OwvVVhCcOP83hCPU6uedNvZq3mlTQTk4TrdM_ND2Nak6NHmRZnHoKL54K-JnPI_F0RBezHh4JCmd4Ot9hIVE/s320/countdracula-lucy.jpg" /></a></div>Back in London, Harker's wife Mina hopes for his hasty recovery. Meanwhile, her best friend Lucy (pictured above) begins to have strange nightly visitations. She appears anemic, as though her blood is being drained away, and in spite of major blood transfusions and all the care Dr. Seward can provide, Lucy slips gradually away, finally dying of blood loss. When local children start disappearing, Dr. Van Helsing begins to suspect vampirism. He leads Harker and friends to the cemetery, where they find Lucy very much undead, and they commence with the classic vampire-staking scene.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31kwyddgPKaCx30TJlm_ilRR05RbRFoQXL4MXifMeInEHRBQKSdiZVcxHEwn6AHyzN6-7pxjRABFX3cm_Pxz4OuDslMJggD30eOfF2W6Idv_iKcxOLKU900tGSDTpi05jiH_u3RyyVrg/s1600/countdraculalucydead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31kwyddgPKaCx30TJlm_ilRR05RbRFoQXL4MXifMeInEHRBQKSdiZVcxHEwn6AHyzN6-7pxjRABFX3cm_Pxz4OuDslMJggD30eOfF2W6Idv_iKcxOLKU900tGSDTpi05jiH_u3RyyVrg/s320/countdraculalucydead.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, back at the sanitarium, a patient named Renfield collects flies and spiders, obsessed with taking "lives". Renfield (played by the legendary Klaus Kinski, who also played Nosferatu in Warner Herzog's "Nosferatu the Vampyre") is reputed to have lost his mind in the same Carpathian mountains where Dracula's castle lies. Kinski's performance in "Count Dracula" is spot-on. It's a shame that Renfield is a relatively minor character, but Kinski uses every second of screen-time as a canvas for his performance art. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH4eM3OS1gpFtK1ZzF3dS1szRz99x6iBvzQPq0F_bvMUGBUGSHHAyGNL2GrLr6n0jF11NOObBut3Fs8U7W0LWOyKDfNa3Jzssi_H5FaK9eA2NZxfK39wqnQ4TjpEXoORDWPkIjsfgsss/s1600/kinskicountdracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH4eM3OS1gpFtK1ZzF3dS1szRz99x6iBvzQPq0F_bvMUGBUGSHHAyGNL2GrLr6n0jF11NOObBut3Fs8U7W0LWOyKDfNa3Jzssi_H5FaK9eA2NZxfK39wqnQ4TjpEXoORDWPkIjsfgsss/s200/kinskicountdracula.jpg" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu37Rs4h_SPuD2qq08S_uG2rBKRsbYdbbAoZdC6IAqwGKY5v25jWEGszxm59IOTjzrvYPduuK-SERtSe-NbP7kMHs7chn3XmxMuEgVxLvFl2O09REXU5kbP2ycELw_2JPQg3NTyjrfL0M/s1600/kinskinosferatu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu37Rs4h_SPuD2qq08S_uG2rBKRsbYdbbAoZdC6IAqwGKY5v25jWEGszxm59IOTjzrvYPduuK-SERtSe-NbP7kMHs7chn3XmxMuEgVxLvFl2O09REXU5kbP2ycELw_2JPQg3NTyjrfL0M/s200/kinskinosferatu.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kinski as Renfield in "Count Dracula" and as Nosferatu in "Nosferatu the Vampyre"</span></div><br />
Johnathon, Dr. Seward, Van Helsing and Sir Quincy Morris (whose part in the Dracula legacy is harshly abridged in this film adaptation) regroup and put their efforts into Dracula's complete destruction. Unfortunately for them, he's already began to visit Harker's wife Mina in the night. Will they kill Dracula before he kills Mina?<br />
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The DVD transfer of the film is pretty good. A particularly neat special feature is an audio track of Christopher Lee reading Bram Stoker's "Dracula". I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm psyched that someone sat Christopher Lee down and got him to read "Dracula" on tape. Other bonuses include subtitles for the hearing impaired (which I always appreciate), as well as a featurette on Jess Franco and an essay on Soledad Miranda.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqgTfg-gNxl7LKX9ads0g3iInPGk5WPhFVMjO9FLphypY3XKOa3XPphh5HynU0QA5gpCuEzT88NRvr1-5-orUpSZjyLq8etxg1ATKGgS_12EJo9pnE7FDkg1HwjPY5HuWpDcfghT5_TA/s1600/countdraculabite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqgTfg-gNxl7LKX9ads0g3iInPGk5WPhFVMjO9FLphypY3XKOa3XPphh5HynU0QA5gpCuEzT88NRvr1-5-orUpSZjyLq8etxg1ATKGgS_12EJo9pnE7FDkg1HwjPY5HuWpDcfghT5_TA/s320/countdraculabite.jpg" /></a></div>I give "Count Dracula" an 8/10. The film has a lot of technical flaws. For instance, many of the shots look as if they were done by a cameraman with Parkinson's disease. There are several unnecessary uses of the zoom effect. Also, all of the bats and spiders in the film are VERY clearly fake. But for all of this, the film maintains a certain rustic charm. Though there are several marked deviations from Bram Stoker's novel, it maintains the Gothic feel of the novel, and is by far the most faithful film adaptation of "Dracula" I've seen. The biggest highlights for me were Christopher Lee doing his "bloodshot eye" Dracula face (which looks like it hurts, and is a call-back to his Hammer Horror Dracula films), Kinski as Renfield throwing himself out a window, and the very attractive Maria Rohm and Soledad Miranda as Mina and Lucy. If you're going to be lame and try to wuss out of reading Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (which is really an amazing novel), this is as close as you're going to get in terms of film adaptations. A real treat for fans of pre-Twilight vampire films.<br />
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Written by Steven Katz<br />
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Rated R for some sexuality, drug content, violence and language.<br />
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"Shadow of the Vampire" is a historical fiction based on the premise that Max Schreck, the actor famous for portraying the titular character in F.W. Murnau's classic silent vampire film "Nosferatu" is actually a vampire himself. In addition to being a thrilling historical horror, "Shadow..." is also a cutting commentary on realism and the art of filmmaking. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVikOYm3YJ21MNYP4aNoFgoH8jRzyTp3K0uwLXBQiyLHWZQV1Nc6TZuGRXLbn1SDwuplQJAjI6kLIFJyu4eCrikndt0akYbFEVxVY80RrHnnfz_1g3WQNe-oGHiicp0qlOe5Aj96M4us/s1600/shadowmalkovich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVikOYm3YJ21MNYP4aNoFgoH8jRzyTp3K0uwLXBQiyLHWZQV1Nc6TZuGRXLbn1SDwuplQJAjI6kLIFJyu4eCrikndt0akYbFEVxVY80RrHnnfz_1g3WQNe-oGHiicp0qlOe5Aj96M4us/s320/shadowmalkovich.jpg" /></a></div>"Shadow..." stars John Malkovich as F.W. Murnau, the brilliant but haunted director of "Nosferatu". He's so devoted to creating a lasting work of art that he is willing to sacrifice his actors and his soul to have a real vampire play the titular role.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBMZOuNFq6j4YmYtFGymW5LYKhrxVcSRE2TeVsfow3AdVPHyWYr3N9YV7k3fZ_TBrlTcAoFuYpK5v12NDboPooDC_j-uiVendcvmfycCVvsL0LironMcVXLWv4zbb_QhDxQHtFgnvUZI/s1600/shadowmaxschreck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBMZOuNFq6j4YmYtFGymW5LYKhrxVcSRE2TeVsfow3AdVPHyWYr3N9YV7k3fZ_TBrlTcAoFuYpK5v12NDboPooDC_j-uiVendcvmfycCVvsL0LironMcVXLWv4zbb_QhDxQHtFgnvUZI/s200/shadowmaxschreck.jpg" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAePLM7HXTpG800bpWnosHw3u9lATiGnlFK06PStJJlIcgX1-0s9fQ30QdTIJilb_y2uQX0eqhhylwLde-sDY4EWq-7D1vn6OPzNl8iOKXFlPaaY-Ihr55lD7ZmDCKj172omzo1gYvB0/s1600/shadowdefoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAePLM7HXTpG800bpWnosHw3u9lATiGnlFK06PStJJlIcgX1-0s9fQ30QdTIJilb_y2uQX0eqhhylwLde-sDY4EWq-7D1vn6OPzNl8iOKXFlPaaY-Ihr55lD7ZmDCKj172omzo1gYvB0/s200/shadowdefoe.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Max Schreck in "Nosferatu" (1922) Dafoe as Schreck in "Shadow..." (2000)</span></div><br />
Willem Dafoe was nominated for the "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar for his performance of a vampiric Max Schreck, and rightly so. While Defoe isn't a perfect double for the real Max Schreck, his acting skill and facial gymnastics make him every bit as creepy. The film crew is amused but perplexed by Schreck, who insists on only appearing at night and in full make-up. Murnau introduces Schreck as "the ultimate method actor," explaining that he should be referred to by his character's name, "Count Orlock" for the rest of the production.<br />
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"Shadow of the Vampire" is an overwhelming success at faithfully recreating the look and feel of scenes from "Nosferatu". It also takes us behind the scenes to see the everyday logistics of making a film. Murnau is set upon by demanding producers, actors and even crew members, each with their own concerns and opinions. He's even plagued by the widow of Bram Stoker, who was suing him for his blatant and shameless appropriation of her husband's book "Dracula". While "Shadow..." clearly takes liberties with historical fact, it does incorporate many real historical elements that were involved with the making of "Nosferatu". For instance, Stoker's widow really did sue Murnau for making "Nosferatu".<br />
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Things get even harder for Murnau when cast and crew members begin to turn up dead. Murnau scolds Schreck, insisting that he do nothing to hurt the production, but Schreck is clearly a force of nature that Murnau can't hope to contain. The shooting of the film continues, building towards Schreck's climactic scene with Greta Schroeder (Catherine McCormack), a silver-screen "it" girl, who Schreck has already developed a blood-lust for.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGyFRsf1m5lTA9oXIRedv29FWHWCWpKxMddR-w894YW6yHEsX9OaKdyP7m0mX-sxscA_G1eUmwEmgpvuzb-uR33kBTsBIR1BixoknnG6ymmew48Gpx4VFLDd9yzBKfGPP4ggW6YzHMTM/s1600/shadowgreta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGyFRsf1m5lTA9oXIRedv29FWHWCWpKxMddR-w894YW6yHEsX9OaKdyP7m0mX-sxscA_G1eUmwEmgpvuzb-uR33kBTsBIR1BixoknnG6ymmew48Gpx4VFLDd9yzBKfGPP4ggW6YzHMTM/s320/shadowgreta.jpg" /></a></div>When only a few core crew members are left, Murnau reveals to the survivors that there is no Max Schreck, that Murnau found "Count Orlock" in the very abandoned castle they are using as a set. With only the final scene to shoot, the crew decides to continue shooting with "Schreck", even though it will mean the death of the leading lady. <br />
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I give "Shadow of the Vampire" a 10/10. It's a beautifully-shot modern reinterpretation of an already great classic horror film. Dafoe and Malkovich perform to their usual high standard of excellence, and the supporting cast is also quite talented. A perfect companion film to "Nosferatu", "Shadow..." deconstructs filmmaking and vampirism to the point that you begin to see similarities between the two. Watch "Nosferatu" and "Shadow..." together for maximum effect. (Scroll to bottom of review to view "Nosferatu" in a streaming online video player)<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="config={"key":"#$b6eb72a0f2f1e29f3d4","playlist":[{"url":"http://www.archive.org/download/nosferatu/format=Thumbnail?.jpg","autoPlay":true,"scaling":"fit"},{"url":"http://www.archive.org/download/nosferatu/nosferatuVCD_512kb.mp4","autoPlay":false,"accelerated":true,"scaling":"fit","provider":"h264streaming"}],"clip":{"autoPlay":false,"accelerated":true,"scaling":"fit","provider":"h264streaming"},"canvas":{"backgroundColor":"0x000000","backgroundGradient":"none"},"plugins":{"audio":{"url":"http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.audio-3.0.3-dev.swf"},"controls":{"playlist":false,"fullscreen":true,"gloss":"high","backgroundColor":"0x000000","backgroundGradient":"medium","sliderColor":"0x777777","progressColor":"0x777777","timeColor":"0xeeeeee","durationColor":"0x01DAFF","buttonColor":"0x333333","buttonOverColor":"0x505050"},"h264streaming":{"url":"http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.h264streaming-3.0.5.swf"}},"contextMenu":[{"View+nosferatu+at+archive.org":"function()"},"-","Flowplayer 3.0.5"]}" height="277.2" src="http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.commercial-3.0.5.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" w3c="true" width="352"></embed> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-70500256036729329922010-04-09T12:21:00.000-07:002010-04-09T12:21:48.232-07:00Clerks (1994)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKd3XjZ-WVNEIdNcWx7lPH44MBDW4dQIjl7uUJlcM1Z2S8UuPGydGP2vAwP3Z4tjvI18ekzK9VXQ7o3IP2DCAj6nWoUvLJZ66pZEj8FH2TivaXu2_hUXJC8rO3iWPX0j8bmQt-g-zfBYk/s1600/clerksposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKd3XjZ-WVNEIdNcWx7lPH44MBDW4dQIjl7uUJlcM1Z2S8UuPGydGP2vAwP3Z4tjvI18ekzK9VXQ7o3IP2DCAj6nWoUvLJZ66pZEj8FH2TivaXu2_hUXJC8rO3iWPX0j8bmQt-g-zfBYk/s320/clerksposter.jpg" /></a></div>Written and Directed by Kevin Smith<br />
<br />
Rated R for extensive use of extremely explicit sex-related dialogue.<br />
<br />
A couple of months ago I found a copy of "Clerks" on DVD sitting on top of a recycle bin behind Albertson's. I joked that I had finally found a Kevin Smith movie at the right price. Joking aside, "Clerks" is probably Smith's most significant contribution to the art of cinema.<br />
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I feel like there's something about "Clerks" that was uniquely suited to American culture in the mid-90's. The film just wouldn't work today. The choice to shoot the whole movie in black and white was considered edgy and defiant of convention in the 90's. Today, the same choice would be considered trite. It is probably no surprise that the recent sequel, "Clerks II", made the transition from black and white to color in the first minute of the film. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSqT98F1kNVmSzho1gVTHeP05gWJuLowNsbEWwiivdNPydXvRtWB3p2jAyNJ6vI7cWgzPRCcCfsNzk0m4Agi_yxV6UrvPH-tLyM8TZTKQbuyjqOjZz6OpeUqGHUcjUq1IWsRJiqVXNrI/s1600/clerksrandallanddante.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSqT98F1kNVmSzho1gVTHeP05gWJuLowNsbEWwiivdNPydXvRtWB3p2jAyNJ6vI7cWgzPRCcCfsNzk0m4Agi_yxV6UrvPH-tLyM8TZTKQbuyjqOjZz6OpeUqGHUcjUq1IWsRJiqVXNrI/s320/clerksrandallanddante.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Randall and Dante (right to left)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The main characters are Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randall (Jeff Anderson), the clerks of a Quick-Stop mini-mart and a video rental place, respectively. The film begins with Dante being called in to work at the mini-mart on his day off. He's furious because it threatens his plans to play street hockey with his friends at two o'clock, but his boss assures Dante he'll be in at noon to relieve him. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQb9P3GxW8V6GJj7GbU3Cn2P-NCHDbRYcpvk0mFIO-DJFgKeBQcHwWydlLfeSCh91Nb1l1jBCHOcZ7-2J_QO5ahswEEyvxnjjmOZffq5QfbV7ZGWGMesS_UWkrh3pEjaE9o_Gs7cAynM/s1600/Clerkstobaccoactivist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQb9P3GxW8V6GJj7GbU3Cn2P-NCHDbRYcpvk0mFIO-DJFgKeBQcHwWydlLfeSCh91Nb1l1jBCHOcZ7-2J_QO5ahswEEyvxnjjmOZffq5QfbV7ZGWGMesS_UWkrh3pEjaE9o_Gs7cAynM/s320/Clerkstobaccoactivist.jpg" /></a></div>Dante's time at the mini-mart plays out as a series of short episodes highlighting the different aspects of working in a mini-mart. Different customers come with different issues. One customer begins preaching against tobacco use, riling up an anti-tobacco crowd who see Dante (as a cigarette vendor) as the root of all evil. The crowd becomes incensed and begins pelting Dante with cigarettes until Randall jumps in and saves him, revealing the rabble-rousing customer as an undercover chewing gum salesman who was using his anti-tobacco platform to push gum on smokers. Another problem customer pulls carton after carton of eggs out of the refrigerators, performing endurance tests to find the "perfect dozen". Yet another crazy customer asks if the mini-mart carries hubcaps. The comedy of these situations will be lost to no one who has frequented a mini-mart and seen the strange things that happen there. <br />
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Around the time Dante's supposed to be relieved by his boss, he gets a call from another employee telling him that his boss has left town indefinitely. Angry but unwilling to stray far from the store, Dante decides that he and his friends can play hockey on the roof of the Quick-Stop. Randall even talks him into giving the players free Gatorade. But an angry would-be customer ends the game after only a few points by hitting the only street-hockey ball into a sewage drain. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRsrvQ6HX_TQyr2Eb3dZnuPbdZj_pc9DE4idlFta-V3LyeR-Nkr0I68sZiB629iSMwmWFcOla3Tu21KDcb14aUyTMcfimvV5MY2RH9Iclj2BkYtw-jXLXg8B9eJu5iN3K2UFQrr-KJqQ/s1600/clerks+hockey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRsrvQ6HX_TQyr2Eb3dZnuPbdZj_pc9DE4idlFta-V3LyeR-Nkr0I68sZiB629iSMwmWFcOla3Tu21KDcb14aUyTMcfimvV5MY2RH9Iclj2BkYtw-jXLXg8B9eJu5iN3K2UFQrr-KJqQ/s320/clerks+hockey.jpg" /></a></div>Most of the film deals with Dante's irritably restricted existence and Randall's casual disrespect for restrictions colliding in an explosion of witty dialogue. Randall openly disrespect customers, much to the horror of rule-abiding Dante. He even negligently sells a four-year-old girl a pack of cigarettes, for which Dante is blamed. For all of Randall's faults, he knows who he is and that the rules of a Quick Stop mini-mart don't amount to a lot in the grand scheme of things. Dante is plagued by indecision and uncertainty. He never takes a stand for himself and ends up being a doormat.<br />
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Dante's dating Veronica, a nice girl who brings him lasagna at work, but he's still infatuated with his ex Caitlin. When he learns that Caitlin is getting married, he risks his relationship with Veronica to try to win Caitlin's heart again, and through a dark but hilarious twist of fate, ends up losing them both. Dante's biggest problem is wanting to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to have a stable job that provides him financial security while still having the freedom to play hockey at 2 PM on a weekday. He wants a loving, stable girlfriend, but still lusts after the girl who cheated on him seven times. Randall has a much firmer "fuck the world" attitude. He skates through life with as little effort as possible, but in the end he's a happier and more self-aware character than Dante.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ojQhHuuhJFgsMzEBzCPVlMx0E7CR_zYuMBNlCZGWlYzhFrw2ZBQLS7t1iSolghhi9MX8uJhyphenhyphenTgStUGwqpIN86WvpI8AB8DVMV_qX9aRs9SLNNu13lZsCEHYIwBAz-Y-drsv36-ASPqM/s1600/clerksrandalldantefight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ojQhHuuhJFgsMzEBzCPVlMx0E7CR_zYuMBNlCZGWlYzhFrw2ZBQLS7t1iSolghhi9MX8uJhyphenhyphenTgStUGwqpIN86WvpI8AB8DVMV_qX9aRs9SLNNu13lZsCEHYIwBAz-Y-drsv36-ASPqM/s320/clerksrandalldantefight.jpg" /></a></div>The conflicting personalities of Randall and Dante finally clash in a fight that tears the Quick-Stop apart, literally. Then, when they're exhausted and down-trodden, they help each other clean up the mess and close up the store so they can repeat the whole debacle tomorrow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcpWChmjEo7_Y0RoVmgqkx6dyRX5SiQcutkYZPC-ojeRpn43aR5l7JpuQf5KY-pcaH8rTFH2ejJ9SJK-viaUe91iLMtUZxuK_kiFWslBWnKehNl6l2keYkrPIw_DO61c9nt0AzyHTg00/s1600/clerksjaysilentbob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcpWChmjEo7_Y0RoVmgqkx6dyRX5SiQcutkYZPC-ojeRpn43aR5l7JpuQf5KY-pcaH8rTFH2ejJ9SJK-viaUe91iLMtUZxuK_kiFWslBWnKehNl6l2keYkrPIw_DO61c9nt0AzyHTg00/s320/clerksjaysilentbob.jpg" /></a></div>I give "Clerks" an 8.5/10. It's not a perfect movie, but is surprisingly well done for a film that was funded mostly on credit cards and donations. The two leading actors have enough on-screen chemistry to sell their "Odd Couple" relationship. The film also introduces Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith himself), who will become regular Kevin Smith movie fixtures in the decade to come. Overall, this film captures the essence of 90's youth apathy and wraps it up in a smart, edgy package.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000I0RNVQ&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0767827740&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00000IQW4&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000065KO1&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-10377484308187208342010-04-07T15:06:00.000-07:002010-04-07T15:10:59.284-07:00Skeleton Man (2004)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1nuOb1ffXksiZYVYLN6tXSNUS1rQV4bL51NWUSpXtrdLh0do4621T90-moh6LzFv4klQN6j52r6JUUniTVcY7jK05JomyFyZ3WZmvWymufEf3ZKIYTgtCVk8NFVylgQ9byTfbTUtHmo/s1600/SkeletonManposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1nuOb1ffXksiZYVYLN6tXSNUS1rQV4bL51NWUSpXtrdLh0do4621T90-moh6LzFv4klQN6j52r6JUUniTVcY7jK05JomyFyZ3WZmvWymufEf3ZKIYTgtCVk8NFVylgQ9byTfbTUtHmo/s320/SkeletonManposter.jpg" /></a></div>Directed by Johnny Martin<br />
Written by Frederick Bailey<br />
<br />
Rated R for violence and brief language, as well as just being a horrible film.<br />
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"Skeleton Man" is part of a horror film 4-pack I bought last year. It is without a doubt one of the worst horror films I have ever seen. <br />
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The premise is that a Native American warrior went bat-shit insane and slew his whole tribe. Then, as a supernatural ghost in a polyester cape and cheap Halloween mask, the Skeleton Man terrorizes the worst actors in Hollywood. The first time I watched this, I was half-convinced that it was actually an elaborate ironic satire on bad filmmaking. Upon rewatching it, I realized that it's just a uniquely terrible film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OhXhV7Nx9KdVyHvZbrRXaWj7Nhwimky8juhIbnIaVVswUDaJ3SFuPu9xwLRBhsbHyJtwruZe848BI9656dyKZ1n75RI9n3KZvqYq_MxSIQWh1Bl1SWabtNJcLkU34kIFiC5aKCUYExk/s1600/SkeletonMannative.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OhXhV7Nx9KdVyHvZbrRXaWj7Nhwimky8juhIbnIaVVswUDaJ3SFuPu9xwLRBhsbHyJtwruZe848BI9656dyKZ1n75RI9n3KZvqYq_MxSIQWh1Bl1SWabtNJcLkU34kIFiC5aKCUYExk/s320/SkeletonMannative.jpg" /></a></div>What made this film worth chuckling at for me is that it's so badly done that most first-year film students could do better. As a filmmaker myself, I puzzled at the terrible editing choices again and again. Half a dozen times throughout the film, I noticed areas that looked unfinished in terms of editing. The title animation looks like a failed demo of crappy 90's CG blood effects. At one point, instead of showing a clip of the moon, they inserted a grainy still-frame of the moon. You know filmmakers are lazy when they intersperse low-quality still photography instead of getting a five-second shot of the moon. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfh9M4KjoPuPkg8zPwE5lTMl9jldg-B3du5kOZGzwouvgbLBBXXx91Ph9XmhU-j23Wbys3I72KTD7cFn0WX00CPt8WaEF0n6y-gIWJYcgW1EdXru_iNanGNNrDtWjRy81G1YlpJm2M8M/s1600/SkeletonManskull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfh9M4KjoPuPkg8zPwE5lTMl9jldg-B3du5kOZGzwouvgbLBBXXx91Ph9XmhU-j23Wbys3I72KTD7cFn0WX00CPt8WaEF0n6y-gIWJYcgW1EdXru_iNanGNNrDtWjRy81G1YlpJm2M8M/s320/SkeletonManskull.jpg" /></a></div>If the bad editing weren't enough, the story is comically bad. After the Skeleton Man attacks some archeologists digging up Native American artifacts, he terrorizes workers at a chemical plant, and then takes out a team of special forces soldiers. There is no attempt made whatsoever to connect these scenes other than that Skeleton Man is in all of them. What they establish in terms of plot (other than a lack thereof) I have no idea.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfqzywabpj2SSX20Nsa450uQZq8c3hV4b0t0IZFYs1eynUmf6MIOIPCAJ4AIuZc021CYBorBFgev5apTO9wTkt2uLi0k8hdbeN1miFN5yBwa-pavYYLwdkrVQAeJxfiPahx2JU6orq2Y/s1600/SkeletonMandavidunderwaterdemolition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfqzywabpj2SSX20Nsa450uQZq8c3hV4b0t0IZFYs1eynUmf6MIOIPCAJ4AIuZc021CYBorBFgev5apTO9wTkt2uLi0k8hdbeN1miFN5yBwa-pavYYLwdkrVQAeJxfiPahx2JU6orq2Y/s320/SkeletonMandavidunderwaterdemolition.jpg" /></a></div>A second team of soldiers is called in, and for some reason, the back-up team incomprehensibly consists of mostly attractive girls. As the characters are introducing themselves, titles pop up on-screen to further introduce them. It's redundant and sloppy. The character says "Hi, I'm Davis. Underwater Demolition Specialist," and as she's speaking, the words "Davis - Underwater Demolition" pop up below her. There is no reason to use titles to introduce characters EVER. And if you do, there is even less reason to have the characters verbally reiterate something the title has already told us. I am confused as to why Davis was brought on the mission at all. There are no bodies of water featured in Skeleton Man.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPkAGbm75pPjWKTyFigt8MSXQcNVgrd8pUJEsdJOd4wRvc7APoEEXvY6i2zVwxUQlSM4Zec-dUC1Jd0lYRzl7cSLrc6oM9kUXLRNncMk5Vs-3arGJLwgmlMcyrZHcy-CgPQFIdA2cXt4/s1600/skeletonmanracistportrayalofnativeamerican.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPkAGbm75pPjWKTyFigt8MSXQcNVgrd8pUJEsdJOd4wRvc7APoEEXvY6i2zVwxUQlSM4Zec-dUC1Jd0lYRzl7cSLrc6oM9kUXLRNncMk5Vs-3arGJLwgmlMcyrZHcy-CgPQFIdA2cXt4/s320/skeletonmanracistportrayalofnativeamerican.jpg" /></a></div>After quite a bit of awful dialogue amongst the "soldiers" (I can't even type it without using quotation marks), the team begins to sweep the area of forest where the first team disappeared. They quickly encounter an old, blind Native American who tells them the myth of the Skeleton Man in exchange for a can of army surplus beans, which he eats cold as he speaks. I am not Native American, but I am offended on their behalf by their sordid representation in this film. It is clear to me that no self-respecting Native American will ever be able to watch this film without shedding a single tear. The Skeleton Man fights with a spear, a bow and arrow, an inappropriately medieval-looking broadsword, and a giant spear, each of which he appears to have stored in his rectum because he just whips these giant weapons out of nowhere at a moment's notice. He rides around on a horse wearing a polyester cape and a cheap Halloween mask. I have always had a deep hatred for any film that uses cheap rubber masks instead of make-up effects. I'm pretty sure you can buy the "Skeleton Man" mask at Fred Meyers for about 10$ around Halloween-time. Not that you'd want to.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbyXuVFOITewjM5-l7pqSnVymVvqXTCwB4vpw4jg7fLfbePXC5R7qif4EA8c9lQsHrI-vp2T6nfs5Ptt1C_At_AKPqAdmGbaX2b2bFM_9VExTwcjuBY1-r8TDHAffJQocNdlYM99_ZoI/s1600/skeletonmanbadmaskcape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbyXuVFOITewjM5-l7pqSnVymVvqXTCwB4vpw4jg7fLfbePXC5R7qif4EA8c9lQsHrI-vp2T6nfs5Ptt1C_At_AKPqAdmGbaX2b2bFM_9VExTwcjuBY1-r8TDHAffJQocNdlYM99_ZoI/s320/skeletonmanbadmaskcape.jpg" /></a></div>Finally, the Skeleton Man begins picking off the "soldiers" one by one. He appears at random out of bad CG vortex-like ripples in space, which seems more science fiction than ghostly to me. He kills most of the group without much effort, eventually narrowing it down to Lt. Scott (the attractive Sarah Ann Schultz) and Captain Leary (Michael Rooker, the recipient of an infamous "chocolate covered pretzel" in Kevin Smith's "Mallrats"). Leary spends the rest of the film trying to blow the living shit out of the Skeleton Man with his seemingly endless supply of explosives.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr98BXi1OtYnfjiOYnCJ6627XeaKzhIQV9t098ZCvgMcIWzQvskzpb8-uo3tXUeq7jiihXodvItbUSTMcW6whe2RzBOiuQC7btjC-F7hIhN42susMWzNlhrxamRCUxXfHJGFEVR-nQI60/s1600/skeletonmanexplosion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr98BXi1OtYnfjiOYnCJ6627XeaKzhIQV9t098ZCvgMcIWzQvskzpb8-uo3tXUeq7jiihXodvItbUSTMcW6whe2RzBOiuQC7btjC-F7hIhN42susMWzNlhrxamRCUxXfHJGFEVR-nQI60/s320/skeletonmanexplosion.jpg" /></a></div>I give "Skeleton Man" a 3/10. My ongoing quest to watch and review movies sure does lead me to some strange places. I'm sure there's some film out there worse than "Skeleton Man", but I haven't found it yet. The death scenes are so over-the-top that they're occasionally funny (like when the Skeleton Man hits one of the "soldiers" so hard that he does a backflip), but there are thousands of better films to watch. The only way I can recommend this film is if you are a struggling amateur filmmaker and want to feel better about your chances of directing a big Hollywood movie. If some studio let Johnny Martin use their money to make this terrible, laughable film, then there's a chance for all of us.<br />
<br />
Buy "Skeleton Man"? (I wouldn't if I were you!)<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000BCKFHK&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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Or check out these much better films:<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00012FXAE&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00005JL3A&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00005221L&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001K9OXDU&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-77703540612198416202010-04-06T08:25:00.000-07:002010-04-06T15:21:14.024-07:00The Terror (1963)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWN_cw0bDKy3PebQPjeYRWNopu61I4wbN_Vh1j2fh02TGdq3zLGgPtcvQxPYm0qxx1l-lKinGxx6FakIn12oENtuZ0Uz6rfJtUUXDJcn__QZkPRSN79P8TGsWVp6OgXjOCe7t9z7KW9I/s1600/terrorposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWN_cw0bDKy3PebQPjeYRWNopu61I4wbN_Vh1j2fh02TGdq3zLGgPtcvQxPYm0qxx1l-lKinGxx6FakIn12oENtuZ0Uz6rfJtUUXDJcn__QZkPRSN79P8TGsWVp6OgXjOCe7t9z7KW9I/s320/terrorposter.jpg" /></a></div>Directed by Roger Corman<br />
Written by Leo Gordon and Jack Hill<br />
<br />
Rated PG for frightening imagery and situations.<br />
<br />
"The Terror" is one of many old films that are now public domain. This means that anyone with a copy of this film can reproduce and even sell it with no copyright penalties. So go burn a copy today! "The Terror" has also been made available to watch or download for free <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/TheTerror">here</a>.<br />
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In addition to being free, "The Terror" also boasts the unlikely pairing of Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson in the lead roles. For fans of Karloff's later work and Nicholson's earlier work, "The Terror" should be a special treat! <br />
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The film opens with a really neat animation sequence featuring ghostly images flying around cartoonish Gothic architecture to intense instrumental music as the opening credits play. This animation reminded me of the credit sequences of old Warner Brothers' cartoons. At it's heart, "The Terror" is a Gothic fairy tale, and I feel the opening animation does an excellent job of setting the mood.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZtit4HWqQyBGgRCkrH_3yXqwCCulzLuGgFycqkZ6RA4felnTFOUOKNW_EO5IIHEIzSgqZG42FtFsQcL21ZgD-crhGxRPCw5mhyKebe9R9ElJqhdon6kjkkHRIW6PF7E5X-JqPCmJtIw/s1600/terrornicholson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZtit4HWqQyBGgRCkrH_3yXqwCCulzLuGgFycqkZ6RA4felnTFOUOKNW_EO5IIHEIzSgqZG42FtFsQcL21ZgD-crhGxRPCw5mhyKebe9R9ElJqhdon6kjkkHRIW6PF7E5X-JqPCmJtIw/s320/terrornicholson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jack Nicholson stars as Andre Duvalier, a lieutenant in Napoleon's army who has been separated from his regiment and wanders along an anonymous beach, close to exhaustion. Just as he's near losing consciousness from heat-stroke, he meets Helene (Sandra Knight), a beautiful young woman who helps him find fresh water and flirts with him mercilessly. Suddenly, Helene starts walking straight into the ocean. Andre tries to rescue her, but nearly drowns himself, and is attacked by a malicious falcon as he struggles against the strong current. Apparently Jack Nicholson's performance here wasn't all acting. The actor later revealed that he almost drown himself when this scene was being filmed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXUuwVrGwvYqpqX3ZBQNJmxO69awjNg-upzmR-Cb6Jhpe5IwGz4YdsKdhTi3J3DvwlJi5fdH2von1FthXZp2i2gBGWwoeCBtYE49a-fKoymWL6rk6hDmBgOSGbL41zuLvENSNYTlH5B0/s1600/TheTerrorWitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXUuwVrGwvYqpqX3ZBQNJmxO69awjNg-upzmR-Cb6Jhpe5IwGz4YdsKdhTi3J3DvwlJi5fdH2von1FthXZp2i2gBGWwoeCBtYE49a-fKoymWL6rk6hDmBgOSGbL41zuLvENSNYTlH5B0/s320/TheTerrorWitch.jpg" /></a></div>Duvalier awakens in the cottage of Katrina (Dorothy Neumann), an old woman so ugly she can only be a witch. Katrina claims to have rescued Andre from the ocean, and that she knows nothing about a girl in the area. When Andre is well enough, he sets out to explore the area. He quickly encounters Helene (Sandra Knight) and follows her into the forest. As he chases after Helene, Duvalier is grabbed by a young local named Gustaf. Gustaf explains that the ground Duvalier was headed towards is deadly quicksand. Andre remarks "She tried to kill me". Gustaf cryptically responds "It's not her fault. Her will is not her own". Gustaf reveals that the girl lives at the castle of the reclusive and long-named Baron Victor Frederick von Leppe (Boris Karloff).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKUsle1D5jKxUAWh-LlUxG0Wk3nXsTgesyaoa0vQpcOcpk6HRZlnPK5BAWF79QkGUmOhxr32lFweEEHhuMx3jrOmYKn-IB-ya4SbszHkxmkh7Q4ltEiPHgF2CIJ0pbOEMEp0s38vKNK8/s1600/TheTerrorCastle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKUsle1D5jKxUAWh-LlUxG0Wk3nXsTgesyaoa0vQpcOcpk6HRZlnPK5BAWF79QkGUmOhxr32lFweEEHhuMx3jrOmYKn-IB-ya4SbszHkxmkh7Q4ltEiPHgF2CIJ0pbOEMEp0s38vKNK8/s320/TheTerrorCastle.jpg" /></a></div>Baron von Leppe, like every truly nefarious Gothic noble, lives in a beautiful Gothic castle perched on a cliff. Upon his arrival, Andre sees Helene looking out of one of the castle's windows. Andre knocks on the large front door and is greeted by Baron von Leppe himself, who assures him that there is no woman in the castle. Andre demands (quite rudely, I might add) to stay the night at the castle instead of one of the village inns. The Baron grudgingly obliges. Once inside the lush castle, von Leppe shows Duvalier an old painting of a beautiful woman who bears a striking resemblance to Helene. The Baron suggests that perhaps Andre saw the painting through the window and mistook it for a living girl. The woman in the painting is the Baron's late wife, the Baroness Ilsa von Leppe. Uncertain how to proceed, Duvalier settles in for the night, making himself at home in the Baron's creepy castle.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QHi1296MCqcpY0Ih9M_7aNnoDT5GYAX3acm1zgP_7Tt0koHLjLhmPkEV2tTyL7O0Mczg9m6zv96vdWyILr5ZwWFrIzHW5jJp7j37BrNijySCih_F_3OIKjEAlv2JdCT6_QiF5WFbzjQ/s1600/terrorandreandilsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QHi1296MCqcpY0Ih9M_7aNnoDT5GYAX3acm1zgP_7Tt0koHLjLhmPkEV2tTyL7O0Mczg9m6zv96vdWyILr5ZwWFrIzHW5jJp7j37BrNijySCih_F_3OIKjEAlv2JdCT6_QiF5WFbzjQ/s320/terrorandreandilsa.jpg" /></a></div>Andre awakes during the night to find Helene walking through the moonlit graveyard under the window to his room. He follows her. She leads him to the entrance to the tomb of the Baroness von Leppe in the crypt under the castle and then disappears. [An interesting historical goof: Nicholson carries a snub-nosed revolver with him as he creeps around the castle. Revolvers weren't invented until several decades after the film is set, and the snub-nosed version wasn't really seen in Europe at all, but in the American West.] Again confounded by the hot but elusive Helene, Andre has every intention of taking his horse and leaving the area, but is told that his horse has escaped during the night and is missing. Enraged, he takes his anger out on the Baron's butler, Stefan. Stefan assures Duvalier that he will get him a new horse as soon as possible ("Believe me, Lieutenant, I have no desire to interfere with your departure from this castle."), but for the time being, Andre is stuck in the decrepit mansion.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTScGGVDyuFtanYWzyrgPOfARfL-CZgVyIu1z-zJ39CTa9I8HRImnaXFV77zlXA5mf0RqsIVLFo9odJ5hyphenhyphenrz2VawW5Vp3N0u5BD23cz64WE1D9zA7Z7cOBMVLjYFw__UCwXTNbdifKsc/s1600/TheTerrorNicholson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTScGGVDyuFtanYWzyrgPOfARfL-CZgVyIu1z-zJ39CTa9I8HRImnaXFV77zlXA5mf0RqsIVLFo9odJ5hyphenhyphenrz2VawW5Vp3N0u5BD23cz64WE1D9zA7Z7cOBMVLjYFw__UCwXTNbdifKsc/s320/TheTerrorNicholson.jpg" /></a></div>One of the highlights of this film is watching Jack Nicholson be incredibly rude to people. Long before Jack Nicholson was the great actor we now know him to be, he had a great talent for being arrogant and abrasive on film. In "The Terror", Nicholson is almost a one-note pony. He goes from horny to insensibly angry and back to horny again with little provocation.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo6FtcncPFhrCkIORdEUQrQCAmxfwuVUZPmfE4xDS-R4gApHhvyrnQzUUWChG1I6_xNsE2JjudQIAyC0vpQZWcYIVAbNl6Hlexbxz0A-olIIcOHP-CA6p3at85VBTmXzNMYe3IdDfp5k/s1600/terrorkarloffsad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo6FtcncPFhrCkIORdEUQrQCAmxfwuVUZPmfE4xDS-R4gApHhvyrnQzUUWChG1I6_xNsE2JjudQIAyC0vpQZWcYIVAbNl6Hlexbxz0A-olIIcOHP-CA6p3at85VBTmXzNMYe3IdDfp5k/s320/terrorkarloffsad.jpg" /></a></div>Unable to find Helene or any explanation for the mystery surrounding her and the castle, Duvalier confronts Baron von Leppe, demanding answers. After a bit of resistance, von Leppe tells the story of his meeting with his wife, Ilsa. She was a peasant girl. By all rights, in those times, a Baron could have "claimed" her as his own without any problems, but he chose to court her and woo her instead. He went off to fight in a war, and when he returned, he found a man named Erik with Ilsa in her bed. Baron Victor tells Duvalier how he murdered Ilsa in a rage, and how Stefan "took care of" Erik. Haunted by his past and miserable, the Baron reveals that he's seen Ilsa several times since he killed her, and that he looks forward to her occasional hauntings because he gets to see her again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdG3ErKpewlTIrnVwAqC_7h3sRb52dUyCpc9GAhpHXMX0Q5mCMTeY6wHaIgqkwm-sM6U0fEfnW2FoHfmTDFCp1ZAiwmO4CU3JOSIqMHZzFhwQNWHlbRzIsHJXpa9ZTnRk419a3tjumbok/s1600/terrorilsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdG3ErKpewlTIrnVwAqC_7h3sRb52dUyCpc9GAhpHXMX0Q5mCMTeY6wHaIgqkwm-sM6U0fEfnW2FoHfmTDFCp1ZAiwmO4CU3JOSIqMHZzFhwQNWHlbRzIsHJXpa9ZTnRk419a3tjumbok/s320/terrorilsa.jpg" /></a></div>Things become further confused when Duvalier discovers that Katrina the witch is using Helene to channel the spirit of the dead Baroness in order to push the Baron to suicide. Why would she go to such lengths to punish the Baron? What is Katrina's connection to Erik, the dead Baroness' lover? In a thrilling twist-ending, Roger Corman turns our expectations on their heads to unveil the shocking truth about the von Leppes. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHOW5O5ccT_C7bQByoPs4NuGhGzTTMAdV6yaq3_4w5aiLd4PnAn7Iyze40f0iZjImRiDoiePp31F32uRbdlmCUZ4avBVJ5_8JkAOkhULngtXLSOLVWePLuBxyBnnu5xvi-Vb5G-T00Gc/s1600/terrorilsaandre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHOW5O5ccT_C7bQByoPs4NuGhGzTTMAdV6yaq3_4w5aiLd4PnAn7Iyze40f0iZjImRiDoiePp31F32uRbdlmCUZ4avBVJ5_8JkAOkhULngtXLSOLVWePLuBxyBnnu5xvi-Vb5G-T00Gc/s200/terrorilsaandre.jpg" width="200" /></a>"The Terror" is not driven by excellent writing, acting or plot. It is more of an atmospheric horror piece, akin to "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/night-of-living-dead-1968.html">Night of the Living Dead</a>" or "<a href="http://www.archive.org/details/CarnivalOfSouls_ipod">Carnival of Souls</a>". That is not to say that acting, writing and plot aren't there, they just take a back seat to the slow-burn terror of "The Terror". Karloff (who at this point in his career was declining in popularity) gives a good performance as Baron von Leppe, and Nicholson is adequate as Andre Duvalier, but neither of them are at their peak.<br />
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The locations used in the film are almost surreal. All of the sets were left-overs from "The Raven", another Corman production. "The Terror" is rumored to have been shot mostly in the four days following the completion of filming on "The Raven". Corman used the sets as much as possible before they were torn down. The rest of the film was pieced together patch-work by several other filmmakers who collaborated to complete Corman's vision. These included a young Francis Ford Coppola and Jack Nicholson himself. What results is a varied tapestry of plot threads that actually go together quite nicely.<br />
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I give "The Terror" an 8/10. It's haunting, beautifully-shot, and genuinely entertaining. I got a 1$ copy of this DVD at the Dollar Tree and it was well worth it. The low-quality video and audio added to the film's nostalgic fairy-tale creepiness. The story is engaging and intelligent (though the plot falls apart a little under scrutiny), and the visuals are breath-taking. So if you're a fan of Gothic horror, fairy tales or ghost stories, stop what you're doing right now and watch "The Terror" for free online:<br />
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Like it enough to buy it?<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0001MAUV6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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Also check out these other great films:<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=6305080259&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0001CNRLQ&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000UJCALI&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001BSBBEE&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-30579765088607978312010-03-28T12:47:00.000-07:002010-04-09T13:34:21.314-07:00Stream Classic Films for Free at Mike's Movie Review Blog!As those of you who read my reviews regularly probably already know, I have been imbedding full-length, streaming versions of the films I review in my blog posts whenever possible. In order to make it easier for you to find the film you want to watch, here is the current list of blog posts that include streaming videos of the films being reviewed with brief plot synopses:<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/01/asylum-1972.html">Asylum</a>" - A horror omnibus starring Peter Cushing and Brit Ekland about an insane asylum whose inhabitants are not what they seem.<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/brain-that-wouldnt-die-1962.html">The Brain that Wouldn't Die</a>" - A super low-budget sci-fi flick about a mad scientist who will stop at nothing to keep his fiancee's severed head alive.<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/cat-girl-1957.html">Cat Girl</a>" - Barbara Shelley stars as a newlywed who inherits a family curse from her dying uncle that brings out the cat in her.<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/01/corridors-of-blood-1958.html">Corridors of Blood</a>" - Boris "Frankenstein" Karloff stars as an addiction-prone surgeon who is desperate to discover a way to perform painless surgery.<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/curse-of-voodoo-1965.html">Curse of the Voodoo</a>" - B-horror star Bryant Haliday stars as a British safari guide who is cursed by lion-worshipping African tribesmen.<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/devil-doll-1964.html">Devil Doll</a>" - Bryant Haliday stars as "Vorelli the Great", an evil hypnotist/ventriloquist whose dummy assistant has a life of his own.<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/03/fiend-without-face-1958.html">Fiend Without a Face</a>" - Atomic powers render a mad scientist's sheer thought into dangerous, alien brain-creatures.<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/night-of-living-dead-1968.html">Night of the Living Dead</a>" - The original George A. Romero zombie masterpiece, in all of its glory.<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/04/shadow-of-vampire-2000.html">Nosferatu</a>" - An early, unauthorized adaptation of Dracula by German Expressionist F.W. Murnau (Blog entry is for the film "Shadow of the Vampire" (2000), but the video player for "Nosferatu" is at the bottom of the review page).<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/04/terror-1963.html">The Terror</a>" - A Gothic fairy tale starring Boris Karloff ("Frankenstein") and Jack Nicholson ("The Shining").<br />
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"<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/03/white-zombie-1932.html">White Zombie</a>" - A very early zombie film starring Bela "Dracula" Lugosi as a zombie-making voodoo practitioner in Haiti.<br />
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The imbedded videos are towards the bottom of the review post pages, but feel free to skip the review, watch the film, and formulate an opinion on your own! The imbedded video players feature full-screen options so you can kick back, relax, and watch great movies on your computer. Some of the films have short commercials at the beginning and near the half-way point, but it's a small price to pay to watch classic movies for free online.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-1050657278889715042010-03-26T13:34:00.000-07:002010-04-01T14:45:46.955-07:00White Zombie (1932)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lM1yFjwynWNh8K-MYSOSMrWm9jM3opxtsvYZcRgrIHnbx1ThthU9rnK13JHrb0hhDoPHO9BKgLo72RodsN_e9ovmHNp7yVwO6X_hDL2lRj96g31NX_Y-Y6Wvz5WqSxaxRFSrfWYkeJc/s1600/whitezombielobbycard.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lM1yFjwynWNh8K-MYSOSMrWm9jM3opxtsvYZcRgrIHnbx1ThthU9rnK13JHrb0hhDoPHO9BKgLo72RodsN_e9ovmHNp7yVwO6X_hDL2lRj96g31NX_Y-Y6Wvz5WqSxaxRFSrfWYkeJc/s200/whitezombielobbycard.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Directed by Victor Halperin<br />
Written by Garnett Weston<br />
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Unrated<br />
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"White Zombie" is one of the many old films that have had their copyrights expire. I don't understand all the legal mumbo-jumbo, but essentially, this means they are public domain. Anyone with a print of this movie can duplicate and sell it with no copyright consequences. So go burn a copy today! It has also been made available to watch or download for free <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/WhiteZombie">online</a>.<br />
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"White Zombie" is the great-grandaddy of zombie movies and the inspiration for the name of Rob Zombie's first band. Fans of modern zombie films may expect something resembling "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/night-of-living-dead-1968.html">Night of the Living Dead</a>", but "White Zombie" has its own unique take on the zombie theme.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwwSrv983WxpOcWAKrE1Jr8mQBAxQ4EaLWVW5qfVLQb4gD28kDuIVXyJ1AAvIaIuwFiwWtPbCLOlGXizdXxl9YzwKVwPHk1Ib6VPJFvDnyzy1cLkxkaVTGhIWBNVISAAmIStEBdGHxy8/s1600/White+Zombiefianceandbride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwwSrv983WxpOcWAKrE1Jr8mQBAxQ4EaLWVW5qfVLQb4gD28kDuIVXyJ1AAvIaIuwFiwWtPbCLOlGXizdXxl9YzwKVwPHk1Ib6VPJFvDnyzy1cLkxkaVTGhIWBNVISAAmIStEBdGHxy8/s320/White+Zombiefianceandbride.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The film revolves around Madeleine Short (Madge Bellamy) and her fiance Neil Parker (John Harron), who are on their way to get married in Haiti when their carriage is stopped in the middle of the road by a native funeral. Their driver explains that in Haiti, people bury their dead close to or under well-traveled roads to protect them from corpse thieves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-d8LH1sPgmDKVszVwXSKAxRhsIj5UXAEgWURxZs7xjbrmzAMBcARaeVQ8zsjBOK6avuf2Y00h-f9qOf9zn3F2UdmIsRINWlDsRe1DAUX5WLK-P-34eJ8SiOft2oJU7CJRm8ZHZNVprkg/s1600/whitezombiedriver.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-d8LH1sPgmDKVszVwXSKAxRhsIj5UXAEgWURxZs7xjbrmzAMBcARaeVQ8zsjBOK6avuf2Y00h-f9qOf9zn3F2UdmIsRINWlDsRe1DAUX5WLK-P-34eJ8SiOft2oJU7CJRm8ZHZNVprkg/s320/whitezombiedriver.png" /></a></div>"White Zombie" actually sticks closer to the origin of real-life zombies than the bulk of zombie fiction. The roots of zombie mythology lie in the Haitian practice of punishing those who commit crimes against their communities by poisoning them with a drug (usually containing tetrodotoxin, which is found in blowfish poison) that causes them to appear medically dead for anywhere from 8 hours to a few days. The victim is buried, and then dug up later and forced to work on a "zombie plantation", where the victims are forced to work as slaves, and are kept perpetually drugged to keep them docile and prevent escape.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZNmt7x5fsKJTq_C9xAlF03pGUBM2P1z4hUXNAgVLv6DWtw9vQheosAK2uua2oawxmXc84qF2rhuEutun6zmtmS8beLO64ye5Pv7FxC3_GrYGBELXWLCrN9qPdfIspxaNT6u4c4ih0VE/s1600/whitezombiecarriagevisit.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZNmt7x5fsKJTq_C9xAlF03pGUBM2P1z4hUXNAgVLv6DWtw9vQheosAK2uua2oawxmXc84qF2rhuEutun6zmtmS8beLO64ye5Pv7FxC3_GrYGBELXWLCrN9qPdfIspxaNT6u4c4ih0VE/s320/whitezombiecarriagevisit.gif" width="320" /></a></div>Madeleine and Neil soon encounter the owner of a zombie workhouse, "Murder" Legendre (the fantastic Bela Lugosi) who approaches their carriage with a group of his zombie slaves as the lovers pass. The driver hurries on, terrified, but not before Legendre develops a creepy obsession with Madeleine. He grabs a scarf from around her neck through the carriage window as the lovers continue on into the night, a lurid memento of his brush with beauty.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITbBypG51hU97FmDEiDC3ecNOLqx9Gr61a_fqUOKYcn0tFKC3XgG2i7ok8G_BvkFZ8fKsX4fxN5PF9OH7kt_TDUHRbyWZeauNkM2sQno-bo4SuP9lY-Hrau8Ynnq7ykrv_ZJpDhoO8Yc/s1600/whitezombiebridesundies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITbBypG51hU97FmDEiDC3ecNOLqx9Gr61a_fqUOKYcn0tFKC3XgG2i7ok8G_BvkFZ8fKsX4fxN5PF9OH7kt_TDUHRbyWZeauNkM2sQno-bo4SuP9lY-Hrau8Ynnq7ykrv_ZJpDhoO8Yc/s320/whitezombiebridesundies.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Madge Bellamy as Madeleine in her unflattering bridal undies.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Madeleine and Neil are en route to be married at the house of Charles Beaumont (Robert Frazer), a friend Madeleine met while traveling. What they don't know is that Beaumont has also fallen in love with Madeleine, and will do anything to keep her for himself. He invites the young couple to be married in his house, then tries to dissuade her from marrying Neil even as he's walking her to the wedding. When she marries him anyway, Beaumont goes to see "Murder" Legendre himself to ask his help in obtaining an unwilling bride.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_x4WSJR59C2IQoCdO7Ufs7whHaeEz2fXMKOY1PvWtinCISMh9o5peuOPbCAWgBPtbEbqlv1TP9hSuJlSirWl3TnC7BmovkYH7jMNxVCofc_Pm7uH8-bTidk14wx7PW9rCDbL8lpu8elk/s1600/whitezombiebeaumont&legendre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_x4WSJR59C2IQoCdO7Ufs7whHaeEz2fXMKOY1PvWtinCISMh9o5peuOPbCAWgBPtbEbqlv1TP9hSuJlSirWl3TnC7BmovkYH7jMNxVCofc_Pm7uH8-bTidk14wx7PW9rCDbL8lpu8elk/s320/whitezombiebeaumont&legendre.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Legendre informs Beaumont that the only way to make Madeleine forget her love for Neil is to make her into a zombie. Beaumont is initially disgusted by the idea of turning the object of his affection into a brainless slave, but is willing to go to any lengths to make her his bride. Beaumont follows Legendre's instructions, putting a pinpoint of the powder on a flower which he gives Madeleine on her wedding night.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYp5PiTQ-0lx5f81f0M5hOjcpnhjIWdaFrSqhsd3XFOs0lAarWksgzNNs_jzteYEA4gsG-cdAyaLUYnHVR9NtJMV0ncoSVUty0075sxcZHS_KxOAJ3qrPUGVtLE-nGuBV4HZsRMmdacc0/s1600/whitezombiepossessedbride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYp5PiTQ-0lx5f81f0M5hOjcpnhjIWdaFrSqhsd3XFOs0lAarWksgzNNs_jzteYEA4gsG-cdAyaLUYnHVR9NtJMV0ncoSVUty0075sxcZHS_KxOAJ3qrPUGVtLE-nGuBV4HZsRMmdacc0/s320/whitezombiepossessedbride.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Using the scarf he stole from her by the carriage and a candle carved into the shape of a woman, Legendre channels that good-ol'-fashioned Hollywood voodoo to steal Madeleine's soul. She becomes suddenly ill, and collapses as though dead. Neil mourns in a whiny manner and an immediate funeral is arranged. After the funeral, Beaumont, Legendre and his band of zombies descend on Madeleine's coffin, stealing her body away back to Beaumont's estate.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3SsLjCpoyOEhCfMPqSV-F7rDsTK9FjZTnWlxjObzSk7BcLlo-MenP7oMDp99lnhtAVt2YLUnIs3BZEtEwyynnSJM4FzD5zea3RafWOWiyUkfq84YdSf7xKLNxgyKAVMc1G4eXGrXgM4/s1600/whitezombieladyincoffin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3SsLjCpoyOEhCfMPqSV-F7rDsTK9FjZTnWlxjObzSk7BcLlo-MenP7oMDp99lnhtAVt2YLUnIs3BZEtEwyynnSJM4FzD5zea3RafWOWiyUkfq84YdSf7xKLNxgyKAVMc1G4eXGrXgM4/s320/whitezombieladyincoffin.jpg" /></a></div>Neil has a hard time giving up on his dead newlywed, especially when he learns of the Haitian practice of zombie-making. With the help of a doddering old minister (who keeps annoyingly asking the main characters for a match to light his pipe), Neil heads for Beaumont's castle to face Beaumont and Legendre directly. On his way, he and the minister rest for a bit at the base of the mountain that castle Beaumont sits atop. At this point, the filmmakers use an interesting image layering effect to show Madeleine on a balcony looking out, the castle, and Neil at the same time. I was struck by this experimental editing technique. In conjunction with sappy music, this scene conveys a sense that the lovers share an emotional connection that is stronger than Legendre's voodoo hypnotism.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMu740cbOqNY1ODJGJcUrSNY-xbo5ydFEXCKPJ6DnkEBJrXu24krXKKURw_-ex9pc_L0hs0UUkUhtEoh3FlMSI5XSWNrMNu0NhYk8Tw4PEsjCYdBkB0cW-wTbB0KIjBS4tPvI3DVXCVWs/s1600/Image2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMu740cbOqNY1ODJGJcUrSNY-xbo5ydFEXCKPJ6DnkEBJrXu24krXKKURw_-ex9pc_L0hs0UUkUhtEoh3FlMSI5XSWNrMNu0NhYk8Tw4PEsjCYdBkB0cW-wTbB0KIjBS4tPvI3DVXCVWs/s320/Image2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, Legendre uses some of his zombie powder to paralyze Beaumont. He then explains that he did not make Madeleine a zombie for Beaumont's sake, but intended to keep her as his own bride. Neil races to the castle to save Madeleine, but can Legendre and his small army of bug-eyed zombies stop him?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcX37hP9ohnJEjEqu5CjCeAuaU4y0U7rfev6uUZHTx7pvCia3h61xysACgvCRlG_R_wS2YAt_HqiQI6R6T_78DNz1jbQ87ITULyQy5bJh_2dbO-nt_SiY38Q5y564IYt9vHwOpLF59Wg/s1600/whitezombietrickshoteyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcX37hP9ohnJEjEqu5CjCeAuaU4y0U7rfev6uUZHTx7pvCia3h61xysACgvCRlG_R_wS2YAt_HqiQI6R6T_78DNz1jbQ87ITULyQy5bJh_2dbO-nt_SiY38Q5y564IYt9vHwOpLF59Wg/s320/whitezombietrickshoteyes.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I gave "White Zombie" a 6/10. It moves along slowly enough to bore most modern audiences (though was probably quite thrilling at it's original release). The filmmakers use interesting editing effects to spice up the visuals. Many of the beautiful, gothic sets were originally built for other big-budget horror films of the same period, like "Dracula" (1931), "Frankenstein" (1931) and "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1923). Bela Lugosi himself is creepy as always as "Murder" Legendre. Unfortunately, like many of his post-"Dracula" roles, this one keeps him in a fairly tight two-dimensional gothic villain typecast and doesn't give him much opportunity to exercise other aspects of his acting talent. Madge Bellamy is catatonic for most of the film, but she does that well enough. She's got a cute zombie-face. As a zombie film, "White Zombie" may disappoint, but only because it bears so little resemblance to the zombie films of later years. For hard-core zombie junkies or avid fans of Mr. Lugosi, "White Zombie" is a must-see. Watch it here for free: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="config={"key":"#$b6eb72a0f2f1e29f3d4","playlist":[{"url":"http://www.archive.org/download/WhiteZombie/format=Thumbnail?.jpg","autoPlay":true,"scaling":"fit"},{"url":"http://www.archive.org/download/WhiteZombie/White_Zombie_512kb.mp4","autoPlay":false,"accelerated":true,"scaling":"fit","provider":"h264streaming"}],"clip":{"autoPlay":false,"accelerated":true,"scaling":"fit","provider":"h264streaming"},"canvas":{"backgroundColor":"0x000000","backgroundGradient":"none"},"plugins":{"audio":{"url":"http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.audio-3.0.3-dev.swf"},"controls":{"playlist":false,"fullscreen":true,"gloss":"high","backgroundColor":"0x000000","backgroundGradient":"medium","sliderColor":"0x777777","progressColor":"0x777777","timeColor":"0xeeeeee","durationColor":"0x01DAFF","buttonColor":"0x333333","buttonOverColor":"0x505050"},"h264streaming":{"url":"http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.h264streaming-3.0.5.swf"}},"contextMenu":[{"View+WhiteZombie+at+archive.org":"function()"},"-","Flowplayer 3.0.5"]}" height="300" src="http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.commercial-3.0.5.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" w3c="true" width="400"></embed></div><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000853QN0&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0001CNRLG&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001BSBBDA&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0000AOX0E&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0000639GG&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-60542805980019010192010-03-22T13:00:00.000-07:002010-03-22T13:24:28.227-07:00Death at a Funeral (2007)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0fN8SuU9cDxIrtSV6bThF3I5G934pbf6P64JAkOrIqbsg13O2Td7hV2rfrYw7nSav1UIN_DyqBqWK9ki2KcS8L5330okh0gqAmkeCbs76Y-K87EUfP37NNCCypfL1BXSeEw4W-Vpk2o/s1600-h/daafposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0fN8SuU9cDxIrtSV6bThF3I5G934pbf6P64JAkOrIqbsg13O2Td7hV2rfrYw7nSav1UIN_DyqBqWK9ki2KcS8L5330okh0gqAmkeCbs76Y-K87EUfP37NNCCypfL1BXSeEw4W-Vpk2o/s320/daafposter.jpg" /></a></div>Directed by Frank Oz<br />
Written by Dean Craig<br />
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Rated R for language and drug content<br />
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"Death at a Funeral" is a British comedy from Frank Oz, the man best known for his voice-acting work as Star Wars' Yoda or several Sesame Street characters. His comedy directing is not so famous. As the movie poster says, he also directed "In & Out" and "Bowfinger", two star-driven, big budget flops of the 90's. I would have to say that "Death at a Funeral" is Oz's finest comedic directorial effort since "What About Bob?" (1991).<br />
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"Death at a Funeral" revolves around the funeral of protagonist Daniel's father. The film opens with the hearse delivering the wrong body to the Daniel's home, where the funeral is to take place. This elicited a few giggles. Daniel (Matthew Macfadyen) is an aspiring writer, but has always lived in the shadow of his brother, who is a famous writer. Daniel has chosen to give his father's eulogy, but everyone who arrives at the funeral asks if his brother Robert (Rupert Graves) will be giving the eulogy, and if not, why? After all, he <i>is </i>the writer in the family! All this does nothing for Daniel's self-esteem. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4irLgJEKX0Ml336wKwQXDlo-ZQLbxr5yiIpDp4fZD5xk6fdLTua9Tp-goyCGBRL-ArIe7Q6AAEBQEfngoV3loVwpp0A_MVyt4wvNrR15807uOy5n4Ym8PVwZsxfx6tyQ3dhhn16AMFEM/s1600-h/daafprotagonist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4irLgJEKX0Ml336wKwQXDlo-ZQLbxr5yiIpDp4fZD5xk6fdLTua9Tp-goyCGBRL-ArIe7Q6AAEBQEfngoV3loVwpp0A_MVyt4wvNrR15807uOy5n4Ym8PVwZsxfx6tyQ3dhhn16AMFEM/s320/daafprotagonist.jpg" /></a></div>Daniel and Robert's cousin Martha brings her fiance Simon (Alan Tudyk) to the funeral, but Simon's terrified of Martha's father, who will also be there. Martha gives Simon what she thinks to be a Valium, but is actually a hallucinogenic compound that her brother Troy had put in a Valium bottle to transport to a buyer. One of the film's biggest flaws was predictability. As soon as Troy put the pills into the Valium bottle, I already knew that someone would get accidentally drugged.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwP0P4b_uUBwSbLBjBUPob-6YRKF_l1tjD2cdFOGxoR2l9nkkjtAxSVr6oNXIbW0KFZxcS1Atm3QrNRPdSgtpZbs95UhUm2rit6wpqcSrJvD2SZJqkCLfxJlyVxZNFFYFIbKuvPWuBmhw/s1600-h/daafbroandsisworried.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwP0P4b_uUBwSbLBjBUPob-6YRKF_l1tjD2cdFOGxoR2l9nkkjtAxSVr6oNXIbW0KFZxcS1Atm3QrNRPdSgtpZbs95UhUm2rit6wpqcSrJvD2SZJqkCLfxJlyVxZNFFYFIbKuvPWuBmhw/s320/daafbroandsisworried.jpg" /></a></div>Simon begins freaking out on the way to the funeral, and is in a very strange state by the time they arrive. Alan Tudyk is a great actor, and I love his performances of drug trips (for more, see him as a stoner in the "Dollhouse" episode "Briar Rose") so it was genuinely rib-tickling to see him go crazy with this performance. However when the "accidental drugging" gag was used not once, but <i>twice</i> more throughout the course of the film, I began to feel that this was just lazy storytelling. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqanKrOtcJA4Ky29Ux0xga6KFfbpByGsW9EerOAkh5YGeKzodqWYWr_8kWoorHRNExrkp-6FMTUGq_TeUlMR8kG6UrxNbZbArg04LLeYFMPikK8eBSDHxeoIU5MC9RrurfjukkQrpnZBQ/s1600-h/daaftudykonroof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqanKrOtcJA4Ky29Ux0xga6KFfbpByGsW9EerOAkh5YGeKzodqWYWr_8kWoorHRNExrkp-6FMTUGq_TeUlMR8kG6UrxNbZbArg04LLeYFMPikK8eBSDHxeoIU5MC9RrurfjukkQrpnZBQ/s320/daaftudykonroof.jpg" /></a></div>The second major plot thread is the arrival of an American outsider to the funeral. Daniel assumes it's one of his dad's friends, and repeatedly brushes him off when the small stranger Peter (Peter Dinklage) tries to corner Daniel for a private chat. I was immediately suspicious that the stranger was in fact the dead man's gay lover. No one seemed to know him, yet he looked like he took the death harder than the dead man's family. When he finally does get Daniel alone, Peter not only tells him about their relationship, he shows him pictures! As the dead man's gay lover, Peter argues that he's entitled to some kind of inheritance. He's willing to blackmail Daniel and his brother Robert with the gay photos if the brothers can't pay him.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_WS4wwvS9Ja9XSIwefFETwIVvRFjLZwykbAwuIMlRcvEU84PBdsyJ3KE7e9udIPU01W_etQ833JF40VcbWaA4ZcVz93Occn1EnRsuXquQWuAO_E1XpumKfSWxd5k9_cv9HWY4hEy6dk/s1600-h/daaffrederick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_WS4wwvS9Ja9XSIwefFETwIVvRFjLZwykbAwuIMlRcvEU84PBdsyJ3KE7e9udIPU01W_etQ833JF40VcbWaA4ZcVz93Occn1EnRsuXquQWuAO_E1XpumKfSWxd5k9_cv9HWY4hEy6dk/s320/daaffrederick.jpg" /></a></div>Robert tackles Peter and makes Daniel help tie him up. The brothers try to keep their father's secret in the closet, but someone gives Peter a handful of Troy's psychedelic pills (thinking they're Valium) to shut him up. Peter begins to bounce of the walls (somewhat literally) and ends up falling and hitting his head on the edge of a coffee table. The brothers now have their dead father's midget lover's body to dispose of, and decide the most fitting way is to put him in the coffin with their old man.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS77ADTPr5u6UiOrBD3ZOLS4Byj6Z8k1Ff3Us4iiXQWdawAImi62yVtdxFMp0uKvvuP-xhWDqHuxqmLmwiRfcPymnQ8UrA2KzeXWumGwkKwH1jPhVHKrkx6bB2mQzMG4Os5hktNzHOFM/s1600-h/daafunclealfie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS77ADTPr5u6UiOrBD3ZOLS4Byj6Z8k1Ff3Us4iiXQWdawAImi62yVtdxFMp0uKvvuP-xhWDqHuxqmLmwiRfcPymnQ8UrA2KzeXWumGwkKwH1jPhVHKrkx6bB2mQzMG4Os5hktNzHOFM/s320/daafunclealfie.jpg" /></a></div>The family's crotchety, wheelchair-bound Uncle Alfie (Peter Vaughan) provides the film with it's funniest gross-out moment when one of the other guests must help him use the toilet and gets shit on his hand (pardon my French, but "poop" just isn't a strong enough word). In a panicked attempt to wash it off, he ends up splattering it on his face. This scene could have been from an "American Pie" style college comedy, and seemed a little out-of-place in this otherwise relatively tame black comedy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSaANaayA_t1mV5X1hQJGjRx6DO_hv2EQs5gWY1FqxMJyK70qgUWGdkg-xuzAfEhqaXXntVo9jZ7UYLKGsUopBqe9u5eMmYF-HglUzTktICn6Eg6TzDNwnSJ2WSogZoqbZLLHPC4k1Lc/s1600-h/daaffinale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSaANaayA_t1mV5X1hQJGjRx6DO_hv2EQs5gWY1FqxMJyK70qgUWGdkg-xuzAfEhqaXXntVo9jZ7UYLKGsUopBqe9u5eMmYF-HglUzTktICn6Eg6TzDNwnSJ2WSogZoqbZLLHPC4k1Lc/s320/daaffinale.jpg" /></a></div>I give "Death at a Funeral" a 7/10. It was a bit on the dramatic side for a comedy, and many of the jokes could be seen coming a mile away. The acting wasn't terrible, but there were just too many characters to give any of them the screen-time they deserved. Overall, I feel Frank Oz's movies have gone downhill since his earlier films "Dark Crystal" and "What About Bob?". I laughed quite a bit watching "Death at a Funeral", but doubt I'd ever watch it again. Definitely rent it before you buy it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jA6BkgD-FxyPe4akYV0VBsjEsr2m6ytRCaTA2t1-2jyTVetY-v4WoQmYsldAA088GpsD5zMvGIkqvGpQnR8J8xouGtfmA4WrhGxW0rqilx6hxpJDwd1BkGbrne9E0TluBEQlT6jFs8Q/s1600-h/daafblacksploitationposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jA6BkgD-FxyPe4akYV0VBsjEsr2m6ytRCaTA2t1-2jyTVetY-v4WoQmYsldAA088GpsD5zMvGIkqvGpQnR8J8xouGtfmA4WrhGxW0rqilx6hxpJDwd1BkGbrne9E0TluBEQlT6jFs8Q/s320/daafblacksploitationposter.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>If you thought this black comedy couldn't get any blacker, check out Hollywood's insta-remake "Death at a Funeral" (2010), which stars Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence and Danny Glover. This too-soon rehash will be out in theaters next month. <br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=6305882649&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00009NHC9&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00004RJ73&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00000JPH6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-13365378850709158612010-03-19T20:24:00.000-07:002010-03-19T20:46:20.041-07:00Inseminoid (1981)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuNtFr6kKxtWX95NYXb51j6c5ca0P7FajhKZpIEKgjAxxhtgfSsj-qJvOjMvfLlPSFrCtZCOnxIvmknjIIeHOFlLMS5HDnOJnbHbihwlt0oGvZ-7wmmM5yb40H2UNo4kz85p55joN7Ao/s1600-h/inseminoid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuNtFr6kKxtWX95NYXb51j6c5ca0P7FajhKZpIEKgjAxxhtgfSsj-qJvOjMvfLlPSFrCtZCOnxIvmknjIIeHOFlLMS5HDnOJnbHbihwlt0oGvZ-7wmmM5yb40H2UNo4kz85p55joN7Ao/s400/inseminoid.jpg" width="252" /></a>aka "Horror Planet" USA <br />
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Directed by Norman J. Warren<br />
Written by Nick and Gloria Maley<br />
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Rated R for sexual violence, nudity and gore.<br />
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"Inseminoid" is one of four films I recently purchased in a 4-Film British Horror Pack. Other films in the set are: "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/curse-of-voodoo-1965.html">Curse of the Voodoo</a>", "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/03/horror-hospital-1973.html">Horror Hospital</a>" and "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/03/tower-of-evil-1972.html">Tower of Evil</a>" (click links for reviews).<br />
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"Inseminoid" is one of many sci-fi films from the early 80's to attempt to cash in on the success of Ridley Scott's "Alien". While it doesn't have the awesome sets, the amazing acting, or the iconic xenomorph alien of "Alien", "Inseminoid" manages to be surprisingly entertaining considering the film's obviously low budget. It is hard not to laugh at parts of this film, but it also has moments of genuine horror.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxQCvmkD-o_CCu7Q-XAoWA0y6VbeipEFvjaj9hIGbCo0uydB3vJOAkl8admhDx2G0ymberQnivFzuNj88RT0EOW6WbbhDZXp8IohfSz_vXueeZjlY5plLrGJ9_uHlQ_ZF18QwJkmO0RM/s1600-h/inseminoidtitle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxQCvmkD-o_CCu7Q-XAoWA0y6VbeipEFvjaj9hIGbCo0uydB3vJOAkl8admhDx2G0ymberQnivFzuNj88RT0EOW6WbbhDZXp8IohfSz_vXueeZjlY5plLrGJ9_uHlQ_ZF18QwJkmO0RM/s400/inseminoidtitle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After some groovy, retro, spaced-out opening credits, a female narrator informs us that a ship has been exploring a planet that was once inhabited, but has since been abandoned. Some might criticize a film for using voice-over narration so heavy-handedly, but in all fairness it's less cheesy than the opening rolling text narration of the "Star Wars" films or the dense, confusing voice-over narration in "Dune". We then see two men in spacesuits exploring the planet. They stumble on a series of caves and split up to investigate (always a bad idea in this type of movie). One of the explorers discovers a pile of crystals which he examines. By the time his teammate returns, the first man has been rendered unconscious by the crystals, which have eroded through his glove and skin and infected his bloodstream. The infected team member is brought back inside the atmosphere-controlled headquarters of the crew, where we meet about a dozen crew members who we will later see killed in bizarre and extraordinary ways.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVdHpNTUmSzZpHAQhWKo2rTBHgkJH9gRzu6V5PbGt3gCumYxxT15aChPlCaSpsQG-EAedfquIE7uk20edWSVc2leoCZenwRrZyBQ62ADTtupTyG8iliTHi9p60-S_OwupeYVQKVu54Bo/s1600-h/inseminoidcast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVdHpNTUmSzZpHAQhWKo2rTBHgkJH9gRzu6V5PbGt3gCumYxxT15aChPlCaSpsQG-EAedfquIE7uk20edWSVc2leoCZenwRrZyBQ62ADTtupTyG8iliTHi9p60-S_OwupeYVQKVu54Bo/s400/inseminoidcast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The crew tries to go about their work in spite of the accident, but Ricky, the infected man, begins to behave violently. He dons a spacesuit and goes back out into the planet's caves, apparently being controlled by the alien crystals, and attacks anyone who tries to stop him. He leaves one half of the air-lock open so that the other team members can't follow him. Ricky pushes rudely past another crew member exploring the caves, and the woman (I think the character's name is Gail) stumbles and gets her foot caught in some kind of metal debris. Now what happens next was like a precursor to the "Saw" films. Gail's suit's heating unit goes out abruptly, leaving her with no protection against the -80 degree F alien planet temperature. A male teammate tries to talk her through the repair of the unit by radio (which is apparently as easy as crossing a few wires), but Gail just panics and is completely useless. As a last resort, Gail opens her face-mask (!?!?) and puts one of the air-tubes from her suit directly in her mouth. She then whips out a hedge trimmer and tries to cut off her caught foot. Sadly, Gail's incompetence proves deadly to her. While completely absurd, this is one of the more interesting death scenes in the film. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO6DW5JX_Z6ASYGI2j5UivmDBWHNoO0i5PIz2C58gXy76cv5vOwq-hv6jKwYokDGzX-oN9KGOdsKQarM19NlkcHs_mSDh-w8RtigcPnoLhETDnsnM1eZL_h1ua7DAH2bOfQ_oLUIvqzI/s1600-h/inseminoid+frozen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO6DW5JX_Z6ASYGI2j5UivmDBWHNoO0i5PIz2C58gXy76cv5vOwq-hv6jKwYokDGzX-oN9KGOdsKQarM19NlkcHs_mSDh-w8RtigcPnoLhETDnsnM1eZL_h1ua7DAH2bOfQ_oLUIvqzI/s400/inseminoid+frozen.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Gail. You've spent your whole life relying on the men around you to fix things. Now, in order to survive, you're going to have to help yourself. Your foot is trapped in some scrap metal. Your thermal unit is broken. You have three minutes to free yourself and get to the airlock before you freeze to death. Do you have enough of a grasp of basic electronics to cross the wires that will return power to your thermal unit, or will you cut off your leg with a hedge trimmer? The decision is yours."</span></div><br />
Kate, another crew member, is now trapped alone (unless you count Gail's body) in the caves with infected Ricky. He tries to stop her from closing the airlock, so she shoots him, killing him instantly. She actually catches some flak from her teammates for not trying to find a non-fatal way to stop Ricky, which just goes to show you can't make everyone happy. Luckily for the crew, the mayhem appears to have subsided... for now... In spite of the team's incredibly low survival rate in the caves, two more team members are dispatched to continue explorations. This time, perky young Sandy (Judy Geeson) is paired with the only black guy in space, who is promptly torn to pieces in front of her by an unseen assailant. Sandy passes out only to awaken on some kind of laboratory table, stripped completely naked. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9V0MUJV6IUDrTSdPjZsuckKK6s-T9pi_cPvGKwE-ddOX6FaFx854aR6wWD7NMSsCa8Wx9XLGxC_sBwq53AoBQYw4yZx46rlRfai6j9bLEcwgtu7SZpUnCABj99fqiv6TStrxsismtXY/s1600-h/inseminoidtablefromabove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9V0MUJV6IUDrTSdPjZsuckKK6s-T9pi_cPvGKwE-ddOX6FaFx854aR6wWD7NMSsCa8Wx9XLGxC_sBwq53AoBQYw4yZx46rlRfai6j9bLEcwgtu7SZpUnCABj99fqiv6TStrxsismtXY/s400/inseminoidtablefromabove.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>While lying prone and helpless, Sandy is given an injection by the ship's doctor, whose presence in this strange alien lab is a bit of a mystery. The best interpretation I've found is that he is actually trying to get one of the crew members pregnant with an alien baby as part of a dark conspiracy to bring alien subjects back in utero to the company they all work for. There isn't much evidence for this theory outside of this scene, but something similar happened in "Alien", so I assume the writers were thinking along these lines.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1LheFDLt4F-oGKr8kuV5bsnpHfcH0bQA45LdpstKdK8vFrxxoWYqLbAHQmGzpQVr-khST_O62m4nIwRNsB4UzYaj1gxrcYZ0BHPKlPH0MYR2M18X04F-lWHpEd0_8qx3f4fh67kYPoo/s1600-h/inseminoid_sandyontable.flv" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1LheFDLt4F-oGKr8kuV5bsnpHfcH0bQA45LdpstKdK8vFrxxoWYqLbAHQmGzpQVr-khST_O62m4nIwRNsB4UzYaj1gxrcYZ0BHPKlPH0MYR2M18X04F-lWHpEd0_8qx3f4fh67kYPoo/s400/inseminoid_sandyontable.flv" width="400" /></a></div>The following scene is the one for which this film has gained the most fame and notoriety. The "Inseminoid" alien finally makes an appearance. He is a comically grotesque, penis-shaped lobster-man who pops up between Sandy's open legs as if to say "Daddy's home and it's time for love!"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BeGS6Bw9-dGgzDj5mABXFpqkW5PB_zA73pQxJLUyu9YqVTsF5Qx_ZRGgmS0vgNvs6-UYPSrZ-Pn-4TQ2berD7h0DZb7tr-FzO3SUWyIAW4fbNInG65KtN26yKWUGukudiiqfnhwLhsY/s1600-h/inseminoiddaddylobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BeGS6Bw9-dGgzDj5mABXFpqkW5PB_zA73pQxJLUyu9YqVTsF5Qx_ZRGgmS0vgNvs6-UYPSrZ-Pn-4TQ2berD7h0DZb7tr-FzO3SUWyIAW4fbNInG65KtN26yKWUGukudiiqfnhwLhsY/s400/inseminoiddaddylobster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Big Papa Lobster wastes no time with foreplay. He slides what appears to be a monstrous turkey baster filled with creepy eggs and green liquid into Sandy and begins to pump his love-beasts into her womb. This tube scene is one of the best scenes in the movie for raw, visceral creepiness. It is also the scene which has inspired the most controversy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcx_E3kKMjxELoaleE1H-CvebxuPVbkADl536zGFX7RkJc8SUy4Rlf19tA0GPS8A7sUbNkOgLaPF64UkZk1qoQK_t3_8fDaDJ04oTfbuY-m-ptxcpb2ohtKSQIarx-YSbxsNECiohYg5U/s1600-h/inseminoid+tube.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcx_E3kKMjxELoaleE1H-CvebxuPVbkADl536zGFX7RkJc8SUy4Rlf19tA0GPS8A7sUbNkOgLaPF64UkZk1qoQK_t3_8fDaDJ04oTfbuY-m-ptxcpb2ohtKSQIarx-YSbxsNECiohYg5U/s400/inseminoid+tube.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>When Sandy wakes up again, she's back in her team's base with the doctor and her other worried crewmates. Apparently she's two months pregnant, which is impossible as she'd been taking regular birth control injections. I guess human birth control can't hold back the virulent Lobsterman seed. As she gets more and more pregnant (which happens at an alarming rate), she becomes possessed by her alien spawn and begins killing and feeding on her teammates.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1Z2bQjktB-wo65M-e4LObeb9MYMPX_rteif8HFNz45MQxTIMElHLLMiAPqNBDAZFz-WvXNHbxGmssFOz6cFRzrTux5kEMg-94pDkM3Vs3buzO9KttIMWhO7BsJL9EWI82YxVfyj48xk/s1600-h/inseminoidsandyafterlunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1Z2bQjktB-wo65M-e4LObeb9MYMPX_rteif8HFNz45MQxTIMElHLLMiAPqNBDAZFz-WvXNHbxGmssFOz6cFRzrTux5kEMg-94pDkM3Vs3buzO9KttIMWhO7BsJL9EWI82YxVfyj48xk/s200/inseminoidsandyafterlunch.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-mLPz94svJ3ItFttG990CGbnQl4_ygFvUzA-7xMrpKhzSk3oS37NXuy3XylOlUVr4YFMEmdnZxV0pfj9mBqZWNSkh844REyRklLixdk67NxDByWpxtqdZPYJcr06MB91MSImBEsaw6Q/s1600-h/inseminoidbatshitinsanesandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-mLPz94svJ3ItFttG990CGbnQl4_ygFvUzA-7xMrpKhzSk3oS37NXuy3XylOlUVr4YFMEmdnZxV0pfj9mBqZWNSkh844REyRklLixdk67NxDByWpxtqdZPYJcr06MB91MSImBEsaw6Q/s320/inseminoidbatshitinsanesandy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Up until her character's alien insemination, Judy Geeson hadn't had much opportunity to really act. While I wouldn't rate her among the best actresses ever, Geeson's performance in the second half of "Inseminoid" is really what carries the movie. Her intensity and craziness reach a fevered pitch quickly and keep building from there. One of her team members remarks "Well, that'll look good on the report: the team were terrorized by an expectant mother." It's a lot scarier than it sounds. The surviving crew members dwindle as Sandy strikes again and again, mercilessly slaughtering her friends and coworkers. In the end, she is finally strangled to death by her boyfriend Mark, but not before giving birth to TWINS!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06LdP9uhIBOttJo9WUEOCRoqdpbmn9RO3Q3-q-ZU4h0lBMEDHl2InmVutpSzNq24cDonemPHhVvVNbS5tbXTDtpcEkre-QWfAtmw8ZnEX5LiZoaEHiLbqv2urc7TJDA3q_HclCrPYklU/s1600-h/inseminoidlobsterbabyattack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06LdP9uhIBOttJo9WUEOCRoqdpbmn9RO3Q3-q-ZU4h0lBMEDHl2InmVutpSzNq24cDonemPHhVvVNbS5tbXTDtpcEkre-QWfAtmw8ZnEX5LiZoaEHiLbqv2urc7TJDA3q_HclCrPYklU/s400/inseminoidlobsterbabyattack.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I give "Inseminoid" a 9/10. It is quite possibly the most entertaining "Alien" rip-off ever made. It is serious enough to be genuinely thrilling, and contains images that are pure sci-fi gold. "Inseminoid" may even have surpassed "Alien" in terms of pacing. I dearly love Ridley Scott's original sci-fi masterpiece, but it sure did move along slowly. I cannot recommend "Inseminoid" if you are an expecting mother, uncomfortable with depictions of alien insemination or dislike cheesy b-horror films. If you enjoy bizarre, obscure b-movies, track down a copy of "Inseminoid" ASAP.<br />
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Written by George Baxt and Jim O'Connolly<br />
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Rated R for bloody violence and lots of nudity.<br />
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"Tower of Evil" is part of a British Horror 4-Film Box Set I recently purchased. Other films in the set include "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/curse-of-voodoo-1965.html">Curse of the Voodoo</a>", "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/03/horror-hospital-1973.html">Horror Hospital</a>", and "Inseminoid" (review still to come).<br />
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I've read a few other reviews of "Tower of Evil" while looking for good screenshots, and found a wide divergence of reactions to the film. People either love it or hate it. I fell somewhere in between. I feel like there are some promising elements in "Tower of Evil" that were never fully fleshed out. Perhaps it's due for a re-make?<br />
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"Tower of Evil" is what John Carpenter's "The Fog" would have been if it had been made by pervy British hippies on a shoestring budget. During the opening credits, the "helicopter shot" of a lighthouse is clearly just a camera tracking around a shoddily-constructed model of a lighthouse. I'm not against using models, but if you're going to try and con a theater-full of people into believing your model is a real building, it had better be a damned good model.<br />
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Through the fog, we see two fishermen sailing towards the lighthouse. They have a brief, cryptic conversation about how they need to do something about the island, and it's long overdue. Upon arriving, they are shocked to find a nude male body lying facedown in a puddle being fed on by carrion crab. They proceed to the main building and discover a man in a butterfly shirt impaled on the wall with a large, golden scepter of some sort. You may recognize this actor (Robin Askwith) as Jason Jones from "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/03/horror-hospital-1973.html">Horror Hospital</a>". <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JMjFGxDh3rSmRAc_IW0Hc9CaySk6mDDLbpv79TaKynojwXnnY061BTz_qD8acETXNrx3tutE4Kp9-moouTNYP7620e1Keij2LY0OeuKLrS4-JU5TsAaUmYpdLLFYHEa1XKiCegLYUNU/s1600-h/towerofevilboyfriendstabbed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JMjFGxDh3rSmRAc_IW0Hc9CaySk6mDDLbpv79TaKynojwXnnY061BTz_qD8acETXNrx3tutE4Kp9-moouTNYP7620e1Keij2LY0OeuKLrS4-JU5TsAaUmYpdLLFYHEa1XKiCegLYUNU/s400/towerofevilboyfriendstabbed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As they proceed through the building, the fishermen find a naked woman, with her hair covering her face, lying dead on the floor. They try to brush the hair out of her face, but her head falls off entirely and rolls down the stairs. The older of the two fishermen opens a closet to discover a nude, crazy girl (Candace Glendenning) who promptly stabs him with a sharp stick, killing him. She runs naked in the fog for a bit and then gets conked on the head by the other fisherman.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS67zEj8f17QOc6Ptg9vaKFvArOHpIsAGfDmoiMTqv-ThaiyLUgRU0Z2FqSejJ-EgnGOLKUl2kO9ZHDrrX78VgbOvjX_Z886jlG2YtRPfRPaU5VHoP6vmUzQvjpHrOMi19ScIBLn6oj8w/s1600-h/towerofevilnudegirlkiller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS67zEj8f17QOc6Ptg9vaKFvArOHpIsAGfDmoiMTqv-ThaiyLUgRU0Z2FqSejJ-EgnGOLKUl2kO9ZHDrrX78VgbOvjX_Z886jlG2YtRPfRPaU5VHoP6vmUzQvjpHrOMi19ScIBLn6oj8w/s400/towerofevilnudegirlkiller.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The police bring the crazy naked lady to the mainland for questioning, a task which is made more difficult by the fact that she's slipped into some kind of catatonia. Luckily, Dr. Simpson has a psychedelic seizure-inducing light show that reputedly reactivates dormant minds long enough to ask them a few questions. While psychology in film is seldom very true to life, this arrangement is particularly unbelievable. I'm guessing that a significant portion of the budget for this film was spent on hallucinogens. "A bank of colored lights that flashes in pretty patterns? Groovy! That sounds pretty scientific to me!"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7vpKfHiA1ypx3hvBOhCuwp5wbj6SQ1mrSjGGGGbT5dE5DZJSd1bpsdHh8mDLB_dKy0zGOLakvXbPRKApVfYW-ttN8ixZLd1DFfZvUcN2g_g9k-qpqy3Rh6b4ljj5SlrjB01hF4pFpwA/s1600-h/towerofevilmemorymachine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7vpKfHiA1ypx3hvBOhCuwp5wbj6SQ1mrSjGGGGbT5dE5DZJSd1bpsdHh8mDLB_dKy0zGOLakvXbPRKApVfYW-ttN8ixZLd1DFfZvUcN2g_g9k-qpqy3Rh6b4ljj5SlrjB01hF4pFpwA/s400/towerofevilmemorymachine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The treatment miraculously works, triggering a series of disconnected memories from the girl, whose name we discover is Penny Read. Her flashbacks reveal that she had been on the island with her boyfriend and two other hippie teens. Penny's female friend has bad vibes about the island, but the others ignore her. They smoke grass and walk around naked in true "free love" spirit until they are killed off one by one by a man with long fingernails who appears to be smeared with his own excrement. At this point, Penny begins to have some kind of seizure and they have to turn Dr. Simpson's Funkadelic Groove Machine off for a while to let her rest.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUtqWZfeUjySAOVjVCV6jkWdgyfuDstZqCxYw0zm8oSrx5aQClWhxD7igxtrjE8tIW9z9VwSX0VGR6bjkGRxXMbjGmwlNY19cr1g6R2sUnz_tI0_93L-dn9QzHmRn0v-_cjNWiANmdmQ/s1600-h/towerofevilsaul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUtqWZfeUjySAOVjVCV6jkWdgyfuDstZqCxYw0zm8oSrx5aQClWhxD7igxtrjE8tIW9z9VwSX0VGR6bjkGRxXMbjGmwlNY19cr1g6R2sUnz_tI0_93L-dn9QzHmRn0v-_cjNWiANmdmQ/s320/towerofevilsaul.jpg" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, an expedition to the island has been mounted by some archeological folks who are looking for a hidden Phoenecian treasure trove. They believe the golden scepter that they found is one of many treasures buried in a tomb somewhere on the island. A private detective, Evan Brent (played by Bryant Haliday of "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/curse-of-voodoo-1965.html">Curse of the Voodoo</a>" and "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/devil-doll-1964.html">Devil Doll</a>") accompanies them to find out who was responsible for the killings. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlqrejUZPRj7-i7b-ouCMDmm9RdTRhTh3dD0ZWmOYRvM94_7mQ54GotTMTceDD1RYeEHVX23FyNexTXAfIWAXh3hOWeXy4xnuo5BzcVMEKgQSeVVY3-n3ZjAGswnyN3u2JLK9-5G9yZk/s1600-h/halidayfromdevildoll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlqrejUZPRj7-i7b-ouCMDmm9RdTRhTh3dD0ZWmOYRvM94_7mQ54GotTMTceDD1RYeEHVX23FyNexTXAfIWAXh3hOWeXy4xnuo5BzcVMEKgQSeVVY3-n3ZjAGswnyN3u2JLK9-5G9yZk/s320/halidayfromdevildoll.jpg" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bryant Haliday as</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> "The Great</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Vorelli" in "Devil Doll" (1964).</span></div>Now Bryant is normally a pretty good b-movie actor. The previous movies I'd seen of his were both black and white, and I was saddened to see that he didn't transition to color very gracefully. His face, which is pock-marked and blotchy, looked great in black and white. In color, Haliday looks like an overcooked sausage. His role in this movie is too small to really offer much opportunity to amaze us with his acting skills. For Haliday at his strongest and most intense, check out "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/devil-doll-1964.html">Devil Doll</a>". <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRApneR3VbPrWn8ryRGHc0MRUCeD75_w5ZlfR5zOWMU_LfUKeJnNFBfkvQ0Q9Gbzk9MFXSxq6DBepc7vEm5Ht4rkNRnqZgb-lV7v5sjOAyfLTy4m9tGmlc45mRoS-ta0ZZJ_CINBbya0o/s1600-h/toe_brom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRApneR3VbPrWn8ryRGHc0MRUCeD75_w5ZlfR5zOWMU_LfUKeJnNFBfkvQ0Q9Gbzk9MFXSxq6DBepc7vEm5Ht4rkNRnqZgb-lV7v5sjOAyfLTy4m9tGmlc45mRoS-ta0ZZJ_CINBbya0o/s400/toe_brom2.jpg" width="400" /></a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Evan Brent (Haliday) and Brom (Gary Hamilton) on the way to the island.</span> </div>The archeologists who accompany Brent to the island are the worst possible teammates for a dangerous expedition. They consist of two men and two women who have nearly all had romantic relationships or slept with one another. The bitterness between the four makes for funny dialogue, but they're ultimately pretty poor characters. On their way in, they remark that there are no gulls or birds of any kind on the island (a clever cover for the fact that most of the "island" footage is clearly shot in a studio, where there would be no birds).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IoL7yd0XPmfg4xkGAG5AWJyxaapBhlkBbUT7_2UzdTeXiIlTAsCBMbjhteymwUB5HfPyikWEGn01hJ0UDyBcTLfw_O8bEa6DvJG8Wv0TASB6gkQBaMxG951C8pGHPLEEEYB6PtR_E5w/s1600-h/tower+of+evil+2+girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IoL7yd0XPmfg4xkGAG5AWJyxaapBhlkBbUT7_2UzdTeXiIlTAsCBMbjhteymwUB5HfPyikWEGn01hJ0UDyBcTLfw_O8bEa6DvJG8Wv0TASB6gkQBaMxG951C8pGHPLEEEYB6PtR_E5w/s400/tower+of+evil+2+girls.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The two ladyfolk archeologists are both shagadelic, and tease the boys mercilessly with their wiles. In the meantime, Evan Brent reveals that he believes there to be a system of caves underneath the island that are the probably resting spot of the treasure. The treasure is guarded by a statue of Baal, a god who the Phonecians worshipped with orgies and blood sacrifices. Unfortunately, Saul, the former lighthouse keeper, is also somewhere in the caves under the island. You see he's gone totally insane following the deaths of his wife and son, and now lives in squalor, attacking anyone who sets foot on the island. It is implied that Baal is somehow connected to Saul's craziness and the island's abnormally high fatality rate in general, but a clear connection is never drawn.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And so the stage is set for what can only be a very silly finale. I won't give away too much about the ending, but the film stays fairly true to the classic slasher film formula. What it lacks in coherence and quality writing, "Tower of Evil" makes up in bloody horror and gratuitous nudity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAdGOVV8YhRWWZmWDw50k3oPMvfcLs2nZol4XME4N62W8ul5tJMN23wnFQdK9wpRwuBsiqbRcfY32F4EApp4cXZcObehgRwONoQuq_uOBGMGa5uc_ZnyAAN17TrpGxzKDvNYx_pMxJiI/s1600-h/towerofevilbaal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAdGOVV8YhRWWZmWDw50k3oPMvfcLs2nZol4XME4N62W8ul5tJMN23wnFQdK9wpRwuBsiqbRcfY32F4EApp4cXZcObehgRwONoQuq_uOBGMGa5uc_ZnyAAN17TrpGxzKDvNYx_pMxJiI/s400/towerofevilbaal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I'd give "Tower of Evil" a 6/10, which I'm sure some would say is a generous rating. It's a film with a lot of great elements that was just put together in a less-than-ideal manner. The pacing, the acting and the low production value really robbed this movie of being what it could have been. There are some truly frightening images in the film (like a really creepy family portrait of Saul with his wife and baby) that periodically renew one's interest in the film interspersed with overlong scenes of badly written (and acted) dialogue. Overall, I'd steer clear if you're a casual horror fan, and check out the campy fun of "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/01/count-dracula-and-his-vampire-brides.html">The Satanic Rites of Dracula</a>" or "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/03/horror-hospital-1973.html">Horror Hospital</a>" instead. If you're a brit-horror nut, it may be time to take your own trip to the "Tower of Evil".<br />
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Written by Antony Balch and Alan Watson<br />
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Rated R for violence and nudity.<br />
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"Horror Hospital" is part of a British Horror four movie box set I recently purchased. Other films in the set include "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/curse-of-voodoo-1965.html">Curse of the Voodoo</a>", "Inseminoid" and "Tower of Evil" (reviews still to come).<br />
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"Horror Hospital" stars Michael Gough as the demented Dr. Storm, who runs a health resort/hospital that "cures" its patients by lobotomizing them, turning them into brain-dead zombies. Gough is a veteran actor and has been in countless movies. Most notably, Gough was Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred in the Batman films of the 80's and 90's. While Gough's performance in "Horror Hospital" is nothing particularly special, it is interesting to see such a skilled actor in such a ridiculous b-movie.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2xK9Bs71W6Z9mKjtCqAf76Q-6irLH-KqG9CJsM5XKJ-95N_u-l9tItp3gcBwbnZePmik56jlhqsVr8qUGsmjqWjNLG7N5K1zqzcCfhqSf7khxlWHhXLLo9zd9VtENExmOi9J11JP57U/s1600-h/horrorhospitallimo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2xK9Bs71W6Z9mKjtCqAf76Q-6irLH-KqG9CJsM5XKJ-95N_u-l9tItp3gcBwbnZePmik56jlhqsVr8qUGsmjqWjNLG7N5K1zqzcCfhqSf7khxlWHhXLLo9zd9VtENExmOi9J11JP57U/s400/horrorhospitallimo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The film opens with Dr. Storm sitting in an idling limousine with his midget servant, Frederick. As we watch, a young man and woman with bandaged, bleeding heads runs out of the woods. Dr. Storm guns the limo, pursuing them. On Dr. Storm's command, Frederick pulls a lever that causes a large blade to jut out of the side of the limo at neck-level, instantly decapitating the two escapees and catching their heads in a conveniently-placed canvas sack. That's right, folks; a decapitating limousine, the new standard of excellence for wealthy sociopaths.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_Kr5zYAF_TEK9Rw5m91a0_bO7xIhb4xs2ImZU74jZKK7DIdqiNfU9TsCVD21jKCX-hNnX0DvnEZq4mMg5kT_LkM4kr4BBdRIatPFsG5Gy1iaFhHzNkJv3dnLeX7wf-DnRZHBS9xCCC4/s1600-h/horrorhospitaldecapitation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_Kr5zYAF_TEK9Rw5m91a0_bO7xIhb4xs2ImZU74jZKK7DIdqiNfU9TsCVD21jKCX-hNnX0DvnEZq4mMg5kT_LkM4kr4BBdRIatPFsG5Gy1iaFhHzNkJv3dnLeX7wf-DnRZHBS9xCCC4/s400/horrorhospitaldecapitation.png" width="400" /></a></div>Jump to London, where Jason Jones (Robin Askwith) sits dejectedly in a smokey night club. Jason looks like a mean, British, hippie version of Mark Hamill. He gets into a brief fistfight with a transvestite over a song that he says the tranny's band stole from him. When the tranny beats him (it's embarrassing to be overpowered by a man in a curly platinum wig and lipstick), Jason finds a group of his friends to comfort him. One of Jason's friends looks like an evil John Lennon. If you watch the film, you'll know who I mean. To make a long story short (too late for that) Jason's friends suggest he goes on a "hairy holiday" they see advertised through a travel agency. Jason agrees he needs some time away from the music scene, and embarks for a holiday in the British countryside.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrdUQi2v0aGhZkZMT73-_5EeR3dzS-e6AA0rGl4zqkOYaRPGuTq8_gnCPIWjLn85b6LNNIP8H9OOEqLQlXR2otVSrvzKG_gqBvRhsLD65Fn45S8BUv92hwXLUgvLXrSeJcVwH4A8PcMM/s1600-h/horrorhospitaljasonandjudy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrdUQi2v0aGhZkZMT73-_5EeR3dzS-e6AA0rGl4zqkOYaRPGuTq8_gnCPIWjLn85b6LNNIP8H9OOEqLQlXR2otVSrvzKG_gqBvRhsLD65Fn45S8BUv92hwXLUgvLXrSeJcVwH4A8PcMM/s400/horrorhospitaljasonandjudy.png" width="400" /></a></div>On the train, Jason meets Judy (Vanessa Shaw), a quiet girl who he clumsily attempts to charm ("Don't worry. I'm not going to rape you."). Oddly enough, Jason's abrasive personality apparently rubs Judy the right way. Realizing they're going to the same place, they become travel companions.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-m0MSHo8445q64j5Ra7vbXuIhVYZp6mG8dxnl25wNI_Ki3capt3uK8pPe9X8fOfizAtW36AfpcI3nsAZSI1Eb0ovmgi-gvyorb76sNJUerdZks1sBseiqF6G1DMrw8SZ4pLabib21u0/s1600-h/horrorhospitaldinnertable.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-m0MSHo8445q64j5Ra7vbXuIhVYZp6mG8dxnl25wNI_Ki3capt3uK8pPe9X8fOfizAtW36AfpcI3nsAZSI1Eb0ovmgi-gvyorb76sNJUerdZks1sBseiqF6G1DMrw8SZ4pLabib21u0/s400/horrorhospitaldinnertable.png" width="400" /></a></div>When they arrive at Storm's hospital, they sit down to eat dinner with dozens of other young hippies who have already received the "Storm" treatment. They are pale, silent and expressionless, and each sports a fresh surgery scar on their left temple. Jason and Judy are immediately put off by the hospital and its catatonic patients, but Judy's creepy Aunt Harris (who is also Dr. Storm's assistant) tells them the hospital grounds are already closed for the evening and there's no way out. Jason and Judy decide to stay the night and make the best of it. In classic 70's horror movie style, making the best of it means having sex. Lots of sex. Afterwards, the pair decide to snoop around the hospital grounds a bit, and are horrified to discover that Dr. Storm is actually lobotomizing his patients to make them thoughtless drones. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnphIJIISBpbVKDZ-Emqe5fAvuBfbUydn3A6cvydeDNL-3zr_kjlAMeldD68pCCU1jwrNOuxmOjTr8wOpcR1tBDQL1gDuDCSZqS3-tk2akQMdW6DXaFkjqo3CqlClU-DKbgGl1cLW9g4/s1600-h/horrorhospitalsurgerystorm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnphIJIISBpbVKDZ-Emqe5fAvuBfbUydn3A6cvydeDNL-3zr_kjlAMeldD68pCCU1jwrNOuxmOjTr8wOpcR1tBDQL1gDuDCSZqS3-tk2akQMdW6DXaFkjqo3CqlClU-DKbgGl1cLW9g4/s400/horrorhospitalsurgerystorm.png" width="400" /></a></div>As Jason and Judy struggle to find a way out of the hospital, bodies begin piling up. The travel agent who referred Jason to Dr. Storm wants more money for his services, so Storm has him decapitated. Aunt Judy tells Storm she won't help him with any more demented surgeries, and she gets attacked by a giant, melting flesh-monster. It seems anyone who crosses Storm comes to a bad end. He even has an army of ineffectual, unarmed guards in helmets who look like gay motorcycle enthusiasts. Dr. Storm's "Storm troopers" can't have been chosen for their strength, because they are constantly being overpowered by weak-looking hippie teens. Good thing they were wearing their helmets.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4BM-sMgpLFYbFcbg0qAWdj4WPyTyjFzHx4ibknusLSZHclHhWADC4H-dZgndR0f83WIjd3tIoNj5T3Rzbg8ug6ySrfyNEiE_Jidv0MaVRAPI2OSIlm3UbxszMIvvVEyRfxFjuio1-y4/s1600-h/horrorhospital_dr.storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4BM-sMgpLFYbFcbg0qAWdj4WPyTyjFzHx4ibknusLSZHclHhWADC4H-dZgndR0f83WIjd3tIoNj5T3Rzbg8ug6ySrfyNEiE_Jidv0MaVRAPI2OSIlm3UbxszMIvvVEyRfxFjuio1-y4/s320/horrorhospital_dr.storm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jason and Judy are soon joined by Abraham (Kurt Christian), who is looking for his runaway girlfriend Millie. Unfortunately for Abraham, Millie has already received Dr. Storm's treatment, and is already a mindless slave. Terrified and desperate to escape, the three hippies make their way through Dr. Storm's hospital of horrors, discovering along the way the terrible secret behind Storm's psychotic surgeries <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwW9r_Uw2nPSD3fiRe-Lt4RtrvJn9rjjbCk8emAPBvXUcoe642vCiSgkDIip-fvm1Yh-hqTgunR3aOC44qG7LHrAf6HHkBk4BZYAZ0hzbbb5d2gYzaoc3vqrRi_df8vrTnmp7SZq-1yPQ/s1600-h/horrorhospitalmidget.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwW9r_Uw2nPSD3fiRe-Lt4RtrvJn9rjjbCk8emAPBvXUcoe642vCiSgkDIip-fvm1Yh-hqTgunR3aOC44qG7LHrAf6HHkBk4BZYAZ0hzbbb5d2gYzaoc3vqrRi_df8vrTnmp7SZq-1yPQ/s400/horrorhospitalmidget.png" width="400" /></a></div>I give "Horror Hospital" a 7.5/10. I should say right up front that "Horror Hospital" is a terrible movie. If you're looking for a cinematic masterpiece, look elsewhere. Having said that, it's (perhaps unintentionally) one of the funniest horror movies I've ever seen. From the decapitation limo to Frederick the creepy midget, there's no lack of campy fun. There are also plenty of decent nude scenes (even some rare 70's male nudity) for discerning pervs and pervettes. While the story is patently ridiculous, there are actually some genuinely creepy images in this film, and the cinematography is at times surprisingly good. Watch this film with a six-pack of cheap beer and friends who appreciate low-brow humor.<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Devil Doll" is available to watch for free online <a href="http://www.amctv.com/videos/b-movies/?bcpid=13332913001&bclid=14056328001&bctid=25310285001">here</a>.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I reviewed a great b-horror film a few weeks ago called "Devil Doll". (Click <a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/devil-doll-1964.html">here</a> for review) I liked it so much, I have since bought "Devil Doll" on DVD, and was pleased to discover that the DVD came with both the UK version (which is the version available to watch for free online) and the "Continental Version", which had scenes changed and added for European audiences. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Before I get in to the meat of my review of the "Continental Version", I would like to make a few observations that struck me while watching the film a second time. In my <a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/devil-doll-1964.html">first review</a>, I dismissed Bryant Haliday's performance of The Great Vorelli as "ridiculous as always... ...but slimy and creepy enough to evoke genuine discomfort." After a second viewing, my opinion of Haliday as an actor has gone up considerably. The dramatic tension he creates on stage could be cut with a knife. I particularly enjoyed the monologue during which he convinces an audience volunteer that they are about to be executed by soldiers. The overall eerie tone of the movie and the quality of the story and the acting are what separates this from the many other "killer doll" movies. It takes a b-movie premise and follows it through with thoughtful, serious conviction. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The main difference between the "UK Version" and the "Continental Version" is that a scene of dialogue between Vorelli and his assistant (in the UK version) has been replaced with a scene of Vorelli hypnotizing a meek-looking woman into doing a wooden, creepy strip-tease for the audience (in the Continental version). As I remember from my viewing of the UK version, the omitted dialogue scene consists of Vorelli's assistant expressing jealousy of Mary-Anne, and Vorelli reassuring her, then sleeping with her, which is the lead-in to the later scene of her lying in bed, naked except for a sheet. While the dialogue scene isn't terribly crucial to plot development, I feel it gave Vorelli a bit more depth as a shameless womanizer. The strip-tease scene is a mixed bag. Vorelli compels a woman from the audience to do a strip-tease, but she does it like a robot, moving mechanically in a not-very-sexy manner. On the negative side, a scene that introduces nudity for nudity's sake to the movie was less arousing than watching modern shampoo commercials. The actress was sadly less attractive than Mary-Anne or Vorelli's assistant. It was also odd that under her professional businesswoman suit, the volunteer was wearing fancy lingerie. It's almost as if she was planning to do a strip-tease that night. Lastly, the woman's strip-tease is much more wooden and robotic than any of the people Vorelli had hypnotized earlier. If she had been as enthusiastic about the strip tease as Mary-Anne was about dancing, it might have been a good show. On the positive side, this scene adds an extra layer of creepy to the psycho-sexual vampire vibe that Vorelli has going. Because it's so un-sexy, watching the woman robotically strip for Vorelli becomes one of the film's eerier moments. It is rather uncomfortable to watch. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The other two scenes are scenes that are in the UK version that have simply been re-shot with nudity added. These are my favorite new scenes. The first gives us an artful glimpse of one of Vorelli's assistant's breasts just before Hugo stabs her to death. A great breast and a great scene in general. The second occurs when Mark calls his friend in Berlin. In the original scene, it shows his friend in pajamas in a hotel room with a woman. The woman is clothed, but the scene suggests they're lovers. In the "Continental" version of the scene, she's topless for the whole telephone conversation. It's much more suggestive, and I thought made this scene funnier. Sorry for my pervy insights, but the male readers may want to know these things.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Overall, the movie worked about as well both ways. Purists will probably prefer the UK version, and pervy guys like me will make a v-line for the "Continental" version. Either way, "Devil Doll" is a great film, and is available to watch for free (UK version only) online <a href="http://www.amctv.com/videos/b-movies/?bcpid=13332913001&bclid=14056328001&bctid=25310285001">here</a>. If you would like to see the "Continental" version, it's available as a special feature with the DVD I bought:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0000639GG&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Other haunted doll movies you may enjoy:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000FWHW86&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002JTHWXS&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-15670548319117468652010-03-11T16:10:00.000-08:002010-04-01T14:46:49.629-07:00Fiend Without A Face (1958)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL07928Qgw_QCpvGOK36W_8tmEEW-Jp0Vn1V6wUaib9TD80-w6nhXZ8KRYVvXcPncZlLfV7x5N-h9Jg7gVpndxoIILbjQeVhdEXv5P62-o3o0yx1yYOhaW99iDTb8sgKJ-d32l_P-_r2w/s1600-h/Fiend+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL07928Qgw_QCpvGOK36W_8tmEEW-Jp0Vn1V6wUaib9TD80-w6nhXZ8KRYVvXcPncZlLfV7x5N-h9Jg7gVpndxoIILbjQeVhdEXv5P62-o3o0yx1yYOhaW99iDTb8sgKJ-d32l_P-_r2w/s320/Fiend+poster.jpg" width="185" /></a>Directed by Arthur Crabtree<br />
Written by Herbert J. Leder and Amelia Reynolds Long<br />
<br />
Rated PG for smoking and monster violence.<br />
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"Fiend Without a Face" is yet another classic B-horror film available to view online for free at AMCTV.com. Watch it for yourself <a href="http://www.amctv.com/videos/b-movies/?bcpid=13332913001&bclid=14056328001&bctid=44797417001">here</a>. <br />
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"Fiend Without a Face" stars Marshall Thompson as Major Jeff Cummings, an Air Force investigator stationed out of an experimental Air Force base on the US/Canada border that uses atomic power to boost radar signals. The locals have been complaining that the jets flying by overhead have affected the livestock on their farms. The cows aren't giving as much milk as before, and the locals blame the Air Force base and atomic fallout for their troubles.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86ACAvVOL9Fu4tkjAfCednrn6yPtjKpf6DIcjZUjcZ8UaVVnN3qseEsxl25LPj06fVniGzmenVXb1MoeU-BDnmW8kTXBLbMROUJtRP_W-d_XBmxFwnzcm5O3C2orAuNpNGk9CQlSxTp0/s1600-h/fiend_major_cummings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86ACAvVOL9Fu4tkjAfCednrn6yPtjKpf6DIcjZUjcZ8UaVVnN3qseEsxl25LPj06fVniGzmenVXb1MoeU-BDnmW8kTXBLbMROUJtRP_W-d_XBmxFwnzcm5O3C2orAuNpNGk9CQlSxTp0/s400/fiend_major_cummings.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Things get worse for Major Cummings when Griselle, a local farmer, is found dead with an expression of pure horror on his face. The townsfolk at first suspect some kind of fatal atomic poisoning, but are stumped when they learn that the dead farmer's brain and spinal column have been sucked out of his body through two small holes in the back of his head, a medical impossibility.<br />
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Major Cummings is called to investigate the death, both to solve the crime and to prove to the townsfolk that the Air Force isn't responsible. He questions Griselle's lovely sister, Barbara (played by the sensual Kim Parker), who works as a secretary for the reclusive Professor Walgate. Jeff and Barbara are clearly attracted to one another, but are initially put off by their first impressions of one another. Barbara clearly identifies more with the townfolk (many of whom are calling for the Air Force Base to be permanently shut down) and only grudgingly allows the sexy Air Force Major to charm her. In one particularly hot scene, Jeff arrives at Barbara's house when she's in the shower, surprising her. I know she's probably very old or dead now, but I can't help being very turned on by coy Kim Parker in a towel. So cute!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQfdrZ918Ae-VhPsn5B8GrDvw4xbejRFGnZoKjv9reeteF_BJpI1LY1vRTPOHcCqYDfs88BbSwZXpoIP7RH4A6GOVujs6CBcAM2UPYGU9r7w51bdtj1FKd1ui2T2Q53wYiC1GYhnF4to/s1600-h/fiendgirltowel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQfdrZ918Ae-VhPsn5B8GrDvw4xbejRFGnZoKjv9reeteF_BJpI1LY1vRTPOHcCqYDfs88BbSwZXpoIP7RH4A6GOVujs6CBcAM2UPYGU9r7w51bdtj1FKd1ui2T2Q53wYiC1GYhnF4to/s400/fiendgirltowel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As Jeff and Barbara investigate, more mysterious deaths crop up. In one instance, a man is left alive, but completely brain-dead. The townsfolk become more paranoid and begin to roam the streets with guns, looking for the killer. What they don't know is that the killer isn't atomic fallout or some American Air Force officer gone on a blood-thirsty rampage, but invisible creatures of pure thought created by Professor Walgate, who used the Air Force's atomic power as fuel for his depraved experiments. The creatures take over the atomic plant, making it impossible for the Air Force to cut off their source of power. When they boost the power to danger levels, the creatures become visible.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGskw7rBbWVbds95dAPsM7c2bYgpZ_uqFNwom491OPZfXZ6EPmG3AdR-qo2CjPf5k6BpDR0wASB7IpApFl6uD6NSVy2Rk9x3Sf248AI5x1y3A_qX6XKUiRBtYlf__WRXSpw4MZ0QTyXs/s1600-h/fiendbrain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGskw7rBbWVbds95dAPsM7c2bYgpZ_uqFNwom491OPZfXZ6EPmG3AdR-qo2CjPf5k6BpDR0wASB7IpApFl6uD6NSVy2Rk9x3Sf248AI5x1y3A_qX6XKUiRBtYlf__WRXSpw4MZ0QTyXs/s400/fiendbrain.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Perhaps the films' greatest success is the brain-creatures themselves. Insect-like, fast, and brain-sucking, these stop-motion creatures are rather terrifying even today. The animation effects used to make them move are very well done, and when they're killed, they explode with spurts of blood that Tarantino would be proud of. I believe the brain creatures from "Fiend Without a Face" are direct cinematic ascendants of the face-huggers from the "Alien" series.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLToZKbq4-BwaHaMMJMbkkDUqWX3j8mrmV2ypiOuJpW2RSJ8kNqEkKI2v2AzlTIao7xBrDbDXW3xef7_gdi9SPzyS5Q64rZJZvKwcZCSZgCHn4eiUVDN9QS38D7SSocy-6UeWgBSgRrlU/s1600-h/fiend-without-a-face-brainattack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLToZKbq4-BwaHaMMJMbkkDUqWX3j8mrmV2ypiOuJpW2RSJ8kNqEkKI2v2AzlTIao7xBrDbDXW3xef7_gdi9SPzyS5Q64rZJZvKwcZCSZgCHn4eiUVDN9QS38D7SSocy-6UeWgBSgRrlU/s400/fiend-without-a-face-brainattack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The film's conclusion is violent, bloody, and explosive. Cummings finds a very scientifically unsound way to shut down the power plant (don't try this at home), but will he execute his plan in time to save Barbara and the other survivors?<br />
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I give "Fiend Without a Face" an 8/10. It's a little slow-moving at times, but strong performances, great special effects, an explosive finale and Kim Parker in a towel make this a must-see for fans of B-movies. This film was obviously made on a relatively small budget, but manages to get a lot of "bang" for it's buck. A spirited, funny cult classic for monster movie fans. Watch it for free right here:<br />
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Written by Samuel Fuller and Romain Gary<br />
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Rated PG for violence.<br />
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"White Dog" was initially shunned when it was released in the 80's. The story was too racially charged for the times, and the general viewing public seemed to mistake social commentary on racism for racism itself. I was initially drawn to this film both because of the controversy surrounding it's original release, and because I'd seen Sam Fuller's "Pickup on South Street" (1953), a black and white noir about stolen microfilm and communist spies and was curious if his later work was as good. I found "White Dog" to be even better than "Pickup...", though Fuller's strong sense of visual composition is present in both.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknNbXlx44XuWZIpufTtzX2SmfDuSKbxDD3YuBcwanPuCig2ooVlkox3T5QlEkxpNwO-XpN4yNk3MT474zzDHq1uTDjBmAFo9fZYnetAlP8FifyVCIvvwLt93VToLMiYCthP9GAjRCJck/s1600-h/whitedogkristymcnichol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknNbXlx44XuWZIpufTtzX2SmfDuSKbxDD3YuBcwanPuCig2ooVlkox3T5QlEkxpNwO-XpN4yNk3MT474zzDHq1uTDjBmAFo9fZYnetAlP8FifyVCIvvwLt93VToLMiYCthP9GAjRCJck/s400/whitedogkristymcnichol.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>"White Dog" opens with Julie, a young actress (played by Kristy McNichol) hitting a white German Shepherd with her car on a winding road in the California hills. Julie feels terrible and takes the big dog in, even paying his expensive vet bills to keep him from being put to sleep at the pound as an abandoned animal. Julie's interaction with the giant dog is adorable. We see her nurse him back to health with playful affection. The happy dog and owner's peace is shattered when Julie is attacked in her home one night by a rapist. Before she is harmed, the dog mauls the rapist and pins him down until the police arrive. In one of the film's darkly funny but also sad moments, the cop who arrests the rapist says: "That's the <i>same damn rapist</i> I caught last year!"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjvSBXqV-WcHH3zWb8VMJEat5ObGchUBQzm2pYu108he68FU_DkDiChFutBBlc38rMGKnCwZFzORVJkD99vZDhdgUsmn4hKjYWTGcFxzU448waO-wYdsTB1MNSC9VKjUkP_FTSkoouc0/s1600-h/whitedogwowner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjvSBXqV-WcHH3zWb8VMJEat5ObGchUBQzm2pYu108he68FU_DkDiChFutBBlc38rMGKnCwZFzORVJkD99vZDhdgUsmn4hKjYWTGcFxzU448waO-wYdsTB1MNSC9VKjUkP_FTSkoouc0/s400/whitedogwowner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Julie appreciates the dog more than ever now that he's saved her from the rapist. Even Julie's actor boyfriend feels better having the dog to look after Julie in her secluded house. When the dog follows a rabbit off Julie's property and makes his way to the city, we begin to see another side of the otherwise adorable and heroic pup. The dog attacks an African-American street-sweeper operator, causing him to crash the street sweeper into a storefront, killing him. When the dog returns to Julie covered in blood, she assumes he merely got into a scuffle with another dog and lovingly washes him off, blissfully unaware of his dark secret.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEt2dx9NJj0Ipx6euzZQDsmEft3M-v7QBEodOQDKbeBodArxGEwmGI1RZeqMGryzfeT7ysXLYdiKATmPVYZyMJnULvpVcx3X9eKsFvwQt2rL6RdXcgWaveYM_KYCgbZPa-37FNUbR2Xa0/s1600-h/whitedogshowerscene.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEt2dx9NJj0Ipx6euzZQDsmEft3M-v7QBEodOQDKbeBodArxGEwmGI1RZeqMGryzfeT7ysXLYdiKATmPVYZyMJnULvpVcx3X9eKsFvwQt2rL6RdXcgWaveYM_KYCgbZPa-37FNUbR2Xa0/s400/whitedogshowerscene.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>When (for some unknown reason I can't fathom) Julie takes the dog with her to an acting gig, the dog attacks Julie's friend, a black actress, hospitalizing her. This scene also includes a great film in-joke about the "flicker" effect caused by using a camera and projector with different frame-rates looking French and artistic. But really, I suppose the most important part of this scene is Julie's realization that the dog she's taken in and grown fond of is a trained attack dog.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVprzZxWATD2XpmzeZPNOtjKlD7DAmc45rKOuFyfxlhsYHL7d1wHFRzfej81buL5p7iMa5W6miQTcrQmEtCzJR9OxqYPvOSBzGG_XRmEoNI4HIpcS71a_2jGSYcGHalCYLBnhcCoVUFIE/s1600-h/white+dog+_turning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVprzZxWATD2XpmzeZPNOtjKlD7DAmc45rKOuFyfxlhsYHL7d1wHFRzfej81buL5p7iMa5W6miQTcrQmEtCzJR9OxqYPvOSBzGG_XRmEoNI4HIpcS71a_2jGSYcGHalCYLBnhcCoVUFIE/s320/white+dog+_turning.jpg" /></a></div>Desperate to find a cure for her dog's attack training, Julie takes the dog to an animal training facility that trains a variety of exotic animals to act for films and commercials. Here she finds a man named Keys (Paul Winfield) who has experience reconditioning attack dogs and is the best in his field. When the dog tries to attack one of the black men working at the compound, Keys tells Julie: "You've got yourself a white dog." He explains that the term is not merely a reference to the dog's color, but that a "white dog" is a dog that racists have trained to attack and kill blacks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIzrDqOInh-KgJqD_UrNA1Uiw501fhXnRwNenG3ozS3D9lr_y8Z2FDD22iztpBL2YJl92EEuSjjy55z9-u0Dmfq_CI5TNRHcIbjZgMywSIwt00NE1fYFIQNDhw8Ic0pOMuqXvKGt_OJU/s1600-h/WhiteDogkeyesanddog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIzrDqOInh-KgJqD_UrNA1Uiw501fhXnRwNenG3ozS3D9lr_y8Z2FDD22iztpBL2YJl92EEuSjjy55z9-u0Dmfq_CI5TNRHcIbjZgMywSIwt00NE1fYFIQNDhw8Ic0pOMuqXvKGt_OJU/s400/WhiteDogkeyesanddog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Perhaps the most frightening part of "White Dog" is the fact that it's based on a true story. Romain Gary's short story is based on the experience of his wife Jean Seberg, who found a large dog that seemed friendly and playful. When she took it home, it attacked her black gardener. She confined it to the backyard, but it got out and attacked black men on two other occasions. Only after the third time did she realize that someone had trained the dog to attack blacks on sight. But this is not an isolated incident. As Keys explains in the film, "white dogs" have been trained to attack black people since slave times, when they were used to find and catch runaway slaves. After that, they were used to track down escaped black criminals. Now, they mostly only exist as personal guard-dogs for people racist enough to train dogs to kill blacks. For me the most horrifying aspect of the film is that there are people out there who would inflict their prejudices on an animal to turn it into a lethal weapon. [***See note at bottom of post for more info on the historical inspiration for the film.]<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurEo0Z4sGmqw_hwYDCTluaodNzSqnJ-uXxSDQOAglrpplMLXjDRXcNb25rKxQIwyrIUqPHVS2Tfl8eesZT188sHkGIEj67S3AbbwBF9WcMUz7oE20VRFtYTG_ZDregHhrORbrGA3nA70/s1600-h/whitedogfuller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurEo0Z4sGmqw_hwYDCTluaodNzSqnJ-uXxSDQOAglrpplMLXjDRXcNb25rKxQIwyrIUqPHVS2Tfl8eesZT188sHkGIEj67S3AbbwBF9WcMUz7oE20VRFtYTG_ZDregHhrORbrGA3nA70/s320/whitedogfuller.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="center-caption" style="font-size: x-small;">Director Sam Fuller with one of the dog actors from "White Dog".</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Keys takes on the challenge of rehabilitating Julie's dog. He tells her he has made two attempts to retrain white dogs in the past, but both were unsuccessful, and both dogs had to be put down. He warns her that if he's unsuccessful with the reconditioning, he will have to shoot the dog himself. Julie reluctantly agrees, desperate to keep her dog from causing any more harm to blacks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBo8wppdDp3SaiTmalLfEbfHe9CX_Bt51FYwImb-d8tHb1ucgSgz_dZAwdPfCKiqiwC_O7J56gtqTx7s_dh0LEfoYsqJC6MSX3m5l21-T8m871hcchdb4VOClv0ov4_mn-eowi9I7Da4/s1600-h/whitedogwinfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBo8wppdDp3SaiTmalLfEbfHe9CX_Bt51FYwImb-d8tHb1ucgSgz_dZAwdPfCKiqiwC_O7J56gtqTx7s_dh0LEfoYsqJC6MSX3m5l21-T8m871hcchdb4VOClv0ov4_mn-eowi9I7Da4/s400/whitedogwinfield.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Julie asks how it is possible to train a dog to hate black skin. Keys explains that dogs experience the world visually. A racist can find a desperate black person and pay them to ritualistically beat puppies, the younger the better. These dogs will be gradually conditioned to hate and fear black skin to the point that they will viciously attack it with no provocation. Unlearning this racist conditioning can be dangerous too, as the dogs can snap under the pressure of reconditioning and become dangerous to people of any skin color.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Keys gradually breaks the dog's spirit with an exhaustive training regimen designed to teach the dog that it does him no good to attack black people. In leather pads, Keys spars with the dog, gradually earning its trust. When the dog escapes and kills another African-American, Keys and Julie must seriously reappraise their mission. Is it worth retraining a racist dog, or is the best option to kill it? Aren't the people who stand by and allow racism to happen partially responsible for it? Is it possible to cure racism, or foolhardy to even try?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBXOGRnUMvFsTgvEH6gqGEkhlDbXOJVCa6MotxuzSK7Os4yek_l4mh1YGklMUNgktY4d-_4nc-hNCkacn_z0dIuHIvCeEnCBhN8-XH-4MiN7usLquc3otsuvICLUeTF4np99OIC4pTds/s1600-h/white+dog_attack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBXOGRnUMvFsTgvEH6gqGEkhlDbXOJVCa6MotxuzSK7Os4yek_l4mh1YGklMUNgktY4d-_4nc-hNCkacn_z0dIuHIvCeEnCBhN8-XH-4MiN7usLquc3otsuvICLUeTF4np99OIC4pTds/s400/white+dog_attack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I give "White Dog" an enthusiastic 10/10. It's a fantastic social commentary on racism, and features some of the most impressive animal performances ever committed to film. The cinematography is simple but elegant, and the acting is solid all around. "White Dog" also features a beautifully tense score by the amazing Ennio Morricone (who is most famous for scoring John Carpenter's "The Thing", Oliver Stone's "<a href="http://mikereviewsalot.blogspot.com/2010/02/u-turn-1997.html">U-Turn</a>" and Sergio Leone's "Fistful of Dollars" trilogy). Overall, "White Dog" is a somber and pessimistic film that poses questions about racism that are as relevant today as they were in 1982.<br />
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[***Historical Note: The Criterion edition of "White Dog" comes with several essays on the film in a booklet. One of these essays describes another bit of inspiration for the film that I found fascinating: In WWII, German Axis forces would train German Shepherds to sniff out Allied troops based on smell (differences in diet, etc.). They would paint the dogs' backs white and send them out at night to "point" to Allied soldiers' encampments. The Allies would not fire on the dogs, thinking them to be harmless. The Germans would then bomb the areas the dogs pointed to, wiping out the enemy without risking any of their own soldiers.]Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-28875519784385936542010-03-04T17:12:00.000-08:002010-03-08T10:24:09.212-08:00Sorority Row (2009)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdw07zGqDgazBEe8Sjhu7ixYzZ-zyJ4dwPFRbUaW0c5aTFds2HDqwbKDMogFjOxadUy0axSZDeTuctw_nGUAElMr0nsw3krCykYcdLwYsvGW2B3oOb8309Yb8eg3xHkrL1AmTbMb2J_Y/s1600-h/sorority-row-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdw07zGqDgazBEe8Sjhu7ixYzZ-zyJ4dwPFRbUaW0c5aTFds2HDqwbKDMogFjOxadUy0axSZDeTuctw_nGUAElMr0nsw3krCykYcdLwYsvGW2B3oOb8309Yb8eg3xHkrL1AmTbMb2J_Y/s320/sorority-row-movie-poster.jpg" /></a></div>Directed by Stewart Hendler<br />
Written by Josh Stolberg, Pete Goldfinger and Mark Rosman<br />
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Rated R for bloody violence, language, some sexuality/nudity and partying.<br />
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A remake of the 1983 slasher flick "House on Sorority Row" (which I unfortunately haven't seen), "Sorority Row" is another of several recent revivals of 80's horror franchises. With the remakes of "Halloween", "Friday the 13th", and "Nightmare on Elm Street" already out or in the works, some enterprising filmmakers have taken on lesser-known films to remake. I tried to watch the recent remake of "Prom Night", but it was too bad. REALLY BAD!!! I've seen better acting in movies-of-the-week. It's the first horror movie in nearly a decade that I've turned off without finishing. Luckily for me, "Sorority Row" is not a "Prom Night" style remake. Done with style and good humor, this self-aware horror flick redefines the slasher genre for a new generation of horror audiences.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRmAQgQ3RqdRnbayKuMncGdBCeDCN_KDmLQriN40YjEywuIA9CcaVhm3b2jN5pIKNN66QVx-qCa0q4OjfB9ZdISl_STbq9OyLfOdNouCAWyQUC_PTKLj_ASBj7WRJJ4K0x2JegbKEjYU/s1600-h/Sorority+Row_sisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRmAQgQ3RqdRnbayKuMncGdBCeDCN_KDmLQriN40YjEywuIA9CcaVhm3b2jN5pIKNN66QVx-qCa0q4OjfB9ZdISl_STbq9OyLfOdNouCAWyQUC_PTKLj_ASBj7WRJJ4K0x2JegbKEjYU/s400/Sorority+Row_sisters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The film starts with an epic sorority party, complete with horny jocks, women on trampolines (with their butts hanging out of their old-school pajama flaps) and lots and lots of alcohol. The senior sisters of Theta Pi, (left to right: Jessica, Megan, Claire, Cassidy, Ellie and Chugs) meet in an upstairs room to have a celebratory toast. But celebration isn't the only item on the menu. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and no one serves it colder than sorority girls. To get back at Megan's ex-boyfriend Garrett (who is also Chug's brother) for cheating on her, the girls have given him a "roofie" (really a vitamin) to give to Megan. Megan pretends to choke and Garrett freaks out, convinced she's dead. The girls add to his panic, giving cruelly realistic performances of grief over their friend's "death".<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2nYVpaLR8wQjq3wcPp9bYERsj7IZbG1WeuxRFlhyphenhyphenyXZAt42_baS-dadJpMzxiOFdUtukTtGhuun-p8Rgq954sChV4lTA-er3CeNVwqGCl39siwUm0IXVkuL1o9qrFfU3YUtGtJN5clw/s1600-h/sorority+row_megan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2nYVpaLR8wQjq3wcPp9bYERsj7IZbG1WeuxRFlhyphenhyphenyXZAt42_baS-dadJpMzxiOFdUtukTtGhuun-p8Rgq954sChV4lTA-er3CeNVwqGCl39siwUm0IXVkuL1o9qrFfU3YUtGtJN5clw/s400/sorority+row_megan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Garrett and the girls pack Megan into a car to drive somewhere to get rid of "the body". Megan has trouble keeping from giggling while playing dead. The not-so-funny joke becomes even less funny when Garrett drives a tire iron into the supposedly-dead Megan's chest (to remove trapped air so the body won't float to the surface when they dump it), killing her for real. At this point Cassidy (the most heroic and moral Theta Pi sister) insists that they go to the police, but bitch-queen Jessica insists that Megan would not have wanted the sisters to ruin their futures over a tragic accident that they cannot undo. The other sisters wrap Megan's body in Cassidy's jacket (so that if she goes to the police, she will implicate herself), and dumps it down an abandoned mine shaft.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xrvwiOmhIEZU6E-gG8njD8weX-UW-HawXhwT66IBQC6M2AYp2Je56XJscwTzI5OrS42Da9rtf-kRtvvTWzh_1RTPnAXZ03i0pHO7o3b4nVULSWY_pXA3Ryu9uDqQ1YNJFqxHiRdgt3E/s1600-h/sorority-row-well.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xrvwiOmhIEZU6E-gG8njD8weX-UW-HawXhwT66IBQC6M2AYp2Je56XJscwTzI5OrS42Da9rtf-kRtvvTWzh_1RTPnAXZ03i0pHO7o3b4nVULSWY_pXA3Ryu9uDqQ1YNJFqxHiRdgt3E/s400/sorority-row-well.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Jump ahead 8 months. Graduation is just around the corner and the girls of Theta Pi are gearing up for a legendary year-end sorority party. Cassidy has grown away from Theta Pi since the accident, but still plans to show support for the other girls by coming to their last party as sorority sisters. But just as the festivities approach, the girls start receiving eerie picture and video messages from Megan's phone (which was with her body when they dumped it in the mine shaft). They immediately suspect Garrett, who has had serious psychological problems since the accident, but Chugs assures them that her brother (while not a great guy) would not joke about Megan's death. To make things more complicated, Megan's little sister Maggie is planning to rush for Theta Pi in the fall, and insists on coming to the year-end party to meet her sister's friends.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaIZjjdc7Yb9qT1RazVsKedzOi92ZuNcqHDHgZ-aiOQo_ful8_91qu3joD-_jt1pIqZPfZYnQFYAGFr7MxMAS9_ExI-3KYmaLkcDKoq64VmG9VkApAV09nLoec31-hRKQVCpc1doe-MM/s1600-h/sorority_rowmaggie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaIZjjdc7Yb9qT1RazVsKedzOi92ZuNcqHDHgZ-aiOQo_ful8_91qu3joD-_jt1pIqZPfZYnQFYAGFr7MxMAS9_ExI-3KYmaLkcDKoq64VmG9VkApAV09nLoec31-hRKQVCpc1doe-MM/s400/sorority_rowmaggie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShTlan5CdrntXw_UdvAoI91K6c-R-_a0WwhcJMGSji5LgENJlIWVCxSR2UAtyQQTj5X1dG7N75RFllObHvbUmi4LdVnBWSjJc8EaRL3jpgIFpkhy8jiB_kUVL3TXIHtiL9fO4-_dimCY/s1600-h/sorority-row-tire-iron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShTlan5CdrntXw_UdvAoI91K6c-R-_a0WwhcJMGSji5LgENJlIWVCxSR2UAtyQQTj5X1dG7N75RFllObHvbUmi4LdVnBWSjJc8EaRL3jpgIFpkhy8jiB_kUVL3TXIHtiL9fO4-_dimCY/s200/sorority-row-tire-iron.jpg" width="135" /></a> Convinced not to let the ominous phone messages ruin the biggest party of the year, the sisters of Theta Pi get into celebration mode. The party begins and sorority row is stormed by hundreds of drunken, horny graduates. The girls become worried when Chugs never shows up. As the night wears on, more people disappear, and the girls begin to catch glimpses of a black-hooded figure carrying a "tricked-out" tire iron. As the party starts to thin out, the girls begin finding bodies. In classic 80's slasher-flick style, there is no indication of who or what is behind the killings. Is it Mrs. Crenshaw (played by Carrie Fisher), the house-mum whose had enough of her girls' whoring ways? Is it Jessica's boyfriend, the son of a senator who sees Jessica and her friends as potential threats to his political campaign? Is it Garrett, the boy who was cruelly pranked, resulting in Megan's tragic death?<br />
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I give "Sorority Row" an 8/10. It's a tightly-woven, self-aware horror flick that takes gruesome delight in the torturous murder of vain, self-involved, oversexed college kids. It's what my mom would call a "dead teenager movie". Think "I Know What You Did Last Summer" only less sucky, with better death scenes and a more evolved sense of dark humor. If you shy away from slasher flicks, you probably won't get much out of this, but fans of the genre will appreciate it's modern twist on classic horror. The death scenes are creatively brutal, and the twists are predictable yet generally satisfying. A good popcorn flick for a lazy weekend evening. <br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=630521610X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000A2XA8M&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000OYCMLM&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=miksmovrev-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001NPD9LS&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239289107213471071.post-51331450379238355112010-03-03T14:36:00.000-08:002010-04-10T13:33:57.582-07:00Eyes Without a Face (1960)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP-h5nnR3GBM4-jFWqEAZwR1_hFU86QwX70gz7X10b-jWyPdCDbgqB39bsoepkccF4sYCfU9PoTqXJbOY83mRUhVFnztdbiBxDoDteuu8LDAADpX0pRG90JEBeP2Q74_YTiULUlBZVkc/s1600-h/eyesposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP-h5nnR3GBM4-jFWqEAZwR1_hFU86QwX70gz7X10b-jWyPdCDbgqB39bsoepkccF4sYCfU9PoTqXJbOY83mRUhVFnztdbiBxDoDteuu8LDAADpX0pRG90JEBeP2Q74_YTiULUlBZVkc/s320/eyesposter.jpg" /></a>aka: Les Yeux Sans Visage (France)<br />
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Directed by Georges Franju<br />
Written by Jean Redon, Thomas Narcejac, Claude Sautet and Pierre Boileau<br />
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Unrated <br />
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I only saw "Eyes Without a Face" for the first time about a year ago. I was immediately struck by the artful cinematography and Hitchcockian plot. Since then I have seen it at least five times, and each viewing further affirms my appreciation for this film. In a fairly short time, "Eyes Without a Face" has become one of my favorite films ever.<br />
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The film opens with carnivalesque organ music and footage of trees rushing past outside a speeding automobile as the credits roll. Tree imagery will become very important within the film, and will represent nature in all of it's sublime, untamable glory. Automobiles, conversely, will represent crude technology as a metaphor for man's attempt to exercise control over nature. In several shots throughout the film, we see trees reflected off of Dr. Genessier's very shiny car. I saw the image of trees reflected on the hood of a car as a metaphor for the way that Genessier tries to artificially reproduce nature in his depraved medical experiments. Pay attention to the trees throughout the film, especially at the end.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tGAKtOHPEbaSAV_xSGYwbQUjiVsJYnfLzLgMxmwNO8k_3CmD8vKPMLt_AeQd2e-_eZjJ2hThyphenhyphendymyLaAFRgR6djctaCMFrHXs4sGKiwFJ0kkT2Fr3pW3q4M9xWrXPHOScf8VdqGWCds/s1600-h/eyesbodydump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tGAKtOHPEbaSAV_xSGYwbQUjiVsJYnfLzLgMxmwNO8k_3CmD8vKPMLt_AeQd2e-_eZjJ2hThyphenhyphendymyLaAFRgR6djctaCMFrHXs4sGKiwFJ0kkT2Fr3pW3q4M9xWrXPHOScf8VdqGWCds/s200/eyesbodydump.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>When the "maniac forest driving" credits sequence ends, we see that the driver of the car is Louise (played by Alida Valli), a middle-aged woman in a wide pearl choker who looks paranoid and panicky as she drives. A peek in the backseat reveals why: a faceless corpse wrapped in a jacket. Louise pulls over near a body of water and dumps the corpse. As far as movie "hooks" go, this one is pretty rich. Who is Louise? Who was the dead girl? How did she die and why is it being covered up?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbINdy8_r6Aw8DgzCMeu1I4iif4-JCFt8I5pUc7tDUs6g6RHJyLmOm5xwz2vYMAnrWzzFOsAEP6t3g2WDzNpgDrlhHaxAtFy-baIa4m5AfcO1SUcZ0KJYpYRcTp_jNmQoRiUO6d-Oo0k/s1600-h/eyesgenessier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbINdy8_r6Aw8DgzCMeu1I4iif4-JCFt8I5pUc7tDUs6g6RHJyLmOm5xwz2vYMAnrWzzFOsAEP6t3g2WDzNpgDrlhHaxAtFy-baIa4m5AfcO1SUcZ0KJYpYRcTp_jNmQoRiUO6d-Oo0k/s320/eyesgenessier.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In the next scene, we see Doctor Genessier, an esteemed transplant surgeon, speaking before a group of medical professionals. He claims that he has developed a fool-proof method for performing organ grafts and transplants that will eliminate the need for blood-type compatibility between the organ donor and recipient. His speech immediately reveals all you need to know about his character: he's cold, clinical, headstrong, determined, and is not afraid to play God in the realm of medical science. Several of the audience members discuss the rumors circulating regarding Christiane, Genessier's missing daughter, who disappeared after being horribly disfigured in a car crash while Genessier was driving.<br />
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The police find a girl with wounds that match Christiane's when she disappeared: face completely removed except for the eyes. One cop remarks that the wounds look too surgical for a car crash. Because Genessier's daughter is known to have been wounded and missing, he is called in to identify the body. Another man whose daughter recently went missing is called in to look at the body too, but Genessier goes first and assures the other father that the body belongs to Christiane, preventing him from looking to see for himself.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviKA7JB6lRcLZQtI3qTPdE3Whs5_Eb9Rm-kEtNOes0ljLXgp1X43jQIA2XX2uxgZzpyFVeF5qvVsEO8JRIOZrLwgn1HN2oaBREzVaiK1bFlaGKyGS8kNcTIYy5RpOCxNrKNhNSErvAKA/s1600-h/arbremask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviKA7JB6lRcLZQtI3qTPdE3Whs5_Eb9Rm-kEtNOes0ljLXgp1X43jQIA2XX2uxgZzpyFVeF5qvVsEO8JRIOZrLwgn1HN2oaBREzVaiK1bFlaGKyGS8kNcTIYy5RpOCxNrKNhNSErvAKA/s200/arbremask.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Upon returning to his large, foreboding house in the country, we discover that Louise is Dr. Genessier's housekeeper, and that his daughter Christiane is alive, living in hiding and wearing a creepy prosthetic mask to cover her disfigured face. I strongly believe that "Eyes Without a Face" was one of the sources of inspiration for "Arbre Los Ojos" (aka "Open Your Eyes"), the Spanish film that was remade as "Vanilla Sky". In these films, the main character is a rich and influential man who is horribly scarred in a car accident by a jilted lover and becomes a creepy masked recluse. While I am a fan of both films, neither the Spanish lead nor Tom Cruise wear the creepy mask as well as Edith Scob's Christiane.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Om6J1jeQvXCUFn4gs846mFfs-TwZ_EIZ_FbTLgvxOii7xwJJY6X69Ef0EswwtRdEVbMR6P7s0SOh_EAkpVr4ircr5ga4tyzbPPF5relKn7QL2PuBOVSKeBHqhEdjULTi6jt8-06irlE/s1600-h/eyesgirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Om6J1jeQvXCUFn4gs846mFfs-TwZ_EIZ_FbTLgvxOii7xwJJY6X69Ef0EswwtRdEVbMR6P7s0SOh_EAkpVr4ircr5ga4tyzbPPF5relKn7QL2PuBOVSKeBHqhEdjULTi6jt8-06irlE/s200/eyesgirl.jpg" width="175" /></a>Scob's Christiane is in a state of near-catatonic misery for the whole film. She's had her face torn off in an accident caused by her father driving like a maniac, and is then forced to hide herself away while her father holds a fake funeral for her. She is separated from her fiance, who thinks she's dead, and her only hope for a semi-normal life is her father's demented experimentation with skin grafting. Unfortunately for Christiane, her father's desire to recreate her face comes not from love or even guilt for causing her deformity, but out of a selfish desire to crack the mysteries of medical science. He keeps his daughter like a prisoner when he's not using her as a lab rat to test his latest ideas.<br />
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But Christiane is not the only person to suffer under her father's knife. Dr. Genessier has taken to kidnapping beautiful young women in order to steal their faces for Christiane's skin grafts. The body that Louise dumped at the beginning of the film turns out to have been an unwilling donor of a failed skin graft. Dr. Genessier promises Christiane that he's close to perfecting his technique, that soon she'll have a face again and be able to start a new life. Ironically, Christiane has been through so much pain that she would actually welcome death as an end to her suffering, but her father refuses to give up on her. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMjYlzE1jp4yaLRtjMu39fN_V2qV2JD7U83MPY1nzrKHd4ur6fFOBq1yNw-Mab0gyjrcpnqXz4n3FqLKNfPbexsGpLpjStBko8LGJ9rFPO8jVuSANywGAKXAfneDdnhLU7sysU64LVhs/s1600-h/eyessurgery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMjYlzE1jp4yaLRtjMu39fN_V2qV2JD7U83MPY1nzrKHd4ur6fFOBq1yNw-Mab0gyjrcpnqXz4n3FqLKNfPbexsGpLpjStBko8LGJ9rFPO8jVuSANywGAKXAfneDdnhLU7sysU64LVhs/s320/eyessurgery.jpg" /></a></div>Genessier uses Louise to lure women to the doctor's house. She befriends them and tricks them into accompanying her to the mansion, where they are promptly drugged and their faces removed. Christiane has mixed feelings about her father victimizing girls in this way. She's hopeful that the experiments will pay off, resulting in a new beginning for herself, but is also painfully aware that for every girl Genessier kills, he takes only small steps towards a successful transplant. One of the faceless victims escapes only to commit suicide. At this point, Christiane starts sympathizing with the victims of her father's work, and decides that her life (or what's left of it) isn't worth the lives of others.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdDSkIc-lSbISbx6tYWO-5mtf46VEoPMHS0_e8BZXKxVF8cfPUabZbybn-1TPwzqoPZQx7up8Dbh_L6NSWOHlqXPKWLm8E05EG3Vd48miNFWUTVvQWpeIRccqfJJQJV3s3PH6kIMvypQ/s1600-h/ring0mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdDSkIc-lSbISbx6tYWO-5mtf46VEoPMHS0_e8BZXKxVF8cfPUabZbybn-1TPwzqoPZQx7up8Dbh_L6NSWOHlqXPKWLm8E05EG3Vd48miNFWUTVvQWpeIRccqfJJQJV3s3PH6kIMvypQ/s200/ring0mask.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>Because she can't resume her love life in any conventional way, Christiane has been making phone calls to her fiance Jacques and then hanging up without saying anything. Once, Christiane says his name into the phone, but is quickly cut off by Louise, who forbids her from contacting him again. This scene is actually enacted by the fictional theater troupe in "Ring 0: Birthday", the dramatic prequel to the Japanese Ring series. Sadako (who fans of the series will know is doomed to become a vengeful ghost) plays Christiane's part, and throughout the film, her acting troupe reenacts several scenes, most notably the "forbidden phone call" scene. "Ring 0" is a damned cool horror flick all by itself, but gets extra brownie points for referencing "Eyes Without a Face". <br />
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The phantom phone calls push Jacques to go to the police. A few sharp policemen have noticed a marked increase in the number of faceless women's bodies being found, as well as the fact that they all are proportionally similar to Genessier's daughter. When Jacques tells the police he suspects that his fiancee is still alive, they plan a sting operation to test Dr. Genessier. They find an attractive shoplifter named Paulette (played by silver-screen beauty Beatrice Altariba) to check into Genessier's clinic under the pretext of having migraine headaches.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkMKhhojcSoMbnD8HaIjyO4MYPiheCF6l4dNUoNch8BQIhaYRcR8sw9ZuGE0sDcvM6fYSikO-Xz04cgnDVz3Q46vOwIeFaTkq4RKZSXWpsImoaq9syn_d0XHxdxWWgfUZFKZRgzBbWoE/s1600-h/eyespaulette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkMKhhojcSoMbnD8HaIjyO4MYPiheCF6l4dNUoNch8BQIhaYRcR8sw9ZuGE0sDcvM6fYSikO-Xz04cgnDVz3Q46vOwIeFaTkq4RKZSXWpsImoaq9syn_d0XHxdxWWgfUZFKZRgzBbWoE/s400/eyespaulette.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Paulette is treated and discharged from the clinic without incident, but the police discover that after leaving the clinic, she never made it home. The police rush to Genessier's house. The bone-chilling finale is one of my favorite movie endings ever, and beautifully ties up the dark tale of the mad doctor and his faceless daughter. <br />
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I give "Eyes Without a Face" a 10/10, and that's only because it's the highest rating possible on my scale. Films like this tempt me to add a 10+ rating to denote truly spectacular films. I don't mean to gush, but this is one of the most beautifully-crafted, haunting horror films I have ever seen. It is nearly perfect in every way. The acting is top-notch, the story is worthy of Hitchcock, and the cinematography is just plain gorgeous. If you are even a passing fan of Hitchcockian suspense, you owe it to yourself to watch this film.<br />
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